Be Thankful.

I'm so grateful for my family. For my little cousins and that they chase lizards with me in the nighttime. I'm thankful for my Uncles who tease me and tackle me and stuff grass in my face, and call me "Annie-Fanny" even though they know I hate it. I'm glad I get to spend times with my Aunts and that they want to know about the boys and friends in my life, they want to give me fashion advice, and give me endless compliments. I'm so thankful that my dad works two jobs for our family even though he hates both of them, I'm glad my mom loves making everything and insists on being environmentally clean, and that she runs a day care in our house so she can be with us as much as possible. I'm thankful that my Nana and Papa are serving the Lord and are in a mission in Argentina, I'm so thankful that my Grandfather has lived a full life and is ready to go back to his home in Heaven, and thankful for how strong my Grandma is and her selflessness. And even though we fight, scream, and hit, I couldn't live without my siblings. My older brother who somehow always ends up in my room every night and we spend time talking to each other. He'll sit on my sister's bed across from me, and I'll put down my journal and we'll just talk, laugh, or maybe not even say anything we'll just be with each other. My little brother is so creative, and sometimes I find myself being 7 years old again, pretending to be in a time machine traveling back to the time of the dinosaurs. Or maybe we'll travel to space in a rocket ship, or create another world with Legos. Then we'll both start laughing because I get so into it and I'm 15 years old. My little sister is the stubborn baby, who gets embarrassed so easily and just wants someone to pay attention to her annoying little girl habits. Some Friday nights I'll tell my friends I'm babysitting and that I can't hang out; then her and I will walk to Walmart and buy Spa supplies. Occasionally we'll but junk food too. We'll put on our face masks and watch "Anne of Green Gables" together, and I'll show her how to paint her nails.  I'm grateful for my dog named Luna that is absolutely crazy and adorable and has a foot fetish, I'm grateful for my other dog Maya that snuggles with me and howls when she knows I'm upset.

I'm grateful for snow and clear, fresh, cold air. I'm grateful for my mountains and the way I feel protected by them. I love they way the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow when September and October come around. I'm thankful for the summer time and getting tan lines, and Parker's Park swinging with friends and making up hilarious stories. Spring is the best because it means school is close to ending and all the pretty flowers wake up.

I am so blessed with friends that mean the world to me. I'm so grateful the friendships that ended badly too, because even then the memories with them are great and are a good laugh. I'm especially grateful for the new friends I've made this year, they all are such amazing examples to me, who know the right way and are following it. I'm grateful when they offer a shoulder to cry on when I get dramatic, or when they laugh with me even though I'm such a freak. Or when they understand that I'm not a spaz and will sit with me and just talk. I'm so thankful for guy-friends that show up randomly at my house and insist that I come have an adventure with them, then we just end up playing video games. These are the people that make me feel like I have worth, and that I'm cared about. Each day they make me a better person, and want to continue bettering myself.

I'm so glad that I'm never hungry or thirsty. That I don't wake up each morning wondering if I'll get dinner that night. I love ice cream, enchiladas, pizza, tacos, rice, noodles, soup, cake, lemonade, and so many other foods. I'm grateful that I have a warm bed, pillow, and a giant stuffed panda that I sleep with. I'm grateful that I have a home that has more than enough things that aren't necessities. I'm grateful for music, and artists that are blessed with the talent of showing emotion that way, and that I have an iPod to use to listen to them. I'm thankful for paper, and journals, and blogs so I can write my heart out and not keep everything bottled inside. I'm grateful for clothes that are cute, and warm. I'm grateful for bracelets that show what I stand for. I'm grateful for curling and flat irons, so my hair isn't insane. I'm thankful for hair dye that helps show my personality. I'm thankful for pianos. I'm thankful for fireplaces and hot chocolate. I'm thankful for books. I'm thankful for electricity. I'm thankful for a fridge, oven, stove, sink, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, heater, and AC. I'm thankful for glasses. I'm thankful for paint. I'm thankful for light. I'm thankful for experiences both good and bad.

I'm grateful for an education and that I am able to live in a country where I have that right. I'm thankful for the men and women who give up their lives to protect this nation. I'm grateful for a president who was elected in, instead of a dictatorship.

I'm thankful for the wonderful Gospel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and all the teachings in it. I'm thankful for the scriptures. I'm thankful for the wonderful leaders I've had within my Young Women's, and all the girls too. I'm thankful for Youth Conference and Girl's Camp. I'm thankful for testimony meetings. I'm grateful for the new perspectives it gives me. I'm thankful for the For Strength of Youth so show me what standards are and how to respect myself and other people. I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation, and a Heavenly Father who loves me perfectly. I'm thankful for the promptings of the Holy Ghost through a still small voice. I'm thankful that it gives me the opportunity to find a man whom I get to spend the rest of Eternity with. I'm thankful for temples and church buildings. I'm grateful for the Prophet, the First Presidency, the Apostles, and the rest of the church authority. I'm grateful for the power of the Priesthood. I'm thankful for Seminary and wonderful teachers.

And you. I'm thankful for you, because you're taking the time to read this.

Happy Thanksgiving