I was asked recently "What would you say to him when and if you saw him?" and I didn't have an exact answer. But now I do and it seems to be a lot of "thank yous," so here are my "thank yous" for 2016:

What I would say to my momis thank you for the nights when we were able to watch HGTV together and dream of what it would be like to live in exotic places; for listening to me about the struggles of college and whatnot; for the times you were my guinea pig and tried the new recipes I had found online; for the beach trips - whether they were to Point Pleasant or to High Point - that you planned out during the summers; for decorating our house beautifully both inside and out for the different seasons; for keeping

What I would say to my Dad is thank you for feeding me when mom can't cook (which is all of the time); for getting mom to think about getting a puppy soon (I hope we really do); for your 'dad jokes' that will always be your signature ones (you know that ones, don't make me say them); for making me laugh when I am sad or mad - actually, you've always kept a smile on my face. I know this year was tough after we lost Grandpa and Grandma, and the holidays are going to be just as tough, but I'll be there for you, pal. Because I'm your buddy and you're my pal.

What I would say to my grandparentsis I love you with all my heart and grief is just love with nowhere to go - damn, I have a lot of grief over the both of you. Even though times may have been tough for the both of you before my dad and I were born, because of you I still know that there are moments to be thankful and grateful for - especially the little moments that almost everyone looks over. Because of you, I promise to spread the love I have with nowhere to go into the world and try to make the world a better place. Loads of love xx

What I would say to my grandpais, well, a lot of the same that I said in my letter to you, but in summary: I am so happy that I get to talk with you about books on Sunday afternoons and learn more about your life before you met Gram and when you knew you loved her and wanted to be with her forever. I loved playing board games with you and have tea parties in the living room. I love ya!

What I would say to my friendsis I love you all - and you know it, so I don't have to say it again. I'm am so happy for the times we have spent together, wither with the whole group or just by ourselves. I am thankful on the conversations we have had because no matter the subject, I still smile and laugh in the end. I am happy that you all have been there to support me no matter what and I am happy to do the same for you. The only thing that I want for you and your life is that you are happy; if you're happy, then I am happy. And I hope you are so damn happy in the end.

What I would say to my classmatesI have had such a great time in all of my classes this semester and I would to say it is because you all. The discussions we had in class and I hope you all the best of luck on your finals. You are all so smart and I know that this week will be tough, but if you got through this semester, you can get through anything.

What I would say to my professorsis thank you for being so helpful during some pretty stressful times; for being there to just listen to me talk about the text and my likes, dislikes, connections, analysis and suggestions - even though some of them weren't that good. You still allowed me to get these points off of my chest. I feel like I have learned a lot from you about the subject of the class but also on life and how to deal with it at times. I hope you have a nice break because even professors deserve a good time off, too.

What I would say to my creators at Odyssey is you guys come up with some of the best topics I may have ever read and I am so happy to be apart of this community with you all. Whenever someone brings up an article that one of you wrote, I feel like a proud (Odyssey) mom and I can't stop boasting about you guys. I love ya, all.

What I would say to youis thank you for reading this and I hope that someday you realize that you accomplished everything you ever hoped to - and you didn't even know you did it. I hope that you are happy with your life and one day you'll be even happier. I hope you remember that you are not, nor will you ever be, alone in your struggles and lows; I hope in those moments you are able to also reflect on the highs of your life, the things that make you smile. I hope you get to see your favorite artist in concert and meet them accidentally after the show and he/she is the nicest person you have ever meet.