MOM

My Mom has come and gone. Why is it that sometimes things that you hope for seem to come and go so quickly that its almost like they didn't even happen? I spent the first week of Mom's visit in shock that she was actually here and the second half dreading her leaving.

She did amazing! It was so fun to have her here and share our lives with her. We put her on all manner of public transportation, dragged her through the outdoor market, and tried to show her some of the really cool places here. Not once did she complain, although I did have to force her to cross the street a few times- the traffic was um... eye-opening! She played with the kids, loved on all of us, and helped out so much! It was GREAT!!!

Dear Mom,

Thank you so much for coming! I know it was a huge step to fly all the way over here by yourself, not to mention expensive and I'm sure difficult in other ways. You cannot imagine how much your visit meant to us! I really did feel like I would die if I didn't see you soon! You are my best friend and I was sick with missing you! When I got your email that said you were coming, I almost fainted flat on the floor. I do not think I have even been so excited for anything!

You were (and are) such a blessing to us. Thank you for loving on the kids, spoiling us all rotten, and for being amazing. As long as I live I will cherish the joy it was to have you here, and not forget the look on your face when you tried to cross the street or while riding the (crammed full) minibus! You are awesome! Thanks for being flexible and fun. Thanks for sitting through visits with my friends who were dying to meet you. Thanks for giving so much of yourself! You make me happy!!!!!

I love you!!

Elizabeth

Rain, Rain GO AWAY

Well, the rainy season has officially started. I can't complain because we had a long unseasonably warm stretch while my mom was here. Thank you, Lord!!

But that is over now! The kids were complaining about the rain and I had to tell them to get used to it because it will rain here for the next two months! It wouldn't be that bad, except we have to walk to and from school. And on Mondays and Tuesdays Noah has Chess Club so we all walk to school to drop him off at 10:30, the girls and I return home, and then I take the girls to school at 12:30. So lots of back and forth in the rain.

On the bright side... the more rain we get, the more beautiful Spring will be AND the fewer water cuts we will have this summer!! I am trying to stay positive!!!

Now That We have That Figured Out

Lucy: Are you a man?

Me: No, I am a woman.

Lucy: NO you're not!

Me: Oh!

Lucy: You're a mom!

I passed with an 80%!!!

Test

Today is another big language exam for me. I kind of have a lax attitude about the whole thing, and will be a little surprised if I pass it. It is 5 parts in 4 hours- including two speaking tests, reading comprehension, listening, and a composition. UGH!! Sometimes its fun being a student again, sometimes its not!

At this very moment in one week I will be seeing my Mom for the first time in over 2 years!!!!! Happiness doesn't begin to describe how I feel!!!!

You are Weird

Tonight I was talking to my nephew Tayne on the phone. I told him that I can speak a new language now, and for him to give me anything to say and I would say it in the new language.

He said, "you are weird."

So I said "acayipsin."

Surely he didn't mean me right?!?

Adventures in Language

Um... its the 3 day holiday here. Everyone eats and visits for three straight days. It is lovely. Rather... it would be lovely if I wasn't swamped with a composition and a speech to write.

For some insane reason I decided to speak about the American Civil War. I have to qualify which civil war it is seeing as how out here in the real world "THE" civil war ain't very specific. The Korean kid in my class told our professor that he was doing his speech on General Lee. I got all excited, telling him we were doing the same topic. Uh...nope. Apparently there is another General Lee (Li?)! Who would of thought! HA!

But I digress! How on earth do you explain the Civil War to a bunch of foreign people in an hour or less in a foreign language? Lots of visual aides- that's how!


Here is another story of language stupidity:

One day I sent Justin out to the market to pick up some package soup for a recipe I was trying. He picked up three packets of the required soup, but unfortunately only the top one was the right kind. The other two were işkembe çorbası. I didn't think much of it, and stuck them in the cabinet. Well, the other night I was searching the cabinets for something to make for dinner. It has just gotten cool here so soup sounded great. I pulled out the işkembe çorbası and decided to give it a try. It looked fine- creamy and good, but as I was dishing it out I noticed that it smelled really strong. Thank God, and I mean it... THANK GOD I went to my dictionary to look up işkembe knowing that çorba is soup. Turns out that I was about to feed my family TRIPE SOUP!!! From a package no less! GAG. I had to dump it, and start over with something else for dinner. I couldn't even finish dumping it, I was gagging at the smell. Justin had to do the dirty work!

Minimal literacy is fun!!! Makes the work I am putting into going to school seem worth it!

school=20 a week
travel=3+ hours a day
study, kids,husband, flat, kids' school starting= busy
blog= abandoned

Sugar, Sugar

Today is the first day of the HIUGE three day sugar holiday celebrating the end of Ramadan. Everyone eats and visits for three days. It is lots of fun. The candy is flowing like water. In fact my kids think that it is Halloween- except without out costumes and that it lasts three days.

In other news... I am swamped. I am in everyday language school this month! It is 20 hours a week of class time, at least 3 hours daily of travel time, and then homework (a composition and a speech this weekend) and the rest of life, too! Whew!!

Can you imagine the craziness of back to school time and Christmas time together? That is what is going on here right now. School starts the day after the big holiday. We braved the market yesterday, and it was killer. Everyone is in a tizzy buying notebooks, pencils, candy, gifts, new clothes, etc.

And, in the very best news imaginable... MY MOM IS COMING FOR A VISIT!!!!!!!!! Only 3 weeks and counting!

So Sweet my Teeth Hurt

Today Callie had a few hours of school. (First graders go for a few hours a day the week before schools tarts to get used to school.) She woke up super early this morning, laid out her whole uniform- including vest and sweater that will not be necessary for quite some time, and proceeded to pester us until it was time to take the child to school.

Due to a miscommunication (all too frequent occurance around here) we were a little late so this is the only picture I snapped. The official first day is at the end of next week, so I will take tons then.

Anyhow, doesn't my baby look like a doll all dressed up in her uniform? She is so stinking cute, I can hardly stand it!! Her teacher is really nice. We have been praying for the right teacher since the entire class and teacher move up together throughout elementary school. Callie's teacher made a great first impression on me, let's hope he turns out to be as great as he seems!!

Vacation Videos

Kid Trap from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sand Princess from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sand Trap #1 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sand Trap #2 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sand Trap #3 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Lucy's Sing A-Long

In the first of a series (more than you'll be able to stand) of videos and pictures from our trip to the Black Sea I proudly present Lucy:

Sing A-Long With Lucy from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sing A-Long With Lucy 2 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sing A-Long With Lucy 3 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sing A-Long With Lucy 4 from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Sing A-Long with Lucy 5- the Finale from Elizabeth on Vimeo.

Um... yeah, she's pretty much the cutest thing ever!

Stop the Press

Noah has decided he wants his hair cut!!!!! I have been (not so) patiently waiting for this day for 8 months! The boy was starting to look like a character on a Disney Channel sit-com- but, with out the professional stylists. Not pretty! But my momma taught me to choose my battles, and hair was not one of them. So it grew and grew. I think a small family of critters took up residence (not to be confused with the worm family that has been residing in Callie's legs for about a year)- maybe sparrows.

Here are the before pictures:




I'll be back soon with the after pictures!

***In other exciting news... Lucy has quite a future in the CHinese food business. Everything she says is two minutes: "I swim for two minutes, I hold it for two minutes, I'll get out in two minutes, etc." I am confident that this will carry over well to "your food ready in two minute" in the future! I am so proud!


Here're the pics!



So handsome!



"Enough, already, Mom!!!"



The chocolate mustache is thanks to the ice cream cone his father bought him as a treat for getting his hair cut!

We're Back!

We went to the Black Sea for vacation. It was so fun. We stayed at a tiny rustic sort of condo. It wasn't fancy but it was super inexpensive! The family that was going to stay there the week before us had to cancel, so the owner called us and said we could go up early at no charge! 10 days for $180! Can't beat that with a stick!!

I figured that I would be able to blog and check my email while we were there. But, our condo didn't have internet or even a television. I could not find a place with wireless because not only was it off-season, it is also Ramadan. So the town was empty! We found one little restaurant to eat at and had the beach pretty much to ourselves! It was heavenly! I read 3 books!!

The water was warm and beautiful- sometimes very wavy, sometimes calm. The weather could not have been better- warm but not too hot.

Ahhh... vacation!

Sorry for the bloggy break- it couldn't be prevented! I'll be back with a lot more pictures asap!