I'm thankful for...

Okay, so I know it isn't November anymore, but lately I've been needing a few reminders that my life doesn't really suck, at all.

Some of you know I've been dealing with Winter Depression for the last 7 winters since my dad died. You would think by now I would realize the symptoms and be able to cope effectively. Nope... It took me 3 weeks of being miserable this year before I remembered "oh, hey, remember how you get depressed in the winter?! Lets do something about that!!" Seriously. 3 weeks. So thanks all you great friends of mine for sticking by me through that super not fun period. Now that I realized what I am going through and am not just 'going crazy' I am coming up with some remedies to get me through the next month of clouds. One of the things I came up with was writing a list of things I am thankful for. It is REALLY hard to do that when you are wallowing in the mud of depression, I promise. But so far, it has been working fairly well.

I am thankful for a job that pays well enough to pay the bills and still be able to save

I am thankful for the ability to be in school without paying a dime out of my own pocket

I am thankful for friends who care enough to still be around me in my moodiness (Mindy, Buddha, Jlo, Max1, Max2, Dan-the-man)

I am thankful for alcohol (oh yeah, that just happened)

Also I am thankful for my bartenders (Meadow, KC, Tazshra, Courtney - you guys have to deal with my crap probably the most!

I am thankful for weekends

I am thankful that winter only lasts a few months out of the year

I am thankful for my studded snow tires that allow me to get around safely in this white crap

I am thankful to my last week's self who remembered to take her vitamins so I could be healthy today

I am thankful that I have such a wonderful adopted family here in Spokane (Kourt, Kery, Krystal, Merytt, Josh, Peyton, Andrew and Brynlee, you guys are so good to me!)

I am thankful for still having random conversations with two of my besties Emily and Shilah. If the day finally comes when we lose touch I will cry giant, ugly tears. Fact

I am thankful for my little sister Hannah who randomly sends me funny snapchats, texts, or calls out of the blue just to tell me something about her day

I am thankful for my little sister Sarah who is much braver than I in almost every way and inspires me to do scary things, like study abroad for a year (I may be copying you soon...but in Spain)

I am thankful for my little brothers Joshua and Jonathan who still try to keep in touch with me even though we barely know each other. For the record, I think you both seem pretty awesome and I hope someday we can be best friends.

I am thankful for my older brother Joel who has always been exactly the type of big brother that I need. I can't think of a single time he has ever let me down, I'm so glad we got to have some good conversations the last time I was in Texas!

I am thankful for my sister-in-law Dani who makes beautiful babies with my brother and thinks I'm awesome even though we both know I'm weird

I am thankful for parents who raised me to be strong enough to get through the rough parts of life

I am thankful for random people I may not even know well who connect with me on facebook and offer me support and love from miles away


...I think that about wraps things up for now. I feel pretty good after typing all that out. Ha! Take THAT depression.

Also on my list of anti-depressants is possibly trying tanning...I know right, so weird. Still thinking about that one. So if anyone has any thought on that besides "you're going to die of skin cancer" let me know :P