The Thankful Game

So lots of people are doing the massive list of things to be thankful for. Last yeat I did this on my facebook when it was still “new.” This year however, everyone and their dog seems to do it…so I though I would make it a bit more personal and post it here. I will do 31 things. However, I will post 16 things I am thankful (half will probably be about family.) for, and then 15 things I am not thankful for. Just to keep it interesting. : D

Me and Emily pulling of a beautiufl representation of a turkey at last years Thanksgiving!

 

 

1- I am thankful for the Gospel in my life. This really has made me who I am today and I would be a mess without it. Sometimes I get frustrated with the culture aspect of it living in Utah, but deep down I would be empty without it. Spirituality is a critical in today’s society. I think that without it, life would be a lot less hopeful. No matter what you believe.

Uruguay, Montevideo Temple

 

2- I am not thankful for crazies on the road that drive me nuts, or traffic, or red lights. I think I am cursed to deal with them on a daily basis.

 

3- Thankful for my mom. She. Is. Incredible. Somehow she makes 25 hours come out of a day. She is so supportive of people and what we do as her children. She is loyal and will stand by us till hells end. Couldn’t have gotten a better mom. Love that she cares about my life and what I do with it. She. Rocks.

 

Yes. She is cool than your mom.

 

4- I am not thankful for spiders. Need I say more?

 

5- My dad. He is the coolest guy on the planet. He has taught me how to be successful, and how to take control of my life. I would be no where with out his famous saying.. “go to school and keep your pants on.” I love how we can think outside of the box and still hold to his believes. He is an incredible man. Id be nothing without his example in my life.

 

Learned everything i know from this mug.

 

6- I am not thankful for ignorant people. Whatsoever. Those who can't accept that other people have different beliefs and can love them. They drive me nuts. Honestly they make me angry and upset. I see this on a regular basis being in Utah and there are days I wish I lived on the east coast…maybe med school.

 

7- I am thankful for my sister Sarah. For the longest time we hated each other. Then the best thing happened and we became best friends. More than best friends. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t talk to her on a regular basis. We understand each other on a level that blows my mind sometimes. Don’t know how I survived my mission without seeing her. But all I can say is I am glad I don’t have to do that again. Love her to death.

 

We are soarin...flying..

8- I am not thankful for cereal. It. Is NASTY! I know people think I am insane. But think about it….what are you really eating…?

 

9- I am thankful for my brother in law Brian. He is the older and super cool brother that I didn’t get. I don’t think he understands how much I actually look up to him. He is an example of being a husband and a father that I only hope that I can become. Whenever I have car troubles, or anything that is mechanical… I go to Brian first. And 99.9999% he knows what is wrong. Don’t know how I survived without you amigo.

He is the "cool" one of the family. P.S. He isnt actually wearing that costume...

10- I am not thankful for old people in my college classes who think they are best friends with the professors just because they are from the same generation. I am glad you are coming back to school. I support that. But come on…you are no different than the res of us.

 

11- I am thankful for my brother Eric. Currently he is roughing it out in Washington and I couldn’t be more proud of him. He is the strongest kid I know. Sometimes he wants to give up and be like everyone else…but he doesn’t. Which amazes me. He and I share a bond that only brothers have, and I am so proud to say he is my brother. He is the black sheep and doesn’t care. Sometimes I wish I had his carefree attitude. It would take care of a lot of the stress.

Miss this kid, and his incredibly large nose.

 

12- I am not thankful for tuition payments. They are evil. Satan invented them. End. Of. Story.

 

13- I am thankful for my sister Emily. Oh Emily. How we rock. She and I are kind of the same person yet completely different. She is the only one that understands when I start to talk about gas laws, and glomerulouses, and all things science. She is an example to me in that she is incredibly righteous. She make me want to be better at life. She also can do anything. Well except cook….and history…haha life would be a lot more boring without you in my life Em! 

Emily and her squeeze General Chamberlin

 

14- I am not thankful for Voldemort or Umbridge. They both stand for racism and degrading people that are not what you think is honorable. They epitomize all the evils of bigotry and hatred. All they care about is power, yet fail to realize the greatest power of all is love.

 

15- I am thankful for my nephew Zach. He is the cutest child on the planet. The moment I met him I felt this bizzaro connection with the kid. He is my first nephew and as such will probably be spoiled till he dies. We play awesome games such as, super punch, 1 2 3 4, im gonna get you, say MAX, zack of beans, and his new favorite…the electric chair.

Training him how to use his creep.

 

16- I am not thankful for lazy people at work. All I ask is you do your job. Don’t make me do it for you. That’s lame. And worthy to be on this list

 

17- I am thankful for all of my extended family. We are all a bunch of psychos…but we are the coolest psychos this side of them Mississippi. (and on the other side of this great river) Whenever we get together it’s a party. We are all different, but we are all the same in one way or another. Just face it. My family is 3 billion times cooler than your. Yup. Its true.

 

18- I am not thankful for being tired. Really who likes to be tired? It’s annoying and I feel like I am tired far too much. Who is with me?

 

19- I am thankful for this awesome girl named Kylie. She makes me a better person. Our story is crazy and filled with adventures and I would have it no other way. I am so glad my car broke down on the side of the free way. She is intelligent, beautiful, independent, hilarious, and supportive of all I do. (except when I wear my grandpa socks….) I love her, and am so lucky to have her in my life!

Pure. Awesome.

 

20- I am not thankful for singles wards. I have yet to find one where I feel welcome. They always are filled with crazies looking to get married at the drop of a hat, who look at you like you’re a leper if you don’t think the same way they do. All I gotta say is calm down. If we are living good lives….things. Will. Work. Out. I always feel ostracized from singles wards. They make me feel uncomfortable. Deal with it.

 

21- I am very thankful for my INCREDIBLE friends. We are insane. Insane. Each of us is crazy in our own ways, but when you put us all together we are a forced to be reckoned with. I have never met a group of less judging/caring people in the world. Doesn’t matter who you are, they will be your friend for eternity. They know how to love life, and live everyday laughing. And they will stand by you through thick and thin. What more could you ask for in a friend? You all know who you are. If I made a list it would be longer than the bible. If you read this. Thanks.

 

 

22- I am not thankful for being sick. Come on leukocytes. Kick it into high gear!

 

23- I am thankful for higher education. It is kind of the purpose of my life. I whine and gripe about it being stressful and difficult (which it is….) but I need it in my life. I love going to school and feeling apart of something bigger. While it causes me grief and is a demanding mistress. I would be so lost without you school!

 

24- I am not thankful for most sports. Such as basketball. I have a lot of trauma from my past from being the “scronny” “skinny” kid in my gym classes as the one that cant do anything. Lots of bad memories. Lots of bullying. Don’t like sports.

 

 

25- I am thankful for my career path. There are tons of people out there who don’t know what they want to do with their life…and that thought of not knowing what I want to do scares me dead. Glad my dad instilled in my mind that we need to have a plan for our future. I think it’s a big part of why I am ambitious.

 

26- I am not thankful for Drama. Most of the time it is unnecessary and stupid. If people would just talk about things to those they care about, a lot of things would be resolved. Normally it doesn’t…and it becomes a pride issue. And can ultimately kill relationships. Not good.

 

27- I am thankful for books. I cant really describe how I feel about these things. They give me a place to go when I am tired of the world. So many things can be learned just by picking up a good book. They have power. I am 98.7% sure that everything we know about came from a book.

 

28- I am not thankful for preserved lobster copses in my zoology lab. They are gross and stick like you wouldn’t believe…and I have smelled a gross number of things in my academic career.

 

29- I am thankful for America. We are a pretty awesome nation. Wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Compared to the rest of the world we have it pretty nice. Complain all you want about our government. But go try and live in a third world country for two years. You’ll appreciate this country a little bit better.

 

30- I am not thankful for Ursula from “The Little Mermaid.” She is a creep. But I kinda love her creepiness.

 

31- I am thankful for honest and nice people. They give me hope. To see someone helping on my way home, to see a dad playing with his kids, giving a heart felt present to someone. These things inspire me to be better. In a world where selfishness the most important thing…it is miraculous to see someone else help another. The world could do with a lot more of it.

Zach couldnt really control where he was looking at the time...

 

    WOW that was a long post. But well worth it. I now have proper ammunition to use at any family thanksgiving activity that may occur. If you read this ALL THE WAY. You are awesome. And I will give you 400 blogging points. With an extra 500 if it made you think of things you are thankful and not thankful for. Leave feedback! I love it. One could say that I am thankful for feedback…