Grateful

I had been nominated some time ago to do something on Facebook where you post three things you are grateful for, for 7 days. Well I never did it. (Sorry Leann)

I figured I'd publish the list of things I'm grateful for in a blog post though. (Does this still count?) I will most likely not do all 21 (that'd be a long post) but I'll do some.
Here we go!

1. I think first on my list has to be my family. We're a bunch of crazies in all reality, but I wouldn't trade a single one of them for the world. As I continue to get older I see what I gain from both sides of my family. Traits or habits that I've inherited from them. It's like seeing the actual Reed and Pyle blood running through me. I'm grateful for the fact that no matter what comes our way, we have each other.
2. Next would be my boyfriend. People are always shocked when they find out how long we've been together. Apparently we give off that long term relationship vibe. Maybe we're already there because he's been by my side for so much in such a short amount of time. He's jumped into this relationship without hesitation and given his all. I appreciate more than I acknowledge the love, support, and push he gives me every day. With Josh I strive to be the best I can be. I know for the last 5 months, I've been the happiest I've been in a longggg time. I feel like myself around him. It's something people have really noticed about me. The fact that there's a glow about me again, a smile constantly plastered on my face, and the fact that my demeanor screams "Emily" again. I'd like to think he's played a big part in that. I wake up each day excited to see where things are going to go.
3. My faith. I'm a Christian. Not everyone believes that there is a higher power and that's okay with me. But for me, I take comfort in knowing that there is someone above me, helping me and guiding me along the way. Someone who provides comfort during hard times. Someone who throws me curve balls to help me learn the lessons I need to know. 
4. School. It's not always my favorite thing. In fact, sometimes it gets on my last nerve. But school (college in particular) hasn't always been easy for me. There was a time when I walked away for a bit. I found my love for school again and continue to work for my bachelors degree. I don't have too much longer to go and I am grateful for that.
5. Friends. I have a wide array of friends. But I'm grateful for each and every one of them. Everyone brings something different to the table. I'm grateful for all the times we've had together, the conversations. I'm grateful for the fact that with many of them, I don't see them or talk to them often. But as soon as we're together again, it's as if I was with them yesterday. We pick up right where we left off.
6. Music and Movies! These are two things that are found constantly in my life. I'm always listening to music. I like so many genres too that it's hard to predict what I'll be listening to. It's something I've always turned to because music has a way of expressing the thoughts and feelings you can't always find words for. Now movies...My mother would tell you I have an addiction to movies. She's probably right. I own too many for my own good. And when I say own, I don't mean I downloaded off of the internet for free, I mean I went to the store and bought the sucker. I enjoy sitting down and watching them.
7. I'm grateful for books. They take you to a different world. They make you think. For quite some time I hadn't read a book for fun. I've gotten back into it the last couple years and it's such a treat now when I can sit down and read something that isn't for school.
8. Pinterest. Now this is something I know I have an addiction to. Whoever came up with this website is a pure genius. I can spend hours on there. I guess it's a girl thing.
9. The months of October, November, and December. This is probably my favorite time of year. We get to watch the beauty of the leaves changing, the temperatures dropping and the snow arriving. It's also the holiday season and people are genuinely happier.
10. Lastly, I think I'm grateful for the unknown. I can't tell you what I'll face today. I can't tell you where I'll be in five years. Do I have goals and ideas of what I'd like to happen? Of course. And I'm working my butt off to make sure I stay on a path so that most of those things can happen. But we are thrown curve balls. It's a part of life. We're thrown things in life where all we know to do is ask, "Why?". I'm a believer in the idea that everything happens for a reason. There's always something to learn. We'll face things and it won't make sense why it happened, or why it happened a particular way. It may take us a long time to get that answer or to understand. But I do believe that no matter how long it may take, we will get an answer. The unknown doesn't stay unknown for forever.