Something I decided to pack last minute...

There's something I decided that this trip-of-a-lifetime requires...

Positive Thinking. I am naturally more pessimistic, but I was thinking- no matter where you are or what you're doing, you can always find something negative to focus on or complain about. However, if you alter your thinking, you can always find at least one good thing. Haiti is definitely a place of many negative situations and energies. If we are not careful, we will easily be ensnared by criticism and  always be just short of reaching true joy.

I am thinking about all of this because as soon as my dad dropped us off at the airport and we got to the desk to check-in, my negative thinking began. Thoughts like, "I am always at the end of a very long line," and "Our bag will probably be too heavy and we will have to pay even more money," and "I hope *that* particular guy doesn't check us in because he looks mean and will probably have no mercy on our over-stuffed checked luggage." Those thoughts combined with nerves and slight traffic on the way to the airport, and I found myself already in a bad mood before our trip had really even begun. And then it clicked with me and I realized- every situation from here on out is going to be exactly what I make it. With that thought, my whole perspective on our commute around the airport change. I began to notice the little kisses God was giving us (and always does), that I usually so quickly overlook. So on that note, I want to list the good gifts He gave us between that moment and now, because it's time to train my brain to view the glass half full.

The (few of many, I'm sure) good things God did for us:

• One of the clerks that assisted us while we were waiting in line was Haitian, and from an area close to where we will be living. She was so friendly that I even felt led to exclaim a confident, "Orevwa!" when we left check-in to head towards security.
• The clerk who I had totally judged to be mean because he had a "mean face" ended up being the one to check us in. Long story short, our bag was VERY overweight. Not only did he let us just keep the bag how we had it, without having to rush and reorganize, he also completely waived any extra fees- without us even asking! Andrew's moral of that story was, "that's why I'm always nice to people." Easier said than done, for some of us ;) 
• Because we checked in so late, our seats were at the complete opposite end of the plane so we could not sit together- no big deal, but still kind of a bummer not to be together at the beginning of our adventure. Andrew's was in the very last row, and there was a little girl of about 7 years old (flying alone) sitting next to him. I guess the flight attendants would rather her be closer to the front of the plane, because when Andrew offered for her to switch with me, they agreed! So we got to sit next to each other after all! And in the very last row- like two 5th grade renegades on the back of a school bus :)

So now we are safe and sound in our hotel room, about to dig into some Chinese take-out before having to get some rest-- we have to leave our hotel at 4:30am to catch our flight. Does the world even exist at that time?? ;)

Next stop... Port-au-Prince!!!

xo