Since it's the time for thanks and all, I've been thinking about what I'm really thankful for.  Since I'm home right now, being thankful for my closest friends comes to mind a lot.  I do have ladies on Guam that I like, and some that I could call for dinner plans, and I've made one really good friend out there that I know I could call in the middle of the night if I needed her.  But nothing beats the feeling of a friend that you've had forever, who knows the worst parts about you and still loves you.  I've got a few of those here, and this blog is for them.



Thank you for knowing things about me that you'd never tell anyone else, much less hold against me.  In fact, thanks for knowing the worst parts of my personality and still loving me.  I can be obnoxious, judgy (not judgmental, judgy), neurotic, and snotty.  I know those things about myself, and I fully accept them.  There are probably more bad things I could add to the list, but I'm choosing to not do that right now :)  I so appreciate that my best friends accept me just like I am, neuroses and all.



Thank you for being there when I was sick and KB came so early.  And I don't mean just the ones that were there in body.  I mean thank you for being pushy and making somebody keep you up to date on what was going on.  I mean thank you for not listening to me when I told you there was no reason for you to come to the hospital - that I was just fine.  Little did I know how NOT just fine I was, and the fact that you basically ignored me means a lot.  It means that I have friends who really love me, and that means more than any of you know.  I never thanked you for that, so I'm saying it now.  Thank you!



Thank you for keeping on top of me when I get busy with life in Guam.  I'm not the best at making phone calls, especially with the time difference.  But you girls are so good about poking at me and saying "Hey, I haven't talked to you in a few weeks.  Your ass better call me!"  Even when I don't call, I'm keeping up with each of you, and thinking about you.  I just get so busy that things get out of hand.  So thank you for pushing me!



Thank you for being Katie Beth's aunties.  You've all been so sweet to us, and so loving to her, that I can't even thank you enough.  You probably don't realize what a huge help it is to me when you do something as simple as offer to take her while I finish eating.  Just holding that baby makes you a great Auntie!  But all of you loving on her like you is so precious to me.  I'm so happy that she'll grow up surrounded with so much love.



Also, thanks for the little bits of moral support, advice, etc.  Sometimes I feel like I'm totally lost on this Mommy thing, so it's nice to have friends who have already done what I'm doing.  I'm also super glad that KB will have a few "friends" around the country.  She may not realize it, but having friends in different parts of the world makes her a pretty cool kid.