I would like to begin by thanking all of you for bearing with me as I tackle this college stuff, while trying to somehow at least type up something worth reading on here whenever possible! If anyone is actually keeping up with this, I'm grateful for you!
Most importantly, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone!!! I know I'm a day late, but that's the beautiful thing about this particular holiday... It is a culmination of hopefully 365 days a year that we are thankful for what we have. It is one day that celebrates each of the little moments in each of those God-given days that blessed us, and brought joy to our hearts.
This year, for Thanksgiving of 2014, there are SO many things I am thankful for. So many people who I feel honored to know. Maybe, I can somehow communicate at least some of that here. This year has been a time of growth, of new beginnings, hard work, blessings, humility, joy, romance, and puppies. Jason and I returned to our hometown in Colorado to be around people who mean the world to us. Speaking of those people... First and foremost is our big family. We now live 45 minutes max from all of our immediate relatives, and that is absolutely PRICELESS. It is incredible to be able to not have to worry about buying a plane ticket, or needing to catch up.
A few specific individuals who really stand out in my mind as I write today are my mom, and our brothers. My mother is a saint; I still haven't been able to figure out if she is Mother Teresa reincarnated! Her love for me and Jason is out of this world, and she knows how to show us. She comes over and walks our dogs when we are swamped with homework, cooks for us when we're sick, and even though she doesn't know it, our lives are filled with additional positivity every time she converses with us. Both Jason and I have two younger brothers. That's right, free comedy, and free manual labor (actually I force them to let us pay them)! Two specifically help a tremendous amount. When we are out of town for prosthetics, they puppy sit, when I'm stumped on a lab, they'll help me figure it out. When I need a shoulder to cry on, I know I have 5! (Or would that be 10?)
As I write, I'm quickly realizing there is no way to express all the blessings I am thankful for, or all of the thoughts I am full of. So, I will save that for a more personal form of reaching out to each of you, but I just want to touch on one more thing. I am SO thankful for Jason and my own growth this year. We only began dating just over a year ago, but when I look back and think about the young crazy kids we were, I can't believe we have come this far. We still have a long way to go, but we made it! We got married, we moved across states, we got back in school, and we conquered a million demons in the process. No one, including myself, will ever know the details of Jason's childhood and past. But, I know most of it, and to say the least, it was rough. When you add in the trauma of going to war, and then coming home a completely different person physically, most people would agree that he had every right to quit. Every day, he has that option. To quit trying, to quit improving, to quit opening up his heart, and to quit believing. We all do. Yet, instead, every day I see him WALKING (he has been 6/7 days per week for 3 weeks!), studying, trusting God, and deeply caring for people around him. And that has inspired me to follow his example. My background isn't perfect either. It's nothing in comparison, but the few years before Jason came around were ugly. When he came around, I knew it was time to grow up, and become someone better. So I did. He did. We did it. And we COULDN'T have done it ALONE.
THANK YOU to everyone who has led us, guided us, encouraged us, and set examples for us to follow from last Thanksgiving when we got engaged to this Thanksgiving. As previously mentioned, a large chunk of that core group is our family! We love you with our whole hearts! Also, our friends. Y'all have been so patient with our hectic schedule, and we don't see you nearly as much as we want to, but you're such a light in our hearts. This next year, I hope to do a much better job of seeing you as we are finally settled down!! Thank you to Homes for Our Troops for giving us an opportunity to live free of extra worry. Thank you to the Lind/Donahoo family for going out of your way and taking us into your arms!
Last but never least, the Vail Veterans Program. There are no words for the impact this program has had on both my husband and myself. Each time we have enjoyed the beautiful weeks in Vail participating in the trip, we have spent countless hours doing activities that bring us closer, and build Jason's confidence. I see the caregiver wives who have not let any sort of injuries slow their family's progress down, which has given me the boost to keep pushing forward in all aspects of our progress. In case that doesn't express enough of our gratitude, we chose to get married at the Vail Veterans Program in July of this year. We knew that we were surrounded by people who we see ourselves striving to be like in the future. The families there model what courage and commitment means. Jason even got to meet a finance guru who is also an amputee and has found the ropes in that industry. I got to meet Cheryl, the president of the program, who encompasses everything a girl should dream of growing up and becoming. We hope to work with her in the future and learn from her and everyone else in the program as long as we possibly can!
I'm thankful for growth, friends, family, and every military member who sacrifices to protect our dreams, and for YOU!!
God bless each and every one of you!
Rachel Hallett
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| Marine Corps Birthday Ball 2014 |
"I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers."
Philemon 4:7
