Keep Calm, It's my Birthday!

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Y'all! Guess what! Today marks my 25th BIRTHDAY--Ahhh! :) I have already received a number of text messages, Snapchats, emails and phone calls from family, friends and sweet blog followers and I couldn't be more thankful! I can't even express how loved I feel today you guys!

Tonight, Will is going to take me to dinner (not sure where I want to go yet) but my real birthday celebration will take place this Thursday/Friday when we are in Greensboro spending Thanksgiving with my family! And because my birthday is only days apart from Thanksgiving, I wanted to use today to not only celebrate 25 amazing years, but 25 things that I am thankful for...so again, thank you so much for your love, support and for being amazing followers of Simply Sweet Melissa. It means more to me then you will ever know.

I am thankful for...
1. My parents. I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for them. They have helped me through the worst of the worst and have been there to celebrated the best of the best. To say I am lucky to have them would be an understatement.
2. My friends.  I am one of those types of people who prefer to have a smaller group of really close friends instead of a large group of friends. Those that I call my friends (at this very moment), I can say 100% without any question or concern that I can go to them with anything and not be judged, can count on them, and know deep down that they care for me and only want the best for ME.
3. My sweet pup, Miller. Oh how I love our daily cuddle time, his sweet slobbery kisses and his dependence on me as his owner.
4. Going to college. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to a private college, yet alone, any college for that matter. It's expensive and my parents had to trade in so much to get me to where I needed to be. Praise the Lord for that!
5. Being able to study abroad (in Greece) my sophomore year of college (and being able to travel in general). The experience you get when studying abroad (or traveling) is one I hope everyone has the chance to do once in their lifetime, whether that be through school, on your own, or later in life.
6. Being a nice and genuine person! I'm not perfect, but I've never intentionally hurt anyone and don't believe in being mean. I hate to see others cry, and love to make people smile.
7. For being a decent writer (when I want to be). I'm thankful that I am generally good at expressing myself on paper or in written format and enjoy being creative, especially when it comes to writing cards and creating scrapbooks for others!
8. Being debt-free. I have to give a huge thank you to my parents for paying for my schooling, my car and so much more. I also have to recognize Dave Ramsey's FPU course that I took that taught me so much about how to save money, becoming and staying debt-free and everything in-between.
9. Being financially secure. I am not "rich" but I am comfortable with what I have and then some.
10. The sound of the rain on the roof. What better way to fall asleep at night or relax at home reading a book then with the sound of raindrops in the background?
11. Hot showers. Need I say more?
12. Free festivals and events. There is nothing better then getting to explore the city you live in (or your surrounding areas) when its accompanied by free stuff that you can do. Who doesn't love to wander around and people watch?
13. The hard times. It's not easy to say I am thankful for them at the time I am going through them, BUT they have made me stronger and wiser, and have made me realize how GOOD the easier times really are.
14. Those who read what I write. I can't say thank you enough to all of my readers who read my blog posts, my comments, Instagram captions, etc. You rock!
15. Being emotional. This one has taken some time for me to come to grips with but I would never trade my emotions for anything else. I would rather be too emotional then down right mean and cold-hearted.
16. Today. You never really know if you'll see tomorrow. So why not be thankful for all the days you have been given?
17. Laughter. Nothing feels better then being able to have a good laugh. And don't they say that laughter is the best medicine?
18. Photography. I mean...it's pretty amazing.
19. My faith. It continues to grow and I hope it continues to make an impact on others.
20. Planners and Agendas. For someone who is detail oriented like me, I like to be able to see my day laid out and organized.
21. My overall health. Besides my pinched nerve in  my neck and for being anemic, I am overall healthy, in shape and thankful for being able to walk, talk, see, touch, taste and smell.
22. The little things. Like nail polish, perfume, books, famous quotes, the color gold, Christmas lights and monograms. These things don't add value to your life but are sweet things that make this girl giddy and full of excitement.
23. Pumpkin and Pecan pie. Yum...just thinking about them make my mouth water.
24. Study Bibles. Nothing makes me more excited to read the Word then a study bible that is easier to understand, has explanations and more details on all sorts of topics and verses.
25. And last but not least, my other half, my best friend, my boyfriend, WILL! This boy has stolen my heart and is there for me no matter what the circumstance. I loved him yesterday, I love him now, and I'll love him forever.

Whew! I challenge you to make a list of all the things you are thankful for. It's not easy, especially if it's hard for you to think outside the box. But try it. See what you come up with. You might surprise yourself! Creating a list of all the things you have to be thankful for comes in handy particularly on days when you are feeling discouraged or just down right gloomy. Have fun :)