Paper Folder

The other day we had a flashback for my boy. So here is one for Sweet N.

Just around the same time she started her love of rock collecting, she also grew to love paper folding. Looks like this was around Christmastime.

Two folded papers proudly on display.

Silly girl.

I started finding folded paper stashed all over the house. This discovery was in her dulaab (wardrobe/closet).

My daughter was (and still is) passionate about tape. These papers got tape all up and down them to properly secure them. My assistants in the preschool (that were wrapped around her tiny little fingers) would sit there and hand her piece after piece of tape so she could tape to her hearts content.

God bless them.

More folding.

Oh yeah. Good one babe. She’s such a good folder.

Tape.

Tape and more tape.

She knows what she likes folks and she sticks with it!

H’s First Journal

Last June I gave my boy an orange notebook and taught him about reading his Bible and writing thoughts and prayers, etc in his journal.

Here he is, working away. Dear sweet boy. That was a year ago.

He would make scribbles that resembled writing. It was so special. The journal did not make it out of Africa, which saddens me, but I did ask him one day what he had written once he had finished and he told me:

“Dear Jesus. I love you. I love to play with you. And I love to sleep wif you. I love God.”

Amen little man. Amen.

Goodbye Tours–Syrian Fresh

There weren’t many great restaurants in our city. When you found a good one, you stuck with it.

And we found a good one.

All the ex-pats did.

It was called Syrian Fresh Food. They had the best shwarma cause it was served on fresh flat bread. Mmmmmn. They had other yummy things too. Mmmmnnnn.

I don’t have a picture of the restaurant.

But I do have a picture of my husband chowing down on his very last Syrian Fresh shwarma.

Goodbye delicious Syrian Fresh.

Selfies

Just some goofy selfies my kids have taken recently…

… just cause they make me smile.

The Face

Far as I can remember, all of my kids have had this face at some point. Just can’t find any pics of my firstborn, but Sweet N went through this here.

Could it be teeth coming in already for my Lil’ A?

Not sure, but she is sucking on her bottom lip a lot. Time will tell…

About the Road, Jack

We pulled out at 2:15pm.

Smiles all around!

And at 2:46pm we had already turned on a video for our children. We made it 31 minutes… aren’t you proud?

My daughter’s quote. Can you guess what show was one?

“Map!”

Indeed, it was Dora the Explorer.

This question came ridiculously often. People joke about this question getting asked on the road a lot. But for my daughter it was not a joke. She asked probably 45 times in the first two hours. You wouldn’t believe that a girl could as “Are we almost there?” so often even in the same minute. And she was dead serious. Like she thought four seconds later the answer might actually be YES?! It was funny the first two times and then not funny at all the next 43.

In Kansas we saw windmills. Lots of them. Why don’t more states build massive amount of windmills? Seems like a good idea to me…

At 4:50 we stopped at a rest stop. We stopped for waaaay too long for only having been on the road for a couple hours. Oh well. We had fun.

A baby’s got to eat! (drink!).

Happy boy.

Happy girl.

Mike got a foxtail for belated Father’s Day. It’s great fun. Very useful in times like these.

Sweet N read a Kansas brochure to baby girlie. Love it.

And an hour later we hit the road again.

Here are dashboard dinner preparations. Maybe I could market this idea? It has a nice ring to it…

By the time the sun went down we pulled out the glow sticks. Always winners. Thanks Grammi.

Later in the night got a call from our realtor that there was an offer on our home that we are trying to sell. We decided to counter offer and actually signed the paperwork while driving on the road late at night in Kansas.

Technology is A-MAZ-ING!

We were really glad to be able to turn on the data on our phone and do it that way. The alternative was pulling over at a McDonalds, opening a laptop and distrubing these two snoozers. That would have been bad news.

At 3:30am lil’ One wanted some more milk and the van needed some fuel.

Probably spent 45 minutes at Pilot at that point. Mike and I were pretty tired and our driving turns were getting shorter and shorter. He does awesome during daylight and hardly needs me then. But through the night he relies more on me.

All better. Lil’ A did so very well on this trip. There was very little crying, but there wasn’t as much sleeping as we expected either. Pretty alert at 4am for a girlie who usually sleeps 10-12 hours a night.

You know the times are tough when Mike pulls out the big guns: Mountain Dew Icee and sunflower seeds. He’s serious people.

Must. Stay. Awake.

Must. Keep. Driving.

Morning!  A welcome sight.

6:20 or 7:20 or 8:20 was our McDonalds breakfast stop, depending on which time zone you wish to follow.  I’m fairly certain that it was the motivation of breakfast burritos that kept my man motivated  through his night shifts. He loves those things.

My kids however, do not love them so much. Now we know.

So at this point we’re far into the midwest and I am starting to lose my mind. Right around Illinois I start to go craaaaazy!! Lack of sleep. Too much sitting. Ridiculously messy car. And too much digging around in bags/mess/backseat for things the kids need or want or whatever. Digging around while riding in the car is seriously one of my biggest pet peeves on a trip. Hate it.

This girl cheered me up…

I have a goofy girl and she makes me laugh.

I did work on a project some. I am replacing the elastic in my baby’s cloth diapers. I did 8 on this trip. Only 17 to go…

Another good way to spend the time. NPR…

More shows. H could watch non-stop. After a while my firecracker girl would whip off her headphones halfway into something and demand that I “Turn it off now!”.

Oh my.

And then we arrived!!!

And Grandma got to squeeze her newest grandbaby!

and Uncle Tony!

And Auntie Sarah!

And Grandpa!

And Aunt Wendy!

Such a happy day, in the end.

We arrived 23 hours after we left. Considering the best time ever is 19 hours (and that was done before kids)… 23 hours is not too shabby!

I shortly regained my sanity and it all seems like a slightly uncomfortable dream that’d I’d rather not repeat, but realize we most certainly will.

We only have short road trips the next few weeks until we hit the highways to head home, through Texas this time (as if it’s that’s on the way). 36 hours that one will be…

Also, I never did remember to call anyone Jack. Darn.