100 joys

happy new year! i have a lot of thoughts on 2010 and 2011, but today, i think luke and i are just going to spend a quiet day at home...not much thinking required. so no writing, but in the mean time, here are some more of my 100 joys. i failed just a bit at getting them posted before the new year, but i did finish 100 joys during the month of december. so here is the next batch.

(59) creativity. as shown in this tiny snowman outside of starbucks, using coffee beans, a lid and two stirrers. it was cute.
(60) the botanic gardens. always, but for now it also includes the christmas display within. we went with some friends to see the displays of trains and buildings made (almost) entirely out of natural materials from plants. there were a lot of different buildings (taj mahal, pyramids, great wall) and all of the dc monuments. like this little lincoln, whose head was made out of an acorn.
(61) the proposal we saw take place next to the capitol christmas tree. and then deciding that every couple we saw thereafter was about to (or should be about to) get engaged as well. (sorry for the blurry picture. 63 is blurry, too--that's what i get for trying to take a picture while walking...).

(62) the capitol christmas tree. it's beautiful. and does not look like a pickle, unlike the white house christmas tree.

(63) new friends. and hanging out with them and talking about lots of things.

(64) sharing one of my favorite (or maybe my favorite) movie with new friends. and the fact that rachel made the decision right off the bat. i do not make decisions. and a appreciate people who do.
(65) babies. especially the cute ones in our church (dressed as stars, here, for the christmas pageant).

(66) our church. and all the crazy things that go along with being part of a small-ish international church. like lunch every week after the service, and random music presentations by filipino high school choirs.

(67) exploring parts of dc with friends and kids. we went to the bascilica to see if they had any christmas decorations inside (they don't really) and invited people from our small group to come. rachel and jane came, and jane enjoyed dancing around while looking up at all the mosaics and hearing her shoes on the floor. she's cute.
(68) capturing moments. like this one, where jane is trying to look at the picture rachel just took of her. i really like this picture.

(69) (you really can't tell what this is, but we're) watching white christmas with bing crosby and danny kaye and rosemary clooney and vera ellen. these are long time christmas friends. it was especially enjoyable watching it with jordan and valerie.

(70) neat old buildings. espcially when they are by train tracks. our brief 30 minutes stop in richmond on megabus and the pretty buildings i saw briefly made me want to move there.

(71) the "have a nice day cafe". i didn't go in there, but knowing that there is a place with that name makes me happy.
that's all for now. happy first day of 2011, everyone!