A week of solitude

And today, I'm thankful for a week of solitude. Traveling for 18 days with people constantly around, living under someone else's schedule, about did this introvert in. Ha.

I came home to so many people wanting to talk, hear my stories, go out for coffee, etc. Yet all I wanted to do was hang out by myself for awhile, take time to process, to decompress, and to write it all out.

If we go out for coffee or talk on the phone, you know good and well you will never get the depth of my heart about what really happened on this trip. Now that I've written what seems like a ton of blog posts, shared my pictures and my heart, I think I can venture back out into the world of socialization again. Just in time for school to start! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH. (That came back way too fast!!!)

I've also learned to thank God for the little things now that I've experienced life without them or met people who live without them daily. As one of our high schoolers said during one of our last meetings in Guatemala, "How can I go back home and not live differently?"

When I step out of bed in the morning onto a clean floor rather than a dirt floor, I'm thankful.

When I use my own clean restroom in my own home, stocked with toilet paper and with running water to flush when I'm done, I'm thankful.

When I stand in the shower and feel the warm water wash over me, I am thankful.

When I teach in a clean classroom stocked with a gazillion supplies, I am thankful.

When I live in a community that offers free public education, free bus transportation, and is mandatory so all children can at least get through high school, I am thankful.

When I sleep with a ceiling fan over my head at night, I am thankful.

When I come in from the heat outside to an airconditioned house, I am thankful (even if it does cost me a fortune in the summer months!).

When I open the door to let my dogs out into the yard, I am thankful they have a yard.

When I cook on a stove without having to build a fire on the floor in my kitchen, I am thankful.

When I get a call from my husband in the middle of the day, I am thankful.

When I communicate with my husband via texts at any hour of the day whenever I want, I am thankful.

When I open my pantry, my refrigerator, and my freezer and find them fully stocked, I am thankful.

When I sit out on my front porch to start my day with peace and solitude (and prayer), I am thankful.

When my son and I talk about memories we made, I am thankful for the new connection between us.

When I look at current pictures of my son and his sister, I am thankful.

When I hug David's neck or run my fingers through his hair in the mornings, I am thankful.

When I sleep beside my husband in the same bed at night, I am thankful.

When I hang out at Six Flags for the day with just my two boys, I am thankful.

When we all eat dinner together as a family, I am thankful.

When my heart feels full, I am thankful.

When my son hangs out with his new Christian friends from our Guatemala trip, I am thankful.

When I can use my right hand, I am thankful.

When I see my dad progressing in his healing and recovery, I am thankful.

When I continue to get pictures from my sweet friend in Guatemala, I am thankful.

When I continue to get pictures from Spain of Laura and her mom, I am thankful.

I could go on and on. After all I experienced (and missed) on these two trips, how can I be anything but thankful?