New(er) Happy Things

Mostly from me, a couple from Lydia H., Rachel J., and Matt . . . The time frame is from last September to the present . . .

• Tom telling me, "The reason I never joined the army was because when I advanced in the ranks, I would be a Major Paine."
• Lauren wanting to suggest that I assist breakdown by sitting in a kettle and swinging my legs and singing to the girls, but not having the courage to do so and suggesting that Danicka do that instead of me
• God continuing to put the EQUIP schedule together
• Leaders' meetings--one of my few chances to talk to the leaders
• Anticipating going home for two days
• Clyde calling me with quick citation questions
• "We don't feel old; we just are." --Mrs. Don Miller
• "You can't play too often; you run out of players!" --Otto Koning on the natives' method of playing dodgeball with arrows
• Hannah attempting to learn Hebrew from Kayla . . . Mary to Hannah: "Now you know how I feel trying to learn Chinese!"
• Alison's team honoring her with a character quality after she rewarded them each with character qualities
• Gifts from Israel, courtesy of Mrs. Silverman
• Otto Koning stories
• Jessica buying me Reese's!
• Cooler weather
• My PDA and keyboard--a lifeline for the long hours in the EQUIP classroom
• When people friend me on Facebook
• Jon Lee calling me from Malaysia on my birthday
• Getting saluted by the dish pit crew
• Getting to go out with Mary to say verses
• My laundry "magically" getting done (Jessica did it during EQUIP)
• Picking up and then not-quite-so gently setting down a very appalled Jessica by the Front Desk with visitors present--boy, was she mad--very funny (Alaina & Lydia)
• Liz telling me she was so creeped out at the bank by the two dudes in front of us, she was thinking about not going downtown, but straight back to the building. Well, the one guy was in a jean shirt and the other had girls' jeans on, but we did make it . . . the rest of the trip. --Lydia
• Kendra driving in circles around the parking lot to see if Jessica would really slink down to the floor of the car. (She didn't--she just turned red.)
• Kendra to Matt: "Why can't I be simple, like you?"
• Kendra to Matt: "But I don't get along with you . . . WAIT, DON'T WRITE THAT!!!"
• Wisdom booklet material that skipped the screening process . . . "How did the fat man become world famous?" --What is that?! Who writes these things, anyways? [Lydia]
• Getting home from the store and discovering that my new hand soap smells like men's cologne
• People who wear khaki and blue (and name tags) when they don't have to
• "It's called a picked meal." --Clayton, showing Jessica the styrofoam full of salad and nuts he was taking his mother for breakfast
• Discussing fat names with Lauren
• John Michael doing desk with Tabitha . . . and showing me how he could jump over the training center (a picture of the training center)
• Chef to Autumn: "Humble yourself; your hat'll fit better."
• Mary's team ironing their PB & J sandwiches to toast them
• Watching Don Aslett with the housekeeping girls
• Children's museum with GNM teens
• Lydia's English lessons
• "Oh, really?" --Annabella's response when Mary told her, "Tengo hombre." Mary meant, of course, "Tengo hambre." There is a difference.
• Rev. Pokone nicknaming Mrs. Gomez "Go-go-Gomez" after I described her to him
• Mrs. Ritchie trash-talking Mr. Norcross (during the ITC Olympics on Mr. Gergeni's birthday)
• Mr. Williams turning out the auditorium lights one by one at the end of the cleanup after Mr. Gergeni's birthday (encouraging people to leave)
• Phone calls from Dad
• Valentine's roses from Craig
• Seeing Ruthie again
• God's unconditional love
• Listening to sermon messages on my MP3 player
• Books by Paul David Tripp
• The Indianapolis Public Library system
• Paines
• Quick responses from EQUIP students contributing EQUIP testimonials
• Faith telling her roommates that her great-grandfather was an automobile
• Victoria H. saying, "Hamburger, french fries . . . " when she hears Mary say my name
• The fact that some people's children play house, but Mary's children play airport run
• Kendra implying that I flunked my personality test
• SUV's with lawnmower engines
• Kendra to Matt: "I can picture you fat."
• Elizabeth H. quoting her "F" verse for me, then exclaiming, "Let's go get the hamburger and french fries!"