I also love...

(sorry, I just keep thinking of more things!)

...the way my Dad, without fail, sends us just about every new, non R-rated, movie when it comes out. It seems like a little thing, but a million miles from home, it just makes us feel a bit more in touch with our first culture, gives us a change of scenery for the evening, has provided for some awesome neighborhood and seminary movie nights, gets us excited for the weekend, and means the girls are "up" on their kid movies!  Truly is such a thoughtful ongoing gift from an ongoingly thoughtful man...

  

This month was Life of Pi, Playing for Keeps, To the Arctic, Lincoln and Parental Guidance. 

...watching Micheline play with her 7 month old Woudens Tuesday evening with such joy.  After watching her do the same with my own babies since Lily was three weeks old, it touched my heart to see her with this bundle of joy!

...this reflection on Boston.

...Junior's unwavering spirit.  (Still waiting on a date for the funeral)

...that the field meetings Matt needs to attend today through Saturday were moved from Ft. Lauderdale to Port-au-Prince...at least we're all still on the same island!

...the way men can be so chill about big deal stuff.  Lucner to Stacey, "Please get me those invitations by the end of the week, and I need a financial report from graduation last year, and did I tell you Luna has a baby in her belly?"  Baby Victoria is looking forward to a little brother or sister!

...that no matter how long we are here, there is still SO much to learn about this complicated culture!  I'll post on the "limited annual happiness" theory soon...

...how excited everyone gets about major events in Haiti.  The only thing I remember being excited about come graduation from university was that I was finished!  But already, a full month before graduation, the classes and staff are abuzz over which goats to kill, which trees to paint, what color glitter to use for all the decorations, what refreshments should be served, what color they wish the robes were, who is coming, who is speaking, what the invites look like, and there is a major competition going between three students for Valedictorian... and this morning, the class photo...

Of course, the class hates this picture, because they are (gasp) smiling.  This was because I said, "Hey Berthil, your face..." and someone interrupted with "is UGLY!"..."is hidden behind Fritzner's head."  Peals of laughter.  These men, fully entrenched in ministry and kingdom building...are still boys.

...that four years, socks, thumb guards, begging, charts, bribing and finally, nasty nail polish, and Lily has officially stopped sucking her thumb.  Can I get a yippee? 

...our neighbors.  For the six years we've been here, there have been years with neighbors and years alone. While living practically on top of each other on a campus in a country where you're  home-bound almost constantly is not always easy (very few interpersonal boundaries = battling against interpersonal struggle!), we've done it alone, and THIS is better.  WAY better.  

So thankful for the Aberles and the Aubrys, for the ways they share their lives with us and let us share our lives with them...even the sweaty, grouchy, sick kids, 3 toddlers want the same toy, dogs won't shut up, good days, bad days and everything in between.  

I've learned more about being the body of Christ and how sweet it can be from living on top of these neighbors than I ever thought possible.  The Aberles leave Tuesday and the Aubrys' term is finished in June, and I'm so sad this chapter of our lives together is finishing.  We thank God for you, Sam, Cam, Sarah and Mark, and have so many good memories of true brother and sister hood!

...that my husband can do a million things I can't...and got this picture of laundry day off my phone :)

What's YOUR list of things you love today?  Bet it's a lot longer than you think...