Today is Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for! Currently, I’m out of Michigan away at some government training. I’ll be here until I graduate in April. After graduation, I’ll be moving to Phoenix where I’ll be working. I’m very thankful for the job opportunity and for Phoenix over some worse locations I could have gotten! The rest of the post will be catching up with what I’ve been up to and what I’m thankful for.
I’m thankful for the beauty of our country and of my home state Michigan. Now that I’m away, I have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of other parts of the country. However, before I left I made a fall colors trip to the Upper Peninsula. There was this train bridge off in the woods near Negaunee, MI that I’ve always wanted to explore so I hiked out there to see how the colors were. I was a little early, but it is still an awesome spot and I’m glad I got to check it out before I leave Michigan for a while.
I’m also super thankful for my family! It’s a bummer to be away while they gather for Thanksgiving, but I know that they are supportive of what I’m doing and I know I’ll be seeing them soon in the future. They have been so helpful in helping me move all of my stuff and storing it while I’m at training. My dad will deliver my truck to me here at training soon as well. I’m especially thankful that I was able to make it to meet and witness my newest niece, Claire’s, baptism in Virginia before I headed to training.
Since my time in Michigan is over, for now, my military career is up in the air. It will come down to where I think God can use me best. I am blessed to have many opportunities, and for now, I am deciding between staying with my current unit for a potential deployment or transferring to the Reserves or National Guard in Arizona. Lots to contemplate. All I know for now is that it has been an absolute honor to be a platoon leader. I have learned so much about leadership and about myself in the two years I have been leading my platoon. Even if this is just temporary and I will come back to lead them in the future, I am very thankful for all the men I have worked with that have helped me grow and develop into the leader I am today.
I’m so thankful for the sport of jiu-jitsu and the life lessons and friends it has given me. At my last class, I was surprised with a promotion to purple belt. Coach Carl said some nice things about me and then he asked me if I had anything to say. I hadn’t planned anything, but it was one of those moments where everything comes from the heart. I gave a speech with my voice quivering with emotion as I spoke and at the end, Coach was choked up and several people in the class were crying. That’s how much this gym and the people there mean to me. I am looking forward to dropping back in when I’m in town.
Lastly, I’m so thankful especially for two of the guys above (both closest to me). Wyatt and Aaron have been my roommates for the last three years and have dealt with me leaving for 6 months at a time on multiple occasions. They have managed everything at the house without any complaints. We had so many good times camping, watching sports, going to bars, playing cards, and just chilling around talking about life or watching movies. Leaving them feels like it’s the end of an era.
Overall, I am incredibly blessed! God has been so good to me. Covid hasn’t been easy for anyone, but the people that have been there for me during this time have been such a blessing. I’m excited to finally start moving forward into a new chapter and I’m sure I’ll the people from this closing chapter will be reappearing in the next! God bless!