I am thankful for the following 16 things:

1. Hair gel and minty lip gloss...obviously.

2. A husband with a "real person job" in finance so I don't have to be a starving artist, only a mildly hungry one.

My monkey arms in full force

3. My ridiculously long arms that make for lots of laughs in my dance classes and training sessions. Paula calls them my monkey arms, and my trainer Tom calls me Jane Goodall. Also, my long fingers that leave room for lots of diamonds--why wear one ring per finger when you can wear five!? It would have been nice, however, for Your generosity to extend to the length of my legs.

 

4. My dog Louise because she is so cute that I can't stand it.

Patrick's wedding band says "I can't stand it!"

5. My husband Patrick because I love him so much that I can't stand it. That happens to be what is inscribed in his wedding band. Don't be alarmed that that I listed Louise before Patrick...it just happened that way...I love them both equally.

6. The fact that Patrick hasn't quite figured out yet that he does more of the cooking, cleaning, etc. than I do. I am hoping to squeeze another year or so out of this. And, in case you were concerned, I was just kidding about loving them both equally. After all, Louise can't cook or clean. Just kidding again. 

7. My mom for many reasons, but she always made sure that I was the first one in my class to get the newest Disney movie on video (yes, that's right, video), and then I would come home to a scavenger hunt to find it!

9. My dad for many reasons, but he drove me halfway across the country one summer so that I could go to a ballet intensive in Connecticut. And, luckily, he still loved me enough to drive all the way back 6 weeks later to pick me up.

10, 11, and 12. My brothers and sister. Lindsey didn't let "stress" get anywhere near me during my wedding. Tyler can always whip out a good Seinfeld line. Thomas still loves me even though I used to pick on him for not pronouncing his R's. He can now.

Lindsey and me

Tyler and me

Thomas and me

13 and 14. My mentors Paula David and Cecil Slaughter. They both don't let me settle for anything less than better than I am. Because of them, I feel like every night is Christmas Eve. I get to wake up and do what I love every morning. 

Cecil (this is not Paula, in case you were confused) and me

Paula "making me better"

15. On a somewhat related note...Advil. And by Advil, I mean generic ibuprofen. Patrick says that we will know when we have really made it when we spring for real Advil...

16. God having designed every event in my life so far so that I could end up exactly where I am right now, fake Advil and all...