Happy Thanksgiving!

As a girl who has trouble being a consistent blogger (let's just say that this isn't my first time to start a new blog), I decided that starting one on a day like today might up my chances of making it stick.

Today is Thanksgiving Day, and I couldn't be more thankful. Cliche, right?

But seriously. I'm so overwhelmed with thankfulness for so many wonderful people, things, opportunities and happenings that I have been blessed with.

• I am blessed to be a part of a family that genuinely cares for one another, despite our imperfections. 
• I'm thankful for this new adventure that I have recently embarked on, commonly referred to as "the college years." Though my first semester has been filled with major ups and downs, I can already see that those experiences are working together to make me a stronger and more complete person. 
• I'm thankful for the special friendships that I am maintaining from high school, and the new friendships that are budding at college.
• I am thankful for my health, and the health of those that I love. This is something that I take for granted so often, but a significant sickness or bike wreck (both have happened recently) can quickly snap one back into reality.
• I am thankful for Tim. I've been blessed with a boyfriend who has a kind and gentle heart. He encourages me to grow closer to my Creator every single day.
• I'm thankful to be a student at a university that encourages me to grow deeper in my Christian faith, while also opening my eyes to the other beliefs and world views around me.
• I am thankful for the fact that my grandparents live only five minutes away from my college campus. I have my independence when I want it, but a home-away-from-home never hurt anyone.
• I am thankful for gluten-free dressing with cranberry sauce. Enough said.
• Oh, and gluten-free pumpkin crisp.
• I am beyond thankful for the fact that an Almighty God would use the imperfections and mess-ups- the cracks- in someone like me as a means to reveal Himself. I am completely undeserving; total willingness is the least I can give.

It's been an incredible day- lots of family, laughter, food (never complete without a cooking disaster or two), and plenty of lounging around. And grazing. So. Much. Grazing.

I watched not one, but TWO movies throughout the course of the day (I Am David and Lincoln Lawyer- not bad!), and somehow managed to squeeze a short run in. Around 7 pm, Tim and his family were added into the mix, and the goodness grew even more. And, might I mention, the beautiful lack of homework that I have has been a huge joy contributor. It's been wonderful. 

Keep checking in if you please! I pinky promise I'll be back soon.

For an endless amount of old ramblings, check out lifethesedayscaylie.blogspot.com AND lifethesedayscaylie2.blogspot.com.

-clg

"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!" Psalm 106:1