What an amazing Thanksgiving Break! As we sat around the dinner table (multiple times…yum!), memories of last year’s holiday made this holiday even more sweet. It filled our hearts with even more gratitude. In a year, we have been able to be a part of so many relationships that have enriched our lives, have taken part of many experiences that have stretched us, and have been able to share with others in ways that have changed us for good.

We are so thankful.

For friends- its so great to have both old and new friends; close and far away friends; young and old friends. Whether talking in a local coffee shop about African politics, dancing in the new year to old pop music or living in a tent in Haiti, we have been moved by our friendships. So many memories of wonderful times with people who appreciate this life we have!

 

 

 

For Haiti- this nation has completely transformed our hearts. Sweaty children running on dusty roads; women selling produce on the side of the road, laughing at our muddied Creole; young men and women ready to change the face of their nation by bringing clean water and God’s love to the streets…these are a few things that moved our hearts there. And, of course, there’s the gratefulness my heart feels when I think of such sweet children living in an orphanage outside of Port-Au-Prince…how we can bring them clean water and do crafts with them, but how all they really want is for someone to hold them for hours. Yes, we are grateful to have been able to devote months of our year to this amazing place. Full of abounding hope and determination.

 

For our family- you should be a little jealous of how awesome our families are. :) Seriously, they have been such amazing supporters, specifically in the areas of living out our dreams. Our parents have raised us to be innovative; our brothers (and the one sister) have made our lives rich with laughter– they have taught us to enjoy life. So thankful for them.

 

We are so thankful for things we’ve never been thankful for before…it never entered our minds. Thankful, so thankful, that we have a stable government we can rely on. Excited and happy that we can determine the temperature of our shower water and if some drips into our eyes or mouths, we don’t have to be concerned that the water has some crazy bacteria in it. Thankful that I can cook, have the computer on and watch tv all at the same time because of a little thing called electricity. The list goes on when you remember education we receive, food we eat and opportunities we have.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Hope you spent your Thanksgiving amongst good family and friends, laughing and… thanking God for what you have.