Happy Things

• Meeting new people from diverse places
• Seeing old friends
• Learning from others' wisdom and experience
• Excedrin (I thank God when He heals, and I thank God for providing effective headache relief!)
• Friends who text to say, essentially, "I'm free now. Wanna talk?"
• Good time to soak in God's word
• The independence provided by my own transportation
• Anticipating teaching an upper-intermediate class of 3-6 students for 10 weeks!
• People who are willing to write me references
• Good bosses
• My language teachers and helpers
• Good language materials
• Peppermint Bark candy from Jaycee
• Well, a whole box from Jaycee, with candy, cookie cutters, and other goodies!
• G2 gel pens
• A planner that gives me space to actually write out all that I need to do in a day
• The natural beauty around me
• Tailors who can transform iron-burned clothing (um, like a golf ball-sized hole) into something brand-spanking new . . .
• and a local friend who arranged this miracle and wouldn't let me pay for it
• Being able to tell the story of the mouse in my house and suitcase in Arabic to my friends
• My language teacher's dad, who helps me at her bidding with things like buying a mat for my living room and checking out-of-town bus schedules . . . 
• and who likes my sugar cookies, which makes me really happy
• My neighbor giving me pretty material suitable for house/neighborhood hostessing/visiting attire . . .
• and my language teacher taking it to the city for me to be tailored
• My mother buying and mailing various and sundry things that I need
• Getting to show my hair