things i'm thankful for - top 10

It's thanksgiving again. happy thanksgiving! well it was yesterday, but better late than never. this year has gone by sooo fast. it seems like not very long ago that i was thanking God for God, mangoes, muffins, friends, family, etc. for sure, i'm still thankful for these things; much hasn't changed. but i decided to do another top 10 list of things i'm thankful for; many of them same as last year. so the list, in no particular order.

10. Botswana. there's a lot of things that i dislike about this country (so many bugs, so many traffic circles, so hottt...), but all in all i've been absolutely blessed to get to know yet another country in africa and meet some good people along the way. i wish i couldve explored the country a bit more, but theres always next year!

9. mangos. yes i still like them a lot. but they are on this list for a different reason this time. i haven't had one mango this summer yet (still tryin to get used to calling december summer...). i've been watching out for them at stores, but they havent started appearing. maybe i should go back to my favourite adam's family dealer.

8. mugg and bean muffins. i can say enough about these gigantic muffins. if i ever double in size by the time some of my US friends see me again, it'll probably be because of these things. i can't go a saturday without one now.

7. finally getting to sleep in. my wknds are so short these days. i spend the week in botswana, get back on fri night, catch up on friends and other activities on sat, church on sun, and then fly back on sun afternoon. that hasnt left me much time to just enjoy a good sleep. so tonight, ive decided i'm getting good sleep. ill probably still be woken up by the sun and the stupid cat meow-ing, but doesnt mean i have to get up, right?

6. joburg. i like this place. i really really like this place. and i think i like it even more because i've spent most of the year away from it. i find myself missing little things like the theatre, restaurants, people, air when ive stayed away for too long. i definitely do not miss the traffic tho.

5. mini road trips. i used to say i loved road trips, but i never got a chance to take too many of them in the states. i think probably cuz i was tryin to organise the perfect, long, meaningful road trip. this year tho, ive taken several road trips where we decide within a week or less to go somewhere, head there, find some food, lodging, and fun and head back in a couple days. there are so many beautiful sights to see within driving distance from joburg that i think i should take a road trip every couple weeks.

4. attending my first lobola (traditional wedding) celebration. you can see the pics below. what an experience.

the next 3 haven't changed much from last year. but theyre even more important than they were.

3. family. my definition of family is widening, but for now i'll stick to my immediate family. constant support, encouragement, and prayers is just inspiring.

2. friends (and mentors). good friends in the US making sure i never forget them and that they dont forget me! good friends in SA teaching me a whole new level of friendship. the relationships ive built here in just the last 2 years are part of the reason i can't even imagine leaving anytime soon. i dunno if ive taught my friends much or ive influenced them much, but theyve taught me a lot and influenced me and theyre just fun to be around.

1. God. sure i had this pipe dream of traveling to afriker and getting the afrikan experience and putting it in my log book as a been there done that moment and then continuing on with my life. but actually making this happen (this being coming here and enjoying myself) is really a god-send. all of 2-10 would not have been possible, i believe, without a higher power looking after me and making things happen even when i dont deserve it or don't fully believe or trust. i continue to be amazed. "indescribable. uncontainable. untameable. incomparable. unchangeable. amazing. you see the depths of my heart and u love me the same." simply amazing.

0 (a bonus...buy-10-get-1-free-type). world cup. once upon a time, i thought it would be cool to go to a world cup game. once upon a time i thought it would be cool to get to watch a world cup match played for the first time on african soil. this is actually happening: the world cup is coming to sa and im going to a couple of the matches! i remember just being in europe (tho on the east side) during the 06 world cup and how electric/fun the atmosphere was. now i get to see the action up close and personal. just coming back from the airport tonight there were so many signs and billboards advertising the event ("11 languages, 10 stadiums, 4,394, 705 vuveselas" read one). man, i cant wait!