This year has been a challenging one for me, bringing about many changes in life that could have easily left me sad or bitter, but instead have given me plenty to be thankful for. I've had hardships, trials and tribulations, but it's all brought happiness into my life along the way.

I'm thankful for my family, who've been kind, loving and supportive, who've listened when I needed them too, which was more often this year than I've ever called on them in the past. I'm thankful that they've grown as people, that we've grown as a family and that I have amazing people to call mother, sister, father.

I'm thankful for the old friends in my life. The ones that have made it a point to tell me that they cared, when I needed to hear it. The ones that I've known for ages, who believe in me, who've been there when I was blue. I'm thankful that they've shared their lives with, allowed me to see into their brightest and darkest moments and made me closer to them for it.

I'm thankful for all the new friends that I have in my life as well. The friends that baked me cupcakes on my birthday, that made me scavenger hunts and wouldn't allow me to sink into the sadness that hovered near. I'm thankful for the way that they distracted me when it was called for, supported me when I needed it and let me do what I needed, including make a few mistakes, so that I could continue to grow. I'm thankful that I've gotten to step into new lives, to be a part of them, to live differently, more broadly, richly because of these wonderful new people.

I'm also thankful for those that I may not share as large a part of my life with anymore, but who've forever left their mark. I'm thankful for the time we had together, no matter if it ended like we'd hoped or not. I'm thankful because my life is different, better, for having had them pass through, linger, stay for little while or a long while.

I'm thankful for every smile, every sigh, every tear, prayer, excuse, up and down that I had this year, because it's all lead me to now, because it's all a part of my colorful adventure, it's who I am and so I'm thankful for it, for this, for my life.