Day 9 - Family.

Family.  I am thankful for my extended family, ALL OF THEM. I love all of my family and I am very lucky to know that almost all of them would do anything for me at anytime if I called them because I know they love me very much. I have been blessed with amazing Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.  Even thought Melissa and my dad are not married I still consider her family part of my family and I know they support me as well. I was lucky dad picked a great lady to date! I can’t wait till the holidays when I get to see the all! Love you all!! xoxoxo

Day 8 - iPhone 5

iPhone 5. I know this sounds silly but I am thankful for my new phone! It finally came this week and I am super excited I could hardly wait – ask anyone that knows me it’s all I talked about. I had placed my order 3 weeks ago and it took that long for it to ship because it was back ordered! I have not gotten a new phone in 3 years so I felt like this was a BIG deal for me. I love it; there are a lot of things the same from the old one but a lot of things different. I don’t think I could go back! Thank you apple! 

Day 7 - Blood Donation!

Blood Donation. I am thankful I can give blood. I give it as often as I can. Did you know:

-       -Only 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10 percent donate annually.

-       -One unit of whole blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint.

-      - About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood.

-       -Females receive 53 percent of blood transfusions; males receive 47 percent.

-       -One unit of blood can be separated into several components: red blood cells, plasma, platelets.

-       -More than 3,000 units of blood are needed each week to maintain an adequate blood supply in our community and to meet rising transfusion demands across the country.

-       -Nine out of ten people who live to age 70 will use blood during their lifetime.

-       -Every two seconds, someone, somewhere needs blood.

PLEASE if you are able go out and Donate, they need you! You never know when your blood will be used for your family or even you. One Blood Donation can go to up to three people. This is something I care about a lot and I donate as often as I can believe it is a great cause, even if your community can’t use your blood right at that moment you donate they will send it to someplace that can.  Right now they need all they can get with a Hospital going down in New York because of the Hurricane they could really use your help.

**To help please know you must be an healthy adults who are 16 years old and weigh at least 120 pounds may donate one pint of whole blood – the most common form of donation – every 56 days.

If you would like to Donate in the Des Moines Area Please go to the Link Below they will get you all set up!

DONATE!!! 

Day 6 - Vote!

I am thankful that I have a right to VOTE. Everyone should go out and VOTE! So what if it takes you 10 minuets or 30 it is your RIGHT! How would you like to live in a place where you were TOLD who your next leader was or they were given leadership because they were born in to the correct family.  So what if you are Republican and the Democrat won or you’re a Democrat and the Republicans one we are ONE NATION we ALL STAND together.  Nothing will change if you don’t go and VOTE! I will say I was the FIRST person at my polling place to vote and their was a line out the door when I left at 7am that made me so proud, that people are proud to be a AMERICAN. That they want their voice to count. My sister who is 21 years old and going to school in a different state was responsible enough to get her ballot so she could vote absentee because she knows how importance it is, you have no reason not to go and VOTE!

Day 5 - Education

I would have to day I am thankful for my Education, or the opportunity to go back to school and finish my degree that I never got a chance to get. Education has always been something I have had a love/hate relationship with. I love to learn and learning new things however I am not the fastest learner and it takes me a while to learn things so school has always been hard for me.  People can sit in class, listen to the instructor not take a single notes, not study at all and come in and get awesome grades, other people study a little bit and get great grades as well. That is not me, I take notes all the time, I am up almost all night before I have a test and I am studying and having people quiz me so I can retain the knowledge. I go in and I do okay on the test and as long as I do my best I know that is all I can do, that is why I think part of the reason I did not make it the first time I went to school. I have an amazing family who supports me in everyway they can I have worked full and part time and taken on line classes to finish my degree. Some people might say it is not a big deal because it is just my two-year degree and it is just from DMACC but to me it IS something important, I feel I have worked very hard for it. I didn’t have to go back, I could be that person that could have always checked on job applications “some college” but I want to say YES I DID IT! I can not wait to transfer to Iowa State and finish I know it is not something I will be able to do over night, but I would like to have it done by the time I am 30, It would mean the world to me if I could make my goal, if not its not the end of the world, my family still loves me and I am still going to finish but it is my personal goal and I know in my heart I can do it.