Grateful.

Even though Thanksgiving can be seen as hallmark holiday, it's always been an important to my family, because it's just about the food and being together. Last year was interesting, I was in London and Becky was with me, which was so fun. But we dragged Leiley to a restaurant in Covent Garden doing Thanksgiving dinner and it was dismal with half-cooked brussel sprouts and this weird stuffing patty. Needless to say, being at home is <3. Cool melodramatic moment, but I want to use today today to remind myself what I'm grateful for. Despite my whining, there is so much that I am grateful for.

1. My family: Yeah. They are legit and that has to be the biggest understatement of the year. They drive me insane, support me even when I'm being an idiot, constantly challenge me, feed me well and make me laugh every day until my ribs hurt. Moving back home with my mom, brother and aunt seemed daunting and it has had it's ups and downs, but certainly more ups than anything else. Being older and just slightly more mature has made me appreciate how much I have when I come home to them every night. I'm grateful for those moments in the morning when my mom and I drink coffee together and laugh at the GOP and her never-ending witty/snarky support. I love my brother and how sweet he is and how he tucks me in at night. I love my Aunt Tray for her zany ways and how she keeps my secrets. I love my dad for his imperviousness to my bitchiness and his generally chill ways. I love my Aunt Mote for being little and packing a punch, and always being proud of me. I'm thankful that we have a new addition to our family, my cousin, Jesspreet's new baby boy! I'm thankful for all my mom's sisters and the opportunity I had this year to reunite with my Aunt Jyoti and Uncle Vic over pancakes in London :-). I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with my inspirational cousin, Aniela, and her children. I am so lucky to have the family that I have, despite my complaining and idiocy. I could not ask for a funnier, more supportive, more intelligent bunch of crazies :-)

2. My friends: Cool this is going to be a long one. Let me start with my London Loves: Maya, Leiley, Elisa, Alexandra, Cailin, and Sam Slama (although she was in Paris - lolz.) Being that far from home was a new one for me, but these group of girls made it the best year of my life, with trips to Ibiza, to France, to Brighton, to ever club in London, to the ER, and to the police station. The bottles of wine we shared, the shopping trips, the nights of gossip, the Skype conference calls... Wandering London and Europe with them were some of the most phenomenal memories I will ever have.

Uh so I'm realizing that there are so many things to be thankful. So I'm going to start listing.
I'm thankful for my roommates from college and their humor. I'm thankful for my SAA loves, Cassi and Alexis, among others who known me too well for their own good. I am thankful for reuniting with some friends this year, including Nathalie and Steph.

I am thankful for my law school mentors and idols: Katie, Rahia, Cristina, Matt and Ian.

I am thankful for my Santa Cruz loves: Rob, Max, Grant, Tawsh, Scott, Emil, Kat, Benny, Leah, among others :-)

I am thankful for Sara, Carrie, Lexi, Lauren, Aimee, Kelsey, Becky and Jacob.

I am thankful for my law school friends, including Aviva and Gillian, who keep me grounded and caffeinated :-)

3. My education: Doing my Masters and then finally receiving it last week(!). My year in London was one of growth, independence, and life-changing moments. I am also thankful to be at Loyola and having the opportunities that I do, the amazing professors and the humor of my classmates.

4. My travels: Every where I've traveled and every person I've met. LOVE.

5. I am also grateful for the most scrumptious meal at Katherine's last night with 21(!) amazing people, delicious food, including a phenom. pumpkin cheesecake, and PUPPIES! Katherine is an wonderful hostess and I know my family always feel so welcomed in her home.