Tribulation & Triumph

Attitude

2012-02-15T15:01:00.000+03:00

Somewhere along the way here we ended up with the book,"Just As I Am," which is Billy Graham's autobiography. I have been wanting to read it, but never got around to it. It is way too big to bring with us (735 pages to be exact!) since our packing space is limited, so I decided to tackle it in our last few weeks before we go. I guess in some weird place in my mind I thought I'd have free time...HA!

Anyway, last night I was reading about a time he was doing a crusade in India and he talks about how as he was shown to his quarters he was introduced to Nihuli, the man who would handle their baggage, make them tea, and do whatever else they needed. He even took their shoes to wipe the mud off of them. The next morning they went to an early morning Bible study attended by 100,000 people. And who was the leader of this Bible study? Nihuli.

Billy writes, "The man cleaning my shoes had just taught me a lesson on the servant attitude and spirit of ministering so often adopted by Christ himself. I have never forgotten it."

When we went to India in 2005, I was also struck by the servant attitude of those we worked with. One of our interpreters slept on the floor in front of the door where some of our students were sleeping to be there if they needed anything.

Lord, help me have this serving spirit and be able to model for my kids this kind of attitude!

Siblings

2012-02-11T16:10:00.002+03:00

I have all these grand ideas for cute sibling pictures in my head (most seen on Pinterest), but getting the kids all happy at the same time, sitting still for more than 2 seconds and then for us to actually be able to get the picture to look like what I want is quite a task!

We had a "photo shoot" this morning, and while we didn't get everything I wanted, we got a few keepers!

Passports

2012-02-05T15:13:00.000+03:00

Today we went to the US Embassy to report Camry's birth and apply for her passport. After we applied, we had to sit and wait to be called to another window to pay. It was fun hearing over the loudspeaker, "Camry Thompson, please come to window 6." Heehee.

I never imagined I'd have 3 babies overseas and have 3 little passports full of stamps (well...they're normal size, but they're just so cute with the baby pictures). Although many times it is tough moving around and traveling with little ones (we'll find out how tough it is with 3 very soon!) I wouldn't have it any other way. This is our life, and I love it!

Passport photos: Caedmon - 5 days old

Camille - 5 weeks old

Camry - 1 week old

Bathtime & Sisters

2012-02-01T23:11:00.000+03:00

Camry is 4 days old now and she is doing great! She sleeps a lot and I have a hard time waking her up to even eat! Caedmon and Camille love to hold her and kiss her. We gave her a little bath yesterday and she wasn't too happy about it!!

Here is Camille holding Camry for the first time.

I look forward to many more sister pictures in the future!!

Camry Ann

2012-01-30T21:20:00.003+03:00

Camry arrived Saturday January 28th at 12:20 pm. It's still hard to believe I have 3 babies!

I love my sweeties!!

Caedmon Camille Camry

39 Weeks

2012-01-26T21:54:00.000+03:00

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant. I just want to say that the last 2 to 3 weeks of pregnancy does NOT get easier the more times you do it! I know it will be over soon, but it is still so hard waiting and having false labor pains that don't get me any closer to having a baby! I'd like to think if I was in a normal situation I'd be a lot more patient about it, but who knows. We have to be out of our current temporary home by Feb 3 and into another temporary home, so that makes our schedule a little tricky. Originally we were going to wait until my due date, Feb 2, and induce if Camry hadn't come yet, but that will be hard if we have to move on the 3rd. And we can't wait until after because we need the time to get her paperwork and passport for travel. So, all that to say we aren't quite sure what we're doing yet. At my appointment yesterday I was dialated to 2, so we are hoping I'll go into labor on my own in the next couple of days. I keep having painful contractions, but nothing consistent, so who knows. Hopefully my next post will be filled with pictures of a beautiful little baby :-)

All Moved Out & Waiting for Baby!

2012-01-18T15:34:00.001+03:00

Well we have moved out of our apartment and have condensed our life down to about 8 suitcases. It's amazing how theraputic getting rid of stuff is! People have said to me, "Wow, it must be so hard and stressful to get rid of all your stuff!" But really, it hasn't been hard. Partly I think because of my laid back personality, but probably more so because of God's grace! We know he is leading us away from Jordan for a season, and He is giving us the ability to do so without feeling stressed or upset.

We are even getting to stay in a great place for the next two weeks. Some friends of ours work at the US embassy here, but they went on vacation, so we are staying in their (very nice) apartment and driving their car while they are gone! When they get back we'll move to a guest house for the rest of our time.

In baby news, I had my 38 week appointment today. She is on the smaller side compared to my other 2, around 6.2 pounds now, but she could still gain a pound or so over the next 2 weeks. I have been at the same weight for the past 6 weeks, I'm really not sure how because I'm trying to eat alot and have even started eating more sugar! But we are both healthy and so the doctor isn't worried, he just said keep eating. :-) He did check me today for dialation since I've had a few painful contractions here and there, but...nothing yet. I had been feeling super good up until about a week ago, and now I'm very uncomfortable and having back pain all the time. I'm thankful for the many weeks that I was feeling good, so now I just have to endure 2 more weeks at the most!

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
Matthew 6:19-21

New Year, New Do

2012-01-03T15:22:00.000+03:00

Well as usual we were total party animals on New Years Eve. We went to Chilis, came home, put the kids to bed at 8 and were in bed ourselves by 10.

We finally got around to giving Caedmon a haircut. We like it long, but it for sure needed trimming up. Matthew got to cutting and cut a little more than we originally wanted, but it's still cute, and of course...it will grow!

I think it makes him look younger now!

I had my 36 week appointment this morning and Camry is still looking great! She's a little less than 6 pounds. I'll see the doctor every week now, but we're pretty sure she will stay in there until her due date....my kids are like that : )

Christmas 2011

2011-12-26T15:46:00.001+03:00

We had a nice, simple family Christmas this year. Last year was a crazy whirlwind since my whole family was here visiting, so this year was quite a change for us! I woke up early to make some cranberry orange bread and cinnamon sugar muffins for a special breakfast. After we ate, we read the story of Jesus' birth from one of Caedmon's books, and then the kids opened their presents. They each had 3 gifts and a few more little things in their stockings. Although we have talked about Santa, and watched movies about him and done art projects about him, we don't make it a big deal, or leave cookies out and have special presents that he's left under the tree. I know there are so many opinions about what to do with Santa, but for our family we have decided to make him a pretend character from the beginning.

My darlings before our Christmas Eve service at church.

Merry Christmas!!

Don't Write it in Pen!

2011-12-23T23:06:00.000+03:00

Well, once again our lives are being shaken up and our plans are being changed! The short version is that when we come home this spring, we will be staying for an extended time to join up with a new organization and take some training classes. So, instead of worrying about leaving our apartment, car, and stuff here for someone else to care for, we are in the process of getting rid of everything! Our plan right now is to come back after our training is done, but as most of you know, we can't be trusted to stick to our plans! Of course, what I really mean is that we want to be free to go where the Lord leads us, whether it's back here or somewhere new.

This is not something that has been easy, or a decision that we made lightly, but we know this is the direction we need to go now. The lesson I've been learning is that we should never write down our plans in pen, but always in pencil, ready to erase them and rewrite whenever the Lord speaks!

So, my life has been a little crazy the past week and it's only going to get crazier in the coming weeks! We have 6 weeks until Camry is due, and 10 weeks until we leave. Yikes.

The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. - Proverbs 16:9

Warmer

2011-12-15T20:54:00.000+03:00

Last winter I posted about how cold it was in our apartment. The buildings are made of cement, and there is no central heating, so even though it is only in the 30's and 40's at night, inside is not much warmer than outside sometimes!

This year however, since we have moved downstairs, we are very blessed to be much warmer! We have solar panels that use the energy from the sun to heat water that runs through our radiators (which Caedmon is snuggling next to here...) and that helps keep our main room pretty comfortable throughout the day.

Our bedrooms are still pretty cold, but nothing compared to what we have endured in the past. Each time we go upstairs to visit our neighbors we are amazed at how much colder it is up there! We are so thankful that we are able to enjoy a little extra warmness this winter. : )

It came to me in a dream

2011-12-09T11:10:00.001+03:00

Camry Ann

Yes, we have finally decided this will be the name of our baby girl. We ended up throwing out Cayla and Caylie because we just couldn't decide between the two. I actually had a dream about a month ago where we gave her this name (even though it was not even one of the many we had thought of and discussed) and when I woke up I was so excited! I ran to the computer to look up the meaning because I just knew it was going to be something magnificent! Imagine my disappointment when all I could find was that it was short for Cameron, meaning "crooked nose." I just knew there had to be something else, so I kept researching, and finally I decided to look up Toyota Camry to see what meaning they had for it. It turns out that in Japanese, Camry means "crown." I was so relieved. So, when we put it together with Ann, her name means crown of grace and favor.

Less than eight weeks to go until we meet our little Camry!!

A Jungle Full of Monkeys

2011-12-02T21:50:00.001+03:00

Even though Caedmon's birthday is the 6th, we celebrated today because Friday is the beginning of the weekend here, and everyone was off of work. We had a great time at Jungle Bungle, and I loved not having to clean up the house (before or after)! Here's a few pictures and a video from the party.

Marriott - Day 2

2011-11-26T21:25:00.001+03:00

The Day After Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T20:58:00.001+03:00

Yesterday we had a great Thanksgiving Day with friends at our house. Matthew cooked a wonderful turkey and we had lots of great sides and desserts to go with it! Also yesterday my sister had her 3rd baby boy, Micah! He was 6 weeks early, but overall he is doing well, so we are very thankful!

This morning we packed up and headed to the Dead Sea to cash in on our free 2 nights at the Marriott that we won a few weeks ago. We got here around 1 and walked around a bit, and then went for a short swim. Here are a few pictures from today! I'm sure there will be plenty more over the next 2 days : )

18 Months and Other Randoms

2011-11-22T14:29:00.001+03:00

Our sweet girl turned 18 months old on November 18th! I love watching her grow up and seeing the differences between her and Caedmon. She has at least 10 teeth now, only 6 in the front, but they are coming in fast in the back! She is a great sleeper at night (except when she cries from teething pain) and will sleep 12-13 hrs. She is not a big napper like her brother was though! She only takes one nap in the afternoon and that's usually only 1-1.5 hours. She has "room time" in the morning, where I put her in her crib with toys and books and let her play alone while Caedmon and I do school. She will play and have fun by herself for about an hour! I don't know her stats yet, I'm going to make an appointment for her 18 month checkup and Caedmon's 4 yr checkup together, so hopefully we'll get that done soon.

Speaking of the handsome fellow, Caedmon will be 4 on December 6! For some reason Camille being 18 months seems right, but I still can't believe my baby boy will be 4! We're having a party at Jungle Bungle, an inside play place that we went to once when my mom was visiting in the summer. We've invited about 10 kids to join us, so it should be crazy for sure.

We've already celebrated Thanksgiving once with a big potluck lunch with our international church, and we're having another celebration Thursday at our house with about 15 people. It's so nice to be able to have these get togethers and enjoy most of the same foods we'd have at home. We have so many things to be thankful for this year!

One of those is our healthy baby girl who is growing just perfectly! I saw the doctor today and my blood sugar, blood pressure, and everything else are great. She is weighing 3.5 pounds and I am starting to see the doctor every 2 weeks now. He said I'm in the final countdown....but 10 weeks still seems like a long time to me. : )

As Promised

2011-11-08T16:34:00.000+03:00

Well I said I would try to have some exciting adventures soon, so as promised, here's some things that have been happening around here lately!

One day this week I was going to reheat some leftover pizza in the oven for lunch, so I put it in and lit the broiler on our gas stove. About 10 minutes later I wasn't smelling any wonderful pizza smells, so I looked and the broiler wasn't lit (but the gas had been on the whole time)! So, what did I do? Well of course I open the oven door and immediately attempted to light it again with the lighter. I blame this on pregnancy brain, ok? All I remember was a loud popping, a whoosing gush of air and flames, screaming, falling on the ground and then looking at my hairless arm. I also singed a little of my hair and eyebrows (thankfully I had my hair back in a ponytail!) I scared poor Caedmon who was sitting at the table eating his lunch, but I kept telling him I was ok and we thanked Jesus for protecting us. I then proceeded to reheat my pizza in the microwave : )

Another day I got a text message from the Marriott hotel saying to take a photo of their logo in the sky during a certain time on a certain day for a photo contest, so I mentioned it to Matthew in case he felt like getting his camera out. He was outside doing some work on that day and heard a little plane flying overhead. So he ran in to get his camera and the plane came back around and flew right over him and he started taking lots of pictures! We looked at them afterwards and each picked our favorite and submitted them by email. A couple of days later I got an email telling me my photo won the contest and we got 2 free nights in a suite at the Dead Sea Marriott Hotel! Of course they emailed me the day before a week long holiday, so we're going to their Amman office this Sunday to find out when we can go. We were really wanting to take a little family vacation, but we knew we couldn't afford it right now, so we were really blessed by this!

The last update may not be quite as exciting to some, but for me it is! Last April I posted about a monumental undertaking that I was embarking on; copying down the entire bible. I'm happy to report that over the past 7 months I have copied from Galatians through Jude and I'm now starting Revelation. I started out strong, writing a chapter every day, then I slowed way down when I got pregnant and was so sick, and then when I was feeling better it was time to pack up and move. Now I'm in a moderate pace, writing a couple of chapters a week. I knew there would be fast times and slow times, but I'm proud that I've finished what I have. I think I'll try some Old Testament books after I finish Revelation. There were several people who commented that this was something they were going to try too. If you have started and have an update I'd love to hear it!

Tepees and Tomahawks

2011-11-03T14:49:00.000+03:00

Things have been pretty normal (for us) around here lately. Nothing exciting to post about. I don't want this to become just a "homeschool" blog....but that seems to be most of what I'm doing lately! I'll try to have some exciting adventures soon, but for now....here's Caedmon learning about Native Americans this week.

Our attempt at a tortilla tepee

Chief Caedmon with his headdress, war paint, pasta jewelry, and tomahawk (daddy's hammer)

This is his "war face."

Baby Update

2011-10-25T13:15:00.000+03:00

I'm almost 26 weeks along now with our little girl. We had a doctor's appointment today and everything is going great! I've been able to control my blood sugar very well with my diet, so the doctor was very happy about that. I still have to check it every two weeks though to make sure I'm keeping it down. I've gained about 11 pounds so far, so if I gain 1 pound per week now (which is recommended) I'll be at 25 for the total. We had a sonogram (which is routine for my doctor to do at every appointment....I know I'm so spoiled over here) and she is measuring about 2 pounds and looking wonderful!

No, we still haven't settled on her name. We're still debating Cayla vs. Cailey. Even though in our poll one name was clearly the crowd favorite, it was not MY favorite...and I'm the one doing all the hard work here right? So I think I have veto power. Anyway...I'll let you know when ~~Matthew caves~~ we decide.

: )

Energy Bites

2011-10-18T16:10:00.000+03:00

I've been on my no-sugar diet for about 3 weeks now and it's starting to get hard! I don't actually even have to cut out ALL sugar, for instance I still have peanut butter with toast for breakfast and eat alot of fruit which has sugar, but I've cut out all desserts and don't add any sugar to tea or coffee.

Sometimes though I just want a little (ok a lot) of dessert! I've started looking for things I can make that are healthy (or healthier) that I can eat to satisfy my sweet tooth. I found this recipe on Pinterest for No Bake Energy Bites and made it today (with a few changes from the original recipe) and they are great! Thankfully they have peanut butter, so I don't have to share with Matthew : ) They still have some stuff in them that I shouldn't have a lot of, so I'll have to limit myself, but I think overall they are pretty healthy!

Original Recipe

1 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tsp vanilla

Mix it all together, chill for half an hour, then roll into balls!

I added ground almonds instead of flaxseed...I've never looked for that here, but I'm pretty sure even if I could find it, it would be crazy expensive. I also substituted raisins for the chocolate chips, aren't you proud of me? I did still put the honey cause it helps hold them together, but I figured it's not that much in each one, so I just can't eat the whole batch at once.

If anyone has any recipes to share, I'd love to try them! I just can't do things that have a lot of sugar substitutes (like splenda) because they are very expensive here too.

Some of our Pumpkiny Fun

2011-10-15T14:45:00.000+03:00

I heard about the book, The Pumpkin Gospel, from my friend Lisa, who goes through it each year with her kids. Since we don't actually have the book, I just used the basic idea to talk through the gospel message with Caedmon while carving the pumpkin.

Our big round pumpkins show us that God gives us a clean start.

The slime that fills the pumpkins, all stringy slippery goo,

reminds us of our insides before God makes us new.

We scoop the mushy gushies like God cleans out our sin.

When he says, "I forgive you," we smile a great big grin.

Come look into our pumpkins, they're all clean inside.

And outside they're wearing a smile that's big and wide.

To glow like our big pumpkins and have a nice clean heart,

ask God to please forgive you. You'll have a brand new start.

Some of our other projects this week: toasting pumpkin seeds

Salt dough pumpkins

and of course....cookies!!

Visiting with Friends

2011-10-12T16:16:00.003+03:00

This week we got to visit with some sweet friends

who recently had their 11th child (4 were still at school and not in the picture).

We sat on the floor in their small apartment

laughed and played

and sang some songs.

When we were served cookies and pepsi (a big glass for each of us, even Camille)

we politely told them I wasn't eating and drinking because I can't have sugar right now because of gestational diabetes

so they brought out some tea instead, which I'm pretty sure had more sugar than the glass of pepsi.

I HAD to drink some to be polite....don't tell my doctor : )

Pumpkin Pickin

2011-10-07T14:33:00.000+03:00

Next week our preschool theme is pumpkins, so I started making my plans for all these fun activities for us to do with them, and then I realized....I haven't seen any pumpkins for sale anywhere! So I asked around and found one vegetable market that had a few right now. So we headed out for our pumpkin picking adventure. Not quite like a pumpkin patch in the US....but I'm just happy we found some : )

Help

2011-10-05T21:01:00.000+03:00

Well, we are having a tough time settling on a name for our little girl, so we thought we'd poll the masses to see what everyone else thinks. Like my sister said when she did this a little while ago with their little boy, we're not going to automatically pick the name with the most votes...but we just thought we'd see what everyone thinks.

This is a new process for us, because I knew I wanted the name Caedmon for a boy ever since I was a teenager, and soon after we found out I was pregnant the first time we agreed on the name Camille (after my grandmother) if it was a girl. So, we had no trouble the first two times.

This time, we have tossed around several choices, some were talked about at length and others were thrown out pretty much immediately by one of us. We have finally each settled on one that we really like, and while they are very similar, we don't like each other's choice!

We at least have agreed on a middle name for her, which is Ann, my middle name and my mother's as well. It means grace or favored.

Now for the other two:

Cailey - meaning beloved, beautiful, or keeper of the keys

Cayla - meaning crowned with laurels, or pure

I won't say which one of us likes which one, so as not to sway your vote : )

Please take a second and vote in our poll...and also if you have any (nice) comments about why you like one name over another, please leave a comment! We are really at a crossroads here....and neither of us is budging.

Fall

2011-10-03T14:00:00.000+03:00

This week for preschool our theme is fall and trees. I am finding it's a little difficult to teach about how trees change throughout the seasons while living in the desert : )

We do have trees in the yard, so it's not that bad. But we were talking today about how the leaves change colors in the fall and Caedmon ran to the window to look outside and was a little disappointed. Even though the weather is getting a little cooler, the leaves are still green or just brown.

But he can just take my word for it and we can still do fun fall crafts like this paper towel roll tree,

and our Bible story for the week to go along with the tree theme...Zacchaeus!

Ready or Not

2011-09-27T15:08:00.000+03:00

Here we come!

We are so excited to be planning our next trip home! We have bought plane tickets and will be flying home on March 1st. Our little girl is due February 2nd, so hopefully she will be prompt! : )

We don't have anything set in stone, but here are some tentative plans for our time in the States.

- Spend time with family & friends in Texas, celebrate our 7th anniversary, and Easter. I'm looking forward to having an Easter egg hunt for Caedmon, Camille and their cousins!

-Soon after Easter (which is April 8th) we'll go to Michigan to spend time with Matthew's family. Last time we took a road trip and drove there and back, taking about a week each way to visit people along the way. This time I think we'll probably fly since we'll have 3 little ones and a week in the car doesn't sound like the funnest thing. We'll try to take a trip to the Chicago area once we're there though, to visit some people. We'll celebrate my birthday and Camille's 2nd birthday in May.

-We'll head back to Texas at the end of May and spend the month of June there. Hopefully we'll be able to take some trips to the lake and let the kids ride on G-Pa's boat! We'll celebrate our first 4th of July in America since 2007 and then we'll attempt to cram all our things back in our suitcases and head back to Amman.

-Of course throughout our time we hope to be meeting with people and speaking at churches about our work here.

We're starting to get excited! It will have been over 2 years since we've been home when we come...that's a long time people! Some things I am looking forward to the most (besides the obvious of family and friends): Target, Old Navy, sausage balls, pigs in a blanket, a real hair cut (I cut my own here), calm driving, taking the kids fun places like the park, zoo, etc., Cheddar's, and diet Dr. Pepper!

Playing Bowling

2011-09-23T22:32:00.000+03:00

Tonight we met up with some Iraqi friends and the youth group from the Iraqi church to go bowling. Caedmon was so excited, it was his first time to "play bowling" as he called it.

Is it my turn yet?

I love this one....after an evening of being pinched, prodded, kissed, and otherwise oogled over, her face says it all!!

What's Better

2011-09-18T13:34:00.000+03:00

What's better than swimming in your own yard?

Swimming with your new upstairs neighbors who happen to be your friends (and who also happen to have a slide to put in your pool)!!

Through the Wringer

2011-09-14T14:12:00.000+03:00

Actually....I WISH I had a wringer here lately.

Since we moved downstairs 2 and half weeks ago, I have been hand washing all our clothes in the bathtub and hanging them to dry on the roof.

We are having a hard time figuring out where to put our washing machine. There is really no place where it will fit right now, so we're thinking of putting it on our porch outside of the kitchen. The problem there is we'll have to drill some holes in the walls to get water to it. It's just a big project that we haven't tackled yet. I have to admit, it is a little fun and satisfying to get our clothes clean and dry and not use any modern technology : ) But...wringing the water out of the clothes is the worst part! It's tedious and hurts my hands and wrists, plus bending over the bathtub for a time with a little baby pooch can be hard and will not get any easier as the weeks go on! So...here's hoping we can get our washer working soon!!

Our Week

2011-09-07T14:39:00.000+03:00

Here are some things Caedmon and I have done during school this week. Our theme is Noah's Ark and Colors.
Fill in bubble letter 'A' with colored cereal, coloring a color wheel, fingerpainting a rainbow, list of 'A' words, Noah's Ark story order

Puppets to retell the story

And Caedmon's favorite (ok mine too), making a color wheel from a big cookie and frosting!!

Day One

2011-09-04T14:48:00.000+03:00

We took the plunge today and started preschool! I think things went pretty well for our first try. We have a few things to work on, but at the end of it Caedmon said he liked it, which is so important since he is only 3! I don't want to push him right now and make him hate school, but he is just so ready to learn!

Calendar time

Storytime

Getting a little restless...

Skywriting letter 'A'

Tracing

Rainbow Rice

2011-09-02T21:12:00.000+03:00

I joined Pinterest a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday I attempted my first project that I found! Caedmon and I made Rainbow Rice. We put a couple of tablespoons of alcohol, a few drops of food coloring, and some rice in a ziploc bag and rubbed it all around until the rice was coated with color. Then we laid each color out on a tray to dry for about an hour.

Then we mixed it all together in a plastic tub.

I put some little toys in it and keep it in the kitchen, and it's great for Caedmon to play with at the table while I'm getting food ready or cleaning up! He kept saying each time we got it out, "This is so much fun, I really like it!"

Reactions

2011-08-30T13:16:00.001+03:00

Can you guess what baby #3 is based on these reactions???

Caedmon's exact words were..."I am NOT happy! I already have a sister, I wanted a brother!"

Sorry buddy, you're getting another sweet little sister this time : )

Friday Fun

2011-08-26T15:01:00.000+03:00

Playing the drums together

Rock out, girl!!

Guess not everyone enjoys her taste in music

We've got the keys to the downstairs apartment!

A few things to clean and touch up with paint, and we can move in!

But for now....we're enjoying running through all the empty space!

Let's Go Let a Kite Go

2011-08-17T21:38:00.000+03:00

We have wanted to get Caedmon a kite for a long long time now. It is a very popular thing for the kids around here to do, and he always see them and wants one of his own. So today we walked to the store and bought a 1 JD kite and he was so excited to get home and fly it! We got up on the roof and got it all set up and they were having a great time so I ran downstairs to get the camera. On my way back up I heard an "ahhh!" *thud* "whoa whoa whoa" followed by an "oh man!!"

Turns out Caedmon was stepping backwards, tripped over a pipe, fell and let go of the kite, then Matthew ran to try and catch the handle but it flew off the roof, sailed a few houses over and got caught on a water tank.

Where'd it go?

Poor guy was so disappointed! We tried to make light of the situation, but he kept saying, "No, it WASN'T funny!" (Please excuse the ice cream face.)

Oh, the heartbreaks of childhood!

Another Move & Preschool

2011-08-14T14:27:00.000+03:00

Well, we know this will come as a shock to most of you, since we are the type who like to stay put in one place and all, but we're moving again! BUT...in our defense, we are just moving to the apartment downstairs from ours so we will be on the ground floor and have the garden. We had actually planned on this a year ago when we moved to the upstairs apartment since we knew the people who lived downstairs would be leaving. We're in the process of getting everything painted and cleaned up and hope to begin moving stuff down next week.

After we get everything settled downstairs, I'm going to try and start preschool at home with Caedmon. We really liked the school in our neighborhood he was going to, and I'm glad he went for the time he did, but now I'm ready to do some organized schooling with him at home, and we don't have the extra money to keep sending him right now anyway.

The teacher in me has been so excited the past couple of weeks, organizing, lesson planning, and searching the internet for ideas. We've already got a little desk for him that someone gave us, and a few workbooks we've been given over the years.

I plan to start the first of September, or whenever we get settled in downstairs. Right now we'll use the room that will be the new baby's nursery for our schoolroom, and later we're going to try to convert our screened in porch into a schoolroom. I already have 2 weeks of lesson plans done. Nerd, I know.

One Year Later

2011-08-08T14:27:00.000+03:00

Summer 2010

Summer 2011

Can't wait for next summer's picture. We'll be in the US and have 3 kids to try and get to look at the camera and smile. As you can see we didn't even do that great with 2. But Nini looks great! : )

Jungle Bungle

2011-08-05T21:25:00.000+03:00

Today we went to an indoor play park called Jungle Bungle. It's only a few minutes drive from our house and we never knew it until some friends told us about it! Caedmon LOVED it and didn't stop running the entire time. In fact, I don't even have any pictures of him playing... I couldn't get him to be still long enough!

I'm sorry sweet girl...but I just have to post this picture.

That's one tired little girl!

Family Pictures

2011-07-31T21:04:00.000+03:00

Today the plan was to drive across town to Wild Jordan Cafe, eat dinner, then go up on the terrace to take some family pictures. Well, as always, things happen. I was getting ready beforehand and I needed to dry my hair. But it's smoking hot in the house, so I turned on the air conditioning unit in our room so I wouldn't go to sweating while using the hair dryer. Well, turns out that using the air conditioner in our room plus the air conditioner in the living room plus the hair dryer was just too much for our sophisticated electrical system and we had a small electrical fire from some wires in the wall in the living room. Thankfully Matthew was able to borrow some wire from the neighbors and fix it up so our power works again (he's so smart!)

So after that was fixed we loaded up the kids who were already hungry and drove across town to the restaurant. The food was excellent, but the kids were very tired because Caedmon never fell asleep for a nap until we were on our way to the restaurant at 6 pm. And Camille was up last night crying alot for some reason we still can't figure out. So, by the time we were ready for pictures the kids were already done for the day. But we ended up with a couple of okay ones. Maybe we'll try again another day. : )

Library Time

2011-07-28T14:16:00.000+03:00

Last year a small Christian library called Books & More opened up a few miles from where we live. We have really enjoyed being able to go and check out new books to read every few weeks. Books are super expensive at other bookstores here (and heavy to bring back from the US), so it's nice to have this resource so close!

Back to Life

2011-07-26T14:34:00.001+03:00

After a couple of months of missing life because all I could do was lay on the couch and sleep, I feel like I am finally over the worst. My mom brought some nausea medicine for me and it really seems to be helping. Plus I feel like I'm getting a little better on my own too as I'm nearing the end of the first trimester. I've stopped throwing up every day and I'm able to eat a little more variety. I still don't have much of an appetite or much energy, but at least I'm able to feel like I'm living again!

We're having such a good time with my mom visiting, and she has been such a tremendous help with the kids and around the house. I've taken no pictures lately, but I'll get on that! Here is Nini visiting last summer, so I hope to have a new one soon to compare!

Beatin the Desert Heat

2011-07-10T20:21:00.000+03:00

Our favorite way to cool off...swimming on the roof!

Of course Caedmon is determined to ruin any chance of a cute picture!

Updates

2011-07-08T14:09:00.000+03:00

Well...as you've noticed I haven't been blogging much lately. Some of that is due to the fact that we sometimes have issues with blogger not working. But I'd say the main reason is that I'm very very very busy growing this new baby. It's only 10 weeks and it's already taking over my life! Here is a glimpse into my days lately:

10 Weeks Pregnant

Get up around 6 or 6:30, feed the kids breakfast, lie on the couch until lunchtime. Feed the kids lunch, lie on the couch until naptime. Go take a nap in my room while the kids are sleeping. Feed the kids a snack and lie on the couch until dinner. Feed the kids dinner and lie on the couch until bedtime. Go to sleep and repeat the process the next day.

I have been so sick and nauseaus all day, it really is ridiculous. I feel like such a bump on a log, but I literally have no energy to do anything! Just taking a shower wears me out! The only relief I have from the sickness right now is sleeping...so I do it alot! I'm very thankful for Matthew and that he has been such a help with everything lately. My mom will be here in 12 days to spend 3 weeks with us, it will be so great to have her here!

I really am so thankful for this new baby, even though right now it's making me miserable. I don't want to take for granted the fact that I'm easily able to have kids! I know so many people aren't.

I'd love to write more, but this is cutting into my naptime.....

I Turn My Back...

2011-06-29T19:52:00.000+03:00

for one minute...

and they have...

conquered the living room!

Our Kids

2011-06-24T15:36:00.000+03:00

Camille is 13 months old now and just a joy to have around. We are seeing a bit of an attitude creep in .... makes me a little scared for when she is 13 years old! Yikes.

Anyway, she loves following Caedmon around and messing up whatever he's playing with. She says hi, uh-oh, and yeah. She has 2 bottom teeth and 2 top teeth. And she refuses to drink milk from a sippy cup still.

Caedmon is 3 and a half and is such a talker. He loves to eat and loves playing with Mommy and Daddy and sometimes Sister. Occasionally we can get him to play by himself if we set up his cool marble tower that some friends passed down to us!

He also has some new neighborhood friends he likes to play with!

And introducing our newest kiddo! Doesn't it look just like me? I know it just looks like a blob...but it really is an 8 week old little kidney bean! We're expecting our little one February 2! Caedmon is really excited and wants a brother because he's already got a sister! Good logic I guess. We shall see in a couple of months!

Lazy Summer

2011-06-19T11:33:00.000+03:00

Well, blogger has not been working for us over here, so I apologize for my lack of posts lately! Today it's finally working, so hopefully it will continue! Anyway, the kids and I have been enjoying some lazy summer days, staying in our pjs all day and watching movies. The weather has been so great too! Only a few days have been in the 90's, but mostly we're staying in the 80's! I was expecting to do a lot more swimming (in our plastic kiddie pool on the roof) but so far it's been a little too chilly for that.

I Finally...

2011-06-03T13:39:00.000+03:00

...drove in Jordan!!

After almost 4 years, I FINALLY got behind the wheel and drove here! The first few years we didn't have a car, so I never had the opportunity. At first it was so hard for me not to have that freedom of being able to hop in my car and go where I wanted. But I did eventually get pretty used to it, so when we finally got our own car earlier this year, I wasn't in a huge rush to get out there and drive. Alot of this also has to do with my fears of being out with all the crazy drivers around here. They drive fast, cut in front of each other and pay no attention to lane lines.

But today I felt a surge of braveness and we ventured out. We didn't go on any major streets, but I drove around for about 15 minutes and we all survived! I still need to get a Jordanian license, but after that I will be able to maybe have a little more freedom to go to the grocery store or a friends house if I want, without relying on Matthew. Of course, if he's out somewhere with the car, I'm still stuck at home...but maybe I'll make him start taking taxis again! :-)

Culture 101

2011-05-28T13:21:00.000+03:00

For those well-travelled folks, this might not be anything new, but to many Americans what I'm about to say might surprise you....it might shock you...or it might just make you hurl. Traditionally, people in this part of the world do not use toliet paper. In fact, many think it's disgusting that we do! And to make it even more gross for you, because the plumbing here is not designed to handle toliet paper, everywhere you go you have to put it in the trash can.

Yeah, I know, but you get used to it.

Instead, they use a basin called a bidet (pronounced beday) that shoots water on you while you squat over it. Usually looks something like this:

Unfortunately, even though we don't use them, we still have one in each of our bathrooms taking up precious space! So, we have had this dilemma for awhile: how can we make use of this eyesore? We've thought of putting towels in it, maybe a nice planter or something...but nothing felt right. Well, today as I was giving Camille a bath, I turned around and saw that Caedmon finally found a way to put it to good use!!

Such a smart boy.

Partyin' Partyin' Yeah

2011-05-20T22:19:00.000+03:00

And because I love to compare...Caedmon having his first cupcake!

Caedmon and Jordan trying out Camille's present!

What a Year

2011-05-18T13:49:00.000+03:00

Happy 1st Birthday Camille!!

What a joy she has been this year! Seems like just yesterday we were in the hospital bringing her into the world! Now she's walking everywhere, babbling like crazy, and as sweet as she can be. We're having a party on Friday and her 1 yr check up on Sunday, so we'll see how her stats compare with Caedmon.

Here's big brother on the day he turned 1. Seems like so long ago!

P.S. Thank you Aunt Haley for the precious outfit!!

Hinderance

2011-05-15T22:17:00.000+03:00

At church this week we were challenged with the charge in Hebrews 12:1. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

As I was listening and reflecting on this, I was thinking about things in my life that could be hindering me in growing closer to the Lord, and doing the things He wants me to do. Not things that are necessarily sinful, but things that maybe take precedence over my time with Him. The thing that easily came to mind was my time on the computer. I find that lately, most spare moments I have are spent on the computer, checking facebook and reading blogs. I know these can be good things, to keep up with people and let people know what’s going on here with us, but when I spend more time reading *mostly* pointless status updates than I do reading God’s word, something is wrong.

So, I have decided two things: First, I will make sure I have spent time reading God’s word (or writing as I have been doing you’ll remember!) and spent time in prayer each day before I get on the computer. Sometimes during the day, being with my 2 young kids, if I can get a moment away I feel like using the computer can be a short burst of stress relief, and easier than trying to read the Bible or praying. But, I know that if I can be disciplined to spend those few moments with the Lord instead, how much more refreshing will that be? “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

The second is that I will limit my time each day. Even if I spend time with the Lord first, I could still spend hours on the computer the rest of the day and miss out on other things He has for me to do. So, I’m going to start with 30 min a day for things like facebook and blogging. After a week or two I’ll re-evaluate and see how it’s working and if I need to change anything. I’m excited about seeing how doing these things will change my days to be more peaceful and fruitful!

What is hindering you??

Bethlehem & Jerusalem

2011-05-08T15:02:00.001+03:00

We left early Friday morning to start our adventures in Israel. We drove our own car across the border, but we're not allowed to drive through the border that's close to us, so we drove almost 2 hours to the north border and went through all the security and passport stuff there, then drove back down to stay the night at Bethlehem Bible College. It was about a 7 hour trip total to get about 60 miles from our home. Saturday we drove into Jerusalem and spent a little time on the Mount of Olives. Then we went back to Bethlehem and spent the rest of day with some Palestinian friends. We ate, talked, ate, drank, laughed, ate, and then ate a little more. Today we drove into Jerusalem again and visited the Western Wall, and our friend Anwar's pizza shop on the Via Delarosa. This evening we're going to an international church service in the new city and then staying the night at the Austrian Hospice inside the Old City walls. Amazing!

Bethlehem

Wall dividing Israel and the West Bank

Eating lunch with friends

Jerusalem - the Western Wall

Reaction

2011-05-03T08:30:00.000+03:00

When we heard of Osama Bin Laden's death, we were a little concerned about people's reaction here. We weren't sure how many people would be upset and if they would direct their anger towards us, being Americans. Here is an article from the Jordan Times to share a few people's reactions:

By Taylor Luck and Muath Freij

AMMAN - For Ashraf Khaled, whose wedding party was a target in the 2005 Amman hotel bombings, news of Ben Laden’s death came as a sense of long overdue justice.

“I’m speechless. All I can say justice has been served.”

“They told me to watch the news, as soon as I saw President Obama’s speech, I had tears in my eyes.”

Khaled, who co-founded the Global Survivors Network to confront extremism ideology, said he expected Al Qaeda to continue its campaigns of violence long after its leader’s death.

“Our efforts must continue until we see a real end to this; it doesn’t depend on one person; they are a movement and they have a lot of followers. We have to fight this to the end.”

“He killed people, he deserved to be killed.”

His remarks were encountered by the other extreme as expressed by a jihadist salafist.

Identifying himself as Hamdan, the fundamentalist stressed that “even if the news reports are true”, Al Qaeda leader’s passing will fail to slow down the jihadist movement.

“Jihad is about more than one person,” he told The Jordan Times. Hamdan is one of few hundred Islamists who follow the extreme ideology of Al Qaeda. They have been subject to a crackdown by authorities after they attacked and hurt dozens of police officers in Zarqa last month, following a rally they held to call for releasing “brothers” in jails.

“We will continue to support jihad until Judgment Day,” he said over the phone.

On the Jordanian street, where support for the terror leader was once as high as 61 per cent prior to the 2005 Amman hotel bombings, views on Ben Laden’s death and legacy were mixed.

Jihad Mahmoud, an Amman taxi driver, said he welcomed the news of Ben Laden’s death, as “Al Qaeda network harmed the image of Islam across the world”.

“He made people suffer in many countries, including Jordanians,” Mahmoud said.

“The US and the whole world will face new Ben Ladens. The story of Al Qaeda is not over yet,” he said.

Mahmoud Khalaileh, a downtown Amman salesman, questioned the timing of the news of Al Qaeda leader’s death.

“The US chose this time to distract Arabs from demonstrations taking place in Arab countries.”

At the official level, an authorised source on Monday said the killing of Ben Laden is part of the global war against terrorism and would contribute to ending “injustice” campaigns in the West against Islam. The source underlined that Jordan is looking forward to seeing an end to terrorism, which distorted the “fairness” of the Arab causes, particularly the Palestinian issue, calling on the international community to exert more efforts to resolve this cause in a way that allows the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

Trike Time

2011-05-01T18:44:00.000+03:00

Thanks Nana and Papa for our new tricycle!

Introducing Masis!

2011-04-26T16:01:00.000+03:00

Last night our friends Araz and Denshour stopped by to visit us. They were on their way to the doctor to check out her blood sugar because it was getting high. Little did we know, that a few hours later when they got home her water would break unexpectedly! (She was still about a month away from her due date!) They went to the hospital and after a few hours of no progress they decided to do a c-section. Masis (pronounced muh-cease) was born around 1:30 am, weighing 5 1/2 pounds. Even though he was quite early, he is perfect!! He is such a beautiful boy and we are so exicted for our sweet friends. We were able to give them some of Caedmon's baby clothes to help them out, and Matthew's parents brought some stuff for them as well. We visited them in the hospital this morning and Matthew took some pictures and put them on facebook for them so all their family could see. (They have no family in Jordan.) They are so in love with Masis already! Araz could not stop smiling!

Easter on the Jordan

2011-04-24T12:52:00.000+03:00

This morning we left the house at 6 am and met up with around 170 other people for an international Easter morning service at the Baptismal Site of Jesus on the Jordan River.

We worshipped...

rejoiced with two believers being baptized...

enjoyed food and fellowship...

and showed off our cute Easter outfits!!

Happy Easter!

Al meseeyah qaam (The Christ has risen!)

Ready for Easter

2011-04-22T20:47:00.000+03:00

This year for Easter, Caedmon is finally able to somewhat understand what it's all about. So, this morning we went through the Easter story together, and did an activity that I read about from my friend Lisa. Then this evening we dyed some eggs. Tomorrow I'm going to try and make resurrection rolls and on Sunday we're going to an early morning service at the Jordan River. Then we'll come back and let Caedmon hunt for eggs. Matthew's parents will be arriving tomorrow afternoon too!!

11 Months

2011-04-18T14:29:00.000+03:00

My precious girl is 11 months today! Every day she is becoming more like a little girl and less like a baby!

11 Things About Camille

1. She now has 2 bottom teeth coming in!

2. She is an expert cruiser and takes a few steps alone, but she loves the assurance of holding a finger while she walks.

3. She takes 2 naps a day and sleeps from 7 pm to 6 am (usually!)

4. She loves her pacifier, but we are planning on taking it away when she turns 1!

5. She prefers to take drinks from a regular cup instead of a sippy cup.

6. She loves to wave and smack her lips together to "kiss"

7. She loves baths and splashing water everywhere.

8. She occasionally will have separation anxiety, but mostly she is happy to go to anyone!

9. She gets upset when Caedmon is hurt or gets a spanking.

10. She likes riding in the car and stroller.

11. She always draws attention wherever we go and she brings smiles to everyone!!

Afternoon in the Park

2011-04-15T21:02:00.000+03:00

Prom Date

2011-04-11T14:36:00.001+03:00

Last night Matthew and I were chaperones for the Junior/Senior Ball for a small high school that many of the expat kids go to. Matthew also did the photography. The kids are all so sweet, and we had a great time. We even got to dance a little : ) The high school I went to was so big, and I didn't really enjoy the people there, so I never went to my prom. (And no it's not because nobody asked me, as a matter of fact a very nice young man asked me, but I truly didn't want to go!) So, it was nice to go last night and get to dance with my hot date! <3<3<3

Josh in Jordan

2011-04-08T22:51:00.000+03:00

This week, the well known writer and speaker Josh McDowell came to Jordan. We went tonight to hear him speak about relationships; mostly applying to parents and children. His main point was that the way we can transfer our values and beliefs to our children is by TRUTH and RELATIONSHIP combined. It was good stuff...but since there was a translator repeating everything in Arabic, it was a little long and drawn out.

I wanted to get a picture with him afterwards, but we had to leave a few minutes before he was done because it was getting late and we needed to relieve the babysitter.

It was great to hear him speak, he's pretty funny...in a corny old man kind of way. Did you know he is 71 years old? And he had a Batman belt buckle and a big red watch. Ha!

Tell It Like It Is

2011-04-06T14:49:00.001+03:00

I have just one chapter left to copy in Galatians, (don’t be too impressed…there’s only 6) and I am so excited about how writing each word has helped me notice things and understand more.

The one thing that stood out to me the most was how direct and sometimes seemingly rude Paul was to the people in the churches of Galatia. It seems the people were becoming legalistic about observing the old laws. Paul writes that he was astonished that they were deserting Christ, he calls them ‘foolish’ more than once, and says, “I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?” I imagine this was in a slightly sarcastic tone.

Now, I can imagine the people in these churches were good-willed people, they were trying to do their best to please God, and in no way thought they were deserting Christ! Much like many of us in the church today. But I believe there are so many Christians who are terribly deceived by worldly thinking.

We cannot be afraid of speaking the truth in love to other believers when we feel they are deceived or being disobedient (even unknowingly). Our culture is so afraid of offending, that many in the church have become accepting of things that are in direct contradiction to God’s word.

We must know the truth, and use it to expose sin when we see it (in ourselves first of course)!

“Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.”
James 4:17

A Monumental Undertaking!

2011-04-02T14:30:00.000+03:00

Matthew brought up something to me a few weeks ago that he was thinking about doing, and as he was telling me about it and how he felt led to do it, I felt the desire to join him in this monumental undertaking. Different circumstances and things we've been reading and hearing lately have encouraged this decision. What we've decided to do is to write our own Bible. Now, don't fall out of your chair....I don't mean our own version, I simply mean to each write our own copy. We know this isn't a simple or quick task, and we've estimated it will realistically take 10 years for us to each copy the entire Bible.

There are several reasons we want to do this. One being that as we write we can slow down and let the Word of God speak to us, instead of reading over things quickly like we tend to do. Another reason is so that we can leave them to our kids one day. (We've thought about writing notes to them along the way along with our copies when we come to verses that we have prayed over them, or those that have spoken to us about them.) What a great gift and legacy for our kids!

So, my task has begun! Today I wrote the first chapter of Galatians. We're not necessarily going in order because starting in the Old Testament would probably burn us out pretty quick! So, I'll keep you updated along the way about how things are going. We pray this will continue to be an exciting and life-changing endeavor!!

Breakthrough

2011-03-30T16:15:00.000+03:00

Yes, Camille is finally getting a tooth! I've been trying for days to get a decent picture...but alas.

If you look really closely you can see it here...I'll keep trying. : )

Mother's Day

2011-03-24T17:06:00.000+03:00

This week Mother's Day was celebrated in Jordan and Caedmon had a special program at school. Apparently all the other parents knew to dress up their kids in nice black and white clothes...but as you can see we didn't get the memo, so Caedmon really stuck out in his yellow t-shirt!

They sang songs (some Arabic and some English) and recited things about mothers.

Caedmon only goes 2 days a week, while most of the other kids are there 5 days a week, so he didn't know all the Arabic songs very well, but he did do a welcome in Arabic!

"Peace on you all, welcome to you all"

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Something in Arabic...I couldn't understand a thing...haha!

Friends Baby Update

2011-03-17T12:01:00.000+03:00

(Notice I didn't say "Baby Update" because I was told that wasn't nice to do by my sister and mother.)

Last fall I wrote here about our sweet friends who finally got pregnant after years of trying and loss. We went to visit them last night and things are still going well! She is almost 32 weeks now with a little boy and due sometime in May. They said he will be one year younger than his future bride...meaning Camille. : )

While we were in Aqaba, we bought them a little gift.

A bag of rocks!

Actually it's chocolate. But a long time ago they served us some at their house and told us they got them from Aqaba, so while we were there we went in search of some more and got them! It took Caedmon a while to be convinced that they weren't really rocks...but once he tried one he hasn't stopped asking for more!

Please keep praying for our friends and a healthy baby in a couple of months!!

Aqaba - Part 2

2011-03-14T23:07:00.001+03:00

Even though it wasn't quite swimming weather, the boys couldn't resist jumping in the pool. (This one was heated!) Caedmon's favorite thing is to jump in and let Daddy catch him.

And of course I couldn't resist dressing up Camille in her cute swimsuit and getting some pictures.

What kind of mother makes her baby swim in the cold just to get some pictures? Well, I guess that would be me. (She really enjoyed it though...she loves the water!)

We also went on the "Neptune," a boat with a glassed in downstairs room where we could look out and see the coral, fish, and occasional chip bag.

A sunken army tank

And finally, me and my handsome husband in our mandatory annual anniversary couple shot.

Love is patient,

love is kind

and is not jealous;

love does not brag

and is not arrogant,

does not act unbecomingly;

it does not seek its own,

is not provoked,

does not take into account a wrong suffered,

does not rejoice in unrighteousness,

but rejoices with the truth;

bears all things,

believes all things,

hopes all things,

endures all things.

Aqaba - Part 1

2011-03-13T22:25:00.000+03:00

This weekend we drove down to Aqaba, a city in southern Jordan on the Gulf of Aqaba (which leads to the Red Sea). Every year near our anniversary we take some sort of small vacation as a family. Last year we went to Egypt while I was 7 months pregnant with Camille. I must say it was much easier for me this year with her out instead of in!

It's about a 4 hour drive, with some beautiful scenery along the way.

We stayed at the Radisson hotel, and had a great room with a view.

Even though the weather is always warmer than Amman, and usually very nice, it was a little chilly and super windy!

But we tried to make the best of it, finding time to bask in the sun and take naps.

To be continued...

Things I'm Pondering

2011-03-10T15:38:00.000+03:00

...and attempting to memorize!

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all in perfect unity.
-Colossians 3:12-14

For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright; he is a shield for those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just, and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. -Proverbs 2:6-11

The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. -Galations 5:22-25

Consider it pure joy my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish it's work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. -James 1:2-5

Fountain of Youth

2011-03-06T23:06:00.000+03:00

This weekend we drove up north to a retreat center to lead worship for the Amman International Church youth retreat.

There were about 90 kids who came, and we had a great time playing games, singing praises, and listening to the guest speaker, Greg Speck.

Caedmon seemed to mature so much in the few days we were there! He was always outside playing with "his friends." One morning at breakfast he said to me, "I want to go sit with my friends, but not with Mommy and Daddy." Break my heart!! I thought I had at least a few more good years before that happened! The kids were so sweet with him and played with him alot!

Camille also had plenty of people to help walk her around.

They were a little short on leaders, so Jeff asked if I would be willing to lead a discussion group. I had the 9th grade girls, who were all so sweet! Here are some of the beautiful green group girls!!

We laughed....we cried...but mostly we laughed....especially during the talent show when Jeff captivated us all with a rendition of "Oh Where is My Hairbrush!"

It's Almost Time...

2011-02-25T14:47:00.000+03:00

...for Spring! The weather has slowly been getting warmer,

so, it's time for short sleeves

and capris

and ...wait...what are these things where my socks usually are?

It's almost time for Spring, and we couldn't be happier!!

Seriously...what are those?

Warships, Explosions, and Aliens

2011-02-24T11:36:00.001+03:00

There certainly has been alot of excitement in our region lately. Starting with the uprising in Egypt that led to the ousting of longtime leader Hosni Mubarak, and continuing on with anti-government protests in Yemen, Bahrain, Iran, and even here in Jordan.

On Tuesday, two Iranian warships passed through the Suez canal (for the first time in 30 years) on their way to Syria, supposedly for a training mission. Iran and Syria are close allies and both enemies of Israel.

Jordan isn't labeled on this map, but it's the little country south of Syria, and East of Israel. So, as you can see, we are right in the middle of all this, although I can say that life has continued as normal for us so far.

Yesterday mid-morning I heard a loud booming sound and the house shook a tiny bit. I noticed, but didn't think too much about it until it happened several more times. I looked outside, but didn't see anything amiss. Of course the first thing I thought of was bombs going off somewhere (I can't help it, I live in the Middle East!) but then nothing else happened so I just forgot about it. Then a few hours later it started again. This time I was thinking, maybe it's an earthquake? I've never been in one so I didn't really know what it was like. So, I posted on Facebook to see if others had heard it too and what they were thinking. One friend wrote that the Jordan News said it was jets flying over and breaking the sound barrier. Made sense to me!

Later, however, the Jordan Times newspaper said that it was explosions in Palestinian territories carried out by the Israeli occupation authorities, the reasons for which are still unknown.

Of course a third explanation could be aliens, which it was reported some people actually believe.

While there is no reason for us to leave the country now (we still feel perfectly safe), we are registered with the US Embassy and they will let us know if they think things are at a point that US citizens should evacuate. So, while I would ask that you don't worry about us, I would ask that you continue to pray for our safety and work while we are here.

"Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from the violent, who devise ways to trip my feet." -Psalm 140:4

Nine Months

2011-02-18T22:42:00.000+03:00

Dear Camille,

Today you are nine months old. You have been sick the past few days, but Mommy decided to dress you up anyway and take some pictures! While you look so sad and pitiful when you're sick...

You normally are such a happy, easy-going girl.

You love to eat, especially finger foods like cheerios, crackers, and peas. You love to dance to music, be outside, chew everything (but you still haven't gotten any teeth), and you love being with your silly big brother.

You refuse to crawl, but you are very close to walking. You cruise around the couches and walk around the whole house holding Mommy's two fingers.

You are such a precious gift from God. I love you so much, my beautiful baby girl!

Valentine's

2011-02-14T22:37:00.000+03:00

Three years ago was our first Valentine's Day in Jordan, and our first since becoming parents. It was also the first time that we left Caedmon with someone else while we went out to eat (he was 2.5 months old). We went to a nice little restaurant called Centro and all we could think about was Caedmon! (It's hard leaving your baby for the first time!)

This year we decided to go back to the same restaurant, so we left both the kids with some friends, and headed out. We called this afternoon for reservations and they said, "Sorry, we're full tonight!"

Can't you tell? Ha! Actually we said we wanted to come early, like at 5:30, and they said, "Oh, that's fine. But you have to leave by 7:30!" So, we went early and ate, then stopped by Starbucks on the way home.

Some Jordanians celebrate Valentine's Day, giving flowers and cards, but others feel it is too much of a Western holiday and are opposed to it. I've never really been a big fan myself, but it was nice to get some flowers and go out to eat anyway. : )

Gettin' Crafty

2011-02-13T14:47:00.000+03:00

Cruising Today....

2011-02-08T15:22:00.000+03:00

...gone tomorrow.

First Haircut

2011-02-04T15:14:00.000+03:00

While many 8 month old girls are still trying to sprout some locks from their cute bald heads, our precious one was in desperate need of a haircut! It really just needed to be evened out, as there were some spots on the sides and back that were several inches longer than the rest of it! So, I didn't cut off that much at all...and to the untrained eye it might not look different...but of course I can tell a difference, and she just looks so much more grown up to me now!

Before

After

Winds of Change

2011-02-03T14:40:00.000+03:00

This may not be the most interesting post for some of you, but I just found this article online that helps summarize all the current stuff going on in the part of the world where we are. What historical times we are living in. :-)

Six countries in the Arab world where 'winds of change' are blowing

Those who said that 'winds of change' were blowing through the Middle East were right. The past few weeks have seen a stunning series of political shifts in response to widespread discontent and popular opposition that once went unacknowledged. As Egyptians continue to protest in Tahrir Square and their chants beam into the living rooms throughout the Middle East, here is a look at where those 'winds of change' have taken us. - Ariel Zirulnick, Correspondent

Tunisia

Tunisia was the one that started it all. When Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in December, he didn’t intend to spark a regional upheaval. Protests about unemployment, high food prices and other domestic problems continued at a low level for weeks, exploding in mid-January. In a matter of days, then-President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali fled the country. Tunisia is now trying to cobble together a provisional government to lead the country until it can hold its first free election in years later this year.

Egypt

Egypt has transfixed the world since simmering unrest exploded into mass demonstrations against President Hosni Mubarak and his government. After days of several-thousand-strong gatherings in central Cairo, President Mubarak announced Tuesday night that he would not seek reelection later this year – a gesture that failed to satisfy protesters demanding his immediate resignation.

Opposition groups in Egypt are coordinating more effectively than they have in the past, choosing Mohammed ElBaradei, a Nobel Prizewinner and former head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog agency, as their official negotiator. Keep an eye on Egypt the next couple days to see whether Mubarak makes further concessions, or attempts to carry on as Egypt’s leader.

Yemen

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced in an emergency meeting Wednesday that he would not run for reelection in the 2013 presidential elections. President Saleh, who has been the leader of unified Yemen for more than 20 years, has faced Egypt-inspired protests over the past two weeks, and it remains to be seen whether his concession will be enough to satisfy the protesters. They said they want to see implementation of the promised reforms happen before they call down the protests.

Jordan

In response to periodic protests in Jordan, King Abdullah II sacked his entire cabinet Tuesday and called for the formation of a new government. He said the new government will be required to implement reforms, though many Jordanians are skeptical about meaningful change. While Egypt’s and Yemen’s protests are closely linked to anger over corruption and a lack of political reform, Jordan’s protests seem mostly tied to economic concerns – unemployment and rising prices. It seems unlikely that the protests mean an end for the king, as criticism has largely focused on other members of government and left Abdullah largely untouched.

Syria

Although no protests have yet materialized in Syria, there have been murmurings, and a drive on Facebook to organize a “day of rage.” Syrians say they want greater freedom and civil rights. According to The Globe and Mail, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says he is not worried that the discontent could lead to trouble for him and his government because his beliefs are aligned with those of the Syrian people.

Assad’s regime is one of the most repressive in the Arab world, with rigid government control of the media and large obstacles facing opposition groups that want to organize. It remains to be seen whether the events announced on Facebook, which is technically banned in Syria, will materialize into any real unrest. Assad seems confident they won’t.

Sudan

Not only is Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir likely to lose a huge chunk of territory in a few months, as the South secedes from the North, but he is also facing protests in the capital of Khartoum that stem from economic and political discontent. Government security forces took strong action against the mostly student protesters, beating and arresting many of those they found in the streets, The New York Times reported. The protests do not appear to be gaining significant traction, but still could. The country faces a deep economic crisis and the government cut subsidies for many staples last month. The situation could get worse if North Sudan loses access to South Sudan’s oil reserves this summer after secession.

So I Was Wrong

2011-01-28T15:35:00.000+03:00

Two years ago during the summer I was teaching at a summer camp for Iraqi kids. At the end of the camp, we took the kids to the Children's Museum. When I wrote about it here, I said I couldn't wait to take Caedmon back one day, but he probably wouldn't appreciate it for at least 5 years. So, I was just off by a few years. : )

The last Friday of every month is free admission to the museum, so we took advantage of it today. While the kids certainly can't understand all the science involved, they sure did have fun!

We experimented with shadows...

and mirrors...

and shapes and colors.

We dug in the sand...

sat in a huge hand...

and spent a little time behind bars.

(They're really strict about the rules at this place!)

Just kidding about the rules thing. I can't wait to keep going back and see my kids learn to love the world of science!

Two Cool Things

2011-01-26T23:03:00.000+03:00

1) This adorable hat to add to our collection made by our sweet friend Kristen.

2) Camille stood by herself in this chair for like 4 minutes while we took some pictures. It was kinda spur of the moment, Caedmon was jumping all around us, and we had snot and spit-up flying all over the place...so this is the best we got.

And by the way....when did her legs get so chubby????

At Last!

2011-01-22T23:37:00.000+03:00

We have our own car!

We've wanted to buy a car for a while now, but we were having a hard time finding the right one, and finding the money for one. Foreigners (that's us) may only buy a car that is less than 5 years old. That's outright discrimination if you ask me :) And there's not really payment plans, so you just have to pay the total in cash. But thanks to some generous people giving towards our car fund, and some money we had saved from when we sold our cars when we left the US, we saved up enough for a decent car. And we have finally found one that we love! It's a 2007 Kia Carens.

Isn't it cute? We're so thankful and blessed!

Regrets - Part 2

2011-01-20T14:40:00.001+03:00

“Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them!”
–Psalm 127:3-5

So, in response to the article about women regretting giving up their careers to be stay at home moms, I have compiled some quotes and Bible verses that help explain my position. Basically I believe children are a gift from God...even though some days it doesn’t quite feel that way :) ... and that parents have the great responsibility and privilege to teach them about God and his ways, laying down our lives for theirs. When I think about the impact parents have on their kids, and the resulting impact on future generations, it’s kind of overwhelming. The way we raise our kids will greatly influence how they raise their kids, and the same with their kids, and so on!

I firmly believe it is the parents responsibility to teach the Word of God to their kids, not the Sunday school teachers, the children’s pastor, or the youth minister. Those people can be a great support to what is taught at home, but in the end God will not hold them responsible for your children.

Deuteronomy 6 says, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

And more in Deuteronomy 11, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the LORD swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.”

Teaching and living the Word of God should be incorporated into so much of our daily lives as families, that our kids will have no choice but to learn it!

Now, on to some thoughts from Voddie Baucham about educating our kids, from his book, “Family Driven Faith”:

“In a seemingly obscure New Testament passage of Scripture, Jesus says some of the most profound words concerning education and discipleship in the entire Bible. Luke 6:40 records His words: 'A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.' This is the New Testament version of Proverbs 22:6 (Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it). This raises one of the most important questions Christian parents will face concerning the discipleship of their children. Whom will your children resemble at the completion of their ‘formal’ education?”

In Proverbs 1:7, Solomon tells us, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.”

Voddie continues, “In other words, our educational choice has to be based on the fact that God cannot and must not be ignored in the process. Any educational system that denies the existence, preeminence, and primacy of God is in violation of this biblical principle and is detracting from, rather than contributing to, the discipleship process.”

Obviously he is a big proponent of homeschooling, and in response to the objections many raise about “How can our kids be ‘salt’ and ‘light’ to the world if they’re all homeschooled or in private schools?” he points to the overwhelming statistics that Christian kids and teenagers today are NOT the ones making an impact in schools, but they are being impacted and driven away from the faith by every wind of doctrine. It’s estimated that up to 80 % of kids coming from “Christian” households leave the faith by the time they are sophomores in college.

How is (the Great Commission) likely, apart from Christian education? How can I effectively ‘make disciples’ of my children if I send them off to the government school 45-50 hours per week?”

I’ve always thought about maybe homeschooling, but I was never really convinced. I’m still not for certain that I will homeschool my kids all the way through highschool. But Voddie’s book has really given me a lot to think about.

I’m not trying to convince anyone that homeschool is the only way, or that mom’s should never work. I just wanted to share about these new insights I’ve had from this book, and hope that they cause you to think as well. My prayer for our family is that we would not do what we think is “what’s best for our family” like we always tend to do, but that we would look to the Word for guidance and do what God wants for us.

Regrets - Part 1

2011-01-17T23:44:00.000+03:00

One of my favorite websites is BabyCenter. For several years I have gone to this site frequently to get information on all things pregnancy, baby, and toddler. There is a section where moms write blogs on various subjects, and while I don’t often read them, I was intrigued by the title of one and decided to look at it.

The title was “Stay-At-Home Mom Regrets” and I was a little shocked and disheartened as I read what she had to say and by the feedback she got. Basically she quoted a lot from another mother (Katy Read) who chose her kids over her career and then ended up regretting that decision when her kids were almost grown, she got divorced, and had no money or savings for herself.

Read said,“However emotionally rewarding it may be for all involved, staying home with children exacts a serious, enduring vocational toll that largely explains the lingering pay gap between men and women as well as women’s higher rate of poverty. With the recession having raised the stakes, fewer mothers may be willing to take the risk. If it’s not yet the twilight of the stay-at-home mother, it could be her late afternoon. Certainly it is long past nap time.”

The author of the article then writes that after hearing Read’s story she is wondering if she should rethink her desire to stay home with her kids. She says, “Would this make me just like the proverbial grasshopper, whiling away the hours while the industrious ants prepare for winter? I think Read would say yes. And if her essay isn’t scary enough, there are the reports that parents who give up a career forfeit $1 million in wages and benefits. Gulp. Of course time with my girls is priceless, but maybe I should keep limiting it to before work, after work, and weekends.” –Marcella Gates

While reading this I couldn’t help but think, is she serious? Saying that time with her kids is priceless…but she should keep it limited because of money? Isn't that a huge contradiction?

There were plenty of comments about her article, most of them agreeing with her. A few said they were glad they had stayed at home with their kids, but that every woman should do what she feels is best for her family.

Here is a sample comment, “One way I think of it is to look at my daughters. I want to instill in them that they can do anything – be a doctor, lawyer, artist, writer, executive…whatever suits their talents and passions. I do believe that women have at least as much to offer in high profile jobs as do men, and I hope that my children will feel that. But how can I instill this in them and also have a belief that all mothers – including them – if they are good mothers, should drop all of their career aspirations until their youngest child is in kindergarten? I don’t want them to feel that their lives are limited like this from the get-go.”

I want to respond more to this, but I’m still working on it :) I have just finished reading a book called “Family Driven Faith” by Voddie Baucham which basically talks about spending as much time as possible with your kids! So, I’ve read about the extremes this week, and I’ll share more of my thoughts soon!

Snaan

2011-01-15T14:22:00.001+03:00

We went to the dentist the other day for the first time in about 2 years (bad, I know) to get our snaan (teeth) checked. I was a little nervous because the last time we went I had 8...yes 8, cavities! It was a shock to me because I am a fanatic tooth brusher and I always brush at least twice a day and floss...sometimes. Anyway, I guess after being pregnant with Caedmon he just took all my calcium and there wasn't any left for my teeth. So, I was expecting some similar news this visit, but luckily I only have one little filling that needs to be redone. One good thing about living here is that we can find pretty good medical care for relatively cheap. It's only 20 JD ($28) for a teeth check and cleaning!

We let Caedmon watch us get checked, and then he sat in the chair and the dentist checked him out too. He was such a big boy letting the dentist look at his teeth, I was very proud of him.

(Of course, we've discovered we can get him to do just about anything if we promise ice cream afterwards.)

He has really deep fissures (thin grooves) in his back teeth, so the dentist recommended we get a seal put on them soon because it's the perfect place for cavities to start! So, maybe in a few months when we think he's ready to sit still for a minute while they are put on, we'll get them.

This little girl, however, will be 8 months old in 3 days and has no teeth to speak of! I'm not surprised though, because Caedmon was 11 months before one barely started poking out!

You Know It's Cold in Your House When...

2011-01-13T15:09:00.002+03:00

• One pair of socks is just not enough.

• The *almost* dry clothes that you took from the dryer and laid out 3 days ago are still damp.

• Family night is every night because you all want to be in the warmest room of the house.

• Your pajama pants are a bit singed from standing too close to the gas heater.

• You’d rather hold it than go to the bathroom because you don’t want to endure the throne of ice.

• You don’t mind waiting in long lines at the grocery store, bank, etc., because there’s usually heat.

• You can see your breath as you sit in the computer room and update your blog.

• The thermometer in the bedroom looks like this!

But really, there's one good thing I've found about the coldness...

Showing off

this amazingly cute

hat collection!

Until Next Time

2011-01-07T17:12:00.000+03:00

Well our crazy two weeks is over, the family is home safe, and we are getting back to normal around here. But before we move on completely I wanted to take one last look at LTM 2010!

We saw some sites (the Western Wall)

and stopped often for snacks.

We may have had a few mishaps (Camille pooped in her pants and I didn't have any extra clothes while we were out, so she went all over Jerusalem in Caedmon's extra pants!!)

And a few meltdowns

We made some friends

And some great memories (family communion at the Garden Tomb)

So until next time, thanks for the all the fun!!!

Cousins

2011-01-02T23:46:00.000+03:00

Baby's First

2010-12-25T22:44:00.000+03:00

In the midst of all the chaos with 3 boys running around, this little girl has been so sweet and patient. I love my cutie pie!

Merry First Christmas Camille!!

And More...

2010-12-24T10:14:00.001+03:00

Yesterday we took the fam to Mount Nebo, the Jordan River, and the Dead Sea. It was a long day (especially for the kids) but we made it back in one piece! Here's a few pictures from the day, and my sister has written a great post on her blog as well at http://themcgrewcrew.blogspot.com/2010/12/mt.html

LTM 2010 So Far...

2010-12-20T21:18:00.000+03:00

Let it Snow!

2010-12-13T16:26:00.000+03:00

Yesterday we were greeted by the yellow fog of a duststorm. The trees were blowing, the windows shaking, temperatures dropped, and the sand was in my teeth after taking the dog out for just a minute. And then this morning, we were greeted with snow! Many schools and other places were closed for a snowday, but Matthew's English class wasn't cancelled, so he still had to get out and go teach. We've just been trying to stay warm, but it's proving difficult since we don't have central heat. It's not hard to get one room warmed up, but the problem is that I never seem to stay in one room long enough to try and get it warm! Oh well. It's supposed to get a little warmer in the coming days, which I'm so glad about since my family will be here on SATURDAY!!!

The Big Three

2010-12-07T23:31:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was Caedmon's third birthday. When I think about it, it's crazy that it's already been three years! But perhaps even crazier is thinking that we've been in Jordan since before he was born!

Our day started out with a special breakfast of his choice: blue pancakes!

Then we let him open 2 presents. We have a couple more for him, but we're saving them for his party which will be in 2 weeks when my family is here!

That evening we went to a neat kid's park in a nearby mall. There was a train, bumper cars, and a HUGE slide that Caedmon couldn't get enough of!

I love that boy so much!!

Too Cool For School

2010-11-30T23:34:00.002+03:00

People always ask us if Caedmon can speak Arabic. You would think that being almost 3, and being in an Arabic speaking country for most of that time, that he could. But, when you think about how he spends his time, it's all with us speaking English. He can understand basic things in Arabic, but he doesn't ever really speak it, except for just a word here and there.

I know that now is the best time for him to learn, so we've decided to take him to a nursery two times a week for a few hours, where he can be around other kids and be in an environment to learn Arabic. The place we found is just a short walk from our house. We went to inquire one day and within five minutes the owner had already offered me a job teaching English there! I went one day and brought the kids with me, but instead of observing like I wanted, they threw me in a room with twelve 3 and 4 year olds and said, "Ok, teach them English!" I think with more organization and preparation I would really enjoy teaching there, but right now, I'm not willing to be away from Camille to do it. So, we decided to just take Caedmon a couple of mornings a week, and we are keeping the option open of me teaching there in some capacity in the future.

Caedmon loves going to school and doesn't even look back when we drop him off!

So, ask me again in a few months if he knows Arabic, and hopefully the answer will be, YES!

P.S. No, we DON'T do that to his hair...he has 2 cow licks in the back and it does that completely on it's own...honest! (I admit I do like it though!)

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T22:50:00.001+03:00

To everyone outside, it was a normal Thursday. But to us who were gathered around the table, it was chance to feel like we were across the ocean, at home. We celebrated Thanksgiving with several friends, complete with a 19 pound Butterball turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Some ingredients can be difficult to find here, and in fact there was only one store in the whole country that I'm aware of that had canned pumpkin and french fried onion strings (for green bean casserole). I ended up making my own fried onions, which was actually pretty easy and they turned out great! We had a great time, and even though it is still hard to be away from family during the holiday season, we are so thankful for wonderful friends to celebrate with!

Supernanny: Jordan Edition

2010-11-23T15:33:00.001+03:00

Again, I bring up the topic of parenting in the Middle East. The general ideas of how to raise kids here are so different. Of course, there are exceptions, but I would say generally, kids do whatever they want, whenever they want. I've heard many parents say things like, "I know it's not healthy, but it's what he wanted to eat." Or, "I try to make him go to sleep earlier, but he wants to stay up and watch tv." Many parents I have been around tell their kids countless times to do something, and then when the child doesn't obey they just shake their head and say, "See, he doesn't listen!"

Now, I'm no Supernanny, but I have done a ton of reading, research, and talking with other parents whose children are well behaved, and I feel like I have a pretty good grasp on effective parenting. Over the past few years here, I have been able to offer some advice to several moms who are tired and frustrated with their kids' behavior.

One of these ladies is Shayma. She has been coming to our house several times a week for a month now to help Caedmon and I practice our Arabic, and she brings her 2 year old son Mustafa with her. She is really a sweet girl, but unfortunatly, her son is not quite as sweet. He screams when he doesn't get his way, is very disrespectful, and even slaps her in the face. She will tell him over and over to do something without any response, and she will make empty threats, like,"Ok fine, we're never coming back here again!"

Now, I'm not one to offer my advice unsolicited, but Matthew happened to mention to her one day that I had some good ideas about parenting and so she asked me about it. She has been around other American families before and she said, "I see they way their kids act and how yours act, and the way you all do things is much better."

I tried to give her several ideas, and I have seen a little improvement since then. The biggest thing I told her is that she should only tell him to do something one time, and if he doesn't listen, he gets punished. So, lately, he's been in time out alot at our house!

I feel like there is such a big need here for education for parents, it could be a great ministry opportunity. Now, I just have to figure out how to go about doing something like that! But, for now, I'll strive to do my best with one tired mommy at a time. ; )

Half a Year

2010-11-19T14:40:00.000+03:00

Can you believe our sweet Camille is already 6 months old? It seems like it took Caedmon longer to get to 6 months...but I guess it was just about the same amount of time! :)

Camille is sitting up by herself now, and her favorite thing to do is watch Caedmon being silly. She's eating cereal and a few fruits and vegetables and seems to like everything except green beans. So, I just mix them together with something a little sweeter like carrots and she's none the wiser. We'll take her to the doctor this week to check her stats, but she's seeming pretty chunky to me so I'm sure she's doing fine!

Sacrifice

2010-11-16T16:03:00.001+03:00

I woke up this morning to the sounds from the local mosques seeping through the windows. There were special morning prayers because today is Eid Al Adha, the holiday where Muslims celebrate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son on the altar. Whereas Christians believe God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Muslims believe that God asked him to sacrifice Ishmael. But, in both stories after God sees that Abraham is indeed willing to give up his son, He provides a ram for the sacrifice instead. So, today is a day of family and food, where a sheep is sacrificed and some of the meat is given to the poor, while the rest is used for a big feast.

Later this morning while I was taking the dog for a walk, I heard the bleating of sheep all around. They were waiting outside each house, unaware that soon their life would end. As I turned the corner down one block, I walked along a river of blood in the street, evidence that someone got an early start. Continuing along, I heard the grinding of a knife being sharpened. I came upon a man preparing his knife for slaughtering the sheep standing tied up next to him. From his parked car, the radio was eerily blaring the chanting of the Koran.

There was such a strange feeling in the air, I got home as soon as I could. And all I could think about was the sacrifice that was made on the cross for myself and all those around me.

"He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." - Isaiah 53:7

Jordan News

2010-11-10T17:23:00.001+03:00

I often don't follow politics, but for the past month I've had no choice but to see candidate posters plastered everywhere around the city. Yesterday we had parliment elections here in Jordan. It's a good thing we know our way around because even the street signs were covered up! Here's some info I got from Wikipedia and another website http://www.black-iris.com/ about the happenings!

Early elections for the Chamber of Deputies were held following the dissolution of the current parliament by King Abdullah II on 23 November 2009. The election had not been due until November 2011.

In 2009, King Abdullah II dissolved parliament on the grounds that it failed to "address the people's needs" only halfway through a four-year mandate also for "inept handling of legislation and failing to address poverty and unemployment."

The main opposition, the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Islamic Action Front, announced on 30 July 2010 it would boycott the polls due to unfair election laws which gave undue weight to the rural, sparely populated areas, and other issues. The "one-man-one-vote" law was seen as "engineered to deprive the Islamic Action Front of votes." They also expelled five members for running in the election following a party decision to boycott the polls.

A low voter turnout was expected, particularly amongst the Palestinian population after calls for a boycott and allegation of fraud. A turnout of 20%-40% was expected.

The result was expected to be a predictable win for pro-government candidates and tribesmen with strong ties to the monarchy.

On election day, fighting between tribes loyal to different candidates led to at least one death and more injures:

10:10am: Arrests of 40 people in Madaba and 10 in Jerash where fights have broken out.

10:56am: Armed men block voters from getting to polls in Mafraq. More forged ID cards found in Ramtha.

11:09am: Amman 4th district candidate (almost) gets run over by one of his opponents thugs. Priceless.

11:14am: Violence breaks out in Sakeb, Jerash leading police to close down the polls.

11:23am: Supporters of one Mafraq candidate block voters of rival candidate from getting to the polls.

11:37am: Supporters shoot up the car of a rival candidate in Madaba. No injuries.

11:48am: Police arrest 4 men armed with AK-47s in Ma’an, one of whom is the brother of a candidate.

11:57am: Drunk driver rams car into polling station. Injures two (the sons of the candidate), while police arrest total of 30 knife/axe-wielding citizens in Madaba.

12:01pm: Police clash with Amman 5th district candidate who questioned the integrity of the voting process. Forged IDs found in Mafraq but Police simply banned forgers from voting.

12:05pm: Balloting rate at 11%. Highest turnout in the south, lowest in Amman. As predicted.

12:25pm: Fight breaks out between 3 candidates in Mafraq. Polling station committee chair gets beaten up & his cell phone stolen.

12:30pm: Voter turnout at 25%. Amman still lagging behind. As predicted.

12:32pm: Minister of Interior blames low Amman turnout on “pampered” residents who wake up late. Priceless.

12:35pm: Darak police use tear gas in Tafieleh to break up crowds of supporters attempting to block voters of another candidate. Supporters of rival candidates in Swefieh, Amman throw rocks at one another.

12:48pm: Candidate Amr Zreikat attacked. Details to follow.

12:51pm: National Center for Human Rights records various voting violations by the government employees with some indication of early voter fraud.

3:37pm: More tear gas used by police to break out violent crowds in Bayader, Amman.

4:03pm: Candidate arrested for trying to steal an election box. Police uncover more forged IDs in Mafraq.

4:07pm: National Veterans Committee boycotting due to flawed election law, which they blame for violence & confusion.

4:20pm: Police intervene to stop a fight that erupted between supporters of two candidates in Marj ilHamam, Amman. Police were attacked & cars broken.

4:23pm: Candidate in Ajloun taken to hospital after being beaten by supporters of a rival.

4:26pm: Poll observers harassed. Banned from some stations. Widespread electronic system failures reported. Vote buying abundant outside Amman.

7:05pm: 25 year old dies in gunfire exchange between supporters of two rival candidates in Karak. 6 others injured.

7:24pm: Voter turnout declared at 52.99% of registered voters.

7:30pm: Supporters of two rival candidates clash in Abu Nseir at a polling station. Destroy public school in the process.

7:40pm: Female students vote using fake ID in Ma’an. More vote buying reported.

7:47pm: Clashes in South Mazar between 2 tribes. Karak governor exiles a tribe.

8:00pm: Voting ends. Polls close.

A nation waits with bated breath.