Today, I just have to stop and think about everything I am thankful for. It's a bit bizarre this year, sitting at home getting ready to go to my grandparents' house. The first time in my life I am not celebrating Thanksgiving with my parents. All because of a silly job at Sears and the blasted Black Friday Weekend.

I'm thankful for my parents because they do provide a lot for me. They let me stay here and allow me to use inordinate amounts of water for my sauna-showers, haha. Yeah, we get pissed off aplenty, but it never leaves my mind how much they do for me.

I'm thankful for my friends. So many of you for so many different reasons, so I'm going to limit myself to four names because I'd be here for hours and lunch is at 11 in Smithville, lol. Especially to Garrett, Powers, Anna, and Amy Amonett, the four of you are consistently there for me, even when we get pissed off at eachother or you think I'm a retard. To one other who shall remain nameless, thank you for tolerating my existance and not being a jerk to me, ever.

I'm thankful for movies. Random, I know, with how serious the rest has been, but I'm not kidding. Movies and good television provide me an escape, and an escape is definitely something that I need more often than not. Most days anymore, I just want to hide, and they allow me to do that.

Music is incredible to me. I've got it pumped entirely too loudly over the surround system on my PC right now, just because I can. From lyrics, to disorder, to beautiful voices, to driving beats or mellow moods, music can be whatever it needs to be for me.

I'm thankful that there is forgiveness in the world. Sometimes it takes longer to get, and sometimes it never comes at all, but for the record, to two people I must say again that I am sorry. I am very thanful that you tolerate me, I am thankful for the times that you let me into your sphere of influence again, no matter how briefly. Most of all, I am thankful for my three friends that you brought into the world and raised into the people they are. For that, I will always, ALWAYS respect you.

I'm thankful for opportunities to be reminded of how thanful I really am. It should be an everyday thing, but so often we get so busy that we never get to sit down and think about what really matters. It is a marvelous day.

More than all else, I am thankful to my Lord, Jesus Christ, who despite all of my (many many many many) imperfections, allowed me to become a part of His family forever. I am thankful that He called me to that end, and I hate that there are so many times that I slap Him in the face through my action or inaction. He is my help, my comfort, my shepherd, and I shall not want. If only it always worked that way, haha.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. I love you all. Dont be offended if you werent named. There are hundreds of names that would have been on this list if everyone I am currently thankful for were on it. :-) Know that if you are reading this, you are almost definitely one of them.

--GW