Thankful

This guy works and lives at the mission. We talked about college and how he never got to go, and my aspirations of being a journalist. "Don't give up, look up," he said. I'm not much for religion, but he's right. Sometimes people like him are a lot wiser than people who have been to college for years. You can learn a lot from talking to people.

Heyy grandma.

I have a thing for feet, and Emma has cute shoes.

Even people in Indiana get to rely on the Lions to lose every year at Thanksgiving. Every year we go to the mission, every year the guys are watching the Lions, and every year they lose.

Not the best quality picture, but to me it's about capturing the moment.

Paparazzi shot?

The one thing I will always remember from volunteering at the mission is the purple door. My dad saw this shot and goes "oh nice doorknob picture!" but to me it's a symbol of the last however many years (I think we figured out it was 15?) going to the mission. How awesome is a purple door to a kid?

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, a chronological list of what I'm thankful for today:
__ my mom can cut hair! Not that the lady from Douglas J didn't do a good job, but my mom always knows how to fix a slightly botched haircut, just in time for Thanksgiving pictures.
__ Mario Party! Along with watching football, my family has huge, intense, excessively skilled Mario Party tournaments where Dave generally gets first and I generally get last.
__ hearing from friends at school and home. It's nice to know I'm not forgotten when I'm in Indianapolis and they're still calling or sending text messages.
__ football. I'm learning to love football, or at least be able to tolerate/understand it, and now I'm able to join in with my dad/grandpa/uncles/cousins on the annual watching football on Thanksgiving tradition.
__ the mission. It's amazing to spend time with all the homeless guys there, to hear their stories and get a chance to serve them Thanksgiving dinner. It's a little sad to see some of the guys year after year, but you know, most of them are happier than I am. They know how to live.
__ my family. Of course I have to say this, but even though I think they're crazy and I generally look forward to going back to school when I'm with them, I love them and I think it's awesome we get to spend our holidays with everyone.
__ the piano man. I love our tradition of driving home from the mission, Dave and I and sometimes the others serenading everyone with a very awful version of "Piano Man." Music makes things beautiful, even when it's not very good.