Gamma Jammas

Gamma sent jammies to the kids for Easter. It was really neat how the Lord once again showed himself in the arrival of this package. My sweet mom thought that she was on the ball and got a package out to us at the beginning of March. Unfortunately, she did not realize that Easter was so early this year. So we both figured that it would surely not arrive in time. But, can you believe that it came in record time? We were shocked when the doorbell rang on Saturday morning (yes, the Saturday right before Easter). What a blessing it was to receive this special gift from Gamma, and from the Lord.

Lucy

My sweet baby loves these crazy jeanie shoes that someone gave her. She always pulls them out of the dress-up box to wear. Today the glasses (with one lens) and the hat were an especially entertaining addition!

Easter Pics

Here is actual photographic evidence of flowers and trees! If I do say so myself, my family is beautiful!! I am so proud of them! Little Lucy is into everything! She is beautiful and charming. She has mastered the art of the coy smile and waves at people- truly heart melting! The big blue eyes and tiny bit of yellow hair don't hurt either!! Speaking of beautiful and charming, Callie is that as well as smart and hysterical. Everyone loves to squeeze her irresistible cheeks. She keeps us laughing! Noah is so smart, energetic and hard working! We are constantly amazed at his progress and attitude in school. He is a great student, and has really come such a long way in the few months he has been in school. He is still obsessed with sports. Justin and I are about the same. Still trying to find some measure of sanity and normal in this big life change. It is very overwhelming most of the time, but God is bigger, and we trust Him! Here are the pics...

BREAK

WE INTERUPPT THIS BLOG...
Sorry for the bloggy break, but we have been swamped with guests this week. I counted, and in total we had 28 guests!! So I am still trying to get my head above water!

Real Live Trees

Yesterday we went with our coworkers to a park on a hill overlooking the amazing and beautiful, historically important waterway that we live near. We had asked them to make the plans as we have hardly been out of our block, and therefore have no clue of the amazing things to be found in our city. As it turns out, there are trees and flowers in our city. They just keep them in a park, sorta like a zoo for things with roots. The park was beautiful-it had that smell, you know the one- like nature. Oh, how I miss it! It was so good to be there. We had a nice breakfast at a restored Ottoman home on the edge of the park. There was a park for the kids to act crazy at. All in all a good time to be in creation celebrating the Creator!

On THIS Day

Late in the afternoon a wealthy man from Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, arrived. His name was Joseph. He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate granted his request. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in clean linens, put it in his own tomb, a new tomb only recently cut into the rock, and rolled a large stone across the entrance. Then he went off. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary stayed, sitting in plain view of the tomb.

After sundown, the high priests and Pharisees arranged a meeting with Pilate. They said, "Sir, we just remembered that that liar announced while he was still alive, 'After three days I will be raised.' We've got to get that tomb sealed until the third day. There's a good chance his disciples will come and steal the corpse and then go around saying, 'He's risen from the dead.' Then we'll be worse off than before, the final deceit surpassing the first."

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.

The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.

"Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."

Matthew 27:57- 28:7

Move Over Charlie's Angels

Today we played army. The best thing about army (or camping or house, etc) is that you get to drag everything you own into a small space to make a fort (campsite, house, etc.), and the furniture gets involved! It is a good time... well that is until clean up time. Then there is weeping and gnashing of teeth!!



Building the barracks



Noah protecting the fort. Notice his very real looking toy gun.



Mommy's Angels

The Sopranos = Good Language Lessons

Justin's language helper is a believer. He has been trying to learn english, and even takes some seminary correspon-
dance courses in english. Yet today he dropped the "f-bomb" several times, and other dirty words as well! As Justin tried to explain about cuss words, Nenak became confused. "But I watch "The Sopranos" and they talk like that. Isn't that American English?" he asked. Oh how sad!
I listed the American shows that we get here (in English) in this post.

A Tower With A View

Chocolate is Good!

Daddy brought home cookies with a chocolate center, and then dipped in chocolate. We liked them! Can you tell?

Because taking pictures of babies eating food is fun...

...and she's beautiful!!!

Number 522

Today I did something that I have been dying to do for quite awhile now. I got on a random bus to see where it would take me. Although it sounds quite terrifying, I had an idea (I thought) of the layout of our city, and I have enough language to figure things out. Plus, Justin was with me, and he has a great sense of direction. So, I went on my first real adventure!

The first thing that you need to know is that I still have not found the end of the city! As far as you can see, there are buildings and city! This place is vast, yall!!! I really miss grass and trees, and personal space!

Anyhoo, the unexpected thing I discovered on my adventure was the city wall. You know how you read about, like, city walls, and stuff in the Bible. Well, they are real! And they are amazing.It is amazing to read about places and people groups in the Bible as well as the history books (my required reading) and be living there! Even better than that is to see stuff that was there when Bible folks were there! Very, very cool!!

Next time I hop on bus Number 522 I am going to get off and investigate those walls. If I haven't mentioned it before, they are cool. Our bus wandered along the old city wall for several kilometers. We went through the wall at one point, and those things are thick! Eventually we reached the end of the line and had to get off the bus.
As you can guess, we had no clue where we were. But we just hoped on a familiar tramway and headed into the old part of the city- still on "the other side."









We decided to climb to the top of the tower in the center of this picture. I'll have to download the pictures, and tell you about it tomorrow. Right now, I have homework to do. There is a penalty for exploring during the time set aside for language study. YUCK!! I hate having homework again!!!

Read This

Blessed be the Lord—
day after day he carries us along.
He's our Savior, our God, oh yes!
He's God-for-us, he's God-who-saves-us.
Psalm 68:19-20

Boaz answered her, "I've heard all about you—heard about the way you treated your mother-in-law after the death of her husband, and how you left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to live among a bunch of total strangers. God reward you well for what you've done—and with a generous bonus besides from God, to whom you've come seeking protection under his wings."

She said, "Oh sir, such grace, such kindness—I don't deserve it. You've touched my heart, treated me like one of your own. And I don't even belong here!"

At the lunch break, Boaz said to her, "Come over here; eat some bread. Dip it in the wine."

So she joined the harvesters. Boaz passed the roasted grain to her. She ate her fill and even had some left over.
Ruth 2: 11-13

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
Matthew 11:28-30

Hey Dad

So, I guess you are feeling pretty left out. Like I am answering everyone else's questions, but not yours. Well, Daddy-O, today is your day!!!

First, you asked what I do.
Goodness gracious, I ask myself this all the time! I am busy, yet I don't really accomplish anything!!! Here's a stab at my day. 7ish- wake up and do the morning routine with the kids- breakfast, get dressed, etc. Every day I have laundry to do. I try to stick it in right before we go to bed so that I can hang it out as soon as I am decent enough to step out onto my balcony. You may be wondering what happened to my awesome dryer- the drying rack with the fan blowing on it. Now that the weather is nicer, our clothes are actually drying when I put them outside. So, my "dryer" is not in use.

After morning chores (mine and the kids') Noah usually has some homework to finish up, and Callie needs to torture Lucy a little. Then if the weather is at all bearable we try to head out to the park for about an hour. Then we come in for lunch, Noah changes into his uniform, and we head out to school (12:15). I drop Noah off at school, then the girls and I walk around the block to Callie's preschool. After that, Lucy and I usually swing by the market to pick up whatever we need.

We come home, Lucy goes to bed (1:30), and I study, do chores, or (I'm afraid to admit it) procrastinate! My language helper comes three times a week- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. That is hard core!! At 4:50, Lucy and I walk up to get Callie. We come home and I attempt to cook dinner while trying to protect Lucy (the living doll) from her captor (Callie- glad we didn't name her Grace!).

Justin picks up Noah on his way home form work (5:45). We usually eat dinner at 6:30. In the evenings we do Noah's homework (yes, it is a family affair as we all try to figure out what the heck it says), and spend time together. We try to start the kids' bedtime routine at 8:00 and have them in bed before 9:00. Then Justin and I watch TV, goof off on our computers, or I knit.

Friday and/or Saturday nights usually include an invitation to some one's house for tea. We try to spend a lot of time outside if the weather is nice. And, although our schedule doesn't sound hectic, it is exhausting. (I think it is mostly culture stress.) So, we try to rest and get caught up on study, work matters, chores, etc. Sunday evenings we get together with another believing family. We share a meal, study the Bible, and pray.



Next, you asked what I think about the cultural differences.
There are lots!!! But, deep down, people are people and we're all the same. We just go about things a little differently sometimes! I have struggled a little with the cultural differences in that I really do want to be a part of this culture, not just an outside observer- or an American in Tky. So although I am quick to jump on my high horse and judge people and/or how they do things it does not matter. I am not here to change people or the system. So, it does not matter what I think. I just need to get used to it! Easier said than done!!


In light of that, you asked what is being done better here, and what is not.
What is not...

I posted the other day about how I hate that children are not promised or required an education. I would love to see all children educated and told that their future is wide open.

Traffic! People here drive like maniacs! No traffic laws, road signs, or right of ways apply here. It takes some getting used to, and can be unsettling if you are trying to cross the street, or find yourself in a minibus or cab that is driven by an ummm... let's say- motivated driver.

Work. It seems like men fall into two extremes. They either work way too much- all day every day- or not at all. It seems like so many men are just wandering around. They are used to hard working women, so they let them carry the weight. Life is hard for the majority of women here. There is no concept of "girls' night out" or even getting a babysitter to get a break from the kids.

I think this applies to life in the city, not just here, but it is not good not to have trees and grass. I miss them a lot!!!

Justin says that building construction is worse. They are made of block and plaster with no insulation.

The government has LOTS of control over everything- meaning less freedom and less privacy!


What is better...

Families! People here love their extended families, their children, and whoever may happen to know or live close to their family members. Children are valued and cherished. Couples tend to space out their children by at least five years and each one is doted on like an only child. They are far more laid back about their behavior and don't expect them to act perfectly. They let kids be kids.

Hospitality. Trks pride themselves in their hospitality. They love to be with people and want you to come over a lot! They serve and serve and serve. They will give you, and especially the kids, anything that they think you like. So our kids never walk out of some one's flat with out something- which is so embarrassing since we have so many more toys than they do.

Really, there are a lot of things that are different, but not necessarily better of worse. For instance, I am tempted to say that public school are worse because I am not crazy about the number of kids in the classroom or the way they educate- emphasizing memory over critical thinking. But the kids here perform a zillion times better on standardized tests and are educated at a much higher level- especially in math and science.


When it snows, are there "no plow" roads?
Yep, lots! We don't get tons of snow, and the weather tends to change quickly so I guess they just wait for it to melt. That with the fact that plows are expensive and relatively new here make for lots of "no plow" roads. Oh... and some of the roads are so steep that the child in me is afraid the car will tip over backwards as we are going up. In other parts of the country, even places where they get lots of snow, the plows are folks with shovels!


After Kurban Bayram, do they clean up the lots where the animals were, and who does it?
Yes, they are cleaned up, but I have no idea who does it. They are private lots that sort of work like a farmers market. So the farmers load up their animals that didn't sell from the pen they rented and head home. Maybe they take a load of crap home with them to use in their garden come spring, maybe not. Perhaps the lot owner sells the crap to a fertilizer manufacturer or pays someone to clean it up or distribute it over the property. When I learn my crap, bulldozer, and fertilizer vocabulary I'll have to go back over and ask them. Until then it will be somewhat of a mystery.


I am sure by now, we've lost anyone who may have begun reading. So, it's just you and me, Dad. Ummm, Dad, are you there?


You asked about health care. I sort of covered it in this post, so let me know if that doesn't answer your question.


Last one: How is going to the market different from going to the grocery in the US?
It is so different! For me, the biggest way that it is different is that I do not have a car... and that in the US you don't see the animals hanging from the ceiling in the meat department. If its not out, they just go behind the glass and hack off the cut you want! Also, the butcher will prepare your meat any way you want- tenderize it, fillet it, grind it, etc. for free. I digress... anyhow, in the US, I made a weekly menu and then went to Wal-Mart once a week and loaded up on everything our family would need- groceries, household, and beauty (shampoo, soap, medicines). Here, I can only buy what I can lug home! We have a big box store similar to Wal-Mart, except ours has a lively spice section with big barrels of all sorts of spices, the aforementioned meat section, and other cultural oddities too numerous to mention. I have been there once to "stock up". It is nice to do one stop shopping, but so hard to get it all home and up our stairs. I have to get a taxi to take me door to door, and then I'm 10 lira poorer and still standing at the bottom of Mt Stairverest with a lot of heavy sacks.

Instead, I usually go to our local grocery. It is much smaller, and doesn't have quite the selection, but it is neat and clean, the prices are decent, and it is convenient. It is on the way home from Callie's preschool, so it isn't too big a deal to drop by daily (except that I have nothing on standby in the cupboard).

There are lots of little convenience stores that have the basics. The one closest to us is very good. The produce is fresh and they carry daily milk (as opposed to the long life shelf milk that most people here drink). They have all the necessities. It is just across the street, and I can send Noah over if we are out of bread.

Also worth mentioning are the fruit stands. I usually get my produce at the market or the corner store, but lots of people get theirs at their local fruit stand.

In our area the traveling bazaar sets up on Thursdays. You can find really great produce, cheap (in price and quality) clothes, and all sorts of other random things there. When the weather is nice I go, but more-so just to look than to load up. Most of the people have a market cart that is one of those two-wheeled things that old people sometimes use. I don't, and they set up quite a few blocks away, so again, it is sort of far to carry stuff.

Also, if I need any type of medicine that is a separate little store. As is any type of beauty product, make-up, etc. So, between all the different places I have to go to get the stuff I need it eats up a lot of time!!

I wanted to take pictures, but didn't want to look like the freak American taking pictures of stuff, so no pictures, sorry!


I love you, Daddy, and I miss you too much to think about, or it makes me cry! Oh... and if you haven't read down to the bottom of this, you're in trouble! My fingers are aching, and my computer battery is dead!

Ekmek Var Mı?

Hey Chip,
I named my blog "Ekmek Var Mı" because it is the first sentence, question really, that I learned to say here. It is the pattern for all question sentences, so I can simply remove the word ekmek (bread) and insert whatever I want. It basically means "Do you have any bread?". So I thought that it would be a great title for my blog- especially with the verse in John 6:35...
Jesus replied, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."