Rain?

We're sitting at our desk working away. I hear a strange noise and we look up at each other.

"What's that noise?" I ask
'It's raining" Mike replies nonchalantly
"It's WHAT?!"
"It's raining."

So, I shove the curtain back and sure enough... it's raining. I did what any girl (or maybe just me) would do in Africa in the middle of summer. (After all, it hasn't rained in months, and I endured a six hour power cut earlier in the day...) I quickly ran out to the back courtyard, and stood in the rain. Even turned my face up to feel the lovely wetness on my head.

Then I looked down at my nice pale pink shirt and I realized that it was not actually raining rain. It was raining mud.

After a few moments of trying to get my head wrapped around the fact that my shirt and probably my face and all the rest of me was now covered in drops of mud... I sheepishly went inside, washed my face and changed my shirt.

So much for a nice refreshing shower...

My Kind of Game

Mike likes games. All kinds of games. Lately he's been spending some free time seeing what kind of free 'flash' games he can play on the internet. Last night he decided to find a game that I would like to play. For awhile we sold lemonade at a 'lemonade stand' and then we came across one that is JUST my kind of game.

The goal is to cut a certain amount of cookies out of a sheet of cookie dough! The head-baker-man tells you on each level how many you must cut, and how many times you are allowed to re-roll the dough.

I hate to admit that we took turns cutting virtual cookies out of virtual cookie dough for probably an hour. But I did pretty well and we had a really good time! I have about 20 years of baking experience to thank for my high score... I had a few things to teach Michael about proper cutter rotation and maximum dough usage. And some people say that 'home-economics' is of no value...
he he

That reminds me... I wanted to make some cookies today! I should go thaw out that dough!

If you're not too ashamed, you can go to this site to try the game out for yourself. No one will have to know...
http://www.addictinggames.com/cookiecuttertwisted.html

warning: it's slightly addictive (and makes you crave cookies too!)

He Did What?!

Fresh tomatoes, onions, lime juice, garlic, pepper, salt, oregano, olive oil... FRESH SALSA!!!!

Mike did it all! Delicious!!!

He never ceases to amaze me...

Visitors

Today we hosted nine visitors! Seven of them were unexpected (and came at the most un-expected times, of course!). And at one point there were three separate groups of guests in the house at the same time. You can imagine the glances my husband and I were giving each other from across the room as the doorbell kept ringing and we kept bringing in more chairs!!

You never know when answering the door if it's gonna be a old man wanting money, a young man dropping off the phone bill, a little boy asking for ice, or a friend with her baby who will come in and stay for hours!

Aside from dirtying lots of drinking glasses and challenging our patience and knowledge of Arabic, These unexpected visits remind us that we are being accepted by those around us! And although along with the acceptance comes many awkward silences... it also brings joy.

The day ended huddled around family photos by candlelight (and headlamp light) with sweets and coffee cups around the kitchen table. Our neighbors came for dinner... of course the electricity went out in the middle of the meal and we were all dripping sweat, but we had a fabulous time visiting. Mike in the courtyard talking politics, and us ladies in the kitchen talking family and babies...

I always worry so much about 'events' like the one we had tonight, but God is faithful, and it is becoming easier to connect into the lives with those around us.

Could someone just remind me of that the next time the doorbell rings?...