TGIF

I'm a girl of simple pleasures. I don't need manicures or fancy things to really make me happy. For instance, this morning I was reminded just how lovely some simple things can be. Things like sleep, hygiene, hot coffee, free-time and not sweating.

Today is our first day off for several weeks after spending time with a string of visiting groups and busy days at CONASPEH. All I wanted on our coveted day off was to sleep in. Solomon agreed under the conditions that he could sleep with us last night. He told us this by waking us up every 15 minutes from midnight to 1 am after which we threw in the towel and brought him to bed with us. He immediately cuddled up against my side and fell into a deep, undisturbed sleep. The boy is a cuddler. I can't say that I mind that much.

This morning I stretched and smiled. I had slept. I had dreamed. I didn't feel exhausted. It was 8:45 and my son was still sleeping, arms stretched above his head, beside me. Miracles DO happen.

I also smiled as a fresh and cool breeze drifted in our bedroom window accompanied by the sound of gentle rain falling outside. I was just cool enough that a blanket over my legs felt good. HUGE smile. Last night I had gone to bed stretching all limbs in different directions of the compass trying to keep parts of my body radiating extraordinary heat away from each other.

Yesterday evening was one of those evenings that sets you up for enjoying simple pleasures. I returned home from a long drive into Artibonite where I had spent 5 hours on the road in an air-conditioner-less Galloper with windows down, letting the dust from the road-in-construction mingle with the abundant oil and sweat from my skin thanks to staggering humidity. At Pont Sonde, our team spent 5 hours in a dirt-floored clinic without water to wash our hands. So all I really wanted upon coming home last night was a cold shower. It was not in my stars.

Arriving home, I quickly discovered two giant laundry tubs, and our trash can full of water. Uh-oh. "We don't have running water... the pump broke," was the greeting from my husband who had just hauled all the water from our cistern in the driveway up two flights of stairs to fill our large containers permitting us to do such things as wash our hands, wash dishes, wash our baby, and flush the toilet.

The news wasn't a shock. These things happen from time to time, and being camping-fans, we usually adjust pretty quickly. Keep in mind its hard to complain too long and loud when running water is clearly a luxury of the rich in this country and most families all over the city and countryside have to walk to the river, to the well, to the local water tap to get water for the day. But spoiled me had really been looking forward to de-greasing.

So you can imagine how big my third smile of the morning was when I found water magically flowing from the bathroom faucet. I smiled all the way through my bracingly cold morning shower lathering and scrubbing and full of joy in the process.

The smiles kept on coming when I wandered out to the kitchen clean, cool, rejuvenated after a good night of sleep and found a pot of hot coffee waiting.

So here I sit, completely content. The air is cool. I haven't yet started sweating today which is just lovely. Feeling clean for more than 5 minutes after a shower is a rare treat. Solomon woke up sweet and happy after sleeping well last night and has been cooing and smiling and playing happily in his play chair.

Today's trip to the beach has been canceled because it is too cool. Even typing that sentence makes me smile. So instead I look forward to a day in with my boys, enjoying time together, enjoying nowhere particularly to be, enjoying an over-cast morning and fresh air. Happy me.