It’s been awhile since I’ve written an update and the clock on our remaining time in Jordan keeps ticking away quickly. I know it’s just a blink of an eye and we’ll be gone. We are still hoping to leave end of Nov/early Dec and (so far!) things seem to be on track for that, although we knock on wood every chance we get. In the meantime, let me catch you up on what we’ve been doing.
Ramadan ended Sept. 30 (like the start of it, no one actually knew the exact day it would end until the night before- just imagine if you didn’t know when Christmas would be). The wonderful thing about Ramadan is the Gov’t gave everyone a five-day holiday to celebrate the Eid. Thus, we had a great five days together as a family with really nothing planned ahead of time- now isn’t that the best way to truly relax? I don’t recall doing much… but I did finally get to read a couple of autobiographies that have been on my shelf since last Christmas, Tony Dungy and Sandra Lee. Two people I knew absolutely nothing about (admit I was bored) but I enjoyed their inspirational life stories very much (which also had the adverse effect of making my life feel even more boring!)
As much as I dreaded Ramadan (and was v. happy for it to end!) I have to admit it wasn’t nearly as bad as I feared. It was possible to find a few restaurants open during the day (if you knew where to look) and if I was discreet enough, I could get a coffee at Starbucks – given I drink it at home and not in my car. Thankfully, I didn’t experience more erratic than usual driving and never came across the short-tempers from fasting that I was warned about. The best way to explain the end of it is, “aaaah… relief”, life back to normal! J and I did manage to get away for an evening night out and attended an Iftar banquet to celebrate the breaking of the daily fast. There was TONS of food and it was funny to watch people fill up their plates 3 or 4 times, one buffet I didn’t have to worry about looking like a pig at, everyone else beat me to it!
As for each of us, let me recap:
J-
J has been busy doing a rotation with an elite military group here (imagine the group in the US that is not supposed to exist) He’s been having a good time and cracks me up with funny stories that I wish I could write but better not put online. However, when you see him next you can ask him about his cross-cultural exchange with the Jordanians. Mostly, he talks about how these guys are like “chicks” in the sense that they just like to “be” together and talk. Talk, talk, talk is what they do all day long- I guess instead of a gaggle of women here it’s a gaggle of guys drinking tea and talking. At least he’s getting some good language practice in!
The highlight was when he got to meet the King! Hopefully I can post a picture of that soon. He spent an afternoon following the King around the Unit while he observed them doing their demonstrations. Now if only I could meet the queen!! J’s brother just arrived for a weeklong visit so he is having a blast showing him the sights of Jordan and even watching the MN Gophers play live on TV since they are both big fans. It’s been wonderful having company visit.
K-
K will be two in a couple of weeks and we are excited about that. She talks non-stop about a few subjects being 1) No Boys! I really don’t know where she got this from but she does not like boys (even though she adores daddy and he is a boy). Anywhere I take her, she tells me beforehand that there should be "No Boys” there! I suppose this would be a good thing if she was 13 but at two, it’s a bit annoying. 2) The daily prayer calls- she likes to tell us “I don’t like the prayer call, loud noise, don’t like it…..” over and over (!!) again every day. Poor girl, nothing we can do about that sound as long as we live here. 3) The A-B-C’s (minus EFG) she’s obsessed and we have to listen to the song on repeat at least a dozen times a day. She even sings it to her dolls. 4) Must be a sign of the times but she has become quite adept at recognizing McCain and Obama on TV, she'll even tell you who she's going to vote for if you ask her. A child after my own heart for sure, every morning she says it's time for mom to watch "the news" (even if it means no Seseme, love her!) She has sure changed in our year here and I am most thankful that it’s been a good place for her to blossom. She has her little friends now that she asks about and I am starting to pray for good neighbors when we get to the DC area since I have a new appreciation for built-in playmates.
We’ve been attending a nursery school together here that’s been a lot of fun but I’m thinking they might be expecting a bit too much from these roughly two yr olds. Lately during circle time, each child has to go up in front of the class and select the correct shape and in the correct color (such as the yellow rectangle); there are a lot of shapes and colors to choose from too. K went from thinking everything was red to now thinking everything is green (could this be a sign of color blindness?) and she sure as heck doesn’t know her shapes yet! I had to laugh when a girlfriend decided in all seriousness that she was going to make her own shape/color cutouts at home to practice with and prep her daughter for “circle time”. I’m sorry but I refuse to join the rat race this early! If my kid doesn’t know her shapes and colors by two then I’ll just have to live with that. Besides, I give up, everything is green! :)
Me-
I wish I could say that I was better but I just recovered from a horrible stomach flu that knocked me out for the past several days. There is just nothing that can ruin a busy, fun weekend quite like the flu! I’m thankful J and his brother were able to take care of K for me so that I could lay in bed for an entire 24 hours (before I moved to the couch for the next 24). The scariest moment was when I woke up in the middle of the night a little delirious and tried to get some water from the kitchen. I started banging into things (ouch!) and thankfully J heard me in time to catch me before I passed out on our hard marble floors (big ouch!). The other day, J and his bro went along to Jerusalem without me. I sure hated to miss that trip since really, how many times do you get to drive to Jerusalem for the day?!
On a nicer note, Jane (our housekeeper) asked if she could get some extra hours until we leave so she is now working for us full time. What in the heck does she do all day in our small house with a stay-at-home mom? I really have no idea but it sure is wonderful to have her here more. Had I been wiser, we would have cut her hours to prepare me for life with two kids and no help. What a shock that is going to be (I’m sure you’ll read future postings about my nervous breakdown!) She’s the best thing about living over here (shh, don’t tell that to the Jordanians). I just cannot adequately describe the luxury of having someone around 8 hours a day to meet your every need! Yes, I’m ruined for life I know. (And you don’t want to hear another word about it either do you?)
The problem is I can’t stop this nagging feeling that I should be doing more with my free time. Where does it go? Despite all the help, I still don’t get my to-do list checked off (this could be the result of my recent Facebook addiction, darn it!) or maybe I’m just one of those people who works best under pressure? Yah, that’s it- the more I have to do the more I actually accomplish! When I hear about women like Gov. Palin going back to work after 3 days it makes me sick. Gee-whiz, after three months I was still in my PJ’s until noon (or longer for those of you who know me well!) Maybe, that’s the silver lining after all. If I just wait until next year, I’ll finally get something done!
Speaking of Palin, we’ve been having fun hosting weekly debate parties. They are of course, more fun with a little healthy disagreement so we try to liven up the conversation a bit. This was not easy with the Presidential ones because the second debate was mostly a repeat of the first (bore) and I’m expecting the same for tomorrows too. The VP debate on the other hand, was a lot more fun and you just can’t blame Tina Fey when the funny stuff falls right into her lap. Would someone please tell her to stop the winking! Okay, as passionate as I am about politics, I'll refrain from using this blog to say any more that may offend my mostly conservative "base", love you! ;)
Lastly, we just found out we’ll be having another GIRL! Since I’m just ga-ga for little girls I’m pretty thrilled about the news! Daddy, on the other hand will have to get used to the idea of being
really outnumbered now- or as he put it, never on-time again for the rest of his life! Ha! At least life with me has prepared him for that one. K now likes to go around the house talking about her baby sister and “share toys” which I don’t think she comprehends but we are encouraged that she at least listens to us (for the time being anyway).
Okay, time to post a few recent pics…
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