Blessings

Well, we have been in our new home for almost a week—I can’t believe it!  I wake up every morning full of gratitude for our beautiful home, even if we still have very little furniture in it.  We affectionately call our new place “The Green House,” not because the outside paint is green, but because it was advertised that way, because it actually has a small yard with real grass, flowers, and even a few fruit trees!  This may seem crazy to some of you, but we have lived in desert conditions for the past two years with absolutely no green anywhere around our apartment—aside from one tree on the edge of the property that shed like crazy and smelled funny.  Each day, I have looked outside and wanted to cry with joy, because I have a deeper appreciation for such beauty after these previous two years.

Last night, when it was time to water the yard, we had the kids throw on their swimsuits and chase each other around with the hose on the grass, and I just sat there with a lump in my throat and the most heartfelt gratitude that this moment gets to be a part of their childhood, just as it was a part of mine and husband dear’s.  Every day, Imp goes out and collects hibiscus flowers and makes flower arrangements, and then she and eldest daughter come in with armfuls of lemons from the lemon tree (anybody got any good lemon recipes???).  We’ve seen more butterflies, and eldest son has spotted more new birds then I’ve remembered seeing for a long time; and our children have been outside playing more than they have in a long time.

I wax long on the outside, because it was the one thing that we all dreamed of, when we talked as a family about what we hoped to have in our new home—plants and flowers.  We prayed as a family; and now to see the answer, to get to experience it…and for our children to know and see their prayers were heard and abundantly answered—this is what overwhelms my heart with gratitude and joy.

There are many other blessings, I walk through every room in our new home and smile and say a prayer of thanks, because God heard our hearts and provided beyond what we asked just because He is so good, and we are so, so grateful.

In transition

It’s official, we are moving.  While we are really excited and ready for this move, we are also really tired.  House hunting four hours away from where we live presently, packing in one place, and trying to decide what furniture we will need to purchase in the new, all with three kiddos ever present in the mix and Ramadan fast approaching--well, it’s an experience alright. But, I will say our kids have been troopers as well.  We live in a hot, hot place so running into un-airconditioned, dusty, empty (although in some places we found dead birds and lizards to greet us), houses is really not anyone’s favorite, for the most part, our three adventurers have hung in there with us beautifully.  The end result (of the house hunting piece at least): we have found a place we really love and hope to be moving in within a week.   Can’t wait to write more and post pictures of our new place!

Five on the Fifth

I realize this is several days late, but alas, better late than never.  Our little Imp is a "five girl" now.  Which I think in Imp terms means you are entitled to celebrating your birthday by finishing up a the leftover ganache in the fridge (don't judge me, she's very persuasive that one).

Her actual birthday, had a more or less Minnie Mouse theme, but in typical Imp style she refused to smile for any of those pictures.  Not that she actually cares about Minnie Mouse or even watches any show with her in it, nevertheless she was very insistent that her birthday needed "Minnie Mouse" in it.

That girl!

Most of May Recap

I wish that somehow I could just stream my thoughts into blog entries, without the necessity of physically being in front of the computer, uninterrupted, to type them out--I promise, they would be far more abundant and interesting, or at least more abundant.
The month of May has been a bit of a mad dash, but with plenty of good bits to hold it together.  For my birthday, Husband Dear took me to see Iron Man 3 (my first feature length 3D film, I know I'm old) and to top it off, we were absolutely the only ones in the theater--I mean, where else could this happen on such a film's opening week?  I told Husband Dear that he gets points for having "reserved" the theater just for us. =)  Also, for Mother's Day we trekked to the beach one last time before the scorching days of summer arrived (update: they're here.).
Squeeze in classes and homework,day to day life and tasks, several bouts of various illnesses all around, computer chats with family, visits with locals, emails, preparing for homeschooling the children this fall, etc. etc. and you have May (so far).
Oh, and I almost forgot--I actually did get to do a little sewing--so overall, a very productive month (except if you saw my to-do list--then you'd know that I only crossed off the first two).
Oh well, there's still a few more days to May...

Rain

Where am I?

It has been raining here for days (I think four consecutive now) and I’m totally at a loss—I mean I haven’t seen this much rain, well, since I lived in another country.  And speaking of other countries, it’s crazy how many memories this present rain is bringing up for me, reminding me of all the places I’ve had a chance to visit or live.  Yesterday, I walked outside and the streets were wet and a light, chilly rain was falling, and more than that, you could smell it in the air, and all I could think of was Europe.  And I had to laugh because I remember complaining of how it always felt like the sky was eternally spitting on me when I lived in France, and now I laugh with sheer joy to feel such things.  And then I think of springtime in Georgia…and the daily afternoon rain shower in Florida and the wave of humidity that would bounce back up from the streets afterward.  I think of college days and rushing to class between deluges wearing my shiny red rain coat.  I remember holding my sleeping three year old, stuck to her rain poncho and me, under a tiny umbrella at Disney World.  I remember dates with Husband Dear and our wedding…it’s as if so much emotion is wrapped up and poured out through the sky and my heart.  How can I be anything but thankful for it all?

And this is what dedication looks like

For those of you OK with instant coffee, or who feel like the morning cup of coffee is kind of a take it or leave it proposition--this post is not for you.
But for those of you of who thank God every morning for that steaming cup of courage with which you begin your day; for those who believe and live on the principle that life is too short to drink bad coffee, well this post is for you.
Because you see, where there's a will there's a way, and we love and need good coffee THAT MUCH.
However, we quickly realized after moving here that we seem to live in the land of instant coffee.  Every single "coffee house" (and I use that term very, very loosely because we are NOT talking Starbucks or anything like that for sure) only serves Nescafe.  The aisles of the grocery stores are lined with it too; and then sometimes there are a few, real coffee selections, but very expensive and/or sketchy ones at that.
Enter, the internet, my trusty cast iron skillet, my love of beating the odds, and the local souk or market (which does sell unprocessed or green coffee beans--because maybe everybody else here roasts their own beans too?)  The ones who really enjoy coffee do--I've asked. =)
Step One:  Pour the green coffee beans into your hot skillet.

 

As you stir you'll see the color start to change from green, to yellow, to brown, to dark chocolate brown (my fave)   Getting there

 At last, can you see the smoke coming off of this?  You do need good ventilation to try this, or just really enjoy the lingering smell of roasting coffee.

And then you grind and brew and SMILE, because it is definitely worth it!

Goin' on a fossil hunt

Gonna catch a big one...
One of the advantages of living in our town is that we have direct access to some pretty cool fossils.  I kid you not, next to the desert and the mountains there is an area nicknamed "fossil valley" and it does not disappoint.  The area is completely open and you can take what you like, so we rambled around there a month or two ago and collected some small fossils to take home and wash.  Most of the fossils were types of shells (sometimes really big shells), although occasionally we found a little sea creature type of fossil or sometimes a snail and sometimes petrified wood--it was really cool,  and I think the kids were almost as excited as I was.  Nothing like some hands-on learning!