I'm glad that

Everyday for 5 weeks this summer I would sit at staff meeting and listen to what the staff is glad about. You could put anything in the jar. Nothing was off limits. Lately I've been glad that a lot of things are happening. 

I'm glad that I got my car back from the repair shop. 

I'm glad that even though it's bitterly cold people still have bright spirits about the season. 

I'm glad that I have had a pretty great year. 

I'm glad that we qualified for state at our first competition. 

I'm glad that Shannon Hickey. 

I'm glad that somewhere someone has my back. 

I'm glad that my dad asks me what I want for dinner every night and even if I say I don't know he makes something I like. 

I'm glad that I get to work with 3rd graders everyday. 

I'm glad that my mom does everything she can to make sure my sister and I are happy. 

I'm glad that m&m cookies. 

I'm glad that I get to leave next year and start a new chapter of my life. 

I'm glad that I'm not allergic to dogs. 

I'm glad that Camp Skyline. 

I'm glad that you have all taken an interest in this blog and have read this post all the way to the end. 

-Michelle 

A lot.

There's a lot going through my head today. I don't know why. There's just a lot going on in my head. Some of my thoughts aren't 100% complete, some of them are totally random, and some of them are just things I want to say to people but can't figure out how.

Here are a few:

I understand that people have good days, and that they have bad days. What I don't understand is why do people dwell on such negative things when there is so much good waiting for them? 

In my life I either give 100% or 0%, there is no in between. At school I either understand something or I don't. With flags I'm either happy with how it looks, or I'm not. People are either my best friends (that's why I keep my circle close), or I don't talk to them. I'm not very good at doing something half heartedly. 

Why does society frown upon guys being emotional and crying? I think a guy shows the most strength when he lets go and just cries. It shows that he feels something. The most attractive quality in a guy is them telling you how they feel. Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic, but I love to hear guys talk about the girl they love, pointing out everything they love about them, from their looks to their personality. Why do we make it so guys have to hide their feelings to keep their "man card"? That's dumb. 

College is scary. I'm not ready for it. 

Being in a relationship is not what life is about. And if you are in a relationship and you're happy, good for you, just don't forget the people that were there for you before you were in this relationship. No one likes a person who ditches their friends to make out with someone. 

Why does no one send letters anymore? 

Sometimes I just want to go up to everyone and hug them. If I know they are having a bad day I just want to let them know that it gets better. No one deserves to be sad, they don't deserve to have their heart broken, everyone deserves happiness. If you're having a bad day, or week, just remember that things get better. There are people who care about you, people who love you. If you ever think you are alone in something,  don't give up. Chances is someone, somewhere who knows what you feel like. Just keep your chin up.

-Michelle 

Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Maybe because I love to eat, maybe because I don't have to pretend to like any presents, mostly because I can really appreciate all that I've been blessed with. 

Sometimes we get so caught up in life that we forget all that we really have. Not that we aren't ungrateful, we just forget. Lately, I've had so much to be thankful for. I try to tell everyone how much I appreciate having them in my life, and sometimes I forget. So, here is a list of some things that I am thankful for. 

My dad, he supports everything I love. He never misses a performance and has made an effort to learn all things flag. 

My sister, I was lucky enough to get a sister who is also my best friend. We've been through a lot and I wouldn't have made it through without her at my side. She's taught me some pretty important life lessons, including how to be a leader and how to give all you got to something you love. 

My mom, through everything that has been going on lately she still makes thins work. She cooks me dinner and cleans it up and watches whatever I want on TV. That may not sound like much but she never expects anything in return. 

My team, they make my dreams a reality. They work so hard, even when things are frustrating and their tired they pull through. They put up with me, that's big. I love them as my own family. 

The people I met this summer at camp, some of my best friends are people I met for the first time 6 months ago. They accept me for who I am. Whenever I'm having a bad day they never fail to make me laugh.

Sarah-Cabot Morris, my absolute best friend ever. We are, what we like to say, soul besties. Kind of like soul mates but in a best friend sort of way. We are so similar but also very different. She makes me laugh every single day but is also there to listen. With out Sarah Cabot I don't know what I'd do. 

Camp Skyline, everyone who knows me knows that camp is the biggest part of my life. I've spent 10 summers on that mountain. Each summer I come home with new friends, new memories, and a new love for Christ. I am who I am because of skyline. 

Nathan Hockenberry, there is so much I can say about him. Most of all I'm thankful he listens. No matter the mood I'm in he will listen to me. Whether I am ranting or crying or happy he will listen to what I'm saying. I can't stay mad at him because he makes me too happy. You just can't let a guy like him go. 

If i listed everything I'm thankful for it'd take me days to write. I'll just stop with the major things and save y'all the time. Don't forget what you have, friends. Be thankful, not only today, but everyday for the things you've been given. 

-Michelle 

The rest of your life

I've lived in palatine my entire life. I've been in the same house for 16 years, and in 9 short months I am moving 800 miles away to further my education. I'm excited, don't get me wrong, but I'm also scared beyond belief. You look forward to the rest of your life all the time, but as soon as its right in front of you things start to get scary. 

It's never been an option to not go to college. I've been learning since elementary school that I have to go to college. I have to go to get a good job, to make money. No one told me that choosing where to go was the hardest decision I'll ever have to make. They some now managed to leave out the fact that you have to choose what you are going to do with the rest of your life when you are 17. I don't even know what I want for lunch half the time, how am I supposed to know where I want to spend thousands of dollars so I can get a degree? 

I know I want to change the world. I want to make a difference. I just don't know how I'm going to get there. There is no "Make a difference" major. That doesn't exist. So instead I'm staring blindly into the future hoping for the best. I tell people I know where I want to go, what I want to do. But that's just to stop the questions. I tell them I've been accepted to a University and offered a scholarship. Because that's what they want to hear. No family member wants to hear that I'm nervous because I don't think i will get into my top choice of school, or that I don't know what I want to major in. 

I know that eventually I'll figure it out. I'll make the decision of where I want to go and what I want to major in. Right now I'll continue to wait and blog about my feelings. It's scary to think about the rest of your life, but its also pretty comforting knowing that I have the world ahead of me, 

Getting back into it

Hello again, blog community! After a year long break I decided to get back into my "I'll save the world one day!" blog. I could tell you I just got too busy to keep up with this but in reality I stopped because someone told me that I'll never change the world and with that one comment I began to doubt myself. Is this really helping? Does my opinion really matter? I anyone even reading this blog? I've come to realize none of that stuff matters. If I believe in myself then I can go anywhere. Even if no one reads this I can put my thoughts onto paper, well kind of.

For those of you just joining me I'll fill you in on what's happening. You see, it's my dream to hange the world. I don't know how I'll do it, but its gonna happen. It started the summer before my sophomore year with another summer at camp and some impactful nights at youth group. I still don't know how I'm going to do it, but for right now I'm just gonna stay positive and hope it rub off on people.

I didn't ever think I was going to get back into this whole blogging thing. I was just gonna let it go. Recently, however, I've had two people really encourage me and stand behind me with this dream. They reminded me that one person who doesn't believe in me shouldn't ruin what I could do. One of them reminded me of something I said to them on a topic of their own dream. I didn't think they were listening but it was kind of a wake up call. Guess I gotta start taking my own advice. 

There really is no point to this post, mostly just an introduction. I guess what I'm trying to say is follow your dreams, folks. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't ever make a difference. You can, and if you want to, you will. Never give up.

-Michelle