Lately I have been so incredibly overwhelmed with school and all over aspects that consume my life, but have not given myself time to take a step back, re-evaluate my life and list out the things that have made me grateful throughout this past year.

1. Switching campus’ of school: This has been a huge challenge, success and learning experience throughout the year. I was hesitant to loose the relationships I gained sophomore year,  I was in a toxic friend group, and through the rough patches that came with loosing their friendships, I feel blessed to have learned that my value does not come from girls who would belittle me.
2. Professors: I had to re-take two classes this year, due to two professors not working out. I experienced my first professor yelling at me for missing class due to the flu (one of the most terrifying, and humiliating things), and the other professor failing our whole class. These two professors taught me two things:

• That dual enrollment teaches students the rewarding and difficult parts of college. It really helps prepare you for the real world, and how you can truly learn how you handle humiliation and ager when a professor screams at you in front of a class of 50+ people. (I ended up dropping the class, and bought dairy-free ice cream)

• & that there are all types of professors. Those who are engaging with their students, those who do not take accountability of their actions, and those who fail whole classes. But learning how to pick yourself up again, re-take the class, work harder, and pass the class.

1. Elise: This year has been incredibly amazing because of you. Thank you for helping me with many many failures (grades, boys, driving, school dances, etc..) Thank you for always coming over and spending the night. Loving Kia more than I, (which is pretty hard to do). Eating too many donuts, drinking all our orange juice in the refrigerator and eating unlimited amounts of French toast. You are such a beautiful person, I cannot put it into words, but I will say thank you.
2. Kelvyn: This year has been a wake-up call for not only me, but also Kelvyn. Through struggles with his roommate, I am incredibly grateful for having a brother who took the same Psychology class as me this year, and who I could call up close to midnight while typing papers just talking with him on the phone. I am grateful for the surprise visits, and for him immediately calling me after triumphs at horse shows, and defeats and heartache at the barn.
3. Macallan: Though it may sound weird, I am grateful for the growth that come from the passing of Macallan. I am grateful for learning how to overcome such a hard setback, and seeing how everyone can come together as a community at the barn and embrace the broken hearted (blog post on that later)
4. Mrs. Lorelei: I am extremely grateful for Mrs. Lorelei who helped me through the processes of different horses coming and going, but never giving up on what the next steps would be for my riding career. For the constant wisdom. For the constant reaffirming, discipleship, and love when I was too hard on myself.
5. Ashley: Ashley, thank you for embracing me the first time you saw me after Macallan passed away, giving me the biggest hug and not needing to say anything. Thank you for trusting me with Xante. He has such an innocent soul, thank you for letting me witness that. I cannot believe you are graduated and headed off to college. I want to especially thank you for believing in me making a comeback after Mac passed, even when myself thought it was impossible. I remember one day I was super quiet and unable to even speak at the barn, and you brought me into the tack room and said, “you can do this Kyra. You’ve got to keep going. Xante is here for you, I am here for you, Mrs. Lorelei is here for you, and all of us are going to get you back to believing in yourself as a rider. There was nothing you could of done to still have Mac with us.”
6. Mrs. Karen: Thank you for being there with me in the final seconds that Mac was still here on earth. It was incredibly thoughtful of you to make sure we got a part of his tail. Thank you for telling me the process Mac was about to go through, to end his pain. Thank you for coaching me the day after he passed, when I was a hot mess, without the hot, on Robin Hood.
7. The weather: for not snowing on my birthday
8. Mrs. Hoshijo: I am grateful for you not flunking me in Spanish 3 when you really should of.
9. Mom and Dad: for helping me with all my college classes and helping me choose colleges, but also for encouraging me to always pick my feet up no matter how hard the fall is.

Thank you to everyone who has come alongside me with all the crazy change occurring this past year.

I love ya’ll immensely, and am incredibly grateful.