Day 6...Oh toilet where art thou?

Yes....yes you see this correctly - it is a toilet and it is a fine toilet at that (thanks to the lovely bottoms of my roommates who rest upon it). This is a toilet and this toilet (and all the working plumbing systems alike in the world) is what I am grateful for. This is yesterday's gratefulness object (though I am grateful for it every day) - but why, you may ask, am I grateful for a poop bucket, crapper, the John, the loo, swimming pool, pot, or whatever you may have named it?! Well  yesterday I was talking to my dear friend Derrick who went on a missions trip to Rwanda this past summer. As all missions trip conversations tend to do, our talking bird walked into poop stories and further extreme poop stories. Last summer I went to the Congo and was blessed with a toilet like you see here, except the plumbing sucked and we had to manually "flush" the toilet by fetching water buckets and forcefully pour the water down so it gets sucked up in the pipes - an ordeal (and a noisy one at that after a 2AM bout of sickness). When we went to the churches in Congo we were not as blessed to have such porcelain delicacies; rather, the bathroom was a hole in the ground with two bricks on either side of it where you placed your feet to balance - if you were lucky, you had three 5 foot tall brick walls surrounding you with a piece of cloth on the fourth in front of you (that always managed to be blowing in the wind, rendering it absolutely worthless......oh and peeping Tom children - oh my). Such a set-up was like the one Derrick had at the orphanage/churches in Rwanda. And these outhouses were merciless when it came to "runny belly" (as we call it in Jamaica). But as they say, "you gotta go, you gotta go" so you just do what you can with what you're given. These rural toilets made for some pretty crazy poop stories (my favorite kind of story) and some unfortunate events (one missions trip to Mexico a buddy had horrible horrible HORRIBLE runny belly that caused him to miss the target ((ps how do you do that?)) in the port-o-potty in the middle of the night...we found this particular port-o-potty to be locked shut with "caution" tape wrapped all around it the next morning on the way to breakfast - oops!....way-to-go pal hahaha). This is all to say that I am extremely grateful for our westernized plumbing/septic system that allows us to do our business in both style (have you seen all the types of toilet seat covers?!) and comfort. So thank you Mr. Toilet man who invented this fine piece of furniture - my hat goes off to you on this day.

Day 5...the world as my oyster

At work today (well...technically 2 days ago, but I knew I wanted to be thankful for this prized possession), I met someone who greatly appreciates traveling. She told me she's been to every country in Europe, various countries around the world, and every state in the US (except OR ----- of all the places!). I told her about my past two summer adventures traveling to the DRC and Jamaica and a brief overview of my experience there. This got me thinking how GRATEFUL I am for the opportunity to travel, which leads me to my beloved passport. This little blue book with an unfortunate Santa Rosa post office photo, numerous inspirational quotes from famous peeps through the ages, cool watermarks, and oh yes, stamps in various fading shades of red, blue and black indicating the pit stops to my countries of travel. I am so so so happy to have been given the opportunity to meet my brothers and sisters in both Congo and Jamaica. These travels have given me a whole new outlook on life and have also spurred great interest for further traveling endeavors. So passport...thank you for getting me from point A to point B, and for your future guidance for the next 9 years before your retirement. May your pages get severely stamped by future sleep deprived customs workers in whatever country I am led to next. I love you passport and on this day #5 I am so very thankful for you.

Day 4...Australian Mini Series

Summer Heights High......a fantastic collection of high school misfits compiled into a mini series that will certainly leave one both crying from laughter and uncomfortable due to it's political incorect-ness. A flamboyant drama teacher, a punk curly haired kid, and a prissy private school transfer girl make this series a good time. The best is watching this with the Udall family whilst eating caramel rolls. So this day #4 is dedicated to this awesome series (honestly...watch it). I am grateful for the crazy Australians and Rengas seen in this short HBO series (oh...and HBO, thank you for giving us such wonderful TV shows....without you we would be more prude and less crude - which is always a less than entertaining thing)

Day 3...God bless my mat

Sunday nights I attend a free beginners yoga class in Point Loma. I began this weekly ritual a mere 3 weeks ago and already I am left with a profound appreciation for this form of exercise. Yoga is not just stretching and saying "Oms"...it is a workout man! I don't think I have ever perspired (or as the gentlemen call it "glisten") so much in my entire life exercising as I do in this yoga class. Perhaps it is because there are half a million other sweaty and beaten bodies in the room with me doing the tricky chair pose, or perhaps it is because the cute half naked guys in my class make me kinda nervous (leading to my sweating), or alas maybe it is just pain leaving the body...regardless, I lose some major water poundage every Sunday starting at 6:30 in that yoga studio. This leads me to my appreciation for non other than my poor mat who has to succumb to my ssvveeetttyyy integumentary system. It reminds me of that Jackass 3 skit where the unfortunate Steve-O has to drink a dixie cup of Preston's rancid sweat after his seran wrap sweatsuit aquired so much perspiration from a few minutes of the standstill bike. Now imagine that sweat soaked in my mat.....thirsty yet? Thus, my dear mat (whom I have yet to formerly name), this day 3 is dedicated to you and all of your mercy, love, support, peace, and yes sponge qualities that you have so humbly granted me these past 3 Sundays. Here's to you my friend...

Day 2...good food and a dear friend

Tonight my dear Noelle and I decided to woo each other with a lovely candle lit dinner...I have known Noll for the past three years at the delightful institution (PLNU); however, I realize that there are many times that I under-appreciate those who are most dear to me. How many times do I hang out with my friends without telling them that I love them? How many times do I share a warm OB afternoon with Noelle without looking at her and let her know how blessed I am having her in my life? Why don't we tell our friends that each day - how much we love them and how important they are to us? So this day, day #2 of this already enlightening project, is dedicated to my Noelle (and the delicious food that we create together :) )Noll, my beautiful friend, and I am grateful for you!                                                                  Here's to many more burnt pizzas and smelly candles!

Day 1...where it all begins

I find it appropriate to launch this blogging endeavor at the rightful and undoubted place - the beginning. About a month ago a dear friend of mine, Will, informed me of this delightful photo project. We both have a love for pictures (though I am an amateur photographer) and a love for the beautiful gift of life; therefore, Day 1 starts with this incredible blessing in my life - my jovial and  inspiring Villham. Thank you Will for reminding me that these things we are given in this life, however big or small, is a blessing from God and must therefore be praised. So Will, my love goes out to you on this first day of 364 more to come :)