Unexpected Thanksgiving

I spent every night of the two weeks before Thanksgiving in the theater as a member of the crew for the dance show. Amidst the long hours and multiple loads of dirty costume laundry, I felt a flood of gratitude for all the people who have worked to put me on stage in my life.

I owe so much to the patience of my parents and friends as they watch countless performances just to see the few pieces I perform in. Behind the scenes, stage hands, costume crews, and teachers support me every step of the way.

This Thanksgiving, I was so blessed to be able to return home from show week to my family. It is the first time I stepped foot in Colorado in three months, and the return home could not have been more perfect. Although I lack my previous tolerance for the cold weather thanks to California's warmth, I enjoyed showering without flip flops and baking my favorite pumpkin muffins in the kitchen.

On Wednesday, I celebrated Friendsgiving with my dearest high school friends, and we swapped stories about the moments of laughter and tears in college. I did not even realize how much I missed them, or how grateful I am for true friends, in the past few months.

As an early riser, I rarely sleep in, but the exhaustion of the past weeks combined with travel and a late night with friends knocked me out. On Thanksgiving Day, I set my record for sleeping in, a whopping 10:30 am (I know, I know, shameful). That night, my family and I went out to eat with a dear family friend to enjoy the holiday. I defied tradition and had delicious risotto, with pumpkin cheesecake for dessert.

I spent Friday and Saturday catching up on a few errands, as well as working on my looming papers. My family enjoyed our traditional movie night, and celebrated my mom's birthday a little early. Unfortunately, my sojourn at home ended far too quickly, and I returned to the airport to face the flight home and my upcoming finals.

I sit at the airport, writing my 100th blog post, and think about how far I have come since I first started writing the summer before my senior year of high school. Flying on a plane is second nature, and doing my own laundry has become a regular chore. Embracing aspects of adulthood has certainly not been easy, but it has been gratifying and eye-opening.

The strangest part of college is that I miss aspects of whatever place I am not currently in. At LMU, I miss my family my friends, my own room, the ability to cook, and showering in my own bathroom, but at home, I miss my new friends and community, my classes, and even my work. In the midst of all the missing and moments of loneliness, I am so grateful that I have so many blessings to miss. I have never felt so full of life in the most beautiful way, and I would give anything to remain this way forever.