My Great-ful Day (I would...)

Thanksgiving was a little different this year.

Like always, I have a lot to be grateful for. I am thankful for my friends, and was glad to be able to communicate that through sending and receiving plenty of text messages and a few hilarious phone calls (Sammie pretending she was me when Manny called, drunken call from NYC [I won't name names!], and "Pops" in Montana).

I was especially happy to share the company of 3 new people joining us at the dinner table: My brother's girlfriend Joslyn, her brother Jordan, and my baby nephew Jase.

It always amazes me how neat it is to have new people come into your life out of nowhere. As soon as they become a part of your life, you just can't imagine life without them. People can REALLY change your life. For example, it's sad to think that I could have lived life without ever knowing Joslyn or her brother; something as simple as Jonathan never asking Joslyn on a date would have obliterated any chance of me knowing her. Don't even get me started on thinking about Jase never being born.

I could have easily decided to go to SDSU after graduating high school. I am sure I would have met great people there and confident I would be able to call someone over there a best friend. However, a part of me strongly believes that those I've met as a result of choosing to go to CSUF are better than anybody else I could have possibly met elsewhere. I've had such great people come into my life, that I don't ever wonder who I could have met or what life would be like if I were somewhere else. And as I attempt to imagine life right now in another location, I just feel sad... which brings me to the conclusion that I am happy where I am right now, the people I am proud to call friends, and the opportunities soon to come as I prepare for the next adventure in life--grad school.

Well, that's my philosophical reflection of the day, triggered by the holiday and a few glasses of wine at the dinner table.

Now for some photographs that summerize the day and those I LOVE SO MUCH...

The "kids"...



Grandpa wishes he had this hair... ewww



The handsome gents...



The beautiful ladies...



DINNER...









Sammie piggin' out...



Ha Ha.



GREAT Grandma!


Cousins


LOVE <3 src="http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d174/hltripper/100_1219.jpg" alt="Photobucket" border="0">

Mom, Dad, and Jordan


Aunt and Uncle

blog hiatus

I've been on blog recess due to the extreme pressures of school and finding myself behind on everything... utterly impossible to catch up.

I am drowning in papers and reading and my eyes are about to explode from staring at the computer screen all day.

I am taking a momentary break to let you know that very soon, when I have resentfully given in to the work that is required to earn a degree and ultimately my graduate degree, I will tell you why all the learning outside of class has been the most valuable learning experience in my 5 years of college.

Until then, wish me luck. Hope for my tension headache to scram. Keep me in your thoughts as I go back into hiding. :)

Ahhhhh I have been missing this.