Grace makes beauty out of ugly things

Today I just want to give my love and appreciation to everyone. I have been throwing what some probably see as massive pity parties, and I don't mean to, I just try to vomit out all the stuff I have been storing up for so long, but it's bloody darn time to count my blessings as well.

Thanks for your listening ears, people, thanks for your friendship, thanks for sticking around and putting up with my weirdness, and being patient, and kind. And thanks for the warm responses I got from people that I don't even know, to posts I was afraid to put out there.
It is making all the difference to me!
Things have been going horribly wrong in the past years... but even more so, things have been going amazingly right, as well. Everything was balanced out. And it's true, God gave me shitloads of stuff to deal with, but he never left me to it without giving me the ability and support to deal with it, and it helped me grow immensely.
It is amazing how often stuff worked out smoothly, and that in the times when I most needed them - or was going to need them soon without my knowing it - I was given friends who carried me.
When my fam fell apart, I already had several new ones to catch me: Pat and Bob, Peter and Margi, Nanette and her fam, my pastor Scott and his wife Kathy, hey, and my uncle and aunt. And not to forget my incredible friends, Zac and John and Dom and Adam, and all my cowtown friends, and my bosses Sabine and Rainer, and all the WWDN monkeys. And Jun. And now Milla and Esther. The list goes on endlessly, I can't even count them anymore, and if you feel left out, remember you are not forgotten.
My dad and I have grown immensely close - he is the Perfect Father (TM) to me.

I have been given so much, and I am really really really grateful.
I am getting a semi-free education at an excellent school in a beautiful country, with really cool and funny and smart and sweet teachers (heh, I am just sucking up a little, exams are coming up!). No seriously. I do appreciate good and passionate teachers, cos they are rare.
My life has been given back to me, and I am drinking it in fully, appreciating and enjoying every flower, every bird, every moment of beauty I see.
I am living in a nice house with great people, provided by the best landlords ever, I have a great job with the best work mates in a beautiful place (I always wanted to work in a beach cafe), I have not much by Western Standards (TM), but I have more than I need, I have a cat named after me, and I am having friends, family and homes all over the planet.

Tonight, my new housemates will come over, we'll sign the contract, and celebrate with wine and Family Guy DVDs!

I've got jackshit to complain about :D.

*Tacky Tree-Huggin Hippy Group Hug*

Life rocks, because of you! :D