Sunday Sneak Peak

I LOVE THESE GIRLS!!

Things I'd Forgotten

*The Ramadan drummer walks the streets beating his drum to wake everyone up for their last meal before sunrise (at 4 am). UGH!!

*It smells different here. Not better or worse, just different.

*My kitchen is narrow.

*Living in a flat means trying to live as quietly as possible.

*It feels good to walk places.

*The bus is crowded.

*Fresh hot Ramadan Pide is fantastic!

*Our friends and neighbors here are really kind.

*Our elevator is tiny.

*The Call to Prayer blaring over the loudspeaker from the mosques always reminds me that we are in a foreign land.

*All of the rules are different here.

*No matter how much it feels like you are about to die is the taxi, you never really do.

*The suitcases cannot unpack themselves.

We're Home

We are home.

The trip was long and we are worn out. But everything went fine- the kids were as good as can be expected and all of our luggage arrived with no problem.

Jet lag and culture re-shock are setting in!

So much I had forgotten!

Pray for Us

In 30 minutes everyone will be here to help load up our stuff and take us to the airport. Our flight leaves around 9 pm. We have an 8 hour layover in London, and then another 4 hour flight to our final destination.

Would you pray for peaceful goodbyes, safety, all of our stuff to arrive, and sanity, please?

Baggage

We leave tomorrow. Throughout the summer I have been collecting things to take back with us.

Um... turns out its a lot! Bless Justin's heart, he is our packing master! Let's hope he can get it all in.

People are always curious what (new things) we are taking back, so I thought that I'd share:

peanut butter
seasonings- taco, chili, Italian
brown sugar
cake mix
books
shoes
winter coats
sheet sets
make-up
moisturizer
medicines
vitamins
lots of little gifts
paper shredder
ipod dock
underwear
socks


We are able to use a medium size Rubbermaid container to put things in. So we will end up checking our five suitcases and five Rubbermaid tubs.

Mercy!! Its a lot of stuff!!!

We heard from our friend watching our flat that we have neighbors!

Our building is 7 stories tall with 2 flats on each floor. We are on the top floor, and the flat across from us has never been occupied. But, at some point over the summer a family has moved in. We joked that the only reason that the owner was finally able to sell it was that the "foreigners" across the hall were gone for the summer.

They don't even have a clue what's in store for them when we arrive back home in a few days.

Lets hope they are hard of hearing!!!!!

Sunday Sneak Peak

Signs That Our kids Are Not From 'Round Here Anymore

Callie: Look! I see the Eiffel Tower.

Me: No, Callie, that's a steeple.

Callie: What's a steeple?


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When we are driving past a cemetery the kids get really excited about who will be the first to spot a "tent" (green funeral awning). They think its weird that people would be camping out near all those gravestones.


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We have not eaten at McDonald's since we have been back.


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They call all playgrounds "parks", and think it is weird that so many people have parks in their backyards.


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They are freezing all the time.


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Lucy keeps asking, "Where's our home, Mama?"

Home

We have less than a week until we head back home.

The funny thing is that when we are there home is here and when we are here home is there. To top it off... this summer our family mantra was, "Home is where we lay our heads tonight," because the kids were always so confused about where we were sleeping, going, or what "home" we were referring to.

It seems we've created this weird alter universe for ourselves where we aren't quite home anywhere! Is this what Scripture talks about when it says that this world is not our home?

Must Write Post

So much is going on right now and with the busy-ness of summer I have certainly neglected my blog. But, really... where on earth can I start?

Finally I am making myself sit here and write. Something. Anything. Usually once I start, I keep it up.

For awhile.

There's no better way to cover a multitude of random topics than with a stream of consciousness list. My apologies.

1. Survivor starts soon and I am so bummed that we will miss it. After all these years, I still love that show. Shows that we have LOVED this summer are House Hunters International, Cake Boss, Extreme Home Makeover, Wipeout, and Say Yes to the Dress.

Intellectually stimulating, I know!


2. One week from today we will be on a plane heading back over to the Middle East. I am ready (or so I tell myself) but I am also nervous. This has been an amazing summer. We have been blessed with so much quality time with our family and friends. We have had so many fun adventures. We have so enjoyed our precious time with our family. I am nervous that the kids (and maybe me, too) will have a difficult transition back into real life.


3. It feels like cancer is at an epidemic level. Just this summer two dear friends have passed away from cancer, and several more are fighting it currently. When and where will it end?


4. On our return flight we have an 8 hour layover in London. We are weighing what will be the least stressful- trying to get out and explore a bit or staying cooped up in the airport.

I know it will be stressful either way. But maybe, just maybe, it could be possible to see something neat while being stressed.

Yes? No? Any tips?


5. I have not posted any pictures this summer. I promised I would. I guess that summer is not technically over until September 21.


6. I may cry when we have to turn our rental car back in. (As a side note- I have rammed into anything again!)


7. The Lord has blessed our socks off. We have been house-guests for 3 MONTHS now!!

Justin's parents have been more than gracious and patient to host us in GA for the majority of our time in the states and our dear friends the Walshes win the Host/Hostess award of the year. We were with them for at least 3 weeks while in KY. Both the Leonards and Walshes as well as other friends with whom we stayed have loved on us and served us so much. It is only by their kindness, flexibility, and un-selfishness that we have survived 3 MONTHS of being house-guests. Thank you!


8. Lord bless Justin as he tries to get our stuff packed, weighed, and ready to go.


9. The good-byes have begun. It is hell-ish!! This is the worst part of the whole over-seas worker experience.


10. To end on a positive note:

But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

Things I Miss About our Country of Service

1. When my children are singing "I Like the Toilet, Toilet" to the "Move it, Move it" tune no one knows how truly obnoxious they are since they don't speak english!

2. Minimal selections make market runs easier.

3. Sometimes not understanding every word that everyone is saying is a good thing!

4. No fancy things like dryers and fabric softener to "sissyfy" us!

5. The lack of Chic-Fil-A, Mexican food, and a car combined with the abundance of heat, stairs, and vegetables will hopefully help my clothes to fit again!

6. No political calls.

7. No air conditioning builds character.

8. Schedule, routine, and chore charts.

9. Kind friends who insist on sharing tea together as much as possible.

10. Blank boxes on the calendar.

WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER

So in an ultra-technical fashion that involved putting numbers on little pieces of paper, folding them up, and making Justin choose one we have a winner.


#2 Heidi!!


We are about to leave to go on vacation with my side of the family for a few days. As soon as I get back I will drop your prize package in the mail, Heidi.

Horray for my first give-away! WOOT!


My precious MacBook is at the shop getting all sorts of stuff done to it. So I am without a computer for a few days. Hopefully it won't cost as much as just buying a new one! Why do we make EVERYTHING disposable these days? Nothing is built to last more than a few years.

500!!!

This is my 500th post! I cannot believe it! I had no idea that I had written so many posts.

I think it would be fun to do a contest. I am going to enter all the comments from this week into a random drawing and send the winner a prize pack with jewelry and cards from our company.

So leave a comment to enter!

I am so excited... my first give away!



In other news:

3 years of no driving have finally caught up to me. I clipped a mailbox and busted out the side mirror on our rental van. Oops! Justin thinks he can fix it easily! No harm done to the mailbox.

Please pray for our team mate. She had her twin girls two months early.

I miss our life and home in the Middle East far more than I thought I would. I have been a bit homesick for it the last few days. I am so thankful that the Lord has helped my heart fall in love with that place!

It has been so good to spend time with our family and friends. When we are away I try to make myself forget how wonderful they are so that I won't be so sad. So, this summer I have been trying really hard to enjoy every second with everyone, and to let my roots go deeper even though I am going to have to say good-bye again.

Thanks to our wonderful families, Justin and I have had the chance to get away on a few dates and it is marvelous! It is official- I love that man!!!

Please tell me how I have lived for three years without "The Price is Right!?"

I sat down today in front of the television and caught the end of pure viewing bliss!!! It made me so happy. Although since being gone prices have changed dramatically (or maybe I have) so I wan't even close with my bids.

Oh well!

I miss Bob Barker. He was the best!!

What time do Jeopardy and Family Feud come on?

MOM

I keep finding myself answering to any kid who says, "Mom!" While we were over there, I was the only "Mom." But here, I'm just one of many!