21 Gifts for 21 Years - Being thankful on my 21st Birthday!

Why hello, loves! Today is my 21st Birthday - and on this very special day, I wanted to share something very special. Being grateful and thankful is incredibly important to me - it's something that I practice each and every day and something that makes me the generally happy and cheery person I am. 

On my 21st Birthday, I wanted to share 21 gifts in my life - the things I'm most thankful for... so here we go! (and these are in no particular order!)

Number One: 

The guy I'll be marrying in exactly two months!

I can't believe I fell in love with him over five years ago - and I'm even more in love with him now. I honestly, wholeheartedly don't know what I'd do without him and I can't wait to be his wife! I'm so lucky to have fallen in love with my best friend. 

Let me just say, I was definitely counting my lucky stars when he woke me up in the middle of the night to sing happy birthday. I'm so lucky I'm able to spend my first birthday with him right here!

Number Two:

My Mama, the woman who has been with me through it all. She really is my other best friend and I don't know what I'd do without her. She's my shoulder to cry on, my biggest cheerleader, my taxi driver, my psychologist, my nurse and most importantly my Mum. 

Number Three: 

Chanel, my sweet sweet baby girl. I didn't know you could love an animal so much until Chanel came into my life. She was the greatest birthday present I have ever gotten and she fills my heart with so much joy. 

When Gizmo passed away, all of our hearts broke that extra bit more because we feared what would happen to Nelly. She's showing us that she's stronger than we ever thought - and I'm so proud of her. She's the light in my life and has now become even more of my shadow and I love her so very much. 

If you've ever met Chanel, you'll know what I'm talking about - she's spunky, cheeky, and will have you wrapped around her little paw in seconds. 

Number Four: 
My Dad. Even though he calls me the Ninja (because I tend to disappear behind furniture or hide on the couch) and likes to make jokes about me - I know he loves me more than anything. This morning he covered the coffee table in birthday things and made me a whole birthday book about August 12th, 1992.

Number Five: 
My Sister. As with any sister, sometimes she is a major pain in the butt - but I really do love her more than anything. I'm so proud of her for everything she's been through - and I know she will grow up to be a fantastic person. 

Number Six: 
My Faith. I am so glad that my faith is so strong - it's what gets me through the times where I have nothing to hold on to, it's what gives me hope and it's the reason why I'm usually the happy, friendly and loving person that I am. My faith in The Lord is what makes me a better person and I am so grateful to know Him and receive his blessings and infinite peace. 

Step by step, I see my path revealed and I am constantly overwhelmed by His blessings.

Number Seven: 
My Health. I am the healthiest I have ever been since finding out I was a coeliac. I have the energy to walk for hours, workout with my incredible fiance and chase little ones around when I'm babysitting. Health is one of the most important things in life and I am so incredibly unbelievably grateful that I have mine back. 

Number Eight: 
The Blog has changed my life in ways you couldn't imagine. It has surpassed my every expectation and has allowed me to meet some incredible people. I love that I'm able to share my passion so freely and help others to find that passion for themselves.

Number Nine: 
You! I am so incredibly grateful for every single reader of Southern In-Law - every email, comment and message fills my heart with so much joy - and I get so proud when one of you makes one of our recipes! 

If you've never left a comment, please do - because I'd love to say hello and thank you for reading! Anyone can leave a comment - you don't need an account!

Number Ten: 
My business - my other baby. I cannot believe that KISS Freelance is only just 1 year old but has grown so much. I'm incredibly proud to be a business owner and I love my clients. There is nothing greater than to have a client love what you've done for them. 

Number Eleven: 
Jesse's family. I really wish they were closer, but they're a part of my family nonetheless. Jesse's Mum is amazing and so loving, his Pawpaw is the sweetest man and his nieces are absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to get back to Louisiana to truly get to know them even more.

Number Twelve:
My kitchen skills. There's nothing more that I love than baking, cooking and creating things in the kitchen. It brings me so much joy to create and make things that people truly love. 

Number Thirteen: 
My passion for healthy living. To find your passion in life is an incredible thing - and I happen to have multiple passions. My passion for healthy living, however, is one that I have seen enrich the lives of others. I'm someone who loves to help others and it brings me so much joy to help others find out just how incredibly healthy living is.

Number Fourteen: 
My hobbies. I'm a girl who loves to keep busy - so I have many, many hobbies. I'm so incredibly grateful that I have the ability to love, enjoy and excel in so many things. I know that there will always be something for me to do!

Number Fifteen.
My love of learning. I'm someone who craves knowledge. I need to learn, I need to grow, I need to discover. It's that passion for learning that has helped me to find my passions in life and I love that despite how much I already know, I'm always looking to learn and discover new things.

Number Sixteen.
Great books. I'm a bookworm and a writer so great books are a must have in my life. I'm always reading at least one book at any given moment - at the moment I'm reading A Walk in the Park by Jill Mansel which I actually picked up at the thrift store!

Number Seventeen:
True friends. Perhaps the greatest gift in life is to be surrounded by people who love and care for you. I have some incredibly amazing true friends which I am so grateful for. They're the ones who are there for me through everything, who care and who love me despite any mistakes I may make. 

Number Eighteen: 
New opportunities. I was always one hesitant to try new things or take on a new challenge - because I was scared of failing. These days I jump at every opportunity to grow and I absolutely love challenges. I am so blessed with all of the opportunities that have come my way - and all of the opportunities that are yet to come.

Number Nineteen:
Fears, challenges, tears and sadness. These may be odd things to be grateful for for you, however, for me they are all things that have helped me to grow - and what has shaped me to be where I am today. I am grateful for every challenge I have had to face and every tear I have shed as they have strengthened my heart, my soul and my spirit. 

When you face challenges, you need to look at how you can rise above them - rather than let them crush you.

Number Twenty:
Nature. I am a nature lover and I am always overwhelmed by the beauty of the world around us. As a photographer who absolutely loves capturing the beauty of nature, I think it helps me to notice the little things in life. When I walk of a morning, I don't wear earphones or listen to music because it's so much nicer to take in the sounds of the birds around me and the rustling of the trees. 

Number Twenty One:

Sure, I don't have an easy life at times, but I have an incredible one. I am so blessed to have the life I do and I wouldn't change it for the world. I am so incredibly happy and that's the most amazing thing in the world. 

But tell me - what are you grateful for? 

Don't worry that Google Reader is closing,  follow Southern In-Law on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin and Feedly. You can also sign up to Southern In-Law's Weekly Newsletter here.