We’re settling into the groove of life in the USA again. I get to experience the wonder of modern conveniences again through my children. Here are a few things that have made impressions.

Drinking water straight from the tap: Even after 3 weeks the kids are tentative and double check first. (We filter ours in Ghana.) More than once I’ve heard, “You mean, you can just drink it from there (pointing to faucet)?”

Drinking fountain: We first came across this phenomenon at the airport. Suddenly the kids were very thirsty and had to get drinks every 5 minutes until our flight left (delayed by an hour). It’s still very exciting to come across them at other places. We’re still learning how to use them.

Ice maker/dispensers: The kids were really giddy when they saw that you could put a cup up to the freezer door at their cousins’ home and magically fill the cup with either water, ice cubes, or crushed ice. We rarely have ice in Ghana. It’s kind of a treat. I might make a couple individual ice cubes for the kids to use as they please. They don’t last long. To get a full cup of ice at the touch of a button is almost beyond comprehension.

Still to be experienced at their grandparents’ home—the hot tub and sauna.

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