~ Keeping Perspective ~

It has been quite awhile since I've been riddled with tears. For the past week, tears have just been waiting to spill....I keep praying and keep my eyes on the Lord and He comforts me, yes, but in this world He even told us we would struggle...and boy do we struggle!

Of course there are moments or days when I just feel overwhelmed with all the changes that have happened, all the conveniences (aka I was spoiled) we gave up...but I am definitely in a valley...a very low spot.

And so I am glad that I remember that grass grows the thickest in the valleys. While others are on the top of the mountain rejoicing in what they see and what they've accomplished...I have taken a tumble down the mountain and I think I might've hit every rock, tree and pile of mountain goat poo imaginable until I just lay here in the valley.....

I realize it's just a matter of me feeling sorry for myself. Wanting it to be easy to get a haircut for my son, wanting to hear all of my sweet daughter's stories after school instead of battling traffic on foot to keep her safe, to rely on electricity to provide air conditioning, to feel a change in the weather - I'M SICK OF SUMMER! To smell something fresh, to go somewhere and feel/taste/smell/hear all at once, something familiar and soothing.......

Today is one of those days when I wish I was one of those mom's who choses to drop her kids off at school and do nothing but shop everyday for herself and her family....because today I'd like to hide away where no one would notice me.....what made the final drop?

My beloved first born telling me with anger this morning
THIS ISN'T RIGHT! IT SHOULD BE FALL! I SHOULD BE PLAYING WITH MY FRIENDS AT SCHOOL AT EXCEL AND THEN JUMPING IN LEAVES!!!

wow - I'm glad he can voice how he's feeling, but to be honest, I was surprised he was able to put it out there like that. So we're starting school late today, he's drawing me a picture of us at the house in Michigan....to put on the calendar because he's SICK TO DEATH (his words) of just one season...

I cannot believe we had almost the same mental thought....so....I hit the valley floor when I realized even my son is hurting.....

but as I lay there, I look around, not up, but around....

and I see many MANY extremely poor and hurting people who have been practically torn from their country due to war....and I see them mourning and rejoicing and growing and building each other up.....I see them giving up on dreams and letting God empty and fill them again.....

and I am inspired!

Homeschooling adds to the changes...I REALLY LOVE IT! I'm surprised how God has broken down my walls I had against His desire for me to school Joshua.......but He is amazing, isn't He?! (oh by the way, Joshua loves art, he's just SUPER serious since he's not a little kid anymore ha ha ha ha ha, his words, my laughter)....

Homeschooling changed the relationship with the kids....I want the cool evenings to snuggle with the kids and read for an hour until I'm cross-eyed, but after reading/teaching/schooling for 4-5 hrs every day, I just don't seem to have the energy..

last night, I realized, it's that I lost the will.....

and so last night, the kids snuggled in my bed and we read for 30 min....and it really changed the dynamics of how this morning went! amazing!

So...as I lay here on the valley floor and smell the lush grass and see how the butterflies adore God's creation.....I will continue to let Him refresh me....the valleys are necessary so that we can know Who created us, why we were created and that there's MORE to this life than the piles of mountain goat poo that we just slipped on as we fell down the mountain......

and so that the next time we climb the mountain, the view will be THAT much more incredible!

I expect my day off from teaching tomorrow will begin with me laying in bed for an extra hour.....soaking in His peace that words cannot describe.

~must add that I do wish I could lay in the lush grass of Greece by myself for a few days - I wouldn't mind HA!~

In keeping perspective, I must remember who I am.......and Who He is...was and always will be! And a warning to those of you who have been at the summit for awhile........watch out for that first drop off, it's a doozy!!

Love from Egypt,
W

Highlights From Today's Art Class

Mr. Left Brain Dominant really struggled today and even argued with the teacher....who I assured it's fine to keep pushing my Mr. L.B. to help him use the other side of his brain. I love Joshua's seriousness.....it cracks me up!





If Joshua could paint squares or sketch real life items, he'd be as happy as Jasmine was today doing funky wood art! The kids had SO much fun!!! Thanks for sharing in our day.

We had a VERY unique and wonderful experience tonight....as we were walking from the church where the kids were playing on their scooters and I was studying for Arabic tonight......we were invited to sit in on a music lesson.....where our wonderful drummer from the Congo was teaching a woman to play THE AFRICAN DRUM!!

base tonga tonga tonga base, base tonga tonga tonga base

is rollin in my head!

WHAT A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE! If I wasn'st studying Arabic.......

Shopping Today......

the electricity went out.

Now really, after being here more than 7 months, it is SHOCKING that today was my first time inside a grocery store when the electricity went out! Instantly, the other foreigners gave away their position with little gasps and whispers....while me and the Egyptians and workers instantly went "click click" on our cells to turn the flashlight on! Onward we go!! Shopping- high-ho! It was a little more difficult to get deli meat ha! But everything else went smoothly! I liked the workers announcing their arrival "behind you, madam" when approaching - ha!! They must know not to sneak up around women in the dark! mwah ha ha ha!

Heaven-sent, Sara S is right, today a young man was heaven sent! I accidentally (out of habit) got a large cooler-size of drinking water....and wasn't ready with an exchange (which is a problem here ~ugh~) one of "my guys" told me no problem (in Arabic of course) and will pay the fee and then I'll call him when it's empty..he'll return it, get HIS money back, I'll save a LOT of hassle...AND he'll get another little tip - WE'RE ALL SO HAPPY!! In this heat and these streets...not going back out to take care of a water issue - oh there's no words to say the gratitude of not dealing with that myself!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS MUSTAFA!!

I simply **must** photograph my guys on their bikes and my piles of food!! They always say in Arabic "much food!" But the wealthy locals have their servants buy food more often than I do - I simply do NOT have the time to keep up with that! Once/wk baby!

I keep forgetting to show you the eggs here!! I get local red eggs. To you that's brown eggs....they are packaged similar to the US really...but....

see the feathers? and poo? yep...eggs don't cost extra with feathers and poo!! No worries, if i do happen to bake with them and not just boil...or if I fry them up YES I WASH THEM VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERY WELL! the super poopy ones get boiled afterwards - HA!

This is how my mom had her farm fresh eggs from underneath the chickens..but these....well...I wonder what happens in the US to get them "so" clean - now I'm glad I always washed my hands in the US after I touched eggs - ha ha! I'm thinking they're not as "clean" as we think they look there!

15 Years in Egypt

In less than one year, I have begun to better understand the movement of Old Testament characters like Abraham, Joseph and obviously of Mary and her Joseph too! We have come to better understand some wars and etc...pretty incredible! I have come to better understand what Abraham gave up in Sumer as well! Tho..obviously not completely! Altho, one day next week, for history, Joshua and I will be going w/o certain things just to get a "glimpse" into - tho I'm sure moving here and hunting for fresh water and food for the first 2 months is STILL fresh on our minds..don't you?

So what will I learn after 15 years here?

Wait..no no no! We haven't made a 15 yr commitment - Rob and I just celebrated 15 years of marriage....on the Nile. I try to say that slowly to let it sink in, I think it never will! "on the Nile" and the 15 years part - wow - where did my youth go? who am I kidding? I'm still as immature as ever! and I have my Arabic joking abilities to prove it! At least both my kids still think I'm hilarious!!! Wonder if THEY will after 15 years with me? snicker...snicker....

Happy Anniversary, Rob! Sept 21 was 15 years. On the Nile has become my FAVORITE place in the world - thanks for thinking of it!!

Can't wait to share it with Rob's dad in Oct...and both of my parents this winter!! WOO HOO!! Egypt only gets better and better!! (Please remind me when there's nowhere for me to walk w/ small kids but IN the traffic and people blare the horn and yell - I think they have seen Spiderman do his tricks and assume ALL Americans are this talented - HA!)

What a beautiful celebration that so many people worked to make so special for us! Thank you to our parents and our grandmothers, especially! MISS YOU ALL!!

GO Houston Dynamos!!!!

Yesterday was Joshua's first soccer game ever! Well, he's seen the big guys play matches at the Club of course...but this was his first time playing! I just have to brag about the team..they were INCREDIBLE! Only 3 boys knew how to play (out of 10) on our team....one of them played solo and there's always one in every bunch...anywho....the rest of them actually talked to the "new kids" off and on about passing, shooting, etc...so even between the coaches instructions! I'm here to tell you, THEY WORKED AS A TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The opposition did their best..individually.....it was sort of a slaughter.....probably now they'll work on teamwork themselves (the coach did try, but not even 2 kids figured it out, it's cute really). Joshua took instruction well and passed, controlled, etc....I was truly fascinated by the game (my first time ever watching a whole game, I must admit)

Rob ran to the top of one of the buildings and got some neat shots! Joshua is the upside-down pumpkin (orange shirt, green shoes).








Beforehand, as is tradition with baseball...Joshua remembered we needed some cool photos...here he is looking totally cool and serious as all soccer players should (ha!)




Just fun shots to share....



Of course us 3 wore our "closest thing to orange" as well - aren't these 2 of the cutest cheerleaders ever? (I'm laughing SO hard, if Rob finds out I said that about him.....HA HA HA HA HA!)


somehow in my big Giza post about our trip Friday, I missed a couple neat photos..so I'm tacking them on here. Glad you all enjoyed!! Yes, WC, I told my mom she should pinch me, it's SO unbelievable! :)






front and forward of the camel hineys, you can see a building...that is where they found Cheops' boat (khufu's boat) for the journey he took to the tomb, etc, after death. They raised it and built a building around it. Waaaaaaaaaaaay back, you've seen pics of it. We'll see it again and post a couple shots again of course.

Yes, that's my friend AL and a couple of her boys blocking the other camel hineys! ha ha! James took the cool shot of Rob and I. He couldn't find stable footing to center it alll, but I think it looks REALLY neat the way it is!!

More Great Ancient Egypt Moments!

Today at the pyramids with friends was.....well I may need a thesaurus! Marvelous! Deeply Enjoyable! Not only did our new wonderful friends join us (can't wait to meet her husband..he is helping rebuild in the Middle East THANK YOU to all the men and women who are protecting, rebuilding..uniting..THANK YOU! and for the families woh love and support them - THANK YOU!

Ok - what GREAT day! First, a group photo!!

Finally, you can see our friend James that we mention! Gpa Bob will soon have the pleasure of meeting him! BEST NEWS THIS WEEK - ROB'S DAD IS COMING TO VISIT IN OCTOBER! HAAAAAAAAAPPY DANCING!

can I be more scatter brained? on with the photos, Wendy!

group photo...obviously the girl beside us was having HER photo take w/ the pyramids...love how Henry wonders what the people next to us are doing! ha ha!



and yes the pyramids ARE behind us...but...well we're blocking them! ha ha! the girl blocked the one we wanted the driver to get into the photo....tee hee!

The kids are up about 4 layers high - any higher and the security on camel you see wouldn't be using his wip on the camel! tee hee! I've only ever seen them use it on the vendors...not the foreigners....

I measured out meters on a kite string....each block was 1.5 meters wide and 1.5 meters tall that we could 'reach' - that is 1.5 Jasmines as well! tee hee!




NO, JAMES! DON'T JUMP! DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON'T DOOOOOOOOOO IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!!


these pictures aren't in any real order! I am using 2 camera disks and lost track....so...anyway! JUST ENJOY!!!!!!!!!! Rob and I had a GREAT time..the kids were OVERWHELMED and are zonked in bed......ALL REALLY STUNNING AND GREAT! who cares if the pics are now in order, right? RIGHT!

Today was the first time we got to enjoy the sphinx a bit! There's SO much to enjoy and see out there. We didn't see the same things as our last (first) visit! We enjoyed seeing the living quarters of the "workers" for the pyramids as well as a few "lesser tombs" where you see heiroglyphics (there's that word again, how'd I do B W and Sarah S? lol) Connor, the 11 yr old found the BEST tomb! Jaime, the 7 yr old found the SCARIEST places......pits..that fall from 10' to 50' down....YES THAT WAS HORRIFYING WITH ALL THE KIDS!!!!!!!!!!!! Us momma's had some MAJOR blood pressure issues a few times...sigh....I was glad that Henry at 15 is more of a man and helping w/ the kids - cuz we needed 3 men quite often! gulp! NO IT WAS WONDERFUL!!


What do you think...if the sphinx's nose was on...this REALLY is a GOOD likeness of King Robert.....


honestly, even with 4.5 hrs there (which is EXHAUSTING in the blazing sun), it's SO much to take in...we STILL didn't do it all! Next time, we MUST start at the sphinx and picnic there..not at the pyramids :) I need to just "soak" him in! ha!

the sphinx lost his nose and the cobra on the head gear when in the mid 1800's, the Egyptians turned from Allah and began worshipping the sphinx, even bringing in part of their crops...an Islamic leader "defaced" the sphinx to stop this..it worked apparently!

the smalled pyramid was like 1/3 high with PINK GRANITE! (from Aswan) AMAZING that would be to behold...you can see it in Alexandria still when Mohamed Ali Pasha ("the prophet" took it - oh I'm so sad!).

The pits were down to the water....remember, the Nile covered this area way back in ancient times..and of course flooded EVEN closer (almost to base of sphinx).

CAN YOU BELIEVE WE WERE THERE TODAY? IT BLOWS MY MIND!! I enjoy also thinking about how educated and intelligent early man was....where's the evolutary theory in that? OK, off my soap box ENJOY THE RANDOM PHOTOS!

the weather was GRAND! only 93, slight breeze and LOOK AT THE PUFFY CLOUDS! (clouds are rare here).

When we were on the Nile, I remembered our awe, as it was this family's first time to cross the Nile...see the small farms..the donkies and waterbuffalo's....and then when we saw the pyramids...I love how all the talking goes from jibber jabber to

**GASP** LOOK **SILENCE WHILE GASPING**

really amazing to behold coming upon them for miles out...then walking up to them!


HILARIOUS! JAMES THE PYRAMID SPRINKLER! thanks..kept the dust down for the future visitors...tee hee!!






yes, that is a bat family...we were hiking around and the boys are going COOL! I CAN HEAR THEM! and I'm saying "oh, wow, what is it?" I get RIGHT up there and Rob says "SWEET, A BAT JUST FLEW BY"

it is the fasest I've moved on foot in the ruins of Egypt..........My friend AL was RIGHT on my heels! ha ha!!


Jaime found this cool block..and Joshua realized it was heiroglyphics...cool find, guys!


PUSH HARDER, PLEASE! MAKE ROOM FOR US ADULTS TO GET THRU! COME OOOON..MORE MUSCLE...PUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSH!








Henry and Joshua....TOO PRECIOUS!

and what's a photo from Egypt without you seeing a donkey roaming the roads, right? HA HA! good thing it's early Friday morning, low traffic time! or we might've had roadkill for our picnic..don't you just love the pic of James with the boys in the van? All of those boys are SO precious!!

James didn't think Rob could get to the top of the 2nd largest pyramid (King Khufu's son...Khufu was birth name...Cheops is what the Greeks named him). The top is the original outer casing that has still withstood the pollution and winds! But look! Rob was able to lay his hand at the top..what a climb! whew!




I am quite impressed with this next one...I took it "on the move" if they see you take their photo, you HAVE to pay.....I'm sorry....for ONE photo? well the camels...I can't get enough of them! James and Henry were dying over my rear camel shot! I love them! And the young man above me on the camel...can't get enough!

I just had to show you the pile of garbage on this "our" garbage truck. Beside it here is where it gets "dumped" when accumulated...and dogs, cats, "animalistic children" and the garbage workers sort it...with bare hands and feet...then they bag it and....haul it off...IS THAT A LOT ON THE BACK OF THAT TRUCK OR WHAT? now the best part would be if I could bring myself to humiliation pt of taking a photo while they travel...2 guys IN the truck...and guess where the other 2 are?

ON TOP! WHY NOT?! have also seen them so full, guys hang on the ropes OFF THE BACK of the truck!

hmm..not so sure!

Ok now onto a few posts ago, I put up a "wagon" that I wasn't sure what was in the drums...well........James saw my photo and said 'why did you take a picture of the RamaDaan juice?'

oooooooooooooooooooh! This guy was selling bags of fresh fruit juice! They put it in bags and you drink it as the day goes by....when it's super hot, they're allowed to have a certain amount...and I guess this bag is just the size! hm..interesting! I'd say it's about 10 oz of juice in one bag (I happened to see one w/o knowing where it came from)

Also! I have been localized a bit more - I have gone to calling my apartment "the house." Having own a house and lived in it, I called things "home" but sometimes I got specific "townhouse, apartment, condo, etc" but...I've lived here awhile now..I say "my house" and I mean..my apartment here in Maadi, not the house in Kentwood which is HOPEFULLY "finally" getting fixed from my neighbors tree that fell on it after we warned them and tried to split the cost to take it down...oh...I sense I need to pray about my bitterness again....

off to do just that!

TOMORROW IS A TRIP TO THE PYRAMIDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Sept Photos

Today the littlest dhl truck went by. We have seen UPS trucks like this maybe 5 times in 7 months. I always think of Karen and Ray! HI GUYS!! Anyway, happened to have the camera out and Rob snapped a quick one while it was parked outside our building.

Other photo is yesterday at art class. These 2 boys wanted a photo of their Matisse pieces. yes, Betty, the entire sloped alley and the beads in windows - that is ALL the art place! It is so artistically stimulating, everyone I take there oh's and ah's and feels overwhelmed. :)



Joshua is doing well in Arabic writing/reading. Today I read the Arabic word for Pepsi which literally translated is (bee-yib-see said quickly tho). I am showing you a sample of his work from today. the word for pony is "see see" basically. And then sushi is well...sushi! ha ha!! Thought you'd enjoy these 3 pics today!! *sorry, couldn't get it to scan in a format to show here...hmmmm???*

By the way, the "African American" comments had me snickering...people here say I am an African American - know why? Well, I'm an American (citizenship, my parents and their parents live there and speak the language). I actually have now lived in Africa as a home - not as a tourist. And I speak an African language. I think after the last post, this may make you all smile!

Some Egyptians say I'm an Egyptian, some say I'm an African. Lots of Sudanese say I'm Egyptian-African now :)

and now I'm off to have a frozen popsicle in one hand and a hunk of pork bacon in the other DEFINITELY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOT EYPGTIAN this afternoon!