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Each week, I'm highlighting new items I've added to my list of one thousand gifts. These aren't always big things. In fact, sometimes it's the littlest things that stick out the most.
This week, I've added 10 new things...
#75 - a few extra dollars cfa
One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get more organized. So I decided to start with my movies. Since we don't have tv over here, most of my movie/tv watching is done via dvd's, of which I've accumulated quite a bit over the past 4.5 years. And while going through them and organizing them, I realized I had a few that I didn't watch much anymore, so I decided to sell them and it's been nice getting a few extra dollars cfa here and there :)
#76 - a new restaurant in town
After church last Sunday, I went with some friends to visit a new restaurant in town. It serves the best pizza and donuts in town. Ok, let me rephrase... It serves the only "as close to American as you can get while in Senegal" pizza and donuts. I had the Chicken BBQ pizza for lunch and then took home a half dozen Oreo Donuts to have for snacks for the week. Oh my goodness...so delicious. So this week, one of the "little" things I'm thankful for is the restaurant, Yum Yum. *Yes, that is it's name. And yes, it really is "yummy." :)
#77 - Valentine's Cards
While in the States in December, I'd looked into buying Valentine's cards for all of the elementary kids to give during our Kids Club party, but oh my word, were they expensive. So I decided I'd just make them, which would've taken FOREVER! A few years ago a sweet lady I'd never met (a friend of a friend) heard about my ministry here in Dakar and sent me 5 (yes, 5!) boxes of school supplies and all sorts of goodies for my classroom. One of the boxes contained a lot of Valentine's cards. I've used some of them each year, but in switching classrooms, and storing a box of things at home, I forgot I had those cards. So imagine my surprise/delight when I opened a box yesterday and found a HUGE stack of Valentine's cards that I forgot I had. And guess what! There are EXACTLY the number of cards I need! Can you believe it?! I'm so thankful for the little things that God sends our way.
#78 - a mission team's Vision and Strategy document
I'm thankful this week for the team God's allowing me to be a part of in this upcoming ministry change. I'm thankful for my teammates, for the people we'll be working with, for the vision for the future.
#79 - airline miles
I'm thankful for the many, many flights I've made on Delta. I'm thankful that these flights are going to be able to allow me to fly for FREE from Washington DC to Alabama in June and then fly FREE to visit a friend in TX at some point once I'm back home :)
#80 - a thank you & an I love you from a child
As I was walking to give a friend a message, I noticed one of our youngest elementary kids crying. When he came to me, he was sobbing and told me how his friend had accidentally hit him in the eye while playing tag. Why the eye, I don't know... Anyways, after I checked his eye and assured him he was fine, he hugs me and says "Thank you Miss Nichols. I love you." And yes, my heart did melt just a little...
#81 - Vocabulary Bingo
Did you know that learning can be education AND fun at the same time? What?! I know. I'm shocked too. Kidding, of course... :) I have always been a big advocate for learning being FUN, so I incorporate a lot of fun activities and games into my daily lessons. The latest one that has piqued my older elementary students' interests... Vocabulary Bingo. They love it! Every day this week we have played it for the last 3 to 5 minutes of class. Any you know what? They have these vocabulary words down pat!
#82 - not having to always "reinvent the wheel"
Yes, it's good to push yourself to be creative and think for yourself. But sometimes it's nice to be able to share/use something someone else has made. For example, teachers have a wealth of resources at their fingertips by checking out all sorts of teacher websites. People wanting to cook something different, but not having any ideas, can check out all sorts of recipe books. I'm thankful that we have resources out there (books, internet, people, etc.), that are there to help us when we're not in the creative mood.
#83 - M&M's
...no explanation needed. Sometimes a girl is just thankful for a pack of good ol' plain M&M's :)
#84 - a Wolof book
I thought if I had something like this, I could give myself a bit of a "head start" on language learning. Since all I know right now are the basic greetings, I think studying this will definitely help me. Now I just have to find some Wolof speakers to chat with back home or maybe Skype with while I'm back home...
#83 - M&M's
...no explanation needed. Sometimes a girl is just thankful for a pack of good ol' plain M&M's :)
#84 - a Wolof book
I thought if I had something like this, I could give myself a bit of a "head start" on language learning. Since all I know right now are the basic greetings, I think studying this will definitely help me. Now I just have to find some Wolof speakers to chat with back home or maybe Skype with while I'm back home...
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