Welcome Back!

I know I've been horrible about updating my blog.  But since we've moved back overseas, everything is new and fresh hopefully I'll make a fresh start with blogging again.  No promises, but I'm going to try!

So far we've been living in a furnished apartment in a village right outside of Nazareth.  And by furnished I mean it comes with everything, including fleas :)  That's right people, we're getting the true village experience here.  They're not actually that bad, I think we've gotten them all killed or at least out of the house.  We're looking for an apartment now.  I think we've found the one we're going to pick.  It's pretty incredible, perfect except for the fact that it doesn't have a bathtub, but we're going to figure something out.   I'll post pictures when we make a final decision.

We went to church this morning and Theo came home smelling of a multitude of ladies' perfumes :)

Zoe's still jet lagging pretty badly.  It's hard to explain to a two year old that even though she's not tired, she should just try to lay there and go to sleep.  It's getting better, but we still have a little ways to go :)

It's been a lot more difficult to adjust to everything written in Hebrew than we thought it would be.  It's weird being illiterate.  We're working on learning the Hebrew alphabet so at least we can read things even if we don't understand what it means.

Short choppy posts will probably be it from now on.  Learning to blog and be a mom at the same time :)

Christmas and 2014

Life has been quite busy around here the past month or so.  We enjoyed Christmas and New Years.  This Christmas was so much fun since it was Zoe's first Christmas where she was somewhat aware of what was going on around her.  On Christmas Eve, we drove with some friends to a nearby town.  This town is a little outside of the capitol city we live in, and it has a Christian majority.  We had heard from many people that we needed to go and see their Christmas lights there, that we would feel like we were in America.  So, we set off on what should have been a thirty minute drive to this little town to see the lights.  When we finally arrived, an hour and a half later, we saw maybe four buildings that had Christmas lights (read: a strand of lights) on them, there were a couple of stores that sold lights, and their door/entry ways were quite lit.  They also had a famous Christmas tree in the center of town, so naturally I'm expecting a Time's Square Christmas tree, what we found was maybe a seven foot tree, no ornaments, just a few strands of red lights.  Our Christmas Lights outing was a little bit of a bust, but it was fun anyway and we did get to see people celebrating Christmas.

Christmas day, we had some friends over for Christmas dinner.  We had a huge feast with Turkey and stuffing, and Andrew put a video of a fireplace with crackling fire on the TV so it felt a bit like a Christmas back home.  This was a fourth Christmas overseas, and it was the first one that has actually felt like Christmas.

We did not really celebrate much for New Years, but we did get to hear a lot of fireworks at midnight.  A few days after the New Year, we went with some friends to a nearby tourist spot just outside of town.  There was an old castle (something like 300 BC), and a network of caves in the side of a mountain.  We took a picnic and enjoyed the afternoon away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Now that all the holidays have passed, we are settling back into the normal routine and fast paced flow of life. 

Snow Days!

Over the weekend we got quite a bit of snow here.  It has stopped snowing, but we are still homebound due to all the snow still in the streets.  Since we rarely get significant snow fall here, there is not a good system in place to handle this much snow.  Because of all the snow and the sheer amount of traffic that it produced, people simply abandoned their cars in the middle of the street to walk the rest of the way.  Needless to say, that has not helped the clean up/clear up process any!  But in-spite of the craziness on the streets, we've had some fun playing in the snow :)

The evening before this major snowfall, we went over to some friend's house that live nearby.  Everything was just wet and cold when we walked over, but when we opened their door to leave that evening, there were huge snow flakes falling and snow was covering everything.  We enjoyed a peaceful, beautiful walk home in the snow.  It's amazing to me how much prettier everything is when there is a layer of snow covering everything.

Zoe Walks

Zoe has finally taken those first steps!  I'm so proud of her growing up, but it is going by too quickly!

Bananas

Zoe has gotten a little too comfortable with always getting free bananas at the fruit market.  Lately, even if we just walk quickly by, she points and cries as she see the bananas hanging there.  We went by the other day but the usual guy wasn't there, so Zoe didn't get her banana and she was devastated, but I was thankful I didn't have to worry about stains on my or her clothes.  Today we went by and Zoe got her free banana and got to visit a little with the parrots that also live at the fruit stand.  Everyone was impressed with her new walking skills and her squeaky shoes :). Thankfully she finished her banana before we left, so there was limited banana mess on our clothes. 

Zoe's Life

There are days when I am so amazed by the life of my little girl.  I weep over the things I know she's missing in the States around family and close friends, but yet what an amazing experience she will have growing up overseas, in a culture all of her own.  Yesterday we went to the park (as is our custom in the evenings), there were three Yemeni ladies there sitting on a bench together.  Yemeni ladies usually wear a full burqa and niqaab (they are dressed in complete black except for their eyes showing), and these ladies were no different.

(I did not take this picture, but simply googled one off the internet, but it was taken in our park)

Zoe has seen ladies dressed like this, but she has not had much close interaction with them before.  Zoe also can be a little stand-offish with everyone till she gets comfortable around them.  So, there we are sitting in the park, these ladies sitting across from us.  At first Zoe gives them a good stare, then she starts smiling and waving.  The ladies loved it.  Andrew took Zoe away for a few minutes to visit one of his friends.  While they were gone, one of the Yemeni ladies got up enough courage to come over and ask me if when they returned, they could take a picture of Zoe.  Of course I didn't care, as this is quite a common thing, people taking pictures of Zoe.  So, when they returned, I got Zoe and took her over to see the ladies.  One of them immediately jumped up and grabbed Zoe.  I was a little worried because usually when someone she doesn't know holds her she cries, but she didn't this time.  She wasn't extremely happy, but she looked at the camera and let them all hold her and kiss her.  I was definitely a proud mama.

On our way home from the park, we stopped by the fruit stand.

Just about every time we go, they give Zoe a banana.  Usually she plays shy and won't take the banana out of their hand (although she really wants it) so they end up just giving it to me, but yesterday she finally took it from them herself.  So, we finished our walk home, Zoe feeding herself a banana.

Returning to Normal

We've been back now for a few days and we are beginning to settle back into the groove of things.  Andrew started back to language lessons yesterday.  When we arrived at the airport upon returning, we were missing a couple of our bags, and those finally got delivered yesterday.  We were so thankful that they did not get permanently lost since they had several of Zoe's new toys and books as well as some Gluten free food for me.  So, yesterday evening we were finally able to get the last of our bags unpacked.  We are looking forward to visiting with friends this weekend, but I think after spending three weeks with family, we are missing them and feeling there absence even more now than before.

Love you guys!

Return Home

We just arrived back home after a three week vacation visiting family in the U.S.  We loved every moment with our families, but it feels good to be back home.  As I lay in bed this morning, snuggling a little with Zoe while Andrew ran down the street to buy some eggs for breakfast, the call to prayer went off.  Zoe turned her head to the window (which the Mosque is just outside of) and we listened.  I was hit with how much this place has become our home.  We loved being in the States, and now this place feels like home, but still we are foreigners living in a foreign land.  We are at home, yet not at home here.  This is the truth of our lives in Christ as well, we are strangers and sojourners in a foreign land, and this is not our home.  We have the hope and future of a better place.

Mosque next door to our house

Days

18 Days till we're in the States for Vacation

17 Days till our next Arabic "evaluation"

14 Days till our little Zoe turns One!

9 Months and 10 Months

Nine Months

At nine months, Zoe finally mastered the normal crawl on her hands and knees.  Previously, she was quite at efficient at the "Army Man" crawl.  She was super fast sliding around our tile floors with her arms and leg on her stomach.  She is quite the inquisitive little girl and loves to get into anything and everything, especially those things she's not supposed to get into.  At the same time Zoe began to crawl on her hands and knees, she also began pulling up and standing while holding on to things.

Ten Months

At ten months old, Zoe is still getting into everything she can.  She particularly loves to go outside and visit with the cats.  Her favorite food is now the peach.  She has grown much more confident in standing, pulling up on non-sturdy, moveable objects.  She moves from object to object, holding on and taking steps, but she still has not stood on her own without holding anything.  She also will only stand up by herself.  If you try to hold her hands or stand her up, she'll have no part of it.  She wants to do it on her own.  Independence has been the theme this past month.

Freedom: Myth or Reality

Living overseas, especially in an Islamic Kingdom, has changed the way I look at our world.  We have lived here now for 2 and half, almost 3 years, and when I think back to America, I can't believe how much freedom we have.  I see daily on facebook and twitter, people posting articles and statuses about how as a nation we are loosing rights left and right.  It may be true, and I am 100% for our rights and freedoms, it is what makes us the United States of America.  We were founded by those fleeing the oppression of their native countries, seeking freedom.  But I have to ask the question, what are you doing with your freedom?

In the U.S., we have the freedom of speech.  We can say whatever we want about whoever we want.  We have the right to peacefully protest, to have marches, to start petitions.  We as normal people, through our State Reps, can actually change things if we are determined enough.  We can elect who we want to be in office.  Granted it may not always feel like we have a voice or a chance, but we do.  In the country we now live in, people are allowed to protest, if they contact the appropriate officials in advance and get permission.  Police will meet them at their designated location and make sure nothing gets out of hand.  If you say something bad about the King or the Prophet, you go to jail.  The people can get the opportunity to vote on their parliament, but the King can (and has) fired them all and set up a new parliament.  But the same people run again for election to Parliament, they pay off people for votes, and get elected into the same positions for their lifetime.  Regardless, the King does what he wants, and has the authority to do so, the average citizen has no ability whatsoever to instigate change.  Thankfully in our Kingdom, we really do have a good, kind King who listens to the people and what they want.  We are blessed to have a King who is looking out for the welfare of his people, and although it may not always be felt, a freedom is lacking.

In the U.S., we have the freedom of Religion.  We can believe anything we want, we can change around from religion to religion if we so desire, we can make up our own religion.  We can do it, and no one can stop us.  Here, we have freedom of religion as well.  You are free to be of whatever faith you were born.  Zoe is free to be a Christian because on her birth certificate it says she's a Christian and that's all she's free to be, well, except Muslim.

Now, here, we may live under a Monarchy and not have the voice or the freedoms from government that we have in the U.S., but the aspect of this country which really impedes upon a persons freedoms is the culture.  I have been talking a lot about this with my language tutors recently.  The difference between religion and culture.  While the religion between Christians and Muslims in my country is quite different, their culture is the same.  I have the freedom legally to walk outside dressed however I like, but if I go out in a mini skirt and a tube top, the culture is quickly going to catch up with me.  I will get harassed, probably grabbed and most likely propositioned.  Therefore, long sleeves, long pants/skirts and loose clothing it is.  I have the freedom legally to go out of the house by myself at any time of the day I want, but if I go out by myself after dark, the culture will quickly catch up with me.  I have the freedom to walk on the street with a man who is not my husband, but the culture will quickly catch up with me.  A girl has the freedom to have sex outside of marriage, but a male family member (brother or father) might abuse or kill her and he might go to prison for 6 months.  That's right folks, this is cultural not religious.

So, as I read tweets and status updates about people's unhappiness with political changes in the U.S., I challenge you to be thankful for the freedoms that you do have.  Put feet to your words and do something about those things you are unhappy about, because that is your right, your freedom, and you have the ability to make change.  Live life, take advantage of the freedoms you have.

On another note:  Happy Easter!  We are free to celebrate Easter, but if we do, we must celebrate on the day the King tells us to.  

Seven Months!

Our little Zoe is seven months old now!  Oh how time flies!  She is growing so quickly these days.  She started eating solid food at 6 months and has loved it.  So far her favorite is Sweet Potatoes, followed by Avocado and Banana.  She is learning new things everyday.  She has favorite toys, and has now entered the stage of crying as loud as she can if you take that toy away or if you don't give it to her quick enough.  I think in the next few weeks, she will really become more mobile.  Right now, she sits up really well, she will reach for toys out of her reach and go to her belly then immediately roll to her back or side.  She hates being on her stomach, so she doesn't roll from back to belly very often, and when we put her on her stomach, she just rolls right over.  But she is getting so much stronger, and I think she will begin crawling from the sitting position rather than from laying on her belly.

She is a really great night time sleeper, but has recently been fighting nap time to the extreme.  She sleeps on her side with her arm up covering her head/eyes.  It's pretty cute :)

Well, here she is, our little 7 month old!

6 Month Old Zoe!

5 Months

Just realized that I'm a little bit behind on these...sorry!

3 Months

4 Months

Our 5 month old little Zoe!

She is getting so big and so smart.  She rolls over from belly to back all the time.  She is so close to sitting up by herself.  She sleeps well at night although naptime is a different story, but recently she has been napping much better.  She is so talkative, loves being around people, laughing and smiling :)

Picture With Santa

Learning Arabic

Here's a short video of Zoe learning some Arabic.  Unfortunately you can't really hear her in the video, but you get the idea :)

2 Months

I'm a little bit late getting this up, but better late than never!  Today our little girl is 10 weeks old!  I can't believe how fast the time has flown!  I am pretty sure we have been blessed with the best baby ever.  She is amazing and sleeps like a champ which we are pretty excited about :)  She is such a happy baby, loves giving us big smiles and cooing and singing along with us.  She continues to amaze us!

Newborn Portraits

Here are a few of Zoe's newborn portraits taken at 3 weeks old, thanks to LightlyFocused Photography

One Month

Zoe Phyllis

Zoe Phyllis was born on September 27, 2012 at 9:45 in the evening.  She weighed 7 lbs and 10 oz and was 19.5 in long.  Hopefully within the next few days I will be able to post a little more about her birth and the past week and a half with a newborn.

The first time I got to hold her, it went by way to quickly

After letting me hold her for a minute (they didn't even really want to do that but Andrew insisted) they whisked her away to the NICU to monitor her breathing.

After monitoring her for a few hours, they finally returned her to us!

Sweet little Zoe all bundled up (definitely more to come on this)

At home, 3 days old

I believe this is on day 6

1 week old, Daddy cutting her little fingernails as she sleeps