Joy for Joi, Summer Solstice Edition

Today I am feeling discouraged and emotional.  Maybe it has to do with the fact that we'll be leaving soon.  No, that can't be it.  It probably has more to do with the fact that I got blisters on 4 of my fingers this morning when I was trying to use what certainly must be the hottest glue gun in the world.  Or maybe it is because the gift I was trying to make someone was a complete failure.

Or maybe it's because we are just very ready to be done here.  Living in someone else's house, with all of their stuff, has taken a toll.  Being trapped here in the house, not able to go very many places (since I don't choose to have my face smashed against the windshield in the very crowded public transportation options), has started to finally make me a little stir-crazy.  Plus we miss our friends and family at home and have this sense that we're missing out on really cool stuff a lot.

Or maybe it's just because I keep getting up waaaay too early in the mornings, either because the kids wake me up, or because the sun does.  (Sunrise was at 5:09 this morning!)  So I'm tired.

This probably wasn't the best opening to a "Joy for Joi" blog post!

BUT, the good news is that God is faithful, even when I'm feeling emotionally drained or tired.  He never is!  He keeps providing, protecting, and giving.  And here is the benefit of keeping a Gratitude Journal:  even if I don't feel like finding things today that I can be thankful for, I can flip back a page or two and see all of the things I wrote down earlier this week.

And here are a few of those things:

+ This cement-block house keeps us relatively cool in hot weather.  The temperature has been in the 90's lately  (today's high is 97!) and we don't have central air conditioning.  But the lower level of the house hasn't gotten too hot!

+ Getting to play in some water outside.  These hot days mean the kids are clamoring to get wet.  So, we've been setting up homemade sprinklers, and they've had hours of fun!

+ Walking 200 yards around the corner as a family to get ice cream treats at the alimentara.  It's like having an ice cream truck permanently parked at the end of the street!

+ Several friends giving to the doors and windows project at the tuberculosis children's center.  It looks like the doors will be installed in the next couple of months!

+ A friend for Strider to play with these last couple of weeks.

+ A few evenings with friends and good food.

and

+ Not only is it the longest day of the year today, but it's also my half-birthday!  Six more months left in my 30's.  Wait -- maybe that's why I've been so emotional today!