Thanks Given

So it was not my typical Thanksgiving this year, but it sure was a good one. As I mentioned before, the work has been piled on these past couple weeks and this coming week is our last week of class. Yahoo! Then I'll have two weeks for my final paper, two unreal concerts, and just celebrating London in December!

I spent Thanksgiving in class, at a guest lecture and then in the library. The girls and I then decided that a night on the town was needed and suddenly, a spur of the moment decision turned into an awesome night. For the first time a while, we were able to relax and go out with our friends. This wasn't just about being with friends or being able to dance to some great American music. It was about the fact that we hadn't been experiencing London lately. It has been class, library, home, repeat for a while now and I was really taking the city for granted. When things get busy, we tend to hone in on the tasks at hand and do not let ourselves see the periphery of our lives. There are so many wonderful and beautiful things about London and my life here but due to the stress, I realized I have only been focusing on getting home...getting back to my family, friends and Winston.

Thinking about going home has been an awesome 'light at the end of the tunnel' and inspiration for me while I'm powering through these essays but I have got to keep things in perspective! I'm only going to be in London for a short amount of time (in the grand scheme of things) and if I'm always looking forward to the next thing, I'm not going to see what is right in front of my face... all the amazing things that I love to much about this city.

So to help remind me, I thought I'd write what I'm thankful for about my life in London. London has been so great for me in learning more about myself and what I want in life and I feel like I've got so much more to experience and learn here. Good thing I've got nine months left!

So cheers to..
- Friends! The wonderful friends I've made here who have laughed and cried with me the whole way through
- Public transportation! Sounds a bit ridiculous but the Tube is one of the best parts about the city and without it I'd be lost (it is going to be hard to have to drive everywhere over Christmas..)
- Academics and amazing professors! Everything I've learned in class has challenged me and pushed my own thoughts about art, education and the way the world works.. plus, my professors are so encouraging and knowledgeable
- Church! HTB has been one of the biggest blessings here. I've grown with God, learned to appreciate the little things He does for me and I've got a community of people who have supported me throughout
- Food, Music, and Fun! London's showed me how great being in a large city can be.. so many options for food, unbelievable concerts, and the night life is not lacking either!
- Me, or at least future me! Okay, so not really that conceited but I have learned so much about who I am and who I want to be that I'm in an amazing place. Post graduate life is so full of challenges and new experiences and I'm not saying it hasn't been hard but I will say I'm grateful for each challenge, obstacle, and hard day because I've grown into my own person. I'm standing on my own two feet for the first time in my life and it has given me a (semi) clear vision of what I want for the future. I say this now.. but hey, a year from now I'll be out of school and searching for a job.. let's hope I'm still as steady as I am now!

So I've got three weeks left until my winter break at home and I plan on soaking every day and night in. I hope everyone had great time with family and friends this past week. I miss mine greatly but I know it will be Christmas before I know it. But until then, watch out London.. here I come!!

Cheers y'all, Lis