Over the last few weeks I have spent some time reflecting on some of my life’s blessings and wanted to take a chance to give a shout out to all of my amazing friends and family! I truly owe you all a huge thank you. To everyone who has supported me thus far in my newest journey, and my last. From the words of encouragement, Skype sessions, letters, and the amazing care packages (Thank you Mom, Sara and Kim!) I really owe you all!

So here is a little round of shout-outs to a few of you. Thank you to the following and everyone else who I have been blessed to have in my life! :)

Mama Duck- You are always there for me whenever I need you. Even if it’s 3 in the morning I know if I need you, you’ll be there for me. You’ve listened to my craziest of plans or lack there of sometimes. You are the one person who can comfort me through whatever emotion I’m feeling at the time no matter where I’m living. You’re truly the best and I can’t tell you this enough.

Dad- You’re the sense of reason to my plans and make sure that I’ve done my research before pushing the spontaneous button. You always make sure I’ve crossed my t’s and dotted my i’s and are there to stand by and help me in all of my decisions. Plus, you are a complete crack-up with your impersonations of New York accents and your texts and our talks make me feel like I’m never too far from home.

Kathy- You’ve always been one of my number one supporters and I can thank you for starting my first love with New York. You’ve watched me grow up in my key years and always send your love and support to my newest endeavors. You are a remarkable woman and inspire me to always push myself toward my ambitions.

Sam and Andre- You’ve taken care of me since the day I met you both and I can’t thank you enough. You made my move to New York possible and have made me feel like I am family. You’ve been more than a boss to me and have always gone above and beyond to make sure I have everything I need. You both have hearts of gold and I am so thankful to have you in my life.

Grandma O- You have backed my decision to move to New York since day one and your support has meant the world to me! You are one of the sweetest women and I am so glad I got to spend some time with you this summer before moving up here. Plus, I love that you have a Facebook now so we can keep in touch better! 

Sara- We’ve been writing newsletters back and forth going on the 3rd year and going strong! Your stories from home and our chats keep me grounded. Need not forget, you send the best care packages with delicious treats! :) You laugh and smile (soon to be even more pretty!) are enough to make any one’s day.

Jacob- You soon became one of my best friends in Portland and will remain for years to come. You never fail to put a smile on my face no matter what mood I’m in. You’re not afraid to challenge my ideas or decisions and I respect that. You’re one of the sweetest guys I know and I miss being able to drag you around the city on my whim adventures. One day our adventures will return though, but until then Skype sessions will have to do for keeping me in the loop. 

Faith- Our weekly Skype sessions make me feel right at home and help me from getting homesick! I’m so proud to call you my little sister. You have the biggest heart and always keep me on my toes for newest trends and Taylor Swift of course! 

Danielle- Roomies forever! Okay, not really but the name will always remain. You really are one of my favorite people. Your outlook and goals in life motivate me to try and make this world a better place. You have taught me so many lessons in friendship, faith and love. Plus, after living with me for two years we still love each other, which could be a remarkable factor in itself! Deciding to move was a big decision, but you supported me and it means the world to me.

Angie- You’ve been one of my best friends since High School and we’ve been there for each other through thick and thin. You know me better than most and no amount of time passing seems to change that. You have such a passion for learning and the beauty of life that I admire. 

Lauren- You were one of my biggest supporters when deciding to move to New York and that was something I really needed in a friend and roommate. You encouraged me to find any way possible to make the option into a reality. You have such an eagerness to succeed and I know we can all expect great things from you to come.  

Jose- We became really great friends the last year and you give some really great advice. We’re both probably the biggest over-analysts in the world sometimes, but then again sometimes that’s why I thought we made a great team. Our Happy hour ventures may have had to take a break because of the added 2,000 mile distance, but I think we’ve done a good job at staying in touch so far!

Lindsey- You pushed for the New York option even when it meant pushing back our potential at being tennis partners in Seattle! Haha, that probably wouldn’t have been that great of an option for you anyways though. You have a desire to try new things and go new places and I admire that trait. If you can find a possible way to turn an idea into a reality you do it. When I talked to you about moving to New York you were already talking about a plan to visit and I needed that extra support.

Kelsey- We’ve been friends forever and you are definitely one of the smartest people I know. We’ve grown up together, but give us the chance and we’ll still reminisce over middle school no matter how old we become. I know that if I pass an idea by you and you approve then I’m not entirely crazy. Maybe if I’m lucky I’ll wean you out to the east coast after you graduate. Now that would be a team right there! 

Darcy- You are one of the newest members into my life, but am so glad to have you as a roommate! Finding, and moving into an apartment in the city was an adventure all alone. We’ve started a new chapter in our life together and I am excited for all of our new memories to come!

That concludes tonight’s round of shout outs. Really though, thank you to each and every one of you who have been there for me throughout the last few months. It means the world to me! Thank you!