Toilet seats? Think about it...

There are so many things that we take for granted on a daily basis. Have you stopped to think about it?

• electricity--When you flip the light switch, do you wonder if the light really will come on?
• laundry--Do you have to make sure it's not raining so that your clothes get dry?
• vehicle--Do you wonder if there's a gas station in the next hour drive?
• groceries-- How do you plan your meal menu? Do you think about what's going to be available this week at the market?
• kitchen--Do you have enough gas to cook your meal? Do you have to cook over fire? Did you collect enough firewood?

Many of these things we don't think about either, honestly. We've only lost electricity once, but in some areas it seems common. We are blessed to have a washing machine and dryer, but in the area that we will move to, they wash by hand and hang things to dry. It rains about 10 months out of the year, and when it's not raining, it's humid. The closest gas station will be an hour away. We need to make sure we're thinking ahead!

As for groceries...we will be planning on taking most of what we need/want in from the city. "Pine Hill" has market day once a week and this last week we went on market day to see what they have to offer. It really wasn't much. There were just a few vendors selling a very small variety of produce. There are a few small grocery stores, but their variety is limited also.

In the homes, most women cook over a fire. Some have a basic stove top, but no oven. How would not having an oven affect how you cook?  The bread "stores" have brick ovens. They look like igloos made out of bricks. Our plan is to take a stove/oven with us so that I can continue cooking comfortably, but I still need to think about the supplies that I'll need.

Another interesting thought...when you go to a public restroom, do you assume that toilet paper will be supplied? This is one that often catches me off guard! Sometimes they have a large roll on the wall when you walk in and you have to remember to grab what you'll need.  Other times, there's a person sitting there and their job is to sell you toilet paper. And of course, there are other places where you just have to make sure you brought your own.

The one that I'm still adapting to though is the lack of a toilet seat! Most toilets in this area don't have one...we learn to adjust, but I never thought about how it affected my children until we went to Home Depot after spending a night in the village. Clay needed to find a specific item, so I said we'd wander until he was ready.

As we walked away, Ryan said, "Can we look at toilet seats?"

I stifled a laugh as I contemplated the things we take for granted...and added another thing to my growing list.