Giving Thanks

        As Thanksgiving approaches I think there is no better time to reflect on what we are thankful for in our lives. Ever since I moved out of the house I have this new appreciation for the little things in my life. Here are a few things I am thankful for.

             1. My family. In high school I was ready to move on to bigger and better things, but now I

realize that I had it all right at home. I am thankful for all the life talks I had with my dad either in his office after school or riding together in the combine during harvest. I’m thankful for my mom and all the sacrifices she has made and continues to make for our family. I’m even thankful for my annoying little sister, I miss our car rides jamming out to our favorite songs. I appreciate these three more and more every day, and I would not trade them for the world!

             2. My friends. After graduation my friends moved all over,

some joined the military, others went to college, and one is even in Cambodia. Even though we have all gone our separate ways we still find the time to text and sometimes get together. It’s always fun to reminisce on all the memories we made together and to make a few more.



             3. Finally, I’m thankful for my mom’s home cooked meals. My teammates and I do cook at the house, but nothing beats coming home and eating a good home cooked meal.

As we celebrate what we are fortunate to have this Thanksgiving, remember to be thankful for the little things. Take the time to tell your family and friends that you love them and savor that amazing Thanksgiving meal.

Always thankful,

Savannah

Where It All Started

We are over half way through conferences and this got me thinking about where I was a year ago. FIRE 1 was last weekend and it didn’t hit me until we were almost finished with the conference that this is the last conference for so many members. A year ago, I was in their shoes, but it doesn’t feel like it was just a year ago. There is one part of that weekend I remember distinctly: reflections. Now I can’t tell you exactly what all the reflections were about, but what happened after reflections still crosses my mind often. My best friend, Mercedes, and I were sitting there in the EMR, thinking instead of going to the dance. I look over to her and see there are tears running down her face. She says to me, “This is where it all started. And this is the end.” In that moment, I lost it and the tears started streaming down my face too.

           Let me take this back to the beginning that Mercedes was talking about. Imagine freshman Brittany traveling to The Indiana FFA Leadership Center for the first time to attend SOAR conference. I had no idea what to expect and I was nervous. We file into the dining hall area to start the first session and soon after I sit down, a friendly face sits right next to me. We start talking and the nerves slowly begin to disappear. Throughout the entire weekend we wanted to sit next to each other and hang out as much as we could. Little did we know that we would still be friends to this day.

           Now back to the moment where we were sitting in a puddle of our own tears in the middle of the EMR, I began thinking about the future. Mercedes and I both planned to run for a state office. That night we talked about how great it would be to live in a house together and plan conferences and travel the state. I told her, “This is NOT the end.” Even if we didn’t make it in a state office we could still be involved in the organization in other ways. In the end, Mercedes decided not to run for a state office because that was the best decision for her. While I was sad she wasn’t running, I knew she was doing what was right for her future. State office isn’t for everybody. Thankfully, we are still great friends and she supported me through the entire process.

           We attend conferences to learn about FFA, service, and leadership, but the bonus is that we make friendships that last way beyond conferences. Even as your paths may take a different route, like Mercedes and me, you will still have that connection with them. Sitting in the EMR a year ago, I was shocked at how long ago my very first conference was. Keep in mind to embrace every moment at conferences, and other FFA events you love, because time doesn’t slow down.

“It’s not where you go, it’s who you meet along the way.” The Wizard of Oz

Enjoy every moment,

Brittany

Dog Blog

“Hello, my name is Moose DeLey. I love running in circles, chasing things and SQUIRREL...and I really really love food. I’m not talking about that dog food stuff but that people food is where it’s at! In fact, I can smell dinner cooking in the kitchen and I CANNOT wait to beg for some leftovers. I’ll be more likely to get some grub if I sit, lay down or shake hands. People love that stuff but I’m really just trying to get some food. Then, I’ll go sprawl out on the couch, maybe take a nap until someone pets me. I live a pretty good life if you ask me.”

Those are a few words my dog would most likely say if he could talk. One of the things I miss most about home is my six year old golden retriever, Moose. Now Moose is not like most dogs. He sleeps a ton, is scared of EVERYTHING, squeals and walks in circles when you talk to him in a high pitch voice that I like to call, “the doggy voice,” rings a bell on the door when he wants outside and he does not bark at all. He is such a good boy and I would claim him as “the goodest boy” but that’s just me.

My mamaw and I were having a conversation about my cousin’s dog being very sick and how he wouldn’t last much longer. I got sad for a moment and then my mamaw mentioned that most dogs live a pretty good life. That really got me thinking.

People provide amazing lives to their beloved dogs and pets. We want what is best for them and we love them unconditionally, even when they mess up and chew up shoes or do something they aren’t supposed to. We take care of them, forgive them for their mistakes and give them the best life we possibly can.

We should push ourselves to treat people like we treat our dogs. I’m not saying play fetch with them or feed them dog food, but we should treat people with the same kindness and love. We should tell people, “Good job!” We should give them credit for doing something new. We should build people up, not tear them down. Take care of the people around you, forgive them for their mistakes and even love them for who they are. We give our dogs a great life so let’s make it a goal to also give the people around us the best life we possibly can.  

- Sami