Thanksgiving...What am I thankful for? As a whole, I believe this country and others take being thankful for granted. Sometimes we think of others and how thankful we are for them and we think of how thankful we are for being alive. However, most of the time we think like this is around the holidays, at the birth of a child, or the death of a loved one. We don't react until something happens. Every day should be Thanksgiving, not because of the food of coarse, but for giving thanks. I am thankful to be alive and for having a wonderful family that includes my boyfriend, his children, and our extended families. I am also thankful for our wonderful friends who make us feel like family. I am thankful for being an American and to have the freedom to vote. I am thankful for being a woman, a girlfriend, a daughter, a sister, a friend. I am thankful for being me and being who I am.

I am thankful to have the freedom to stand up and use my voice. To say, "Hey, I am not being treated fairly". I have used my voice and have used it proudly. And I am thankful every day to be able to do so. I am thankful every day that I don't have to hide who I am or hide my face because I am not a man. I am thankful that the men in my life have respect for women and the woman I am.

Be thankful for who you are, who you have in your life, and what you have in your life. Be thankful every day. Don't wait because life doesn't wait for you.

LOVE

All a girl really wants is love. As I sit here listening to the new Alicia Keys CD, "As I Am", that my boyfriend bought me today... love is the only thing on my mind. Love makes me feel on top of the world. Just hearing Alicia Keys' words about love gives me this warm sensation all over my bones. Music about love keeps you wanting love all night long. You hear her words and you appreciate what you have; love should never be taken for granted. Whoever you are, wherever you are, deep down inside you know all you need is love. Money, expensive cars, elaborate clothing, gossip about your coworkers...it doesn't matter. At the end of the day if you don't have love, than you have nothing. Love keeps you sane, it keeps you going. The love from a boyfriend, a husband, a girlfriend, a wife, from your family, from your children, it is unconditional, it is pure, it is always there. When you have had a bad day at work, a bad day at school, or just a bad day, love will always bring you back to realization. Love will help you realize all that stress from work doesn't matter. When the loved one in your life gives you a hug, a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear, or a t-shirt to cry on, they are giving you love and they are making your bad day disappear. When I get in the door after a horrible day at work all I want from my boyfriend is a hug. That hug, his arms wrapped around me, embracing my woes, gives me strength to forget about everything.

Taking me as I am

I love that from day one he has taken me as I am. No masks, no secrets, no need to hide my true self. I have always had a problem with my image, especially my weight. Not that I'm obese, but put it this way...I hate shopping for new clothes! I never thought a man could love all of me for me. I always thought I would have to lose weight and try to look like a supermodel before I found someone. Sometimes when I went out with my friends I would get jealous, they were so beautiful and always knew how to pick up a guy, or a guy knew how to pick them up. One person I envied the most was my older sister. I thought she had it all, the smarts and the looks. She was the popular girl in the popular crowd. Everyone knew me because they knew her. "Oh yeah that's right, you're her sister." I felt that I would only be known as the "sister" and not as me. Even some teachers would call me by her name and she hadn't been in their class for two years! As we got older there were times when she finally let me hang out with her and her friends, but I still felt unwanted. I was tired of being compared to her and to everyone else, I just wanted to be loved for being me...I just wanted to be me. I'm a t-shirt and jeans girl, a football loving, loud talking, city girl. I don't want to try to impress a guy because of the things I can do or the pretty clothes I can put on for a night out. He is going to know me in my comfort zone and love me in my comfort zone.



And this he does. I can be my t-shirt and jeans wearing, football loving, loud talking, city girl self . I can spit my gum out the car window and not have to worry whether I'm being "lady like". There are times when I like to be a lady and be more proper, but I don't have to think twice if I'm just relaxing and lounging around the house. I didn't have to win over my boyfriend by pretending to be someone else. I didn't have to dress up and put make-up on like when I went out with my sister. I can let my guard down and open up to him about anything and everything. Although I'm not sloppy, there is no need to be obsessive about my image. There is no need to ask him, "Do I look fat in this?", because there is no need to care. With him I feel confident as I always should have.