Adventure Downtown

We adventured today! 3 downtown art gallieries, 2 famous restaurants, and even the Mogamma with three children! 💪🏻 It was a really fun day. We live in a really cool city. And also I really love my people. Really.

She's 9

The loveliest 9 year old I know. It’s gonna be a good year with her. She is nothing less than a treasure. 💕

Smokin' a Candy Cane

Can you see what he’s got perched between his two fingers? It’s a candy cane. Every time he gets a piece, he holds it like this and ‘smokes’ it like a cigarette. (Growing up in Egypt problems). He says “I’m blowing it Mama, see!” Oh my...

Merry Christmas

Read-Aloud Time

Bible Buddy

Most mornings lately, when I sit and read my Bible... my little sidekick finds his Bible and climbs up next to me. It’s the best.

Cooooookkkkiiieeesss

Cooooookkkiieesss. Cardamom Seed Cookies. This is a quarter of the recipe, cause, well... family of 15 and all. My Great-Grandma was the youngest of 13 German siblings that came to America. The tradition of this recipe lives on and I’ve taught my kids well because they love as much as I do.

This Giggle

A Phrase I Love

There is a phrase I love to use.

I use it everyday.

Many times.

It is uplifting.

It can smooth things over.

It can divert tantrums and bad attitudes.

It’s very short.

It makes people smile.

Ready?

“Good idea!”

That’s it.

Good idea.

People love to hear this. Big people. Little people. Family people. Friend people. Stranger people. All people.

It can replace other, more common and less encouraging phrases such as “Okay” or “If you say so” or “I know” or “I already thought of that.”

Maybe you did already have that idea. Does that make it less of a good idea when someone else says it first? Nope. Actually, now you probably are even more convinced of an idea’s goodness if someone else mentions it even though it was in YOUR head! You don’t have to tell them that though. You can just exclaim “good idea!” and they will feel so good. And so will you.

If someone makes any sort of suggestion. If you are inclined to agree… why not replace “Okay” with “Good idea!”. It feels so much better for everyone.

Does the grocery man want to put the bread on top of the canned food? “Good idea! Thanks!”

Does your toddler offer to share his snack with his tiny friend? “Good idea!”

I could go on and on.

But I won’t.

I’ll just say… try it!  You’ll see a difference.

Haircuts, Again

Haircut day again. I just can’t. They’re just so HANDSOME!

Roasted Veg

I roasted a few vegetables today. Didn’t have a big enough bowl to mix them in. So I put them in my laundry basket. Don’t buy another bowl, people! Reduce, reuse, recycle? ♻️ 🥦 🧺

A Trap

It’s a trap. From a hoop skirt on a hammock chair frame. So fun and creative. And he keeps catching the cutest little wild creatures.

Oh the Smell

After three years I finally bought an ironing board. And it literally smells like camel. I mean, really. What should I do?! It reeks. Of camel. I have no explanation.

Song

“O Holy Child of Bethlehem, Descend to us we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today”. . In a quiet moment of solitude in my home today, I used my voice to lift up these centuries old verses to my Friend, my Savior. . Their deep meaning and powerful truth touches my soul, and I sing them from my depths. . Be born in us today. Amen.

Birthday Tradition

It’s birthday tradition ever since @silkesiegele and I threw ourselves a birthday meal years ago. 🌸 My life is full of beautiful people, near and far. 37 is gonna be good. 🌺

Brothers

The big one used to dream of having a baby brother. His dream came true aaaaaand they make my heart explode.

Bookworm Post #54564

How he fell asleep. Again.

Decking the Halls

Putting her to work. 🎄

A Prodigy?

Thanksgiving

Well that was fun. And so delicious!

A Day at the Pyramids Unlike Any Other

Yup. That was a pretty good day.

The Pyramid Descending Glee!

I wish you could hear the glee with which my sister climbed backwards down into the pyramid. So fun!

A Greater Age to Come (The Glory of Technology?)

Just this morning I finished reading “12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You” by Tony Reinke. Loved it so much. The author and I share values, and I really appreciated his openness even about his own struggles with technology. I also appreciated that he’s not on either ‘far side of the spectrum’ if you can draw a line between LOVE TECHNOLOGY  and HATE TECHNOLOGY IT’S THE DEVIL (to put it simply). He offers thoughts and many well documented facts and argument for all sides.  He acknowledges the challenges and dangers of smartphones and technology, yet he praises the advancements of man and the incredible tools that can help us tremendously as we serve our God.

He sat with John Piper, who said this (paraphrased) “ Yes, they are glowing tools made mostly by men and women who are not submitted to God… and they are tools that open up my life to a thousand convenient temptations, but used with care and discipline (emphasis mine), the digital tools are a treasure chest of the glories of God”

Mr. Reinke goes on: “For many of us, who lack this maturity, technology feeds our vanity and kills our wonder. At worst, our phones are handheld wands of power that promise to protect our sinful isolation (ouch), showcase our self-aggrandizement (translation: promoting ourselves and our importance, another ouch), prop up our digital tower of self-praise (yup), feed our materialism (totally), lure us to so-called ‘anonymous’ vices (uh-huh), and offer an ‘escape’ (yeppers) from our creaturehood.”

BUT

“When we use our smartphones rightly, their shining screens radiate with the treasure of God’s glory in Christ, and in that glory-glow, we get a sneak peek into a greater age to come.”

That’s it.

Those last words.

A GREATER AGE TO COME

This idea of many more ages to come in Eternity has been rolling around in my head for a couple years. When we look at history, we see different eras and ages… The Middle Ages, The Renaissance, the Golden Age, etc. So if there ages and eras in the past, then we must be in a some sort of ‘Age’ now that will likely be named something besides ‘The Modern Age’ many years in the future once we’re all dead (and by dead I mean alive) and gone (and by gone I mean existing in another place) waiting for Jesus to make His glorious return.

What I’m trying to say here is that as humankind, we are moving forward. We are not stagnant.

So.

Once Jesus has come back and taken some of us to Heaven for eternity, where we shall LIVE FOREVER with each other and with Him, then will the ages not continue there? It is LIFE, after all, and not just a never-ending-church-service (booooring). What does LIFE entail? You know… eating, resting, enjoying friendships and family, work, projects, occasions, celebrations, exploring, researching, learning and ANYTHING ELSE YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT DOESN’T INCLUDE SIN.

I mean, really… life is going to be full. We’re going to look back on this current life and say “ppppfffffff’, that was nuthin”. And the next life (the one that lasts forever after this one that is gone as fast as a vapor) is going to move forward, and it’s going to be exciting and purposeful and we are going to use our gifts and talents and share our lives with old friends and new friends.

And if life is moving forward, and we are continuing to work (work is worship, FYI) and if we’re going to use our gifts like those men and women that God has given amazing minds for rocket engineering and quantum physics and computer engineering… then WHY OH WHY would technology and invention STOP?

It wouldn’t.

It would MOVE FORWARD.

It would move forward in a most wonderful way. The forward motion would involve no sin and everything would truly be done for and with the glory of our creator God.

And so when the author says that “The point of scripture is that the wicked city Babylon and all of its godless machinery (he’s talking about this planet in its current state) will be uprooted and cast away (halleluiah!) to make room for God’s city, the New Jerusalem, shining with sights and technologies now unimaginable and exceeding all human ingenuity and expectation”…

… my spirit screams YYYEEESSS! This is true. God is infinitely creative and creatING (present tense). God lives in us. And we will live together forever in eternity, so PEOPLE, the ages that will come in heaven are going to be beautiful. It means we’re going to keep moving forward. Our technologies in eternal ages to come WILL bring glory to God. Their research and design and creation will be joy-filled work that is pure WORSHIP to His name.

And it’s not just technologies.

The expressions of art and music will be new and fresh time after time.

Those who love to teach are going to find new ways to pass on information with the passion God has put in them.

Writing skills are going to evolve and improve and people will find new avenues of articulation.

Those who can organize and administrate will find new ways to manage lives and information and everything else and have such joy doing that.

Buildings and structures and homes will have new shapes and ideas and constructions.

Fashions will change and evolve.

The foods that we grow and prepare and partake of will endlessly change and surprise and delight us.

I mean seriously.

I could go on and on.

It WILL go on and on.

I can’t wait.

Milestone

Milestone: He can turn on the hall light all by himself! But only if he’s wearing shoes. (And this morning he thought it necessary to wear backpack and crocs over his feetie pajamas just to take the girls down the elevator to catch their ride to school.) I get to spend the day with him, and I’m so happy about it. Will it be easy? Not necessarily. Two days ago he told me in the morning “I need you all day Mama!” And he was right. He needed me all day, so many needs. Joys also. And then he kept saying, all day long... “I so happy Mama.” What a gift to be the center of his world for awhile longer and have the freedom to spend my days with him. Love my little guy.

An Old-Fashioned Moment

Reading aloud while my bigs get creative together (happily)! Sometimes our evenings have moments that feel delightfully old-fashioned, peaceful and meaningful. I’m not gonna lie. These things do not necessarily come naturally to a modern-day home and I work hard to cultivate these things in our homelife. And the more I work at it, the more naturally it happens. For that, I am thankful.

She Bobbed

"Pwau-Doh"

“Dis happy!” “I pway pwau-doh. I make it pwetty.” Such a fun and cute age! ♥️

Scorekeeping?

Two very serious scorekeepers. One has a questionable writing surface. P.S. I won, but instead of congratulating me... the scorekeeper said “I would have beat you if I hadn’t have drawn that last card!” (He really likes to win.)

Even in the Elevator

Only a true bookworm takes a couple minutes to choose a book while leaving the house and plops down on the floor of the elevator to read during the ride from the 5th floor to zero. (Then promptly hands the book to Mama: “Carry dis Mommy.”)

Winners

Sequence winners, she and I. Also, she’s the cutest.

Stack O' Books

BOOKWORM ALERT🤓 I open each of these daily for myself, or alongside one or more of my children. The bottom one is poetry by Robert Frost. Not pictured are 1. My current audiobook: The Little Book of Hygge. 2. My current fiction: Kindle version of The Perilous Journey (The Mysterious Benedict Society Series) and 3. Kindle version of 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You. 4. A large number of picture books also ready each day! . . . So. Many. Books! 💕📕📗📘📙

Hike in the Wadi

A hike in the Wadi (valley) with Scouts.

One is Not Like the Others...

My girl is brave and lovely.

KG2

Back to school for this one after a 5 month summer break.

Arby's!

We have a new arrival in the fast food market here. It’s just the same!

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Awhile ago Lil’ A and I were having a quiet moment of snuggle in bed at some point during the day. I’m guessing naptime or bedtime, but I can’t remember. I was reading and she was just resting with me.

She was lying next to me, stroking my hair. It was the sweetest thing EVER.

Then she asks me, in a dreamlike voice…

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“Well,” I said “I’m just reading my book so I’m not sure… what are you thinking?”

She continued…

“That I’m a princess.”

Ha! It was so funny. I wasn’t, in fact, thinking about Lil’ A being a princess. But I found it SUPER adorable that she thought that was what I must be thinking!

Art for Fun

I love that ‘officially’ being a homeschool Mom is a little added motivation to get out supplies and be creative! I love to create, but it often feels hard to find time to do so. But when we do, we all love it! Today it was soft pastels. We watched one youtube video on 5 techniques for using soft pastels and went for it.

One thing we were happy to learn was that it’s good to break the long sticks of chalk… we always felt bad if we broke them, but it actually makes them much more versatile. Cool!

Bumping Down the Road

The other day I was driving the children to church on a Friday morning.

As were were riding along, B says to me “Mama! Stop bumping!" Stop bumping da car!”

And then I laughed and laughed and laughed.

You see, roads here aren’t exactly smooth. Very rarely is there a stretch of road without pothole, open manhole, divit, speed bump of all shapes and sizes, remnants of trenches dug in the past or present… basically there’s always something to swerve around or bump over top of.

Mr. B apparently had enough of it. Which I can understand.

But sadly for him, there is no way around!

A New Adventure with My Boy

This boy is a homeschooler now. A new adventure we are embarking upon together. And we are pretty happy about it.

Welcoming Committee

Daddy’s welcoming committee.

More Books

“Mama, I need more books in my bed.” This kid ‘reads’ for a long time before he falls asleep at night. Fine with me! Especially if it makes him more tired and helps him sleep past 5am. Mini bookworm like (most) of the rest of the family.

Glorious Evening

Gorgeous summer evening on our (gift from God) terrace. Just missing our honey/Daddy. Bright orange, diffused sunset, lovely breeze, cup of tea, a bit of non-fussy playing together amongst the children and some Khaled playing on the phone...

Twinsies

Twinsies. 🤓🤓

World Record for Tiredness

During our last week in the States, I think Lil’ A might have reached an all time world record for tiredness.

Well, at least a record for our family.

Big difference you say? World record vs. family record?

Hmmm. I see your point. Oh well, whatever.

Here’s what happened:

She had an afternoon swim. And then Mike put her in the shower to warm up and rinse off.

Then Mike went back to work on his computer.

A bit later he called out “A! Are you okay in there?”

…

…

No answer.

So he goes to check on her in the shower.

And she’s asleep, curled up in a ball on the floor of the shower.

Seriously?!

Now that’s tired.

He turned off the water to get her out and she rallied enough to tell him “No! Daddy turn the water back on!”

She apparently had no intention of ending her nap on the floor of the shower under the warm water.

Ha!

That'll Do!

I asked her to please prepare a plate of refreshments for a visitor we are expecting. She presented me with this. Uhhhhh that’ll do!! 💕

Changes coming to my blog

Hello Readers! Just wanted to let you know that I am making some behind the scenes changes to my blog. It may mean that it will no longer be found at www.suz-mae.com but may be found at www.suzmae.blogspot.com, as it was many years ago.

So if someday soon you come here and can’t find it, try me there!

:)

He's Funny

My boy’s sense of humor. Can you see it? He makes me laugh...

Jetlag

#jetlag

Quote of the Day

We just returned to our home overseas after a delightful visit to the U.S. this summer.

And I have noticed that Lil’ A has started to ask me the same question a lot when she is in the car with me riding somewhere.

She asks me…

“Mommy, do you know where you are going?”

Ha!

This makes me laugh, because it’s a valid question. The places where I drive are:

1. A Mega-City with crazy roads and impossible traffic and many, many wrong turns, despite a few years of experience and my very best efforts.

or

2. My home country (America), where I don’t really live in anymore. So strangely… even in the places where I have driven for years at a time previously… I seem to forget and get lost and make wrong turns very often.

Oh my.

So I can hardly blame her for checking to make sure if I know where I’m going each time around. She just wants to know if it’s going to be a peaceful and short trip, or a longer trip with a kinda-stressed out Mommy making wrong turns!

One Day in London

We had enough hours in London on our way back home to have an adventure outside the airport. This photo about sums up that time.

New Machine

My Mama bought me a label machine. And my son got his hands on it and my spice drawer. Glory! (Home again, jet-lagging and in wonderful organizing mode 👌🏻)

It's Not Easy to Go...

Quote of the Day

After we had done a little shopping and Lil’ A was digging through the bags in the backseat…

“Why’s there boobs in there?”

Ha! That sure cracked us up.

Evening Entertainment

Evening entertainment: watching these two set up a tent themselves for a lil campout. After two wrong tries, they decided it'd be a good idea to look at the instructions.

Camp, again

Dropped these two off at camp today. I miss them already.