With the first trimester finished and Thanksgiving break over, the students at Thacher find themselves in the middle of a very special time of year.  The campus buzzes with excitement as gifts are exchanged and friends gather.  The holiday season has begun, and it has allowed me to reflect inwardly and recognize the things I am most thankful for in my life.  My family in Denver is wonderful and amazing, and thinking of them, I remember a second family that has forever altered my life: my Thacher family.  The friends who I laugh with in the dorm on Saturday nights, the teachers who sit with me late at night explaining the concept over and over, and the coaches who convince me to try one more time.  The community at Thacher is special and unique.  It is something I am very proud to be a part of, something that has allowed me to grow as not only a student and athlete, but as a person as well.  Happy holidays!