Which means its really hard for me to not be home in the states.
I miss watching the leaves change colors, I miss wearing boots and sweaters and scarves, I miss decorating for fall, I miss the preparation for Christmas during this time, I miss football....I just miss life during the fall season.
However, I do realize I have a lot to be thankful for so I caved and decided to do the month of gratitude (but I decided to not do this via Facebook)- not hatin on anyone who did but I just really didn't have the time or discipline to make sure I updated my status daily…i don't update my status as it is so it wouldn't have worked for me.
A blog post dedicated to the very thing was the way to go for me.
Soo, over the past 30 days, throughout the month of November, I have had to reflect each day on what I was thankful for in that day. Some days were hard, some days were easy but at the end I realized I have much to be thankful for! :)
So here are some things I have been thankful for over the past month (plus many more) and some things you might be thankful for as well.
Day 1. Kids Laughter- When weeks have bad days its nice to let myself take a step back and enjoy my time with the kids in PE class. Its nice to play their games with them and even better than that is hearing their laughter and joining in.
Day 2. Dancing- We gringos of course decided to have a halloween costume party. The fact of dressing up and being something you're not for a night is so much fun anyway but then you add a DJ and dancing and you have yourself a fun stress relieving night. I love to release stress through the art of dance…lets be honest, I just love to dance and I am thankful for the ability, the opportunity, the music and the friends to do it with!
Day 3. Photos- I grew up in a house with a mom who documented every part of my life….literally. How many times have I made fun of her for it?! more than I can count I am sure but I spent a good portion of my time on this Sunday afternoon looking through old pictures from the past year (Pictures I took by the way) and realize how thankful that some of my favorite memories are documented on camera! and I am thankful I am following in my mother's footsteps.
Day 4. Salad- Yep, I am thankful for what most of you would call grass or leaves off of a tree but a nice good/big salad is one of my favorite meals and I am happy to say I found a cool salad place here and that is rare but I am pumped. I will also admit that I have eaten there twice in less than a week. OOPS. Im super thankful for healthy food and I am even more thankful that I like it. I have always been this way but thanks to college and the friends there (melissa) my taste buds were introduced to a whole new palate.
Day 5. Sunshine- We have officially entered rainy season here in Quito, Ecuador but today was an exception and we had a nice little taste of what sunshine felt for a little while again and my friends it was good to the soul today.
Day 6. Roomie Dinner Night- Wednesdays are hard...Wednesdays are long...but Wednesdays are also Roomie Dinner Nights. Every Wednesday we sit down as roomies and eat a meal prepared by one of the four of us. One of my favorite ways to fellowship with people is around a table...whether thats a meal, a cup of coffee, glass of wine, dessert or whatever It's such a fun way to hang out with someone. When you're sitting around a table you are usually forced to talk so therefore you share about your day: the good and the bad, you share your struggles and your successes and sometimes even your secrets. Its a fun way to get to know other people and its a fun way to enjoy time with my roommates. This particular Wednesday was my week and being the southern girl I am...I fixed good ole chicken and dumplings and I did it successfully too!
Something I have eaten so many times before but have never made but I took on the tasks because it was really fun to share this part of me with a few northerners and a German! :) I love the blessing that my roomies have been to me and the times we have shared together.
Day 7. Biblical Truth- Specifically the teaching of biblical truth and even more specifically the teaching of biblical truth in my elementary chapels.
Day 8. Reaching a goal- More often than not people refrain from setting goals because if we don't set goals we have a lesser chance of failing but I decided to set a goal. As most of you know I am a runner…a long distance runner so therefore I like to run for longer amounts of time vs. a really fast time but I signed up for the NIKE 10K here in Quito and I decided to set the goal of finishing in an under an hour. (some or most of you may be saying..Oh, thats easy) but for someone who runs half marathons I usually have the mindset of just finishing however I risked it and set a goal and thankfully reached that goal of finishing in 57 minutes. woo hoo! Now, to set a new one. (yes this thankful post is a little out of order but oh well--most of you probably wouldn't have known that if I didn't say anything)
Day 9. Long Lasting Friendships- I had a free saturday afternoon yesterday and it worked out that a friend of mine from home did too. However, not just any friend. I got to Skype with my best friend from the 4th grade. THE 4TH GRADE people! As we said our goodbyes my immediate thoughts when we hung up were WOW! Look at the journey our friendship has been on. Oh, how the Lord works and I am thankful that He does! Im thankful for Kayla and for so many more friends back home who keep me edified, hold me accountable, and pray for me and with me from miles and miles away.
THIS girl.
Day 10. Accountability and Conviction- Brothers and Sisters in Christ…."HOLD ME ACCOUNTABLE!" ''CALL ME OUT!" -Thanks. I have been blessed with friends that do that…I have but I am positive I could use it more often…I am positive it is something we could all use more often. So, thanks friends that do! and thank the Lord for the conviction of my sins after I have been called out by a fellow believer. Its super tough to swallow…um…SUPER tough. Gotta be thankful for the tough stuff too.
Day 11. ZUMBA Class !!! - If you know me at all you know that one of my biggest passions is dancing! and what better way to relieve stress on a Monday afternoon than doing ZUMBA with such a fun group of ladies. It is a bonding moment for sure and a super big THANKS to ANN COE...our fearless leader and my "mom" here in Ecuador. (My life just wouldn't be the same without her and her family...and her ZUMBA class ;) )
Day 12: For the GOOD days. Im thankful there are good days that overpower the bad days. Thankful for another day to choose joy, be a light, and enjoy life to the fullest. I am thankful that the Lord gives us bad days to learn but I am so so thankful that there are good and even GREAT days in the midst of bad days and maybe even bad weeks. I am thankful that the Lord blessed me with a lot of GOOD days here lately because I am reminded that there is GOOD in the BAD. Thanks Lord for Romans 8:28 .
Day 13: Bobby Coe- If you are a consistent follower of my blog you might be familiar with the Coe name. The Coe's have become my family here therefore making Bobby like my little brother…(and I thought I was an only child- haha) But, there are some advantages of having a "little brother" I must say. Its fun to joke around with him and pick on him and its even fun to ask him to do stuff but its even more fun when he is willing. Day 13 fell on a Wednesday, Wednesday is the day we have our CSO DEEPER and Bobby is one of the high schoolers involved in this CSO. And on most wednesdays he does a great job with the kids and on this particular wednesday he did a fantastic job at taking the lead and helping me out a great deal. Bobby helped lead the Big Group Game at the beginning which took a lot of energy and then after that he came in and practically led the 1st grade group because we were short adults so I was having to hop around from group to group and couldn't stay with the 1st graders the whole time (this isn't the first time either) Bobby has excelled in DEEPER week after week and I am so grateful for his willingness to serve in any way and his commitment to DEEPER whatever that might be. Thanks little brother!
Day 14: Talking Healthy- Most of you know that one of the things I am most passionate about is health and fitness. I love to exercise and I love to eat healthy. It is a huge part of my life. And now I am happy to share that part of my life with a high school friend- HAILEY! One of my bestest friends has jumped on the Healthy Bandwagon with me and is not looking back. I was able to Skype with her and we talked "healthy" talk and I loved every minute of it. (is it weird that Hailey, of all people, has become a health guru---YES--haha but thats okay-- I LOVE IT) We talked about her getting personal trainer certified--and how I can do that (it is a goal/dream of mine). She is also getting yoga certified--cool! We talked about eating healthy and working out together when I am at home for Christmas, we talked about workout gear- one of the perks of being an active person is the cool clothes of course, like I said..we talked healthy talk and I love being able to share that passion with people especially one my best friends.
Day 15: Magazines (in English) - Go ahead and laugh, look confused but I will proudly admit it. I love Magazines! Guilty pleasure? maybe! Im not really a big reader. I actually don't like to read for the most part so I have always resorted to magazines and here in Ecuador I don't have access to magazines (in English) so its just not the same. But tonight we had a classic girls night--food, movies, nail polish and MAGAZINES from the states. I was in a happy place. I will admit most of the stuff in magazines is garbage, trash, whatever you wanna call it but its a favorite pass time of mine and I was glad to get to remember that for a night as I read all about the latest movies, music, fashion, and of course gossip from my home country of the United States that I rarely hear about now living in Ecuador. So thanks Elisa Brown for bringing those back for Mandi so that she could share with us!
Day 16: Fellowship- Im a cheese ball when it comes to spending time with groups of friends and even hanging out and spending time with people not in my immediate friend group. It's a saturday and for the most part pretty relaxing but on saturday night our plans were to go out for sushi and then head to school (yes, the place we are at everyday) to attend the Harvest Festival put on by the Junior Class. Again, I say….Im a cheese ball. I love things like this; eating food, hanging out, playing with kids, sitting on hay, haunted houses (run by a bunch of students), auctions, fundraisers, cake, and people I love. Such a fun night that not only included great fellowship with friends and coworkers and families but also gave us a little glimpse of fall and that was the cherry on top of a good night.
Day 17: The Tassys- The Tassys are a family that became very close to Kat and I. A family we spent a lot of time with and looked to for help, guidance, encouragement, and support and cooking and baking tips during our first year here. This family is back in the states this year and with the help of technology we were able to Skype with them for about 3 hours on this Sunday afternoon. What a blessing.
Day 18: Rain Jackets- and remembering to bring it. (This one is for Melissa and Rachel)- We have enterered rainy season here in Quito and I have learned that I don't really like to be wet so I am very thankful that I have a rain jacket and that I remember to take it with me---like 7 out of 10 times. Those are really good odds if you knew me in college. I went to MS state in Starkville, MS and I think it rains more there than anywhere else but who never took their rain jacket?! yep, me! and who lived there for 4 years know it would probably rain and I would want my rain jacket around? yep, me! It took moving to Ecuador and experiencing rainy season for it to click but it has finally clicked! woo hoo for rain jackets and staying dry!
Day 19: Friends that know best (sometimes)-- Today, I was sick. I admit it. I hate being sick. I am pretty sure its a pride thing but that has not been proven. But today, I was sick and I tried to be at school, I tried to get work done, and I tried to check all the things off the list but by 10:00 am I was struggling to physically move and fight back the tears of defeat. So, Kat sent me home. Does she have that authority? No, but as my best friend here I took her advice and went home and I am thankful that I did. I am thankful that I had a friend that knew what was best for me today.
Day 20: Christmas Trees- Its another Wednesday and you know what that means: Roomie dinner night! :) and tonight the festivities included putting up the Christmas tree. Little early, you ask? Not to me and not here in Ecuador. Since there is no Thanksgiving--its straight to Christmas. I am not just thankful for the actual tree itself. .I am thankful for the Christmas lights that decorate the tree and light up the living room. I am thankful for the memories made putting up and decorating Christmas trees. . Putting up the Christmas tree means that Christmas is that much closer. (and I get to put up two trees this year--can't wait for the second one when I get home in blank days)
Day 21: Beautiful painted skies-- The Lord is super creative in the ways He blesses us with His beauty and all too often I forget to acknowledge them. I could have easily done it today…I could have easily been distracted by my aching tooth and could have continued to complain about the pain in my mouth but I was with someone who made sure to point out the beautiful sky and I am so glad they did.
Because what a blessing and good reminder of the Lord's goodness to us even in the pain.
Day 22: Our Neighbors- I must admit we have a family that lives in our apartment building that have been some pretty cool neighbors to have around.
They are an Alliance family and I teach their kids but I got the privilege with my roomies to babysit them last night and it was a pretty good time. This family not only blesses us with their company but their food is pretty great too! They have fed us dinner many a nights (including last night) and it never disappoints! EVER! So we are pretty blessed with hospitality and good fellowship on a daily basis.
Day 23: Canned Pumpkin- keep reading before you just get confused and judge me. Today we got to have an early Thanksgiving celebration with the girls and it was awesome---not only the food- but the time to hang out was great too! Back to the canned pumpkin though…pumpkin isn't really as abundant here as it is in the states so I planned ahead (i know, weird right) and brought back canned pumpkin for the fall season and for thanksgiving celebrations like the one today and I am glad I did. Fall is the hardest time for me to miss…i think I have said that enough... so to get to bake pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies was such a treat for me and even better to get to share them with ladies that I love so very much. Not to mention that we had sweet potato casserole, fried chicken, green beans, mash potatoes, and cornbread muffins to go along with it. That was pretty great too!
So, thank you Lord for uses of the aluminum can!
Day 24: Rainy Sunday afternoons. They're just GREAT! enough said right? But really there isn't much better than coming home on a Sunday afternoon and putting off a list of things to do so you can nap to the sound of the rain outside.
Day 25: Random lunch dates with Naomi- Naomi is a Senior at Alliance and has become one of my great friends here! love her and spending time with her. I also love when things aren't planned and just kind of happen. It makes it that much more special. Good times!
Day 26: Sports. Sports do a lot for people. Sports keep us in shape. Sports give us discipline. Sports challenge us. Sports give us something to do. Sports give us something to talk about. Sports bring us together (grant it, I know they tear some apart). Sports are just a cool thing to have around and I am thankful for the years that I spent playing sports and I am thankful the time and memories spent cheering for sports or watching sports.
Day 27: MOM and DAD. I just want to be cheesy and say I have really great parents. Its definitely understood that they are awesome, that I love them and they love me, and I am thankful for them but they need a shout out too! I really am thankful for the supportive parents I have. Parents that have my back on the things I do and the parents who have never left my side and never will. I am thankful for the example they are for me on a daily basis. So thank the Lord for my awesome MOM and DAD.
Day 28: Half days. Okay, so Thanksgiving doesn't really exist as a celebrated holiday here in Ecuador but we gringos still want the joy of eating turkey, watching football and getting out of school. So our school did a really good job of making that happen in the best way possible in our situation as they could. Good job Administration. We got a half day today and those are always fun. 1. because you get out of school early and can do all kind of activities you wouldn't be able to do on a normal day and 2. because usually on a half day the time you are at school (especially during a holiday) consists of school wide assemblies, parties, and practically no class. Its a win win situation!
Day 29: All the things that come with the Thanksgiving Holiday: These include but not limited to: Turkey. Football. Games. Fellowship. Coffee. Dessert. Pumpkin. Family/Friend Gatherings. Laughter. Memories. Pictures.
These are only a few and depending on where you are in the world your list might look a bit different but this list describes in summary my thanksgiving this year in Ecuador. And I am so so thankful for my 2013 thanksgiving. I went out to the Davis Foundation Orphanage where the Coe's and Brock's live and hung out with them and several other families and friends in the Los Chillos Valley.
We left from Quito about 10:30am and spent the day on friday prepping for our Thanksgiving feast; Peeling potatoes, cutting apples, boiling eggs, ohh and playing a few intense games like SORRY, SPOONS, and FISHBOWL and a little AMERICAN FOOTBALL.
By dinner time everyone had arrived and all with an appetite. We all sat around the tables eating to make sure we got that I can't move, sick to my stomach full feeling just to go play some more FOOTBALL.
As the evening/night went on we played some more games, drank coffee, and laughed…ALOT.
Woke up on Saturday morning---with no use of an alarm…just the sunshine. Went for a quick run to come back and eat some pancakes for breakfast.
Pretty good Thanksgiving if I say so myself.
Soooo I am thankful for all the things that come with the Thanksgiving holiday even when I am leaving in a foreign country.
I am thankful for all the people I got to spend Thanksgiving with especially the Coe's and Brock's for hosting us! :)
Day 30: The Christmas Season. Im cheesy what can I say? I think I have said that quite a few times in this blog but I love that as December hits it will be time for Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas parties, Christmas food, Christmas presents, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Christmas decorations and my favorite…..Christmas traditions. Im a sucker for traditions and I am also a stickler to them…so friends and family I get home in less than 2 weeks and Christmas traditions will be had. :)
Until Next Time,
Saved by grace,
Kb
