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.