Saturday, October 24, 2009

a joyful heart :)

My heart is just so full of joy these days! I really enjoy taking time to enjoy the simple things in life and I am still loving making these lists! Sorry they seem to be getting longer and longer, but I can't help but share my smiles! Here's what made me smile this week...

-laughing so hard my stomach hurts

-flowers from a student (I'm so spoiled!!)

-my Dad... especially how he always asks when our next skype date will be :)

-getting myself into a conversation with new visitors to church, only being able to understand two or three words and feeling sooo dumb... but then later when I was in the kitchen with the church ladies, they asked me if I wanted to take the leftover rice home and I understood them so they complimented me on my ability to understand Japanese! (Clearly they did not see my 'deer in the headlights conversation' with the guests earlier!) Oh, the ups and downs of language learning!

-starting my day off with an e-mail full of pictures of the cutest little boy in Winnipeg... Lincoln :)

-getting a new nick name... I'm now known as someone's "little llama" :)

-homemade cards from a very sweet guy :)

-having one of my students try to "sell" Bobby to me by singing his praises

-making chicken noodle soup that turned out to be more noodles than soup... and was eaten with forks!

-microwave popcorn from one of my students (she got it from a friend for her birthday... I think she gave it to me because she probably didn't know what to do with it!)

-the number of comments on my blog skyrocketing in less than an hour... and the llama debate has also been quite entertaining!

-finding out the Bobby's purpose in life is to see how long he can make my smile lists get!

-a zip up hoodie for $10 :)

-getting complimented on my 'white neck' (it's fun to be a red head in a country where white skin is so admired!)

-one of my students showing me her new erasable pen and saying "Wheeee!" as she erased her scribbles!

-stopping by the side of the road to watch a meteor shower with a popsicle and a hot chocolate

-my clumsiness :) (on more than one occasion!)

-being called cute several times in one week... by more than one person :)

-watching a flock of cranes going fishing

-colourful clouds

-passing two high school boys on their bikes... one of them was belting out a song!

-news of God answering prayers :)

-asking one of my students where his favorite place to shop was, and getting the answer of "7-11!!" :P

-(somewhat) spontaneous picnic plans

-discussing what a yellow traffic light really means in two of my English classes... there was a long period of silence and many smiles after I asked them the question. Here in Japan it is more than common for yellow (and even red) lights to be sped through instead of slowed down for!

-watching two cleaning ladies hold a bag in between them as they walked and picked up garbage together (I think you had to be there!)

-Teresa buying me pink grapefruit cream multipurpose cleaner :)

-enjoying a picnic and games with great friends and making new friends on a beautiful fall day

-after another one of Bobby's humble comments that he made about himself, I asked what the Japanese word for 'humble' is... his good friend Taka answered "Bo-bi" (the Japanese pronounciation of Bobby!) which made me smile a lot!!

-fall colours and cool, crisp air

I've certainly had a lot more things that have made me smile this week but I forgot to write them down... not only that, but I think if I compiled a list of all the things that a certain someone has done to make me smile this week, I think his ego might get even more puffed up! :P Just teasing... kind of!

Seriously though, I am beyond blessed and God continues to put a smile on my face each day! I hope I've been able to make you smile today by reading this :) Have a great weekend!

(by the way, I haven't forgotten my promise to post pictures... I still have a lot to post, but things have been a little busy this week and I won't be blogging next week because we have our annual conference! I will post them eventually though!)

10 comments:

Nadine Crain said...

...was my e-mail one of the news of God answering prayers? :)
hehe.

Hillary said...

tehehe well to be honest I had something different in mind, but it certainly fits in that category :)

Janie V. said...

Hehe Hill you are funny...and cute! You made me smile reading all that. I love my comment you put on one of my blogs. It made me feel better and happier. :D
God has been doing so much fixing already ever since that problem last week...and wow am i ever glad about the fixing. I need it.
I love you Hillary!

Dombowsky Family said...

woo hoo Linc made it for the second time! Thanks Hill! :) I'm glad he can make ppl smile that are across the ocean!

Bobby said...

Who are all these people calling you cute? Do I need to worry??
I hate to break it to you, but lengthening your smile lists is not my ONLY purpose in life. Sorry.
You are so funny though... :)

Hillary said...

that's top secret information! If I have to deal with you getting called honey, than you have to deal with me being called cute :P
Just kidding... don't worry, no recent foreign proposals or anything... just people telling US we're cute!
that's right... sorry, I must have forgot that your other purpose in life is to make me laugh isn't it?! :)

Bobby said...

ohhhh, you just think you are sooo funny, don't you?!

Hillary said...

yup... probably the funniest person I know actually! :)

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