At MTI they helped prepare us for living with the “I love this place, I hate this place” paradox. I now know exactly what they were talking about and why we spent so much time on this topic!

I hate our bed, oh how I hate our bed. Not only do you wake up feeling like you have been hit by a truck, the footboard is about a foot and a half away from the wall and the bruises on my legs are proof of just how sharp the corners are.

I hate the garbage and the dog poop everywhere in the street.

I hate how gross water bubbles up in my kitchen sink when you run the washing machine.

I hate my dryer….It either doesn’t dry or melts the buttons off my clothes…..literally.

I hate the sausage at la feria…it’s really nasty.

I hate how dirty our feet are at the end of the day, after walking everywhere in flipflops.

I hate how expensive cheese and chocolate chips are….a couple of my favorite things.

I hate the feeling I get when Cohen asks when he can go to Grandma's, but love the feeling I get when I hear him sing a song in spanish, and how he kind of has a crush on his teacher Pamela.

I love the experience of taking the public bus system in a third world country, but I’m ok if I never have to take it again.

I hate how I feel carsick in the back seat of a taxi.

I love when Cohen finds touch me nots- the leaves close when you touch them.

I love when someone rattles off to me in Spanish before they realize I don’t understand, and I can’t wait to have a conversation with them.

I love when we pass guys on the street and they recognize my husband from playing basketball with them at the park.

I love how Titus doesn’t have a clue he’s living anywhere different from where he always has, and how excited he gets when I pick him up from school everyday.

I love how I don’t notice the garbage as much anymore.

I love how everyone talks to my kids and all the girls want to hold Tito.

I love my teacher Francisco’s sense of humor, and how he really cares about us.

I love seeing Dave and the boys hanging out in the hammock eating peanuts.

I love the orange-carrot juice from Fresas.

I love being in the center of God’s will…….

 

God bless and enjoy the paradox that is life!

Katie