I Have Been Blessed

Everyone is doing a "thankful" November on facebook. I decided to take it to my blog, so this post is going to be  30 things I am thankful for. I could list on and on... but I will try my best to keep it at 30.

#1. I am thankful for my salvation. When I was a little 8 year old girl, the Lord saved my soul. It is a day that changed my life forever. I am so undeserving of all He has done for me. 

#2. I am thankful for my little church. It is a place that I can not only go to the Lord and worship him, but it contains people that I can trust and lean upon for answers and prayers. With all that I am going through, my family and I have been asking for as many prayers as I can get, and there are times that I will try to pray that the Lord will give me strength. When I get down to pray, I just can't. I get overwhelmed with the feeling of people praying for me. All I can say is I am so thankful the Lord led me to that little church.

#3. I am thankful for my husband. God could not have given me a better man, and I am not just saying that because he is my husband. He truly is an answered prayer. He puts up with a lot of crap and by crap I mean medical issues. Not many men would stick around for a medical mystery. Of course, he wished I would be better, but it is because he hates seeing me feel the way I do. He does everything he can do to support me. He works his butt off, so I can do my best in school and not have to work. He is seriously the best. I do not know what I would do without him.

"I did it for the girl" Yep, we met Greg Bates... pretty cool I know

#4. I am thankful for my mom. I was going to say parents, but I figured they all deserved their own day for different reasons. My mom has always been by my side. Although she may be crazy at times, I could not have chosen a better mother. She always did her best to raise me the "right" way. She pointed me to God, when I could no longer stand on my own. She fought with doctors to find out what was wrong with me. She still fights with me to find out what in the heck is going on in my body. She has learned to step aside and let Daniel take care of me, which had to be difficult for her, but she is still there when I reach out. She is there to support or give me advice with anything I need. She is a great momma, and I do not know what I would do without her.

#5. I am thankful for my dad (Craig). You know the Brad Paisley song "He didn't have to be." Incase you don't here are some of the lyrics.

I met the man I call my dad when I was five years old

He took my mom out to a movie and for once I got to go

A few months later I remember lying there in bed

I overheard him pop the question and prayed that she'd say yes 

And then all of a sudden

Oh, it seemed so strange to me

How we went from something's missing

To a family 

Lookin' back all I can say

About all the things he did for me

Is I hope I'm at least half the dad

That he didn't have to be 

I do not remember him asking my mom to marry him or having tea parties with me. I do not want to be the dad, but if I could be at least half of the parent that he did not have to be I know I will be a great one. This song has always made me think of him, and how I hope to live up to the example he has set before me.

#6. I am thankful for my dad (Nathan). I know that we have not always had a relationship, but I am thankful for the one we have now. I am thankful that I can be a part of his life and he can be a part of mine.

#7. I am thankful for my step-mom. We have had a rough patch to say the least, but we are moving through it. She was the one that taught me to swim and took me to get my nails done when I was younger. We missed quite a few years, but I am thankful God brought her back into my life to make more memories.

#8. Now to start those siblings. I am thankful for all 4 of them. Brilynn, my one and only little sister. We may not always see eye to eye, but she is my best friend. I know she is always there to talk to. I do not know what I would do without her.

So funny story. My grandma bought Brilynn and I these horrible dresses. We hated them, but we had to put them on. I was way to old for that dress. Embarrassing. 

This is Jess. I am thankful that God put her in my life. She means so much to me. 

#9. Brett/ bubba... he is just too cute. I cannot believe he is getting ready to start driving. It makes me sick. I still want him to be little. He is so strong and is learning to be such a great little man. I love watching him grow into the man he is going to be. I love him to death.

This picture is from Southside MBC's christmas thing. I cannot even remember what it is called. Sorry, it is the broken brain.

#10. Noah... This little man, I love him so much. I missed entirely too much of his life, but luckily I get to be a part of the rest of it. I cannot wait to watch him grow.

#11. Niles. Well he is just a little man. He is starting to warm up to me. I am so glad I am going to get to be a part of his life. I want to be there every step of the way.

I love all my siblings so much, and I am so thankful God chose me to be their big sis. I hope I can be a great example to them. There is nothing more I want then for them to succeed and follow the Lord, and I hope and pray I can lead by example.

#12. I am thankful for my cousins. I have the best cousins ever. I have such a close family, and I feel like they will be there for me no matter what. I love all of them for different reasons. They are all unique and have had their own impact on my life, but they are a big part of who I am.

Best photo bomb ever just sayin! This is Chelsi :)

Kipton and Clayton

Bricen and Chloe

Kyla

Shelby and Shayla

Liza

Bricen

Jesse, Buddy, Kyla, Chloe, and Emily... Noah and Niles too, but they are brothers.

Levi, Liza, and Lily

Tiff, Dereck, and Lyla

 I have a lot of cousins, so I am sorry to those I do not have a picture of. Love you all :)

#13. I am thankful for my grandparents. I was blessed with some "off the charts" grandparents to say the least. 

Grandma Holland

Papaw and Teresa

Grandpa and Grandma Dulworth

My wonderful Mamaw Thompson

And the one and only Papaw Dennis.

#14. I am thankful for my aunts and uncles. They all are so supportive and awesome. I do not know what I would do without them.

Nin and Marty. I love you guys so much. I am so thankful to have you to look up to.

Aunt Alicia and Uncle Todd

Aunt Karen.. the definition of a Godly women. She is such an example to me on how to live my life for God. I am so thankful to have her in my life and I love her so much.

Uncle Randy and Becky.

Nin and Aaron. Thankful for them too. Love them so much. 

Nona and Sam. I told you I was blessed with great aunts and Uncles.

Not pictured Uncle Kelly. He recently has become a huge part of my life. I am so thankful for him and so glad I get to be around him more. I love him so much.

Not pictured aunt Tammy and uncle Joe. Love you guys too :)

I do not think I missed any other aunt and uncles, but if I did.... sorry.

#15. I am thankful for Daniel's family. They have taken me in and made me feel like family. They are so supportive of Daniel and I, and I am thankful that God gave me such a great, big, and loving family.

Not pictured... Bridget's family. I could not find a picture of all of them. I know I have one some where, but it already took me a week to finish this... so I kind of ran out of time.

#16. I am thankful for nurses and doctors. I have always had such a respect for nurses and doctors with my medical history, but as I have gotten older and been in contact with more nurses and doctors, I have gained more appreciation for those in the medical field.

#17. I am thankful for my nursing instructors. They are being so supportive with everything that is going on. They are trying to help me out in anyway that they can.

#18. I am thankful for God's plan and His timing.

#19. I am thankful for my nursing friends. They are always there to help me study or to meet for lunch after clinicals. They help keep me sane. I do not know what I would do without them. God's timing played a huge role in this one. I was a semester late getting into the nursing program. At first, I was really upset that I did not get in the first time I applied, but now I am so thankful for God's timing.

#20. I am thankful for Lish. This girl has been my friend for as long as I can remember. We have grown even closer the older we get. She will never understand how much I love and appreciate her. She is such a blessing. We seem to lean on each other a lot. I am so thankful God brought her back into my life just when I needed her. I could not have found a better person to stand by my side on my wedding day and the rest of my life. I know she will be there for me no matter what is going on in my life. I love her so much. I am thankful for the 2nd sister God placed in my life.

My sisters :) Love them to pieces. Sorry Brilynn.. I put the pictures of all 3 of us under Lish.

Trying on Bridesmaids dresses

Photo bomb

#21. I am thankful for a roof over my head and food on my table. It may be a little one bedroom apartment, but it a place to live.

#22. I am thankful Josh and Cheyenne. They are great friends that would do anything for us. We have had a lot of fun together. God has placed great friends in my life.

This is so funny... so we were going to go sledding. We all got bundled up and went to leave. When we went outside, Cheyenne was like maybe I should have put more socks on my feet are freezing. We all look down and she had forgot to put her shoes on. It was so funny. Sometimes I think she was supposed to be a blonde.

#23. I am thankful for my health. I am a long way from healthy, but it could be worse.

#24. I am thankful that the Lord only gives you as much as you can handle. Sometimes I feel like this is not true, but then he lifts just a little bit off and gives me the strength to push forward.

#25. I am thankful for my "good days." Lately, they are few and far between, but I still have them. I could not have any "good" days, so I am thankful that I do.

#26. I am thankful for my friends from highschool. I might not be able to hang out with them very often, but I know that they would be there in a heart beat in a minute.

Just a few... don't be mad if I did not put a picture up of you... that doesn't mean I do not love you... it just means that it took me A WHOLE WEEK to write this post.

#27. I am thankful for my blog. That may seem so silly, but it is a form of therapy for me. I do not get to write on it much, because I am focused on passing school since I am struggling so much. When I do get to write on it, I can get out how I am feeling and who is a big part of my life. It helps me cope with what is going on in my life.

#28. I am thankful for medication and the people that make them. Without my medication I would not be able to somewhat function as a "normal" person.

#29. I am thankful for the little things people do to lift you up. Anything. Just a small text message or message on facebook. It can change my day from bad to good pretty quickly.

#30. I am thankful for prayer. That I can go to Him anytime, and he hears me. It doesn't matter what it is about. He seems to always help. i seem to be praying for guidance lately. I am struggling in school so bad that I am trying to figure out plan B. I just want to be in His will. I want to do what he wants me to do no matter how difficult it is for me.

And there is my I am thankful list. I am sorry for not being able to post sooner.