Saturday, March 19, 2011
a day off
with all that is going on here, we got to have a day off. We went for a day at the pool at one of the hotels here. It was so nice, but since our white bodies hadn't seen the sun in a long time, we all came home with sunburns! The water was way to cold for me, but the girls loved it, you would have thought we were going to Disney World as excited as the girls were for their one day at the pool. But sitting in the sun and having lunch by the pool was such a relaxing day. And just in time since Friday was the craziest it has been here.
silly girls
Ayden was pretending that she was running a doggy restaurant. Poor Miley, they put that puppy through a lot. Anyway she sat her up and then made her a table and then fed her one piece of dog food at a time. So funny!
Annie lynne has decided to become attached to a toy, she has had her favorites in the past but has never been so attached as she is now to "red rover." He is a hard plastic game that she got in Oct for her B-day, but has recently become very attached too. He sleeps with her, eats with her, goes on visits when she comes with me, if we leave the house rover is with us. Then the other day she decided it was rover's b-day so we had a piece of cake and sang happy birthday to a plastic dog who she decided turned 4. That girl is so crazy!
Since Rover had a party the next day Addie decided that it was "baby ashley's" b-day so we did the party thing all over again. This time we sang happy b-day in english and in arabic. the arabic b-day song is addie's favorite thing to sing. Think ashley turned 3 addie decided!
Annie lynne has decided to become attached to a toy, she has had her favorites in the past but has never been so attached as she is now to "red rover." He is a hard plastic game that she got in Oct for her B-day, but has recently become very attached too. He sleeps with her, eats with her, goes on visits when she comes with me, if we leave the house rover is with us. Then the other day she decided it was rover's b-day so we had a piece of cake and sang happy birthday to a plastic dog who she decided turned 4. That girl is so crazy!
Since Rover had a party the next day Addie decided that it was "baby ashley's" b-day so we did the party thing all over again. This time we sang happy b-day in english and in arabic. the arabic b-day song is addie's favorite thing to sing. Think ashley turned 3 addie decided!
the rain
It has been a while since the girls have seen water falling from the sky so they were so excited when we got a sprinkle the other day. So funny, by the time they got their jackets and boots on, it had quit raining, but then later it sprinkled again for a few minutes and they were ready. They played out there the whole 5 minutes it rained and it was the highlight of the day!!! And it was nice for us too, it knocked down some of the dust around here. Hopefully the rainy season isn't too far off.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
the girls
As I'm writing this I'm watching our girls spin each other in a chair, enjoying their laughs and kind of waiting for the tears when someone gets hurt! but seriously i'm so thankful for the relationships they have with each other. Some times i let the evil one make me feel guilty and tell me that I am doing something wrong by not letting my kids have a "normal" life, an american life. They don't have many friends their ages and the little ones are not around other kids everyday (ayden is at school, but then she can't hardly talk to them because of the lang. barrier). And sometimes i can find myself feeling bad for them, but them i'm reminded that we are where we are suppose to be and He is providing all my children's needs. How thankful I am that they are not just sisters, but they are best friends too. Annie lynne doesn't even call them her sisters, she always says where are my friends, or why are my friends doing that. I love that she calls her sisters her friends, and so thankful for the relationship they have with one another that they probably would not have if we were not here!
baby party
i'm learning so much about cultures and customs it is amazing to me!
In our city after you have a baby you sit for 40 days or so and people come everyday to your house to sit with you and drink tea. It is like a baby party everyday, except for the family who had the baby is responsible for hosting people everyday, serving tea and sometimes snacks. Then during those days there are special days where there is music and dancing and other things. The new mom gets very dressed up and wears a special head piece thing and it is all very interesting, but not something I would ever want to put myself through after having a baby. Of course when one of my neighbors found out I was pregnant she was very kind and offered for me to sit in her house for the 40 days for the party thing (i guess she thinks not many people would come to my house) I politely declined, and thought there is no way I can sit and entertain people for 40 days! So kind that she would offer but so funny. Guess one day after I'm recovered I will have to dress up and have a party for all my friends and neighbors. so funny how things are so different all over the world. However, I am all about sitting for 40 days and not having to clean or cook or do anything else ( ha ha).
but I was invited over one day to a friends house, and I hadn't seen this lady in months, so had no idea why she was inviting me.
when i got there it looked like a baby party, and of course i was underdressed, again! but i looked and saw no baby, but that is not uncommon either, a lot of times the baby is in another room, so i just sat and waited for someone to tell me what was going on. about 10 min. later my friend looked at me and said, "i had a baby three days ago and it died." I had no idea what to say to her, after telling her how sorry i was i sat astonished that i had been invited over to a house, where i hadn't seen the lady in months because her baby died. Me I would want to cry alone for days if that happened to me and a party would be the last thing on my mind, but it was what she was suppose to do. My heart was grieved for her, she sat in this room with many ladies laughing and telling stories, just like a baby party but with no baby. i later found out that many women still sit in there house for days and people come over, just like a baby party. How hard! When I would tell her how sorry i was she would just say "God is Good." And yes He is, but I do not think that means that we can't cry. I did find out later that many will not cry, especially not in front of people, because then it looks as if you do not believe God knows what is best for you. However, I did come home and cry for her, how hard, not being able to express any of your feeling!
sorry for the sad story, but thought it was important to share.
In our city after you have a baby you sit for 40 days or so and people come everyday to your house to sit with you and drink tea. It is like a baby party everyday, except for the family who had the baby is responsible for hosting people everyday, serving tea and sometimes snacks. Then during those days there are special days where there is music and dancing and other things. The new mom gets very dressed up and wears a special head piece thing and it is all very interesting, but not something I would ever want to put myself through after having a baby. Of course when one of my neighbors found out I was pregnant she was very kind and offered for me to sit in her house for the 40 days for the party thing (i guess she thinks not many people would come to my house) I politely declined, and thought there is no way I can sit and entertain people for 40 days! So kind that she would offer but so funny. Guess one day after I'm recovered I will have to dress up and have a party for all my friends and neighbors. so funny how things are so different all over the world. However, I am all about sitting for 40 days and not having to clean or cook or do anything else ( ha ha).
but I was invited over one day to a friends house, and I hadn't seen this lady in months, so had no idea why she was inviting me.
when i got there it looked like a baby party, and of course i was underdressed, again! but i looked and saw no baby, but that is not uncommon either, a lot of times the baby is in another room, so i just sat and waited for someone to tell me what was going on. about 10 min. later my friend looked at me and said, "i had a baby three days ago and it died." I had no idea what to say to her, after telling her how sorry i was i sat astonished that i had been invited over to a house, where i hadn't seen the lady in months because her baby died. Me I would want to cry alone for days if that happened to me and a party would be the last thing on my mind, but it was what she was suppose to do. My heart was grieved for her, she sat in this room with many ladies laughing and telling stories, just like a baby party but with no baby. i later found out that many women still sit in there house for days and people come over, just like a baby party. How hard! When I would tell her how sorry i was she would just say "God is Good." And yes He is, but I do not think that means that we can't cry. I did find out later that many will not cry, especially not in front of people, because then it looks as if you do not believe God knows what is best for you. However, I did come home and cry for her, how hard, not being able to express any of your feeling!
sorry for the sad story, but thought it was important to share.
valentines day
I have a friend that i have been to see a few times. She has sent her sons over to invite me to come and when I go there is always a party; so I have never really talked to her. Well I went to her sons b-day party (this is very unusual most of them do not even know when their b-days are and they do not have parties for them) the other day. She sent me home with all kinds of snacks so this week I filled her bowl back up with cookies and went to visit her, thinking I would finally get to sit down and talk with her. I went on Valentines Day which is not really celebrated here. So I was thinking it was a normal day at her house, I was wrong!!! I got there and she was all dressed up with lots of make-up and still getting ready. She sat me in the "living" room and then went and finished getting ready. They already had the loud music going so I knew she was having some kind of party, but no idea what. She came back in the room about 10 min. later and served me a drink and told me she was having a party, i asked for what and she said "holiday of love." I could not believe it, i think i asked her like 3 times thinking something was just wrong with my arabic, but that is what she said. I think the only people to celebrate the holiday in the country and it was her. So another party i sat through being completely underdressed and with no make-up. Before I left I asked for her phone number so i could call before i came back so i would know how to dress and she gave me the number and said "yes, next time you should wear some make-up!" She really is nice and a fun personality, and she much really love parties, but she was very honest in telling me I really should be wearing make-up, thanks a lot!!!
but even though i was not invited and was not dressed appropriately, her and her friends were very kind to me and served me many snacks and treated me very special. The women here are always so kind to me and welcome me and they are very gracious with me and all my mistakes in the language and the culture.
Of course, I just thought it was so funny that on "holiday of love" you spend it with your friends eating snacks and smoking shesha
not with your husbands, she told me her husband would not be home until really late. (i'm sure he had gone to a qat chew)
but even though i was not invited and was not dressed appropriately, her and her friends were very kind to me and served me many snacks and treated me very special. The women here are always so kind to me and welcome me and they are very gracious with me and all my mistakes in the language and the culture.
Of course, I just thought it was so funny that on "holiday of love" you spend it with your friends eating snacks and smoking shesha
not with your husbands, she told me her husband would not be home until really late. (i'm sure he had gone to a qat chew)
doctor visit today!
this is the first for us since arriving here, but figured if I was going to have a baby here I should eventually go. Kirk did successfully go to the dentist, so that was encouraging. He even had a root canal and survived it!!!! we were very excited!
Seriously, everything looks good with the baby. We have due date of July 3rd. Hoping to hold out to July 4th so it can share the same b-day with daddy, but probably by the end of June, I won't care anymore, i'll just be ready to have it!
The clinic looked clean and even though it wasn't Woman's Hospital, I think it will do to have a baby in. The doctor was nice and her English was good so we were glad about that and the room you deliver in looked pretty good. They do have some hospitals here but the clinic is really close to our house and not sure the hospitals have any more to offer. So different from my other 3 but the Father know so we are just trusting in Him!
Seriously, everything looks good with the baby. We have due date of July 3rd. Hoping to hold out to July 4th so it can share the same b-day with daddy, but probably by the end of June, I won't care anymore, i'll just be ready to have it!
The clinic looked clean and even though it wasn't Woman's Hospital, I think it will do to have a baby in. The doctor was nice and her English was good so we were glad about that and the room you deliver in looked pretty good. They do have some hospitals here but the clinic is really close to our house and not sure the hospitals have any more to offer. So different from my other 3 but the Father know so we are just trusting in Him!
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