Lord I am thankful for a little girl to have tea parties with.

And a little boy who loves to vacuum.

When we lived in Syria in 2002 there were hardly any western things- meaning restaurants etc.  Now you can find Pepsi, Coke and KFC.  There still aren’t a lot of western eating places.  I know some people really like that about Syria- and it does make it unique.  But I have to confess I would love to hit a Target!

Here is something my brother, when he visited us for a month, acted like he was going into detox with out! Well it’s here now!

Elias likes little places.  I find him several times through out the day in the tightest places in the funniest positions.  I have missed some of the best photo ops because he moves too fast!  I think the funniest one was under the chair he eats in laying on his tummy and just eating food off the carpet- not using his hands- just getting whatever he could with his mouth.

Roaming Free

Lucy still really likes to dress up and dance.

KGB Elias

Wide eyed.

He loves to stick out his tongue and he loves it when you do it too.

They like playing together – not for real extended times but for a bit.  They especially love their “yelling time”  after baths.  It’s pretty cute!

I just read this interview with Steven Curtis Chapman- he is a Christian musician who lost their daughter in a  tragic accident about a year and a half ago.  The things he said reminded me so much of how we felt after losing Owen.  And not that I never feel that way anymore but the intensity and constancy is not there like it was those first couple years.

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/interviews/2009/stevencurtischapman-nov09.html?start=1

I know some of you out there probably have the More with Less cookbook.  I am looking for recommendations of your favorite recipes.  So please let me know what it is from there you like to cook.

To those of you who don’t have this cookbook but have a recipe you would like pass on, you are welcome.  But one condition- no short cuts.  In other words I don’t have access to lots of canned stuff here – which seems necessary for most of the stuff I regularly cook!  I feel like I am learning how to cook all over again!

Lucy started school yesterday.  It was a big step for all of us!!  It’s a little preschool near our home.  It goes from 8-12 Sunday – Thursday.  We are only having her go from 9-11.  I am thankful they are flexible with us.  She seems to really like it.  Our main motivation was just that she was really missing her friends and really wanted to do it.  We are glad for the social aspect and also for the Arabic, she will  God willing, learn there.

Here is a picture of Elias and Lucy in Elias’ bed.  Lucy was yelling for me to come get him that he didn’t like being in jail.  I guess she felt sorry for him and joined him!

Here is a picture of Lucy in the Old City.  This is in front of Bayt Jabri- an old Arabic house turned into a restaurant.

I accidently posted this on Dustin’s blog earlier- oops!

We are adjusting shway, shway here.  Which means slowly, slowly or little by little.  We hope to have a better internet connection so hopefully my frequency will improve.