Giving Thanks

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is one of the most important holidays of the year. Not only is it a time to reconnect with family and friends that you may not have seen in a while, eat delicious food, and watch countless hours of dog shows and football games. Thanksgiving is a day centered around giving thanks for the things that you have in your life.

I would definitely classify my family as 'well off'. No, we aren't super rich, but we do live a very comfortable life style. Throughout the year I come across many different classes of people in my every day life. Thanksgiving is the one day of the year that I am forced to collect my memories from the past year and reflect on how good I really have it.

Sure there are times in your life where everything does not go according to your plan, but ultimately, and I believe this with all my heart, everything happens for a reason. All of your experiences shape you into the person you are meant to become.

So here goes, what I am the most thankful for this year...

1. My sorority - While there were ups and downs this year I am extremely thankful for the sorority I have become apart of. First off, I am thankful that my parents are able to afford such an organization. That in itself is not a cheap 'hobby'. I am also thankful that his year I was able to serve on my chapters executive board as the Vice President of Membership. Through the experiences that this position has presented to me has really made me grow as a person and helped guide me in the direction I want to take my life. I have learned that I love people, sure they get on your nerves sometimes, but overall I love the company people give. I never want a job that requires me to work alone, I love interacting with people and getting their ideas on things. I think everyone on this planet is special and has something unique to bring to the table. I have found through VPM that I want to work with people, whether that is being a full time mother or working in a business that allows me to be in contact with people on a daily basis. And also, the most important part of my sorority experience, I am most thankful for the friendships I have gained. If I had not joined this organization my life would be completely different than it is now. I would be friends with completely different people, and not saying that it would be a bad thing, but I am so thankful for the women I do have in my life. It's cliche to say that you join a sorority to find your bridesmaids, but that's exactly what I've found. A bridesmaid, to me, is a person who is one of your closest friends. Someone who has been with you through the ups and downs of life and always supports you no matter what. This is what I have found in this group of women, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
   
2. Volleyball - This sport has always been my biggest passion. I started playing at a young age and I never imagined the opportunities it would present me with. It was something that allowed me to meet my best friend. It gave me a constant, fun, work out routine throughout the past few years. And it now has given me my current job. I was the head coach for a local middle school this past season and I am now assistant coaching for a local club team this season. I am so thankful for this coaching opportunity, it has given me a job that I look forward to going to every day. Because as a wise man once said, "Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
   I also am thankful for all of my players. They may not know this, but they have helped me grow more than they could ever imagine. Coaching is such a different experience than playing, and it has actually made me a better player. It has also allowed me to sharpen my leadership skills and has taught me a whole bunch of patience. Those are things that are irreplaceable.
   
3. Heartbreaks - This one may seem odd at the start but bare with me. I am thankful for the biggest heartbreaks I have ever gone through. The first one this year was when my boyfriend and I broke up over the summer. While it was extremely hard, and it still is to this day, I am thankful for the experience. It has made me grow as a person, reflecting on that relationship and seeing how I can be a better girlfriend in the future. You learn something from every experience you go through and without that experience I would have most likely done the same thing with the next guy I dated. But I reflected, saw what needed work, and vowed to myself that I will be different the next go-around. I am also thankful for heartbreak because it means I found love. Not everyone can say they have experienced that and for me to have found it at such a young age, well I consider myself very lucky. Love opens your eyes in a very different way, something that is very hard to explain, but once you've felt it you know what I mean. 
   The second heart break I experienced this year was the loss of my dog, Rosey. She was the greatest dog in the world and losing her opened my eyes to how precious life is. We got her when I was in second grade and for me to be able to see her life progress from a puppy to an elderly dog and then transitioning to death is something not everyone gets to experience. 
   The last heartbreak I wish to share from this year is when I did not get my dream position of Chapter President. This is something new that I have not shared on this blog before. I have had my heart set on the position of Chapter President for a while now and when slating season came around for the new executive council, I was not slated. While this is extremely hard to get over and come to terms with, in fact I still am not completely over it, it has made me realize that I have a lot more growing to do. If I was ready, I would have gotten slated, but the fact that I wasn't proved to me that I have a lot more to work on. So, again everything is a learning experience, I will reflect on the reasons I did not get it and use that to better myself for future endeavors. The fact that I was even in the running to be considered for the position speaks volumes in itself and for that opportunity I am still very grateful.
   
4. My loved ones - I know everyone uses this one and it may seem super cliche, but I am so thankful for the people I have in my life. It is so hard to find true friends and I am so thankful that I have. They have been with me through the ups and the downs and I wouldn't trade them for the world. I honestly wouldn't be alive today without them. This may seem a little extreme but it's true. The same goes for my family. I have the most loving family I could have ever asked for. I have a mother and father would I could go to for anything and love me unconditionally. I have a great relationship with both of my brothers, something that not a lot of people can say they have. So thank you friends and family, for making my life even more worth while.

I could go on and on at all of the things in my life I am thankful for, but that would just be a nightmare to read. So for now those are my Top 4. I am truly blessed and wouldn't change anything in my life. I know not a lot of people can't say that and actually mean it.

Last, and most certainly not least, I am thankful for you! If you have gotten through this entire post I am so thankful :) It was a long one and I really appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say.

So, enough about me, what are you thankful for?

Until next time,

Casey Rose

Farewell Old Friend

I'm back! I'm sorry I missed Sunday's post. I was having kind of a rough night because of what happened today, I will explain later. But I didn't really have anything I knew I wanted to talk about and I also didn't really feel in the spirit to write. Anyways, onto today's post.

Today marks the end of a life for someone in my family. It was my dog, Rosey. We are all going to miss her so much. She seriously was the best dog anyone could ever ask for. Rosey was 13 years old and her health was failing her. There wasn't ever a big incident that let us make the decision easy. It was basically up to my dad. Her health had been failing for a while now. The Vet even told us that there was nothing else we could do for her. So, it came down to my dad making the decision. And since my whole family was going to be out of town this upcoming weekend, he decided that today was the day.

My whole family came to say goodbye to her. Going into the office was so hard because I just look over and I see my father crying. That led me to start to cry. We all went in and they let us have a couple more minutes with her to day goodbye. My dad, mom and I were all crying while my older brother tried to make light of the situation, cracking jokes.

Time was up and they brought her to the back room. They told us they would bring us back when she was sedated right before they euthanized her. Once everything was all set up, the technician led us to the back room. And there she was. Laying on a towel calmly breathing. They told us she would still be conscious at that point, but it wasn't the same. While she was still alive in that moment, I knew she wasn't truly there. If she had been she would be the lively, loving lab that she had always been. She would be scratching up a storm because her allergies were off the chart, she wasn't Rosey.

We got to pet her and kiss her one last time and then the vet came in. They inserted the needle in her leg slowly. At one moment she shook, like something I had never seen. It's like her soul was just torn out of her body. I knew at that point she was gone. But even still, seeing her lay there it didn't seem real. It seemed like she was just asleep and that she would wake up at any moment. But she didn't. She was gone.

Going home I cried the whole way back. I walked through the front door to my house and my first reaction was to call out to Rosey to greet her. I saw her bed, it was empty. I went upstairs to see the spot that she would lay in all day was empty as well. And that's when it really hit, she was never coming home. Sure she will always be there in spirit. But the flesh of the dog I had for more than half of my life was gone forever. 

I will miss her so much. She has taught me so much about love and loyalty that I will never forget. She was my best friend as a little girl. Any time I was upset I would just go and cry to her. I told her everything. She will always hold a special place in my heart that will never be filled.

Love you Rosey. I can't wait to see you again someday.

xoxo,

Casey Rose