I've been trying to post something here for several days, without much success.
Not for a lack of stories, as there is always something interesting going on here. Sometimes it's small and possibly insignificant, but it means so much to me. Like watching fireworks from the Basilica on Christmas Eve, then waking up Christmas morning to the glorious sound of church bells ringing in the distance. I will never, never get tired of hearing church bells; it gives me a feeling of hope, and it helps me to remember their is a cause for continuous celebration in our lives.
Or perhaps it's something bigger, like meditating on the events of this past year, and the effect they've had on our family. Moving overseas is no small task, and it seems like that consumed the first half of our year; getting to Israel, finding an apartment, WAITING for the apartment to be ready, acquiring our visas, getting our shipment -- all that took about five months before we felt settled. Then, there's the second half of the year, where we had to deal with family health issues. My mother-in-law's husband went through major heart surgery, only to have a severe heart attack a couple weeks after the surgery. It was an emotionally trying time for all of us, but it was especially difficult for my MIL. Thankfully, we were able to visit them later on in the fall, and Ed is recovering nicely. I think seeing the grandkids really picked up their spirits.
Then, there was hubby's accident in London. I can't even convey to you the fear I felt when I got that phone call the week before Thanksgiving. When he told me he had been hit by a car while crossing the street, a million situations raced through my mind, each worse than the last -- paralysis, blindness, severe internal bleeding -- that it was (almost) a relief when hubby said that he had a broken leg. While I don't want to minimize his suffering, I was honestly thankful at that point. It was bad, but it could have been so much worse, especially after how active my imagination had been. He is still in recovery mode, and has a doctor appointment on Monday to have x-rays done and see how the healing is progressing.
This is definitely not the hardest year I've ever had, but it's a close second. I feel like I've been on an emotional roller-coaster for the past 12 months (well, to be honest, it's more like 18 months), and I'm tired. I'm weary. This has been my desert year, in more ways than one. I feel like I've aged three years instead of one.
There have been some bright patches though. When I was in the States, I offered to sing a song in Arabic for my parents' church. I was having a hard time choosing a song, but finally settled on one of my favorites, ادخل لقدسك (I enter Your holiness). When I got word of hubby's accident, it was right before I was scheduled to sing at church. The words of the song are so powerful, but the chorus is particularly moving. It was my prayer to the Lord for my husband that Sunday morning:
فتعال بروحك أبصر مجدك
الآن سلطان الله لنا شفاء من يدك
الآن أنهار مياه لنا حياة بروحك
(So come by Your Spirit, I see Your Glory
And now, power of God, heal us by Your hand
Rivers of water bring us life by Your Spirit)
This is my continuing prayer for our family, that we will see His glory in the midst of our trials and suffering.
Another happy moment was all of us reuniting at the airport ten days ago. It was so wonderful to have all of us together again, after being apart for three months that I wept with relief. Nothing could have been better than having us all together, especially before Christmas. My cup overfloweth.
So, that brings me to the end of my thoughts, what I've been mulling over for the past couple of weeks. I'm hoping that next year will be boring for a change. Nothing exciting, save for a little family vacation over the summer. However, I know that probably won't be the case. With the Millers Abroad, something interesting is always bound to happen.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my friends. May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace (Num 6:24-26)
Friday, December 26, 2008
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Finished... finally
Now that I have it out of my system, it's time to move on. A couple of things I've learned from reading this series:
1. I will ALWAYS try to keep up with what my kids are reading. I was surprised that there are parents who are letting their tween daughters read this stuff. Maybe surprised is the wrong word... disappointed maybe? I know how wrapped up I get when I'm reading books -- I tune out EVERYTHING and completely immerse myself in the book, ask my hubby -- so it made me a little uncomfortable reading, uh, certain parts. No incredibly graphic details, but I would say it's at least PG-13 material. I felt like I was eavesdropping on someone's very personal moments.
2. I will try to discuss said material with my kids. I know, I know, it's uncomfortable stuff, but I realize that, if I were a teenager, this kind of novel would just add to my warped perception of what love and marriage should look like. It's kind of like a modern day, twisted fairy tale where everyone lives happily ever after, no one (except a few of the bad guys) dies, and the "princess" (Bella) gets everything she thought she wanted, plus a few bonuses. I kept waiting for her to suffer, and she did (to a certain extent), but nothing long-lasting. Not like Harry Potter, where the main character suffers much, losing many of his loved ones, but decides to take the right, rather than the easy path. By Book 7 of HP, I was very impressed with Harry. Not so with Bella.
I'm moving on to JA's Persuasion (the only Austen book I haven't read yet), then perhaps Les Miserables. I need to purge my mind with some classics.
If anyone is in the mood for vampire stories, read Dracula or The Historian. Much better literature.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Time in the UK
So, this week has been nice. Despite the fact that hubby is still in recovery mode from the broken leg, we've managed to do a couple of fun things while I'm here. On Thursday I went to St. Paul's Cathedral in London for their annual Thanksgiving Service. Thousands of the American ex-pats (as well as some locals) show up for this beautiful service every year. The pastors from the local American church congregations, as well as the Abassador himself, put together an amazing service, complete with all our favorite hymns and ending with "America the Beautiful" (I get a little teary-eyed just thinking about it; that song is really one of my favorites!). Sorry there aren't any pictures from the service, but none were allowed.
Then, on Friday, we left London to have a fabulous belated Thanksgiving out in the English countryside! That's right all you Jane Austen fans, we were out in the middle of nowhere, spending time with extended family and their friends. Everyone was so kind and hospitable during our stay in England! Here are a few pictures from our time there:
That's all I have for now. I'll post pictures of our time in Edinburgh when I return to the States. My tummy is rumbling and ready for some food! Cheers!
Outside Saint Paul's Cathedreal
Inside the church. Isn't it amazing?
Then, on Friday, we left London to have a fabulous belated Thanksgiving out in the English countryside! That's right all you Jane Austen fans, we were out in the middle of nowhere, spending time with extended family and their friends. Everyone was so kind and hospitable during our stay in England! Here are a few pictures from our time there:
Our first night out together. Yummy Japanese food!
The house out in Suffolk
Inside "The Barn" -- an old pig barn that was converted into... this. Wow.
A view of the backyard. This is a wheat field, but as you can see, it's past harvest time. Oh, and in the distance, there's a tiny little church. Very Austenesque, don't you think?
That's all I have for now. I'll post pictures of our time in Edinburgh when I return to the States. My tummy is rumbling and ready for some food! Cheers!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Unexpected trip to London
Well, I made it. It was a lot of last-minute planning and such, but I DID make it to the UK to help hubby. It was very fortunate, actaully, that I got a flight out on Monday, since he was released from the hospital on Tuesday and made it to my cousin's house right before I did. So, now he's got someone to help him around the house and administer his pills. I think I missed my calling in life. I was talking to my dad (who is a VERY experienced nurse) about some surgical procedures and tachycardia, when I stopped in mid-sentence and said, "Dad, can you believe I understood almost everything you just said?" To which he just smiled at me. So maybe I should've gone with my original plan to become a nurse. Oh well. Maybe in the future, if we move back to the States.
Anyway, I have not done any sightseeing yet. I spent about an hour or so getting from the airport (Heathrow is WAY west outside of London, and I had to get to East London where my cousin is), so I spent my afternoon traveling around on buses and the tube, minding my gaps and such. Today is rainy and cloudy, so it looks like an exciting day to sit indoors and read...
Yeah, I know, it's embarassing. I should blame my little sister for this, as she's the one who brought the book home. Or perhaps the airports and even the FAA, who requires me to sit around with nothing to do for hours on end. I need something to keep me entertained, and this is probably the best (or perhaps worst?) escapist fiction available. I've been teased thoroughly by my hubby over the past 12 hours, and I'm horrified to find my taste in books is so low, because I actually LIKE IT. Yeah, bring on the humiliation, I like books written for 13 year-old girls.
Anyway, I have not done any sightseeing yet. I spent about an hour or so getting from the airport (Heathrow is WAY west outside of London, and I had to get to East London where my cousin is), so I spent my afternoon traveling around on buses and the tube, minding my gaps and such. Today is rainy and cloudy, so it looks like an exciting day to sit indoors and read...
Yeah, I know, it's embarassing. I should blame my little sister for this, as she's the one who brought the book home. Or perhaps the airports and even the FAA, who requires me to sit around with nothing to do for hours on end. I need something to keep me entertained, and this is probably the best (or perhaps worst?) escapist fiction available. I've been teased thoroughly by my hubby over the past 12 hours, and I'm horrified to find my taste in books is so low, because I actually LIKE IT. Yeah, bring on the humiliation, I like books written for 13 year-old girls.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Lost Maples
Last weekend my best friend and I decided to go to Lost Maples since the foliage was at its peak. So, we packed up our families (me and my two kids, her, her husband, and THEIR two kids, plus her mom and aunt) and headed north on a pleasant Saturday afternoon. We thought that, since it was later in the day on a Saturday, not as many people would be arriving. Boy, were we wrong! After driving for about two hours, it took us another hour to get in the park, purchase day passes and park so we could go hiking. It was worth it, however; the leaves were gorgeous!
In the parking lot
The boys on the trail
One of prettiest trees in the park
Gorgeous leaves; they are the perfect shade
Jacob hurrying to catch up after a long hike
Monday, November 17, 2008
Feeling Meme-ish
So, my friend Dawn posted a meme a couple of days ago, and I thought I'd follow suit. I'm not a NaPoBloMo person -- to be honest, I'm lucky if I post once a week -- but I thought this one was fun, so here we go:
1. What is your occupation right now?
Overseas worker... and mom.
2. What color are your socks right now?
Various shades of purple and silver. Argyle print.
3. What are you listening to right now?
Cowboys game
4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Homemade enchiladas, with semi-homemade rice and salad.
5. Can you drive a stick shift?
I learned to drive on one!
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My friend Nicholle
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Well, Dawn didn't send it to me, but she was the inspiration. So, yes, I do like her :-)
8. How old are you today?
28
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
I have to pick one?
10. What is your favorite drink?
Unsweetened ice tea, or fresh-made juice.
11.. Have you ever dyed your hair?
I tried once to go a sort of strawberry blond, but didn't seem to like it that much.
12. Favorite food?
Homemade enchiladas :-)
13. What is the last movie you watched?
The Notebook
14. Favorite day of the year?
Um... Fourth of July? It's so much more fun celebrating it when you live overseas.
15. How do you vent anger?
Ideally, punching an inanimate object, like a pillow or even a punching bag. Maybe one of those stupid clowns that fall over and come back up?... Yeah, that would work.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Little Ponies. What'll today's adventure be?
17. What is your favorite season?
Spring. A wonderful treat after a cold winter.
18. Cherries or Blueberries?
Yes.
19. Who is the most likely to respond?
Probably no one b/c I'm not sending this out to anyone.
20. Who is least likely to respond?
(silence)
21. Living arrangements?
Three bedroom flat with A/C. Second floor. No carpets. Cement tiles. Big kitchen that looks like it stepped right out of the 80s.
22. When was the last time you cried?
Watching "The Notebook."
23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Here or in Nazareth? Um, here, I have shoes and my brother's sound equipment. There, just shoes. There isn't room for anything else.
24. Who is the friend you have had the longest with whom you are still in contact?
Probably Erin. We've known each other since middle school but really didn't become friends until my freshman year. And our kids are pretty much the same ages, so we have fun hanging out when I'm in town!
25. What did you do last night?
Watched "The Lakehouse." Didn't cry, believe it or not.
26. What are you most afraid of?
I'll have to agree w/ Dawn here and say losing a dear family member (especially my husband or kids)
27. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburger
Cheese. Lots of cheese.
28. Favorite dog breed?
Retriever.
29. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday
30. How many states have you lived in?
Three -- plus a couple of countries outside the U.S. Wait, maybe I should include Colorado. I've lived there a couple of months at a time over the past 10 years. So, that would make four?
31. Diamonds or pearls?
Well, I can't really afford either, but I do like my diamond on my engagement ring. My hubby, he did well when he picked it out.
32. What is your favorite flower?
Tiger Lily, or maybe some sort of amaryllis. Such beautiful blooms.
1. What is your occupation right now?
Overseas worker... and mom.
2. What color are your socks right now?
Various shades of purple and silver. Argyle print.
3. What are you listening to right now?
Cowboys game
4. What was the last thing that you ate?
Homemade enchiladas, with semi-homemade rice and salad.
5. Can you drive a stick shift?
I learned to drive on one!
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My friend Nicholle
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Well, Dawn didn't send it to me, but she was the inspiration. So, yes, I do like her :-)
8. How old are you today?
28
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?
I have to pick one?
10. What is your favorite drink?
Unsweetened ice tea, or fresh-made juice.
11.. Have you ever dyed your hair?
I tried once to go a sort of strawberry blond, but didn't seem to like it that much.
12. Favorite food?
Homemade enchiladas :-)
13. What is the last movie you watched?
The Notebook
14. Favorite day of the year?
Um... Fourth of July? It's so much more fun celebrating it when you live overseas.
15. How do you vent anger?
Ideally, punching an inanimate object, like a pillow or even a punching bag. Maybe one of those stupid clowns that fall over and come back up?... Yeah, that would work.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child?
My Little Ponies. What'll today's adventure be?
17. What is your favorite season?
Spring. A wonderful treat after a cold winter.
18. Cherries or Blueberries?
Yes.
19. Who is the most likely to respond?
Probably no one b/c I'm not sending this out to anyone.
20. Who is least likely to respond?
(silence)
21. Living arrangements?
Three bedroom flat with A/C. Second floor. No carpets. Cement tiles. Big kitchen that looks like it stepped right out of the 80s.
22. When was the last time you cried?
Watching "The Notebook."
23. What is on the floor of your closet?
Here or in Nazareth? Um, here, I have shoes and my brother's sound equipment. There, just shoes. There isn't room for anything else.
24. Who is the friend you have had the longest with whom you are still in contact?
Probably Erin. We've known each other since middle school but really didn't become friends until my freshman year. And our kids are pretty much the same ages, so we have fun hanging out when I'm in town!
25. What did you do last night?
Watched "The Lakehouse." Didn't cry, believe it or not.
26. What are you most afraid of?
I'll have to agree w/ Dawn here and say losing a dear family member (especially my husband or kids)
27. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburger
Cheese. Lots of cheese.
28. Favorite dog breed?
Retriever.
29. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday
30. How many states have you lived in?
Three -- plus a couple of countries outside the U.S. Wait, maybe I should include Colorado. I've lived there a couple of months at a time over the past 10 years. So, that would make four?
31. Diamonds or pearls?
Well, I can't really afford either, but I do like my diamond on my engagement ring. My hubby, he did well when he picked it out.
32. What is your favorite flower?
Tiger Lily, or maybe some sort of amaryllis. Such beautiful blooms.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Denver: Part Two
One of the things I love most about Denver is the parks. They are EVERYWHERE, but the best one by far is Washington Park, just south of downtown. It's huge, and everyone takes their dogs for walks around the lake, their children to the play area, and their picnics to the picnic grounds.
The weather in Colorado was wonderful the whole time we were there, so we took full advantage of that fact and went a couple of times a week to various parks around the city. Here are a few pictures from our excursions:
The weather in Colorado was wonderful the whole time we were there, so we took full advantage of that fact and went a couple of times a week to various parks around the city. Here are a few pictures from our excursions:
Monday, November 10, 2008
Pictures from Denver
So, I'm going to post these pics little by little, as I have taken about 200 in the past few weeks (I know Dawn's laughing at me right now, she probably takes 200 pictures in a DAY). Here are some highlights of our trip to Denver with the abuelos:
We (brothers, parents and I) went camping the first weekend we were in Colorado. Golden Canyon State park is a gorgeous little place about 30 minutes outside of Denver, and we had so much fun sleeping in a cabin, playing lots of Settlers of Catan (my brothers and dad completely dominated me in that game), and hiking. Didn't get to tour the Coors brewery; they closed before we got there. Bummer!
Lovely view from our hike in Golden. Doesn't the day just look perfect?
We made a trip down to Colorado Springs to meet a friend of mine who is also an overseas worker. Our kids had fun playing at Whit's End at Focus On The Family. Four kids (four and under) with only two parents made for a bit of chaos, but we all had a blast catching up and playing with the babies.
One of my dear friends from high school lives just outside of Vail, so we rented a car and drove up to see her. It was so good to catch up; I saw her last year while we were in town, but we were at lunch with EVERYONE around, so it was a little difficult to have more than surface-y conversation. She is a wonderfully strong person whose been through a lot these past few years, and it was so good to see her again.
The drive on the way home from Vail. I had to pull over on the side of the road to get this picture. It looks like someone took a paintbrush and lit up the sky.
I'm thinking I'll have to post Denver: Part Two tomorrow, as I'm only about halfway through my pictures. Stay tuned!
We (brothers, parents and I) went camping the first weekend we were in Colorado. Golden Canyon State park is a gorgeous little place about 30 minutes outside of Denver, and we had so much fun sleeping in a cabin, playing lots of Settlers of Catan (my brothers and dad completely dominated me in that game), and hiking. Didn't get to tour the Coors brewery; they closed before we got there. Bummer!
Lovely view from our hike in Golden. Doesn't the day just look perfect?
We made a trip down to Colorado Springs to meet a friend of mine who is also an overseas worker. Our kids had fun playing at Whit's End at Focus On The Family. Four kids (four and under) with only two parents made for a bit of chaos, but we all had a blast catching up and playing with the babies.
One of my dear friends from high school lives just outside of Vail, so we rented a car and drove up to see her. It was so good to catch up; I saw her last year while we were in town, but we were at lunch with EVERYONE around, so it was a little difficult to have more than surface-y conversation. She is a wonderfully strong person whose been through a lot these past few years, and it was so good to see her again.
The drive on the way home from Vail. I had to pull over on the side of the road to get this picture. It looks like someone took a paintbrush and lit up the sky.
I'm thinking I'll have to post Denver: Part Two tomorrow, as I'm only about halfway through my pictures. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Haven't taken any pictures yet
So, I promised one of my friends from Israel that I would bring pics back of my hometown and CO. But I haven't even brought out the camera yet. I do need to do some picture taking here soon. We'd like to go to Lost Maples sometime and see the leaves change, and of course, make a trip to Fredricksburg! Some of my favorite places in Texas are so close. I love it!
RenFest is another one of my favorites, but I'm not sure how I'd make it out there. Maybe sis will come with me.
This is a great time to be in Texas. The weather's not too hot, most people are around (i.e., not on vacation), and there are lots of festivals, plays, and just general fun! I'm so happy to be here.
RenFest is another one of my favorites, but I'm not sure how I'd make it out there. Maybe sis will come with me.
This is a great time to be in Texas. The weather's not too hot, most people are around (i.e., not on vacation), and there are lots of festivals, plays, and just general fun! I'm so happy to be here.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
We're off!!!
In just a few hours, we'll be in the sky, heading to Germany and then H-town. Please remember to say a little prayer for us before you go to bed!
Packing was a pain. I'm glad it's over. San Antonio autumn and Denver autumn are two totally different seasons, so we packed everything from shorts and tanks to winter coats. Next time, I'll coordinate my seasons better :-)
Packing was a pain. I'm glad it's over. San Antonio autumn and Denver autumn are two totally different seasons, so we packed everything from shorts and tanks to winter coats. Next time, I'll coordinate my seasons better :-)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Just a Little Bit More...
I don't know how single parents do this. Honestly. After having my husband gone for the past two weeks, I've discovered a deeper appreciation for single parents as well as women whose husbands are serving overseas in the armed forces. I didn't realize how much time and energy the kids take when I had another person here sharing the load. Sometimes I think if I hear my son ask me one more time to play transformers with him (after I've already sat down and played with him twice that day), I'll go crazy.
It's all I can do to keep the laundry clean and the dishes washed. Housework seems to have taken a back seat. When our landlord came over the other night to drop off the electricity bill, I apologized for the lack of organization in the house (it looked like the toy box had wandered into the living/ dining room area and puked up every single toy inside). He took a look around and said, "You have two kids? It looks more like four live here." To which I replied something about my son being as time-consuming as three regular children, but seriously, I wanted to slap him. Such a typical male response. I'd like to see how HE would do alone with my kids for a week. Probably run off, screaming or babbling incoherently. And I know the house wouldn't be clean.
Hubby has been very sweet, calling every day (or every other day) to check on me and make sure I have at least a little adult conversation in a 24 hour period. And several of my friends have come over to check on me, take me grocery shopping, or invite me over for dinner. Some days are fine, others I just miss hubby terribly. One of my friends e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago with some great suggestions for helping the kids get through this (and me too)! I've already started using several of them.
My son has stepped up and helped (a little). I mean, he's only four years old, so I can't expect too much out of him. But he is trying. My only consolation with this whole arrangement is that it's temporary; this time next week, we will be in an airplane, traveling across the Atlantic to see my parents. At which point I won't be alone in this whole thing.
So, I think we can make it one more week. I'm ready for a little bit of pampering after all of this :-)
It's all I can do to keep the laundry clean and the dishes washed. Housework seems to have taken a back seat. When our landlord came over the other night to drop off the electricity bill, I apologized for the lack of organization in the house (it looked like the toy box had wandered into the living/ dining room area and puked up every single toy inside). He took a look around and said, "You have two kids? It looks more like four live here." To which I replied something about my son being as time-consuming as three regular children, but seriously, I wanted to slap him. Such a typical male response. I'd like to see how HE would do alone with my kids for a week. Probably run off, screaming or babbling incoherently. And I know the house wouldn't be clean.
Hubby has been very sweet, calling every day (or every other day) to check on me and make sure I have at least a little adult conversation in a 24 hour period. And several of my friends have come over to check on me, take me grocery shopping, or invite me over for dinner. Some days are fine, others I just miss hubby terribly. One of my friends e-mailed me a couple of weeks ago with some great suggestions for helping the kids get through this (and me too)! I've already started using several of them.
My son has stepped up and helped (a little). I mean, he's only four years old, so I can't expect too much out of him. But he is trying. My only consolation with this whole arrangement is that it's temporary; this time next week, we will be in an airplane, traveling across the Atlantic to see my parents. At which point I won't be alone in this whole thing.
So, I think we can make it one more week. I'm ready for a little bit of pampering after all of this :-)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Trapped!
Well, our family usually has about one adventure a week, just to keep things interesting around here. Ours came about early this week, on Monday evening to be exact, and it was a doozy. Since hubby is away, one of my friends invited me over for dinner and conversation. She has two children, ages 9 and 7, but despite the age gap, they play really well with my son. It's nice to have friends who are native English speakers here :-)
Things started off well; the kids played together upstairs while Gail and I prepared dinner and chatted. We ate dinner without any mishaps, then the children went back upstairs to play for a while. All of a sudden, we hear pounding on one of the doors upstairs and the kids are yelling. The 9 year-old comes running downstairs to tell us that his sister and my son were locked in the utility closet and couldn't get it open. Gail and I rush up the stairs and begin to try to open the door. We tried everything -- keys, screwdrivers, credit cards; we even tried removing the handle from the door, because by this time, it was obvious that the handle mechanism was broken. The utility closet is located on the third floor of the house, and there was no way for us to get in from the window. So, next came the more drastic measure of attempting to kick the door down. Nothing worked. After about half an hour, we realized there was only one solution left -- call the fire department.
Gail calls the fire department and explains the situation (in Hebrew) while I'm upstairs trying to keep the kids calm. We wait around for about 10 or 15 minutes, then get a call from the FD saying that can't find the house. So, Gail runs down the street to direct them to the house. Meanwhile, my daughter is crawling around, slips, bangs her head on the floor and bites her tongue, causing blood to drip out all over the place. I go downstairs to wash her up, which is when Gail arrives with the fireman and a local police officer. Apparently, because of her narrow street, the firetruck was unable to get to the house. At the same time, her mother-in-law arrives, freaks out and starts asking rapid-fire questions in Arabic while Gail is trying to talk to the fireman in Hebrew. Fireman goes upstairs, asks Gail if she has a key (DUH! WE TRIED THAT ALREADY!), and then asks permission to break the door down. After kicking the door about 15 times, it finally busts open and the kids rush out.
As we all go downstairs, thankful that this is over, the fireman gets Gail's information. Gail's mother-in-law is STILL asking about a bazillion questions (which I'm trying to answer), and as soon as the fireman leaves, Gail lets loose on her. And frankly, I don't blame her for being angry. Between the kids being naughty, her MIL's nervous state, and the damaged door, I think she had enough! I packed up the kids and she drove us home. And once I got the kids in bed, I poured myself a (large) glass of wine and sat down with a book. I needed some time to unwind.
Things started off well; the kids played together upstairs while Gail and I prepared dinner and chatted. We ate dinner without any mishaps, then the children went back upstairs to play for a while. All of a sudden, we hear pounding on one of the doors upstairs and the kids are yelling. The 9 year-old comes running downstairs to tell us that his sister and my son were locked in the utility closet and couldn't get it open. Gail and I rush up the stairs and begin to try to open the door. We tried everything -- keys, screwdrivers, credit cards; we even tried removing the handle from the door, because by this time, it was obvious that the handle mechanism was broken. The utility closet is located on the third floor of the house, and there was no way for us to get in from the window. So, next came the more drastic measure of attempting to kick the door down. Nothing worked. After about half an hour, we realized there was only one solution left -- call the fire department.
Gail calls the fire department and explains the situation (in Hebrew) while I'm upstairs trying to keep the kids calm. We wait around for about 10 or 15 minutes, then get a call from the FD saying that can't find the house. So, Gail runs down the street to direct them to the house. Meanwhile, my daughter is crawling around, slips, bangs her head on the floor and bites her tongue, causing blood to drip out all over the place. I go downstairs to wash her up, which is when Gail arrives with the fireman and a local police officer. Apparently, because of her narrow street, the firetruck was unable to get to the house. At the same time, her mother-in-law arrives, freaks out and starts asking rapid-fire questions in Arabic while Gail is trying to talk to the fireman in Hebrew. Fireman goes upstairs, asks Gail if she has a key (DUH! WE TRIED THAT ALREADY!), and then asks permission to break the door down. After kicking the door about 15 times, it finally busts open and the kids rush out.
As we all go downstairs, thankful that this is over, the fireman gets Gail's information. Gail's mother-in-law is STILL asking about a bazillion questions (which I'm trying to answer), and as soon as the fireman leaves, Gail lets loose on her. And frankly, I don't blame her for being angry. Between the kids being naughty, her MIL's nervous state, and the damaged door, I think she had enough! I packed up the kids and she drove us home. And once I got the kids in bed, I poured myself a (large) glass of wine and sat down with a book. I needed some time to unwind.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Happy Birthday Culacha!
My wonderful baby girl just had her first birthday today.
We actually celebrated a couple of days ago, right before hubby left for Scotland. She loved her cake (no surprise there -- who doesn't like cake???).
She has taken her first steps but is not all that into walking; she prefers cruising along the floor at lightning speeds, making a beeline for her brother's room (and toys) while he's not looking. Amelia is a master of climbing stairs (but not descending them). She doesn't really talk all that much, but I think that's mostly because she has a four year-old brother who can do all the talking for her. She does like to sign "milk" "eat," and I think pointing to the TV and screaming indicates she wants a Baby Einstein movie. She loves animals and music and dancing, common things for a girl her age, and (like all good members of both sides of our family) is a fan of steak and potatoes.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Strange sleeping habits
My son (who is a quirky four year old) has decided that he doesn't want to sleep in his bed anymore. He doesn't want to sleep in our bed either. He sleeps on the floor. Our hard, cement-tiled floor. EVERY NIGHT. I don't know how he does it b/c the floor is incredibly uncomfortable, but hey, like I said, he's four years old. I try to remember to put down a blanket for him, but sometimes I forget. Last night, I caught him sleeping like this:
Not really sure why he sleeps with his feet up in the air, but I guess it works for him. Hubby says he used to sleep on the floor when he was little, so maybe it's hereditary.
And here's another one (I also think this is hereditary because both his father and his abuela sleep with pillows over their heads):
And in case you're wondering why he's not sleeping on the floor, it's because we were in a hotel, and this was a sleeper sofa. I guess the rules are different when you're on vacation.
Not really sure why he sleeps with his feet up in the air, but I guess it works for him. Hubby says he used to sleep on the floor when he was little, so maybe it's hereditary.
And here's another one (I also think this is hereditary because both his father and his abuela sleep with pillows over their heads):
And in case you're wondering why he's not sleeping on the floor, it's because we were in a hotel, and this was a sleeper sofa. I guess the rules are different when you're on vacation.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Our trip to the beach
On Monday, we headed to the beach for some much-needed R&R. We've stayed in Nazareth pretty much the entire summer, with a couple of day trips here or there. Since we don't have a car, we don't get out often! And as hubby is going off to Scotland in a week, we wanted to have a family vacation before we are parted for the next three months.
Eilat is a city on the southernmost tip of Israel on the Red Sea. It is quite a drive from Nazareth (it took us about 6 1/2 hours to get there, 5 1/2 to get back), but we really wanted to check out the city and see what it was like. We had planned to leave early on Monday morning, but several issues came up that prevented us from leaving before noon. Oh well. Then, we got lost in a little town south of Nazareth. We just couldn't find the turn-off to the highway we needed, so we drove around the (small) city of Afula for a good 40 minutes before finding the correct route (things are not always marked as well as they should be).
When we finally arrived in Eilat, it was pretty late, about 7:30. The kids were restless, but fortunately we found our hotel without much trouble. We got to the gate, only to discover that there is NO ONE at the reception desk to give us the key to our place or even open the gate. There is a telephone number posted at the door, so hubby tries calling it. He gets a message in Hebrew, but no answer, so he assumes the guy isn't answering his phone. At this point, we're all pretty frustrated!
Eventually, we find someone to check us in and he makes all sorts of excuses, but we really don't care. We just want to get to our room, turn on the A/C, and get the kids in bed. Within an hour, the lights are off and all of us are asleep.
The next few days were much better! We went swimming almost every day in the pool, plus an excursion to the beach, the mall, and the aquarium. The kids (especially Culacha) really liked that last bit! Hubby and I both enjoyed the restaurants. The cuisine in Nazareth, while quite delicious, is not very interesting. So going to a steakhouse one night and a tapas bar the next was quite a treat!
Aside from some, uh, hiccups with the hotel, we had a blast. Here are a few pictures of our time there:
Eilat is a city on the southernmost tip of Israel on the Red Sea. It is quite a drive from Nazareth (it took us about 6 1/2 hours to get there, 5 1/2 to get back), but we really wanted to check out the city and see what it was like. We had planned to leave early on Monday morning, but several issues came up that prevented us from leaving before noon. Oh well. Then, we got lost in a little town south of Nazareth. We just couldn't find the turn-off to the highway we needed, so we drove around the (small) city of Afula for a good 40 minutes before finding the correct route (things are not always marked as well as they should be).
When we finally arrived in Eilat, it was pretty late, about 7:30. The kids were restless, but fortunately we found our hotel without much trouble. We got to the gate, only to discover that there is NO ONE at the reception desk to give us the key to our place or even open the gate. There is a telephone number posted at the door, so hubby tries calling it. He gets a message in Hebrew, but no answer, so he assumes the guy isn't answering his phone. At this point, we're all pretty frustrated!
Eventually, we find someone to check us in and he makes all sorts of excuses, but we really don't care. We just want to get to our room, turn on the A/C, and get the kids in bed. Within an hour, the lights are off and all of us are asleep.
The next few days were much better! We went swimming almost every day in the pool, plus an excursion to the beach, the mall, and the aquarium. The kids (especially Culacha) really liked that last bit! Hubby and I both enjoyed the restaurants. The cuisine in Nazareth, while quite delicious, is not very interesting. So going to a steakhouse one night and a tapas bar the next was quite a treat!
Aside from some, uh, hiccups with the hotel, we had a blast. Here are a few pictures of our time there:
Friday, August 22, 2008
Do I look like a gay mom?
My friend (I'll call her Phyllis) and I had quite an adventure yesterday. She has two boys (ages 2 and 6 months), and we decided to take the children to a park a ways outside of Nazareth. It's been really hot lately, but yesterday... well, it wasn't cool, but it was cooler and overcast, so at least the sun wasn't out!
Well, we arrive at the park and there are just swarms of young men, grouped into teams (designated by different colored t-shirts) and doing various drills. Many of them had AK-47s strapped to their bodies, and a couple of IDF soldiers were standing guard at the entrance. Apparently we walked in on an IDF training session for young Israelis! There were other kids playing at the park, however, and the boys were practicing in a field away from the playground equipment, so Phyllis and I decided that we could still take the kids for some fun. They had a blast for about an hour, climbing on the "spiderwebs" and playing on the slide. After that, we saw all the young men (as well as a few women) running up to play area. I guess their drill time was finished so imagine, if you will, about 200 young men in this little park area designed for eight year-olds. Yeah. Phyllis and I look at each other and say, "I think it's time to pack up." My son, by this time, has noticed that some of the soldiers are wearing guns, and, like most four year-old boys, he has a fascination with these charming pieces of equipment. He starts to walk up to one of the soldiers, but I, with my cat-like mommy reflexes, sprint to the opposite end of the playground and grab my son before he inadvertently does any damage. We hurriedly pack our bags, get the kids organized, and leave the park before our children get lost in a sea of young men (BTW, neither my son nor her eldest speak a lick of Hebrew).
Since our play date was cut shorter than anticipated, we decide to go to a coffee shop for drinks. As we're getting our kids situated (4, 2, 1, and 6 mos), one of the bussers comes up and starts helping us with high chairs, cleaning off the table, etc. She turns to Phyllis and says in her broken English, "She is the mom and you are the gay mom?" Now Phyllis, who is infinitely British, smiles and says, "no, we're just friends." (I think this lady was a little embarrassed at this point) As soon as the lady walks away, Phyllis exclaims, "I know I look a little rough today with no makeup and my face all flushed, but do I look like a gay mom??!!" At which point we start giggling hysterically. You know you're not in Nazareth when someone just walks up and asks you if you're gay!
All in all, we had lots of fun, despite the whole army training thing and the chaos of that many young kids all together. I would have posted pictures, but I figured the IDF would not look kindly upon me taking pictures of their training :-)
P.S. Just to clarify, the soldiers were not practicing with the guns at the playground. That would've sent Phyllis and me running for the car before our kids' feet hit the playground!
Well, we arrive at the park and there are just swarms of young men, grouped into teams (designated by different colored t-shirts) and doing various drills. Many of them had AK-47s strapped to their bodies, and a couple of IDF soldiers were standing guard at the entrance. Apparently we walked in on an IDF training session for young Israelis! There were other kids playing at the park, however, and the boys were practicing in a field away from the playground equipment, so Phyllis and I decided that we could still take the kids for some fun. They had a blast for about an hour, climbing on the "spiderwebs" and playing on the slide. After that, we saw all the young men (as well as a few women) running up to play area. I guess their drill time was finished so imagine, if you will, about 200 young men in this little park area designed for eight year-olds. Yeah. Phyllis and I look at each other and say, "I think it's time to pack up." My son, by this time, has noticed that some of the soldiers are wearing guns, and, like most four year-old boys, he has a fascination with these charming pieces of equipment. He starts to walk up to one of the soldiers, but I, with my cat-like mommy reflexes, sprint to the opposite end of the playground and grab my son before he inadvertently does any damage. We hurriedly pack our bags, get the kids organized, and leave the park before our children get lost in a sea of young men (BTW, neither my son nor her eldest speak a lick of Hebrew).
Since our play date was cut shorter than anticipated, we decide to go to a coffee shop for drinks. As we're getting our kids situated (4, 2, 1, and 6 mos), one of the bussers comes up and starts helping us with high chairs, cleaning off the table, etc. She turns to Phyllis and says in her broken English, "She is the mom and you are the gay mom?" Now Phyllis, who is infinitely British, smiles and says, "no, we're just friends." (I think this lady was a little embarrassed at this point) As soon as the lady walks away, Phyllis exclaims, "I know I look a little rough today with no makeup and my face all flushed, but do I look like a gay mom??!!" At which point we start giggling hysterically. You know you're not in Nazareth when someone just walks up and asks you if you're gay!
All in all, we had lots of fun, despite the whole army training thing and the chaos of that many young kids all together. I would have posted pictures, but I figured the IDF would not look kindly upon me taking pictures of their training :-)
P.S. Just to clarify, the soldiers were not practicing with the guns at the playground. That would've sent Phyllis and me running for the car before our kids' feet hit the playground!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Can I just vent for a while?
I don't know what's gotten into our son.
Usually, he's a pretty well behaved (but active) four year-old. He's thoughtful, funny and imaginative. But for the past two days something has possessed him to pull some of the dumbest stunts imaginable. My son has always been a bit of a daredevil, which is really fun when you go to places like Sea World or Six Flags and he wants to ride the roller coasters with you. Not so good when you're inside the house.
Yesterday he was in the living room watching a movie while I was cooking dinner in the kitchen. Hubby went to the living room to check on him, and I heard him shout "DAVID!!! NO!" I ran to the living room and saw him pulling our son off the window he WAS HANGING OUT OF. Now, since we are on the third story of a building, it would be quite a fall had he tipped out; I can only imagine what sort of horrible things could've happened to him if he fell. I couldn't believe he had unlocked the window and started to climb out. Apparently he had been talking to the kids outside, but going out on the balcony to talk to them would have been too safe. No, he had to hang out the window.
Now here's the clincher -- he proceeded to do this TWO MORE TIMES until bedtime, both in his room. I felt like strangling him by bedtime.
Then, this morning, while I was in the shower (with Culacha asleep in our bedroom), he started pounding on the door and talking to me, but I couldn't understand him. I told him to go to his room and wait until I was finished, and then I would help him with what he needed. Two minutes later, I hear a terrible CRASH!! Oh, dear God, what happened now???
Once I found the source of the noise (the kitchen), my jaw dropped. The WHOLE panel of the refrigerator door (where you store things like milk and eggs and jars) had fallen to the floor, including the eggs (which had smashed), a jar of caramel (shattered), and a couple boxes of juice (which spilled on the floor but didn't break, since they were cardboard). I lost my temper (which I hate). I can think of about 3 or 4 times that I've actually yelled at my son -- this makes number five I suppose. My throat is actually sore from the strain. It's like he's been sitting in his room, devising ways to infuriate me (or kill himself?), for the past two days. I love having my kids at home (most of the time), but today, I feel like I've had enough.
Not really sure what's driving him to act like this. Lack of playmates? Jealousy? Boredom? I've ruled out jealousy because both my husband and I are intentional about giving him playtime w/o his sister; if anything, I've started spending LESS time w/ my daughter since I've started weaning her.
Solutions, anyone??? I'm at a loss here.
Usually, he's a pretty well behaved (but active) four year-old. He's thoughtful, funny and imaginative. But for the past two days something has possessed him to pull some of the dumbest stunts imaginable. My son has always been a bit of a daredevil, which is really fun when you go to places like Sea World or Six Flags and he wants to ride the roller coasters with you. Not so good when you're inside the house.
Yesterday he was in the living room watching a movie while I was cooking dinner in the kitchen. Hubby went to the living room to check on him, and I heard him shout "DAVID!!! NO!" I ran to the living room and saw him pulling our son off the window he WAS HANGING OUT OF. Now, since we are on the third story of a building, it would be quite a fall had he tipped out; I can only imagine what sort of horrible things could've happened to him if he fell. I couldn't believe he had unlocked the window and started to climb out. Apparently he had been talking to the kids outside, but going out on the balcony to talk to them would have been too safe. No, he had to hang out the window.
Now here's the clincher -- he proceeded to do this TWO MORE TIMES until bedtime, both in his room. I felt like strangling him by bedtime.
Then, this morning, while I was in the shower (with Culacha asleep in our bedroom), he started pounding on the door and talking to me, but I couldn't understand him. I told him to go to his room and wait until I was finished, and then I would help him with what he needed. Two minutes later, I hear a terrible CRASH!! Oh, dear God, what happened now???
Once I found the source of the noise (the kitchen), my jaw dropped. The WHOLE panel of the refrigerator door (where you store things like milk and eggs and jars) had fallen to the floor, including the eggs (which had smashed), a jar of caramel (shattered), and a couple boxes of juice (which spilled on the floor but didn't break, since they were cardboard). I lost my temper (which I hate). I can think of about 3 or 4 times that I've actually yelled at my son -- this makes number five I suppose. My throat is actually sore from the strain. It's like he's been sitting in his room, devising ways to infuriate me (or kill himself?), for the past two days. I love having my kids at home (most of the time), but today, I feel like I've had enough.
Not really sure what's driving him to act like this. Lack of playmates? Jealousy? Boredom? I've ruled out jealousy because both my husband and I are intentional about giving him playtime w/o his sister; if anything, I've started spending LESS time w/ my daughter since I've started weaning her.
Solutions, anyone??? I'm at a loss here.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Saturday at the book club
So, for the past few months (since moving to Israel), I have had a wonderful time meeting with a group of ladies (a mixture of Americans and people from the UK) for book club. We meet about once every six weeks and often read literature that I would never consider reading on my own. But with a book club, it makes it a lot more interesting. Last time was Brideshead Revisited, and English classic, and this time around we read The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan. It is a (non-fiction) story of an Arab family who lost their home in 1948 (when thousands of Palestinians fled, evacuated, or were forced from their homes) to a Bulgarian Jewish family, and their unusual friendship that develops from the Six Day War in 1967 until 2004.
Half of the women in our book club are married to Israeli Arabs, so it's very interesting to here their perspective on things. And one of them was raised in an incredibly pro-Zionist family, so she had grown up with idea that the Jews had a sort of "Right to Return" to their Promised Land ("A people without land to a land without people," as the saying goes). Now, as a woman married to an Arab man, her viewpoint on the Arab-Israeli conflict has been tempered somewhat. Needless to say, with such a hot topic in this part of the world, there was some fantastic discussion and all of us were moved by the story.
And here's two of our little ones playing after discussion. Amelia is so enamoured with him!
So, if you get a chance, I would recommend the book. I think the author does a pretty good job of writing as objectively as possible, but it's hard to come into this conflict without a prejudice toward one side or the other.
Half of the women in our book club are married to Israeli Arabs, so it's very interesting to here their perspective on things. And one of them was raised in an incredibly pro-Zionist family, so she had grown up with idea that the Jews had a sort of "Right to Return" to their Promised Land ("A people without land to a land without people," as the saying goes). Now, as a woman married to an Arab man, her viewpoint on the Arab-Israeli conflict has been tempered somewhat. Needless to say, with such a hot topic in this part of the world, there was some fantastic discussion and all of us were moved by the story.
And here's two of our little ones playing after discussion. Amelia is so enamoured with him!
So, if you get a chance, I would recommend the book. I think the author does a pretty good job of writing as objectively as possible, but it's hard to come into this conflict without a prejudice toward one side or the other.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Choked up over Children's Lit
Sometimes there are certain books that we read to our kids that get me a little teary-eyed. The stories are sweet, the message is profoundly mature, or I'm just really tired because I've been up since 5 am and by the end of the day, just about anything will set the waterworks off.
So, here are three stories that my son frequently asks for, and I plow through them, desperately trying to keep the lump in my throat from constricting my voice or the tears from streaming down my cheeks. As long as he doesn't want to read all THREE at the same time, I usually do OK.
1. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown: About a mommy and her baby bunny. The baby wants to run away from home (why? did she make him eat the greens before getting the clover blossoms?), but the mommy says, Wherever you go, I will follow you there, for you are my little bunny. Despite the little bunny's constant rebellion, the mother bunny's love remains steadfast.
2. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: Do I even need to explain why this one makes the list? The part that gets me is at the end, when the tree has nothing left to give the boy, and she apologizes. The boy never says thank you throughout the entire book, but the tree constantly is thinking about the boy's welfare and what's best for him, never for herself.
3. I'll Love You Forever by Robert Munsch: Again, about a mother's steadfast love for her son. There was a time when I really identified with this part of the book:
But at night she would still sing her song: I'll love you forever/I'll like you for always/As long as I'm living my baby you'll be
What books do you read to your children that are potential tear jerkers? Are there any that you refuse to read because you can't make it through the book with dry eyes?
So, here are three stories that my son frequently asks for, and I plow through them, desperately trying to keep the lump in my throat from constricting my voice or the tears from streaming down my cheeks. As long as he doesn't want to read all THREE at the same time, I usually do OK.
1. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown: About a mommy and her baby bunny. The baby wants to run away from home (why? did she make him eat the greens before getting the clover blossoms?), but the mommy says, Wherever you go, I will follow you there, for you are my little bunny. Despite the little bunny's constant rebellion, the mother bunny's love remains steadfast.
2. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: Do I even need to explain why this one makes the list? The part that gets me is at the end, when the tree has nothing left to give the boy, and she apologizes. The boy never says thank you throughout the entire book, but the tree constantly is thinking about the boy's welfare and what's best for him, never for herself.
3. I'll Love You Forever by Robert Munsch: Again, about a mother's steadfast love for her son. There was a time when I really identified with this part of the book:The little boy grew... until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off of the shelves. He pulled all the food out the refrigerator, and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes the mother would say, "THIS KID IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!"
But at night she would still sing her song: I'll love you forever/I'll like you for always/As long as I'm living my baby you'll be
What books do you read to your children that are potential tear jerkers? Are there any that you refuse to read because you can't make it through the book with dry eyes?
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
August already?
Ah, how the summer flies by. It's been a fun summer actually; here are some of our highlights:
1. Visitors!!! We had my mom and grandma here, as well as a couple of friends come and stay with us this summer. We all had a great time playing tourist (there are still so many places we haven't seen) and enjoying each other's company. We love visitors, so anyone who makes it this way is welcome to stay with us.
Poolside fun: Our neighbors downstairs have a small pool, and one of my good friends has a pool membership, so we did get to do a fair amount of swimming this summer. Also, we made a trip to the beach. Always a great activity.
Watching our kids grow: Sometimes you don't realize how much they mature in such a short time, especially when you see them everyday.
This month, not much planned. Next month, we have a small family vacation to the beach, followed by my husband leaving for Scotland and then we are off to the States!
1. Visitors!!! We had my mom and grandma here, as well as a couple of friends come and stay with us this summer. We all had a great time playing tourist (there are still so many places we haven't seen) and enjoying each other's company. We love visitors, so anyone who makes it this way is welcome to stay with us.
Poolside fun: Our neighbors downstairs have a small pool, and one of my good friends has a pool membership, so we did get to do a fair amount of swimming this summer. Also, we made a trip to the beach. Always a great activity.
Watching our kids grow: Sometimes you don't realize how much they mature in such a short time, especially when you see them everyday.
This month, not much planned. Next month, we have a small family vacation to the beach, followed by my husband leaving for Scotland and then we are off to the States!
Friday, July 25, 2008
She's pretty sneaky
My son, who has recently gotten over his musical instrument obsession, has moved on to robots over the past couple of months. Part of that is due to my mother-in-law getting him transformers for his birthday, in addition to the movie Robots. This kid will just sit around for an hour (sometimes more) and transform them into cars, then back to robots. Usually he has a little adventure set up for them as well (hubby's been teaching him how to do that).
The problem is, Culacha has developed a taste for these fascinating toys as well. Literally. She loves chewing on them. These new transformers have limbs that detach (and re-attach) easily, which poses a choking hazard for her. I've been trying to get my son to either keep them in his room or on the table, up high where she can't reach. He's been pretty good about this because he's VERY protective of these particular toys, but today, she sneaked into her brother's room and I caught her doing this:
Ok, wait for it...
Mmmm, delicious! Who doesn't like eating Transformers for breakfast?
The problem is, Culacha has developed a taste for these fascinating toys as well. Literally. She loves chewing on them. These new transformers have limbs that detach (and re-attach) easily, which poses a choking hazard for her. I've been trying to get my son to either keep them in his room or on the table, up high where she can't reach. He's been pretty good about this because he's VERY protective of these particular toys, but today, she sneaked into her brother's room and I caught her doing this:
Ok, wait for it...
Mmmm, delicious! Who doesn't like eating Transformers for breakfast?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Great book
I know that most people who come across this blog are also readers of The Mom Crowd, but for those of you who aren't, one of my friends posted an article about a book that she read (and a documentary she watched) that tackles issues boys face. Please check out her post if you are a mom with boys! Here is the link.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
New haircut
So, here's the "before":
And the "after":
Well, what do you think?
Good news: It's short and perfect for summer
Bad news: I'm going to have to actually style it if I want it to look nice.
And the "after":
Well, what do you think?
Good news: It's short and perfect for summer
Bad news: I'm going to have to actually style it if I want it to look nice.
Friday, June 27, 2008
End of school
So, today is the last day of school for all the local children (I know, can you believe they go until the end of June??!!). We live really close to one of the private schools, and I must say, I'm going to miss the music in the morning (they play a worship song or hymn to start school, along with music in between classes as opposed to bells or buzzers). Also, since this is "wedding season," we can expect seeing fireworks at all hours of the night (and sometimes even during the day!), along with loud Arab pop music. Given the "loudness" factor of the summer, I'm not sure how to work the kid's sleeping schedule. Most kids stay up pretty late (midnight or thereabouts), but they also sleep in, which my son refuses to do. I can put him to bed at 7, he wakes up at 6. I put him to bed at 9 or 10, and he MIGHT sleep til 7, if I'm lucky. It's the sun, I'm convinced; it rises about 5:30 or 6:00, and as soon as he sees that light peeking through the window, he's ready to go.
Why, you ask, do I not shut the windows and pull down the blinds? Because it's so stinkin' hot right now. Keeping the windows open at night is the only way to ensure a cool house for the next day. Hubby is making a call to the A/C people today, so hopefully we can get that fixed. The evening is actually quite pleasant, but the house gets really hot from about 3:00 until sundown (7 or 8). I'm spoiled from living in the States, I know, but it's only going to get worse as the summer progresses, and by the end of July it'll be so hot at night that we won't be able to sleep.
So, hubby is back from Jerusalem (yea!) and is back to work (boo!). Hopefully he won't have any more travel until the fall when he leaves for Scotland.
Why, you ask, do I not shut the windows and pull down the blinds? Because it's so stinkin' hot right now. Keeping the windows open at night is the only way to ensure a cool house for the next day. Hubby is making a call to the A/C people today, so hopefully we can get that fixed. The evening is actually quite pleasant, but the house gets really hot from about 3:00 until sundown (7 or 8). I'm spoiled from living in the States, I know, but it's only going to get worse as the summer progresses, and by the end of July it'll be so hot at night that we won't be able to sleep.
So, hubby is back from Jerusalem (yea!) and is back to work (boo!). Hopefully he won't have any more travel until the fall when he leaves for Scotland.
Monday, June 23, 2008
The kids
No one really wants to hear from me; I know you're all here to see cute kid pics. So, as I must appease my massive fan base (hee hee), here they are. Culacha is nine months now, finally has her first tooth, crawls all over the place and likes to stand up; very similar to her brother. However, she's not walking yet (he was by this time).
Hoopie-choo just turned four a couple of weeks ago.
And here's one of the two of them together.
Great kids, I love 'em.
Hoopie-choo just turned four a couple of weeks ago.
And here's one of the two of them together.
Great kids, I love 'em.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Plans for the fall
Last night I was rummaging around various websites to look at airline deals to the States (a favorite pastime of mine). Hubby's going to Scotland in the fall and I just didn't feel comfortable staying here all alone the whole 3 months, with no mode of transportation, and a Culacha and Hoopie-choo in tow. I had a taste of that while he was gone for a week, and while it wasn't bad, I could imagine nearly losing my mind after doing it for 12 weeks.
My frustration started when I went to book the tickets I had originally looked at while my mom was here, only to find out they had gone up another $500 for the three of us! I couldn't believe it. How were we going to get to the States now? My parents had offered to help pay for tickets, but it just seemed like so much money for such a short time. I prayed. And started looking some more. I figured if we were going to spend the extra money, we might as well try to stay for more than a month (airlines will frequently give discounts for "restricted" tickets, which have a limit of 30 days for the trip). As I was perusing a website, I came across tickets to the States, for two months, one stopover in Europe (that was less than 3 hours), for the LESS THAN the tickets I had originally looked at a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say, I snatched it up.
I feel a lot better about this. One of my concerns going back to the States was financial, another had to do with schooling, but it looks like things worked out on both fronts. I can enroll Hoopie-choo in Pre-K in January with no problem. We will have to work a little bit harder with him on his Arabic though, and he'll probably need a tutor for his first year in kindergarten. But I feel peace about it from the Lord, which I didn't have before last night.
And we are so happy to have hubby back. Hoopie-choo spent the first day playing every conceivable game with him, from Travis the Train to Zogmort the Robot, and then Big Bad Plant (you'd have to be in our house to understand that. Sorry).
My frustration started when I went to book the tickets I had originally looked at while my mom was here, only to find out they had gone up another $500 for the three of us! I couldn't believe it. How were we going to get to the States now? My parents had offered to help pay for tickets, but it just seemed like so much money for such a short time. I prayed. And started looking some more. I figured if we were going to spend the extra money, we might as well try to stay for more than a month (airlines will frequently give discounts for "restricted" tickets, which have a limit of 30 days for the trip). As I was perusing a website, I came across tickets to the States, for two months, one stopover in Europe (that was less than 3 hours), for the LESS THAN the tickets I had originally looked at a couple of weeks ago. Needless to say, I snatched it up.
I feel a lot better about this. One of my concerns going back to the States was financial, another had to do with schooling, but it looks like things worked out on both fronts. I can enroll Hoopie-choo in Pre-K in January with no problem. We will have to work a little bit harder with him on his Arabic though, and he'll probably need a tutor for his first year in kindergarten. But I feel peace about it from the Lord, which I didn't have before last night.
And we are so happy to have hubby back. Hoopie-choo spent the first day playing every conceivable game with him, from Travis the Train to Zogmort the Robot, and then Big Bad Plant (you'd have to be in our house to understand that. Sorry).
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
What do you do while hubby is gone?
My husband's in the States for a conference this week, so it's just me and the kiddos. And let me tell you, it's hard to go from having 4 adults for 2 kids to one adult and same number of kids over the course of three days. However, we've actually been doing OK. My son asks me at least twice a day, "Where's daddy?" before he remembers where he is, and since the kids go to bed by 8, I'm a little lonely in the evenings. Our neighbors, however, have been a great help. They've offered us rides around town (since we have no car at this point) and watched my son while I take a nap with my daughter (which I need now, b/c I've discovered I don't sleep well w/o my husband).
I think this is a good "trial run" for the fall, when hubby goes to Scotland to start his PhD. My mother-in-law will come for a while in September (hopefully with her husband), and we'll make a trip to the States in October for a month to stay with family. I've toyed with the idea of staying longer, but I really want my son in pre-K here to prepare him for kindergarten. He needs to bring the Arabic up to speed, and what better way to do that than throwing him in a room full of other four year olds that don't speak a lick of English? (Oh boy, can't see that one blowing up in my face later on!)
BTW, hubby took the camera to the States, so no pics until he gets back. We miss you honey!!!
I think this is a good "trial run" for the fall, when hubby goes to Scotland to start his PhD. My mother-in-law will come for a while in September (hopefully with her husband), and we'll make a trip to the States in October for a month to stay with family. I've toyed with the idea of staying longer, but I really want my son in pre-K here to prepare him for kindergarten. He needs to bring the Arabic up to speed, and what better way to do that than throwing him in a room full of other four year olds that don't speak a lick of English? (Oh boy, can't see that one blowing up in my face later on!)
BTW, hubby took the camera to the States, so no pics until he gets back. We miss you honey!!!
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
My family's visit
I feel kind of lame that my mom and grandma were here in the Holy Land for two weeks, and all I did was post stuff about our new furniture. So, here are a couple pics from their visit. And remember, if any of my readers make it over here, ahlan wasahlan!
My son and I on the Sea of Galilee
Mount Tabor monastery, also known as the Mount of Transfiguration
Beautiful view from Mount Tabor
We had a wonderful time with my mom and grandma, playing tourist and also just having fun. Sometimes it's the little things you miss, like playing Cribbage in the evenings with my mom (which, for those of you who know what I'm talking about, on one occasion I had a 28 hand, my best EVER!). I hope to see them again in the fall, but for now I'll just have to enjoy my summer here without family.
My son and I on the Sea of Galilee
Mount Tabor monastery, also known as the Mount of Transfiguration
Beautiful view from Mount TaborWe had a wonderful time with my mom and grandma, playing tourist and also just having fun. Sometimes it's the little things you miss, like playing Cribbage in the evenings with my mom (which, for those of you who know what I'm talking about, on one occasion I had a 28 hand, my best EVER!). I hope to see them again in the fall, but for now I'll just have to enjoy my summer here without family.
Monday, June 2, 2008
New Furniture
Nothing makes a person feel more American than good ol' fashioned, manual labor. It's one of the things I like about IKEA -- I feel like I'm doing something, some kind of direct work, before I am able to use my own furniture. And I actually enjoy working with my hands. Both my parents are handy around the house, so I guess I inherited their love for piddling with stuff to make it work.
My mom and grandma have been here for the past week and a half, and they both recently indulged me with a trip to IKEA to get a dining table and chairs (as well as the random impulse buy stuff that's so hard to pass up. Dish towels? Four of them for super cheap! Why not?). I had looked at some furniture stores around my neighborhood, and while the quality was generally good, the CHAIRS were so expensive -- easily $100 a pop. They were also a little too ornate for my taste. I mean, they're obviously made for a formal dining room, but I have two young kids and no desire for fancy chairs. I'm just not that kind of person. I like things simple and neat. You can always dress it up later.
Anyway, we found a great table, perfect for our needs (and our space!), as well as some basic chairs. They delivered the merchandise to our house this afternoon and my mom and I spent some time putting everything together. Even my son jumped in a helped out a little!
Mom helping with the table
Amelia pitched in and helped with instructions
and then promptly started to eat them!
AND, for the grand finale! (drumroll please)
Ta-da! My mom and I worked on it all afternoon, and we got it done (there are also four chairs not shown in the picture that we moved to the kitchen)! Please note that my poor table will probably never look this nice again. It'll soon be filled with coloring books, keys, piles of Newsweek and mail, as well as other random stuff. but for now, it's our eating space, and it's making me feel just a little bit more at home.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for purchasing this lovely new table for us, as well as my aunt Patsy for donating money to buy 6 of our chairs. You guys are the best!
My mom and grandma have been here for the past week and a half, and they both recently indulged me with a trip to IKEA to get a dining table and chairs (as well as the random impulse buy stuff that's so hard to pass up. Dish towels? Four of them for super cheap! Why not?). I had looked at some furniture stores around my neighborhood, and while the quality was generally good, the CHAIRS were so expensive -- easily $100 a pop. They were also a little too ornate for my taste. I mean, they're obviously made for a formal dining room, but I have two young kids and no desire for fancy chairs. I'm just not that kind of person. I like things simple and neat. You can always dress it up later.
Anyway, we found a great table, perfect for our needs (and our space!), as well as some basic chairs. They delivered the merchandise to our house this afternoon and my mom and I spent some time putting everything together. Even my son jumped in a helped out a little!
Mom helping with the table
Amelia pitched in and helped with instructions
and then promptly started to eat them!
AND, for the grand finale! (drumroll please)
Ta-da! My mom and I worked on it all afternoon, and we got it done (there are also four chairs not shown in the picture that we moved to the kitchen)! Please note that my poor table will probably never look this nice again. It'll soon be filled with coloring books, keys, piles of Newsweek and mail, as well as other random stuff. but for now, it's our eating space, and it's making me feel just a little bit more at home.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my parents for purchasing this lovely new table for us, as well as my aunt Patsy for donating money to buy 6 of our chairs. You guys are the best!
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