celebrate

It's hard to believe that one week ago I was getting ready to watch the longest, craziest parade as a celebration of Carnaval in Sitges, Spain. Carnaval is the celebration leading up to Lent. photos of my trip have been posted by the way, but only of the first half of the trip as my camera died soon after this parade started.

tonight i decided to attend a service at the church on the corner. they too talked about Lent. In more of a somber way, however, it didn't involve dressing up and dancing through the streets. We talked instead about the wilderness of this life we are living in before we return to dust. It wasn't all bad, I think there was supposed to be a glimmer of hope in the message and if not in the message then of the partaking of communion.

On the flight back from Madrid I began reading the book Michelle suggested. A book written by a Westmont grad, a Chicago native and a Grand Rapids resident. A quick read, it is a celebration of the everyday. Short stories and segments dedicated to important people in her life, and the everyday things that are worth celebrating -- things that make her happy.

On my return flight I also began to add to my list I started over a year ago of things that make me happy. So as a celebration of this life, here are just a few from my ever-growing list of what makes me happy, my likes, my celebrations:

The Paper Source, Dove dark chocolate, people watching, lime chupa chups, scarves, mandarin lime soda, dark roast coffee with a hint of cinnamon, the smell of newborn babies, the word ruminate, hablar en espanol, chicken burritos with roasted chili-corn salsa, the smell of home, sangria, El Parque del Retiro, slightly graying hair, waves, bread and cheese,