Epic Thanks
Grateful ( greyt-fuhl)
: warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.
As Thanksgiving approaches this week, I like to reflect on the people and things I am grateful in this amazing world and be a part of Epic Thanks again this year.
I am forever grateful for my family, for the love, friendship and support I receive from them every.single.day. Last week my oldest sister gave birth to her first child, a precious little boy who I fell in love with the moment I saw him in the email announcing his arrival to this world and our world. I fell in love with him all over again the moment I met him and each time I see him it is the same grateful and warm feeling of love. A true joy to our family!
I am grateful for my loving boyfriend, who I continue to share many laughs, delicious meals, deep conversations and a close bond with. Almost 8 weeks ago, I had a tumor removed off of my ankle, keeping me off my feet and living with crutches in our third floor walk-up apartment. His support, patience, and nurturing care has been absolutely incredible. After spending day after day in discomfort and keeping myself entertained while being constrained to the couch, it was his (and other friends and family members of course!) encouragement and company that kept a smile on my face.
For the friends who I have had in my life since day one, to the new friends I am lucky to meet each day. I am grateful for the relationship we have and the memories we continue to make and share. Thank you!!
And for the little things in life: a butterfly that appears at the moments most needed, a flying dandelion seed, a smile from a stranger and random acts of kindness…they go a long way!
Thankful, I am, to be a part of Epic Thanks to share our gratitude and stories and help Epic Change raise the funds to help build Mama Lucy a secondary school out of our gratitude. Just a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet in person the founders of Epic Change, Stacey Monk and Sanjay Patel. I have been SO inspired and thankful for the hard work they put in to help children across the globe, in Tanzania, to access an education these children deserve. I also got to meet Mama Lucy, who used the income from her chicken business to rent land next to her home to educate the children of her village. Classrooms and a library has been built out of gratitude from the past and this year during Epic Thanks we will help build the secondary classroom. On their first trip to the U.S., two students from the Shepherds Junior School accompanied Mama Lucy: Leah Albert and Gideon Gidori and meeting both of them was incredible. They spoke so passionately about their school and to hear their dreams of being an astronaut and first woman President of Tanzania was so touching. It makes me VERY excited to help with their next step, to have a secondary school where they can continue to accomplish their dreams.
Yesterday on twitter, I received a message from @Leah_Albert with a photograph thanking me for being a part of EPIC THANKS. 
So, join me in posting a photograph or note showing what you are thankful for and lets join together to help build Mama Lucy’s Secondary School out of gratitude.
ADD YOUR GRATEFUL PHOTOGRAPH TO THE PHOTOBLOG OF GRATEFUL GRATITUTE HERE: EPIC THANKS PHOTOBLOG
When your donation is broken down:
If you give:
- $10, you’ll add a brick to Mama Lucy’s secondary school. 1,000 bricks=1 classroom.
- $100, you’ll be able to add your own personal dedication of gratitude to the walls of the new school.
- $250, you’ll make room for one student in a classroom at the school built from your gratitude.
- $10,000, you’ll build an entire classroom.
How amazing would that be, to know that your donation, however big or small, helped build a child’s future?! To make a donation, you can use the donation tool at the bottom of this post or go to www.epicthanks.org and make your contribution there.
I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving week and hope you too, will be able to reflect on the people you are grateful for.
~Emma
