Decorate that Tree!

Today I am decorating the Christmas tree at my parents house with the parents and my sister and brother-in-law. It's nice to have a family that does things together. I'm thankful I have such a close family. Last night, after a grueling nine hours straight, I finished my Linguistics final. I am completely exhausted, but I have more to do today so there is no time to rest!

Thankful Thanksgiving Thanks

I don't usually do the "I am thankful for..." things but this year, I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for in the face of the stupid stuff my family and I have gone through. So...here goes.

I am thankful for:

1. My parents. Without them, I wouldn't be the person I am today. My father is always there for me when I need him and I couldn't ask for a better dad. My mom, well, she is honestly one of my best friends. When I was younger, we never got along and we went through some really bad times, but now, she and I are really close and I am so happy.

2. My sister and my brother in law. Sheena is the greatest big sister. I love spending time with her and I know I can talk to her about anything. Daniel is pretty awesome too. He is always there for Sheena and always great at making me laugh.

3. Michael. He is a wonderful person and stands by me even though I can be extremely difficult.

4. My childhood dog Jack. Jack passed away this year, and the only way I can keep from being absolutely devastated about it is to remember how great he was. I grew up with him. He was the sweetest, smartest, best dog I have ever been around. I miss him very much.

5. My other family. Michael's family has been so great to me and I love spending time with them. Kim, Heather, Chris, Natalee, Tony...great people and extremely fun.

6. I have a home, food, clothes, and money.

7. I am going to be graduating in three weeks. I am very thankful for that.

8. My friends. I love hanging with my girls and my bros. Game nights are one of my favorite nights.

I'm sure I could add more, but I will spare you from the long drawn out details. I hope everyone has an amazing holiday and remember to be thankful.

Weekend Stress

I haven't been able to post in a couple days what with work and seeing the family and everything. That's nothing to complain about though. I have a job and a wonderful family to spend time with. Now it's time to settle in for the night and begin the homework that's due tomorrow. I am a terrible procrastinator, but I'm sure any of you who have gone or are going to school understand that.

The past couple of days have been pretty hard for me. My unsolved skin problems are just getting worse. After two years, I can honestly say I just want to peel all my skin off and get some new skin. Disgusting, I know, but really no one seems to be able to find a solution for me. Next week I will be seeing my fifth dermatologist and the eighth doctor for this same problem. No one seems to know what's wrong or how to fix it. Incredibly frustrating. It's hard to keep positive and continue on when things seem so dismal. I just have to remind myself of all the things I do have and try not to dwell on the the bad stuff.

Have any of you ever gone through so many doctors? Do you know what it is like to not know what is wrong with you? I'm sure there are many people who know what I'm going through.

So today, if you have good health, be thankful. And even if you don't, try your hardest to simply be thankful for all the things you do have: family, friends, a job, a home....

Stay strong. Keep your head up. Remember life is hard, but so worth it.