Bonjourno, Roma!

Ah, Rome.  This may be one of my favorite cities.  Can I say that?  How many favorites can a girl have?  Hmm.  Well, anyway.  Second visit for me, and still LOVE it.  Here are A LOT of pics from Rome.  We had two wonderful guides to take us through The Vatican Museum, and then the Colosseum and The Forum.

We kept envisioning Giddie knocking down the hundreds of statues that line these walls.  Like dominoes.  I think he would have enjoyed that.  I, on the other hand - wouldn't have.

Here's Giddie feeding a horse; making all the noises to go along with it.

These are just 'lovlies' from the beautiful pieces of art at the Vatican.  The Sistine Chapel really is wonderful.  I am one who feels everyone needs to see it at least once in their lives.  Amazing.  A great guide makes this museum a hundred times better, btw.  A totally different experience with someone who loves and is passionate about this place.

St. Peter's Basilica.  We loved this place.  It's so ornate and over the top.  Even the dead popes covered in wax didn't creep me out - and the kids thought it was awesome.

Subway ride home after a very long day...

The Forum.  I laughed that Gid and Sol climbed all over these ancient stones.  Didn't matter to them that this was history at it's finest - just give them something to climb on.  This was Simon's favorite part of the trip - well, one of them.  He LOVED the history.  I don't love it so much, but the older boys found it fascinating.  (Again, get a guide!)

LOVE the Colosseum.  This was place is just awesome.  It's huge, and beautiful, and full of history.  Never mind that a protest with a couple thousand people was marching around the place.  Oh well.  It's Italy, after all.

We really and truly ate Gelato every day of our trip.  And twice on some days.  It was the main staple for us; that and pizza.  Who wouldn't love a trip of ice cream and pizza, I ask you?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBY!!!!  Ruby turned seven in Rome.  I hope she never forgets it.  We had a wonderful day and enjoyed our sweet little Roo.

Spanish steps.  Peter's favorite.  I don't know why, but he loves this place.  They are pretty, and always have lots of people.  If nothing else it's a great place to people watch.

We've spent a lot of time like this around Europe.  Parked on a sidewalk having a food break.  Panini!

You'll see more of this.  We utilized the fountains all over the country.  What a cool place that has fresh drinkable water flowing from beautiful fountains everywhere.  And that are hundreds of years old.

I think I'll title this, "Samuel.  Stand up straight!"

As you know.  MY favorite.  Trevi Fountain.  For me, this is one of the most beautiful places on earth.  I feel something when I'm here.  Serene?  Peace?  Calm?  Beauty?  I'm not sure.  But I can't get enough.  There were LOTS of people here on this day.  So we weren't able to soak it all in - but I can dream, can't I?

Gid's turn.

Pantheon.  This too is a pretty cool place.  The open center in the dome is neat.  It rained the day we went, and the drains just caught the rain.  It was neat to see how it works.

Arriverci Roma!

Italy - Day One

Don't worry.  I won't show you day by day of our Italy trip - as it was 12 days.  And that would be WAAAAAY too many pictures.  But the trip there and then just being in such a beautiful place needed to be shown.

Middle of the night.  Waiting to head out.

 

The Italy Van  We've put A LOT of miles on vans like this during our travels.

Gelato!

The house we rented outside of Rome

Amazing vineyards on the property

Miss Roo chatting away with me

After a day in Rome, we ended up bringing two Roman soldiers home with us.

We decided to rent a house about 40 minutes southeast of Rome.  It was close enough to drive, easy enough to take the train, half way to Pompeii and on a beautiful farm.  We loved the house and had a great time here.  I think the kids would have loved to just stay here and play.  Cool fresh air was just what we needed.

We spent four days here, a day in Florence, side trip to Pisa, a couple days in Venice and the last four days in the central hilltops.  Really.  A wonderful trip.  We had an absolutely amazing time.

Match maker, match maker, make me a match

This is my gardener.  I think you've met him before.  He's a really nice person.  He's a very hard worker, a very simple man.  (he is actually over the sprinkler system for the camp - he's VERY busy and works for us on his lunch hour)  He supports his mother, two brothers and a sister. (when married, it will now be all these people are his wife too)  He's not married yet.  He's been telling me for a few years now that he doesn't have enough money to get married yet.

Well, my friends.  Times they are a'changing!

Recently he told me that his mother had found someone for him.  He stopped by last week to tell me about it.  Well, he actually asked if myself and a friend (and fellow employer) could help him make a decision.  His mother and EVERY other member of his family told him this is THE girl.  Everyone of them like her, and all of her family likes our gardeners family.  So when it get's this far, now they would be able to see each other and make a choice.  But since he is thousands of miles away - he had to go get some pictures taken of him. 

The picture above is how he looks every day.  And he has the greatest, brightest smile.

The pictures below are what were taken at the one and only photo place around here.  (the one I was just complaining about a few posts ago)

Stop giggling.  Now really.  Stop that.

They told him not to smile.  I tried to get him to send the one on top.  It really is him; but he didn't want her to see him in his work clothes.  Too bad.

So the next step was the emailing of HER photo for him to see.  This is where I came into the story.  He saw her, and really doesn't think she's pretty.  I don't know if she's pretty.  I think he looks totally silly in his pictures, and would send a cute one.  So my 'pretty' and his 'pretty' are not the same.

Then I asked a foolish question, "Well.  Is she nice?  That's what really matters."

Silly me.  Silly, silly me.  That's a question a groom from his culture doesn't get to know.

Can you talk to her?  Is she your best friend?  Do you LOVE her?  These are the things he needs to know.  Or at least, the things I think he needs to know.

But of course, this is not how it works. 

This had been disturbing me before the gardener came by to talk, I knew his mother was making an offer to him, and I was worried.  So much so that I asked my new house boy (long story about Sherrif, but I'll tell it soon - I promise) about marriage and love in their country.  He speaks very good English (and reads and writes), so I started whining to him:  "But how can you know?  What if you don't love her?  What is she doesn't love YOU?  What if you want to marry for love, but your family says no?  What can you do?"

"Madame.  This is our culture.  Our way.  We know from the time we are children that this is what we face.  And we love our parents and trust them to choose one who will love us, and that we can love too."

"But what about Sherrif?  He married for love?  What about that?"

"Yes.  But look at Sherrif's life madame.  He is very unhappy.  His mother hates his wife, as do all of his siblings.  They have made life very bad for Sherrif because they do not like who he chose."

(wipe your tears here)

"What about you Anwar?   What do you want?  Will you marry for love?"

"Madame.  I don't know.  I think we all want to marry for love.  And hope that we can.  But that is not our way.  When I was young (he's about 30) I wanted to marry a girl.  We were young and were very good friends.  I could talk to her and I loved her.  But her father was not a good man and would not allow our marriage....She is married now and lives in the U.K.  She has her own family."

"But aren't you sad?  Doesn't this make you sad?"

"Of course madame.  I cried many times because of this.  But this is OUR way.  And we know that our families love us and love God and want what is best for us."

When the gardener came by to talk I said, "What are you worried about?  Are you wondering if there is someone else out there for you?  That you will find someone you love more?  Prettier?  What is it?"  He said, "I don't know ma'am.  I just don't know how to feel.  I am worried.  I cannot sleep.  I just don't know.  But ALL my family says yes.  Everyone very very happy."

I then turned to Anwar and said, "Will he find better than this?  Is this the best it's going to get for him?"

He replied, "If his whole family likes her, and her family his happy.  This is what God wants.  God wants us to be married.  He will send more blessings when they marry.  And even more when they have children.  This is what life is about.  It is very hard to find an arrangement where EVERYONE is happy.  This is a wonderful opportunity for your gardener."

So I turn to our gardener and say. "That's it!  I say YES!  Why not?  Yes.  SAY YES!"

You should have seen his smile.  And that was it.  He said, "Okay Madame.  I will say yes."  His whole countenance changed and he seemed calm and sure for the first time since he came in.  Then he started laughing and saying, " Okay. Okay!"  (thumbs up)

Since then he's been on his satellite cell phone a lot.  (This is how I know he's talking to 'home'.)  And he's very excited.  He will go home in a month and meet her in person.  Then if they are both still 'on', they will be married then.  I told him I want to come, but of course, the chances are next to none that that will happen.

But I am very happy for him. His father is dead and he carries the load of the family on his shoulders.  He's only been home once in the past ten years.  (Don't think that he's vacationing somewhere else, he's not. He's only had one vacation in the past ten years)  I hope he finds happiness.  Life will not be easy for him.  He told me he has enough money to buy her gold earrings, 2 bracelets, a necklace and a nose ring.  This is what he wanted to have.  He will only see her for a short time, probably leave her with a baby on the way, and then return here.  Their relationship will be over the phone and a short trip home every few years.  She, 21, will be moving in with his mother after they are married.  I don't know how I would do with the whole thing, but their country has a 10% divorce rate, which shoots ours to the ground.  I told Anwar, the house boy, that Peter and I are
 very religious.  We are married forever, we think divorce is not okay - except in very few cases.  "Oh.  Were you two an arranged marriage?"  hahaha!  I laughed so hard, "No, Anwar.  Noooobody is an arranged marriage in the United States...

We marry for love."

Guards!

It's been a bad day in Oz.  I argued with a guard today, then he got really mad at me and gave me 'the look'.  That look that says "listen lady, one more word from you and I will haul you into a jail you don't want to see."  So I shut  my mouth and went on my way.  Just as I turned around and parked my car, another guard said, "Did you just enter the wrong way?"  Uh.  Excuse me?  Really?  REALLY?!  Is there actually a right or wrong way around here!!!!  Then he tried to give me a ticket, at which point I said, "Listen.  I'm just trying to get my I.D.  That's all. And I just can't seem to get there."  So he 'escorted' me to the other side of the parking lot, where it was a 'much shorter walk.'  BUT, he didn't give me a ticket and I didn't go berzerck - so I guess that's a good thing.

Then, after I walked a block, off camp, in my regular clothes.  *Because walking in inappropriate (t-shirt and jeans)  clothing is better than driving my car 20 yards to the Admin. building????!!!*  THEN.  Yes.  It gets better.  THEN, the men in the office made me wait in the womens waiting area.  I said I didn't want to, that I wanted to stay with Samuel.  "Okay", he says.  Samuel is 12 and that is actually pretty off limits as far as mixed gender goes.  But, the man said yes, and no one else was in the womens section.  Just as we sat down, in comes ANOTHER guard, "He must leave" pointing to Sam.  And here we go again....  "He must go and you must stay in here".  "No" I said.  "I will wait out there with him."  "No, madame, you must stay in here."  Once again, I had to get a little testy - , "Listen.  I will wait with my son, either in here or out there."  "He can't be in here."  "Okay then, we will wait out there together."  The gaurd being very annoyed at this point gave me my favorite Arabic, exasperated words for Westerners:  "As you wish."

And I did wish.

So we waited together in the mens waiting area.  And you know what?  *shock*awe*  Everything was just fine.  I still have my virtue, I didn't make any advances on any men.  I mean, we are safe and secure.  Phew.  Disaster averted.

Does my death stare tell you how I feel about the whole thing?  I think it pretty much sums up how I feel about things around here today.

Christmas Bells are Ringing

How was your Christmas?  Delightful?  Mine was.

Well.  As delightful as it gets celebrating Christmas in 75 degrees and very humid.  On Christmas eve we went to a friends house in the middle of the afternoon for a Christmas party.  It was the first one we've been invited to since we've lived here.  (*side note, Giddie just walked in, 6:50 p.m. - "Mom.  Can I go to the store and get some food?"  Yes, Gid.  What do you want to get?  "Gelato."  I've trained him well, as you can see.*)  Anyway.  The kids decorated ginger bread houses and cookies on the back porch, then ran through the park until they were sweating their guts out.  You'd have thought it was the middle of summer, nice weather, shorts and t-shirts, and kids gallivanting away.  Nope, it's just Christmas around here.

This year we decided to go very minimal.  I read an article last summer that I am sure my children will be regretting for a long time.  The gist of the story was this, "My dad believed in giving memories; not gifts."  After reading this, we (Peter and I) decided that we travel a lot, and give our kids really neat experiences.  And that we have A TON of toys as it is.  So we toned things down.  Each child got two main gifts.  Then a couple little things in their stockings.  It was definitely much smaller than years past.  But really, I think everyone was very happy.  They each got at least one thing they really really really wanted.  It was very easy to wrap and clean up; that's for sure.

We had our standard Chinese food for Christmas eve.  There is a really creepy Chinese restraunt off of camp, so I made the main part of the meal.  This year I made sweet and sour chicken, beef with broccoli and vegetables, and Chinese noodles.  From Royal Gulf we got spring rolls, fried wontons, fried shrimp and rice.  Their food was SOOOO gross.  I'm telling you.  We threw almost all of it out.  I thought them making the fried stuff would be easier.  And it was - and disgusting as well.  Oh well.  Lesson learned.

Our annual Nativity got a little rowdy this year.  With all of the 'costumes' we have available to us around here (or normal wear), most everyone has a little something fun to wear or use.  A camel saddle, a camel hearing stick, a drum, tambourine,  several jambya's, and lots of clothes.  I'd say it wasn't our most spiritual Nativity, but probably our most fun.

The wise men turn, Mary is terrified, Joseph joins the band of hoodlums and baby Jesus runs off!

We pretty much just laid around all day.  We ate crepes and BACON for lunch.  When it came out of the pan I said in my best, really loud Polar Express voice, "The First Bacon of Christmas"  (my friend is a smuggler and gave Simon a pack of bacon for his birthday - we LOVE smugglers.)  Some people watch home movies on holidays; we only have a few of those, from years very recent.  So this year we 'watched' my blog.  It reminded me, again, of why I need to continue to blog.  To record the memories and goings on of this family.  I cried a few times, and laughed a lot.  Boy, a lot happens in the life of a young family over four years.  I can hardly believe it.

I actually spent MANY hours this weeks sorting through thousands of pictures to print up for a project for the kids, and some to put in books around the house.  It's so fun to look at all of fun things we've done.  One morning this week, Peter had a bit of time to take me off camp to the photo shop.  When they saw I had 800 pictures they didn't know what to do.  So I gathered my abaya and my let down spirits and went home to reduce the mass number of pictures.  I figured I could get it to 400 if I tried.  (Please note that I haven't had a picture actually printed in 2 1/2 years.  And that many of the pictures I needed five copies of for my project.)  At any rate, I was disappointed, but went to work.  Two hours later I was ready to go back.  I just needed to clean up the files a bit so they were easy for the photos guys to read.....

And then I deleted all of them.  NOT the originals.  THANK HEAVEN!  But all of my sorting and hours and hours of dragging and dropping - gone.  Yes.  I did cry.

Christmas day Peter and I and the two youngest took a walk in the late afternoon.  The air was warm and quiet, just right for the call to prayer to swell through camp.  When the wind is right, you can hear several imams throughout our local little town calling everyone to prayer.  It's very surreal, and honestly feels very exotic.  As they started, I looked at Peter and sang, "Christmas bells are ringing.  Hear what they say to you.  Jesus is born, in Bethlehem."

 I guess it was my little way of proclaiming quietly - the truth.

No Peaking!

It was Simon's birthday last week.  He turned 10.  I'd have more (any) pictures but I'm a bad mom.  Actually, I do have some.  I'll add them later.  We've decided this year to only give one gift per child.  While these are nice gifts, it's a little less exciting.  And since we only do big friend parties for 3,5,8,12,16,18 - Si's day was a little boring.  I mean, he still got breakfast in bed, cupcakes at school, a Captain America cake and to be spoiled all day.  But it wasn't too exciting.

The night before his birthday he came into the family room at 9:30, "Mom.  I can't sleep.....  Last summer when you bought all the gifts....  I peaked."  "You did?  You turkey!  Oh well.  It's just your birthday present.  At least you know what you're getting.  I can't even remember that."  He says, "Phew.  Because I was worried I was going to have to act surprised in the morning, and I didn't think I would be believable enough."

Nice.

There wasn't guilt for peaking.  Just that his acting skills may not be up to par.  Classy.

Next day.

"Mom.  Uh.  While I was peaking and saw my present,
I also saw everyone else's.  And everything we are all getting for Christmas, too.  Sam is getting a so and so, Gid is getting this or that..."  Etc.

Wow.

I tried not to flip out.  See.  With me buying all of the years gifts, for everyone and everything - this makes for trouble.  I want to be proud that he told me.  And I kind of am.  And I want to be mad.  And I kind of am.  But in either case, the crime was committed five months ago.  How do you punish that?  All I know is that on Christmas morning, his strong belief of the big man in red, will be out the window.  This year each kid is getting one gift from Peter and I, and one from Santa.  That's it.  I think he may be a little surprised to see that Santa brought the exact same thing he saw in our big brown Uhaul dish barrel boxes.

I think they call this 'natural consequences'.

He then proceeded to tell me that he had Sam come down and see as well.  Sam swears to seeing much less.  BUT, they both know that peakers don't get gifts - so I think Sam might just be trying to play it safe.

Stinkers.

In any case, both of my boys, 10 and 12, still really believe in Santa.  They wrote big letters again this year and truly want to believe.  I think their choice to peak may have cost them their joy of innocence.

Sad.

On another note:  When the kids don't have a 'big' year, they get to do something else they really want with a friend or two.  So this year, Simon chose to go to the movies with two friends.  Yes.  I know.  Movie theaters are illegal in this country.  BUT, we have a little one on camp.  It's small, but pretty nice and shows second run movies.  Today The Smurfs was showing, so he chose to invite two friends, Samuel and me.  TOTALLY stupid movie, but they had fun.  Why am I reporting on this uneventful event?  This is why....

The conversation in the car was almost more than I could handle.  I tell you!  Boys talk about the DUMBEST stuff!  I swear!  (this is only because I am a girl and grew up in a girl house - I had NO idea this is what boys wasted their time talking about)

"Dude!  Have you ever seen an F22?  They're awesome.  Yes.  Totally.  Have you seen an F16?  They rock.  Have you seen the missiles on the F22?  They have doors on the launch shaft that can open and close in less than 2 seconds.  Dude.  I know.  Have you ever seen a G22?  Yeah.  I think so.  I doubt it, cause they only use those in Britain.  Do PJ's jump from those?  Dude.  PJ's are awesome.  (I believe this means parajumper - as if!)  I saw a black hawk carrying water one time.  No way.  Yes.  It was for a fire.  Did it have the missiles on the side.  Yes.  Were there PJ's in it?  My dad flew black hawks in Dessert Storm.  AWESOME!!!  Yeah.  Was he a PJ?  Uh.  I don't know.  (No.  HE FLEW PJ's sillies)  Well have you seen a F18warthog?  They are so cool.  It's a WAR hog.  Yeah.  Cool......"

I could go on.  But why would I?  These same conversations occur with dragons, guns, kung fu moves, super heroes, video games, etc.  It's painful.  Reallllllly painful.

I hope you read the above dialog is your best Napoleon Dynamite voice, which by the way I finally let Sam watch when he was home sick a few weeks ago.  His report, "That was a totally dumb movie mom.  The only funny part is when the guy drive over the plastic bowl."  I am quite sure Sam thinks it's dumb because ND is the quintessential 12 year old.  I'm sure Sam thought ND's drawings were awesome.  And wanted to see the chickens talons.  And thought Uncle Rico could through the ball over that mountain.  And thought LaFonda was good looking.  And quite honestly, would be best friends with Pedro himself.  Funny.

My kids are growing up right before my eyes.  I cannot believe where the time goes.  I love them all SO much. I am blessed to be their mother.  They teach me and try me daily.  Even when the lessons are about F22's.

Our Day Out; Almost.

I think I have the urge to blog.

Weird.

I know.

But here I am.  Annnnd.  Just as I thought I had 2 seconds to do so, my children surround me with stories and questions.  (shocker)  Another reason I haven't blogged much. Or.  Any.

But I realize that months are passing by, and I haven't recorded any of our life.  And if I don't record it, I know I won't remember it.  Let alone, my kids.  So here I go:

Today we decided to venture to our neighbor nation of freedom.  It's just a little two hour drive across a long causeway, but it's out of here and a nice break.  Only trouble is, you have to make sure you have the right paperwork to leave the country.  And apparently, we didn't.  So we drove for an hour to the border, got to the first check point, and they made us turn around.  Sounds pretty simple, I know.  But with hundreds of people in line, it was a little tricky.  Imagine a normal border crossing.  Now take a car on the far right of ten lanes, that's us.  Make us get to the other side of those ten lanes.  Now make all of the drivers total idiots who have never been to a driving school a day in their life and have no idea how to wait in a line, let alone take turns.  All in all, I was very impressed with Peter's driving.  He just stuck the nose of our big grey SUV right in front of people and inched through.  It only took maybe, five minutes.  It was a funny sight:  Hundreds of cars going straight, us totally perpendicular to them.  Wait.  What am I saying.  That's not an uncommon sight on any day of the week here.  Crazies.

THEN.  We decided we'd just shop in "Crowbar".  Too bad we got there just as the call to prayer was going.  Yep.  Most everything closes from 11:30 to 4.  We got there right at 11:30.  In Italy things close for a couple of hours in the afternoon, and it didn't seem to bother me near as much.  I think because it seems to be a choice there.  Here it is a law.  And it bugs me.

Some things open after prayer, but close at one.  So we waited for half an hour in the car.  (LOVE the DVD player)  Ate at Applebee's and then went to Ikea.  I bought stuff just because I was ticked off and wanted to buy something.  Some days, nothing seems to go my way.  Well.  Lot's of days.

It was very much like Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  (which I have talked about before)  AND, I had to wear my abaya AND I was hot.  AND I had a big shopping list I had high hopes of filling.  AND I didn't even get any honey from the trucks on the side of the road.  AND I didn't even get a nap.

So there.

How was your fake Saturday?  (That's Thursday around here...)

Um.  Maybe I shouldn't 'record' our life.  No one wants to remember this stuff.  Oh well.