Pitter Patter and Playdough

2010-10-25T12:48:00.000-07:00

Pitter patter down the hall,
Fingerprints and crayons on the walls.

Oh the time, how it quickly goes.

It seems just yesterday we were counting your toes.

Pitter patter of those precious feet,

Your first tiny step, for our hands to meet.

And my heart rejoiced but was oh, so torn.

If you could only stay young just a few years more.

My grandaddy says, treasure this time,

Enjoy the sounds of pit pat and nursery rhymes.

For very soon the day will come

When these sounds are only an echo and distant

drum.

I thank you Lord for the pitter patter of those feet,

Messy hands, noisy rooms, and coloring to complete

For too soon the day will come when those feet grow

bigger, strides grow longer and sounds grow softer,

And the steps of pitter patter feet are only a

memory in our minds.

I wrote this poem 4 years ago after we spent the day with my grandparents. I remember so vividly my grandfather taking me to the side and telling me to enjoy these days while they are little. They will grow up so fast, he said. Well, he was right. Today, our youngest just showed us how she made her own cereal and poured her own milk. "Look mommy, I didn't make a mess!" Our 7 year old was so excited to show me a new game he had invented for us to play and had written out the rules. Our 10 year old was side by side with me in the kitchen helping to prepare a meal, and our oldest now proudly stands beside me reminding me that he is as big as I am and has surpassed my shoe size!

Even though they are getting older and bigger and things are different from when they were so little, I am enjoying where they are now. The late night talks with my oldest are priceless. The excitement in our youngest daughter's eyes as she proudly showed the empty space in her mouth from her lost tooth was precious. The laughter in the kitchen and special stories shared with my 10 year old while cooking are a treasure to me. And the sweet and pure confessions of a 7 year old before going to sleep are beautiful.

The years are forever moving forward and the moments forever changing. I can't remember them all. I want to. I guess that is why I love taking so many pictures. I love looking back. I love remembering. But many times this makes me regret missed opportunities, regret time lost, even be saddened by change. I want to enjoy them in the present. Here and now. I am so blessed to be part of their lives. God is so amazingly good and loving to entrust these children into our care. May I treasure each day with them and enjoy being with them and watching them grow.

2010-10-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

This was taken after my grandfather reminded me of the

pitter patter of our children's feet and how quickly the sound

will pass. It's of our youngest daughter four years ago.

I quickly grabbed my camera and snapped it while she was dancing

on the wet pavement after a summer rain.

She is now six and, thankfully, I still hear the pitter patter

of her feet, along with our other three children. But many times I

don't listen for it. I become preoccupied with the routines and fast pace

of life. Children grow up way too fast. Help me Lord to slow down

and listen to the pitter patter of those precious feet.

A Very Windy Harvest Party and Dedication of the New School

2010-10-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

Isabel and her friend all dressed up for games and fun.

No frills, no fluff, simple games, and no American candy...

but the kids love it anyway. All they need is each other.

"Leaving a Legacy"

Instead of painting faces this year, I felt the children who attended the school here should leave their mark on the wall of our newly bought school. Later I want to write their names below their handprint as a reminder that they can make a difference in this school, community, and country.

Laura Grace as a hair stylist (the pockets of her apron

were filled with brushes, products, and foil) and

her friend as Queen Esther

Second year in a row to be a pirate. There were no complaints from Benjamin.

Celebrating Caleb's 13 Birthday!

2010-10-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

There is just something different about a birthday overseas.

For one, it's simple. Two, everyone you invite comes because

there is nothing else to do. Three, everyone talks

about the party weeks later and the fun they had. And last,

there is nothing that compares to friendships with other

kids who live overseas.

The annual lego competition.

Benjamin deciding on what he will create.

Having fun with "Minute to Win It" Games

I can't believe it has been 13 years since we

held you in our arms and welcomed you into the

world. We love you so much Caleb and are

so proud of the young man God is forming you into.

Last Day at the Beach

2009-09-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

This summer we took a few trips to the Sea. The kids loved being able to run around, dig in the sand, and even enjoy the water if it was clean enough. Because lots of oil comes from the Caspian Sea, oil can be floating around in the water. Not a very healthy and safe way to swim. This particular day the water was clear and we all enjoyed swimming and riding the waves.

First Day of School

2009-09-01T12:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how fast our children our growing up...Today we dropped off all four at the International School here. Isabel began kindergarten and will go three times a week, Benjamin is in 1st grade now, Laura Grace in 4th, and Caleb in 7th. The classes are combined and there are kids from all over. Benjamin is the only American boy in his class. Laura Grace has friends and classmates from Finland, Norway, Korea, Ukraine, India, and the US. It is a great school and has been a blessing to our family while living and working here.

I am so thankful for all God is doing in their lives. Every day I am learning more and more how dependent I am upon His grace and wisdom in my life. Parenting is tough, tiring, trying, precious, amazing, humbling, rewarding all at the same time. Thank you Lord for the joy of watching You work in their lives and in mine every day.

Nana and Papa Come for a Visit!

2009-07-20T10:38:00.000-07:00

What a special blessing to have Nana and Papa here for a month this summer! We all enjoyed the special time together after being apart for a year. Because we are no longer in an apartment, the kids were able to spend alot more time with nana and papa outside in our courtyard. We walked along the boulevard, played games together, hung out at our English business, and even took a trip 4 hours outside the city to go camping! I think climbing "Gumdrop Mountain" with the kids was the highlight of their trip. We are so thankful for the memories we made together.

What Sea is this?

2009-07-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

A trip outside of our country always gets the children talking about what western foods the country we are visiting has...this was a hilarious answer to my question during our wade in the Sea of Galilee...

Trip to Jordan and Israel

2009-05-17T12:11:00.000-07:00

Amman, Jordan (the old city)

This year, many foreign families where we live have had difficulty getting a one-year visa. We are one of them. After six months of dealing with this, the country where we live denied our one-year and we were asked to leave the country. We decided to use this exit as a time to get away and enjoy a vacation.

We are blessed to have friends in Jordan and haven't seen them in years so we gave them a call. They were so helpful in getting us a cheap place to stay and show us around the city. We had such a great time reuniting our families again after eight years!

The Tower of Hercules

"Look, mom, no hands!"

A different view from what we see in our city. Amman is a city of hills with lots of small square apartment buildings.

The Jordan River...just feet away from the Israeli border. We were able to see the site where many scholars would say Jesus was baptized.

Floating in the Dead Sea (Jordan). It was really amazing to experience this. Merril tried to help Isabel float but she just couldn't understand why she didn't need to kick her feet to stay afloat! The water is so salty that if you even touch an eyelash with your wet hand, it is like pouring salt into your eyes. I am pretty sure Merril's eyes were on fire after helping the kids.

Just relaxing in the Dead Sea...Look, kids, no hands!

Jerusalem

After crossing the border by bus from Jordan to Israel, we finally made it to Jerusalem! What an amazing city! The Dome of the Rock is in the background and the Western (Wailing) Wall is just below it.

We hired a guide for our family and spent several days in the city exploring inside the old city walls. We stayed at a guesthouse inside the city walls and had a wonderful experience. The steps behind us are some of the original steps from 2000 years ago!

Original Street of Jerusalem...where shops, fruit markets, animals to be bought for the yearly sacrifice would have been.

The Women's Side of the Wailing Wall...If you look closely, you can see written prayers stuck in between the cracks of the wall.

Merril and the boys walking away from the Wailing Wall. Maybe you can spot them in their hats.

Christian Quarter of the old city

The Garden where Jesus prayed "Not my will, but yours" before his arrest and crucifixtion.

The Garden Tomb

"He is not here, for He has risen!"

Posing with some soldiers

Traveling outside Jerusalem was a huge highlight of our trip. We visited Nazareth, Capernuum, Tiberias, and the Sea of Galilea.

The Sea of Galilea

Celebrating 14 years of Marriage!

2009-03-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

Little did we know when we met 17 years ago while attending UGA, what an adventure our lives would be. Four months after we were married, Holly's dad passed away. We lived in Rome for seven years while Merril worked as a pharmacist.

We then felt the Lord leading us and our two children to move overseas and work in Thailand. This was another growing time for all of us emotionally and spiritually. We found true contentment and strength from the Father during our time there. Our third child was born there.

After returning to the States, we lived and prayed about where God would have us next. Our fourth child was born and two years later, we ventured out on another journey to our present home... Central Asia. We have been here over 2 1/2 years now and have had challenging but yet rewarding experiences. We have made many friends and have grown to love the people here.

We are so blessed to have each other and have 14 amazing years together as husband and wife. It has been a great adventure thus far!

Trip out of the city

2009-03-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

We all enjoyed a day trip outside the city. The last time we drove outside the city was in October so this was a much needed trip just to get away and enjoy some view without buildings, people, and pollution in the air. The kids loved climbing the rocks and picknicing. We were all amazed that we could actually smell the sea water.

Boulevard Fun

2009-03-20T03:21:00.000-07:00

Caleb and Merril brave The Human Wheel

Tilt a Whirlllll...a family favorite!

Construction always seems to be going on in the city. The sun shining is always a wonderful feeling after a cold and windy winter.

Hold on Boys!

What can we ride next?

2009-03-20T03:02:00.000-07:00

Waiting for the pirate ship ride to begin...Caleb is several rows behind us trying to get as high as he can. I was very content to be in the middle with Benjamin.

My neighbor, Seva and her daughter, Mushgal came over after our time at the boulevard to present a gift of food and sweets for Novruz.

Delicious sweets for Novruz

Bowling Fun!

2009-03-19T01:58:00.000-07:00

This Spring Break was our third year to take a trip to the city bowling alley. We caught it on the day they were having a huge party for Novruz (the holiday to welcome Spring) with lots of students, music and dancing. No one was interested in bowling so we had the lanes to ourselves.

Isabel even rolled the ball down the lane with her cast on!

Boys Jammin' and Hammin' it Up!

2009-03-08T01:03:00.000-08:00

This semester Caleb's class studied events, leaders, and happenings around the world from the past 60 years. They even dressed up for each decade. I pulled the camera out for the 80s to capture the tightrolled jeans, mohawk, raised collar, and boom box! We added some blue for a touch of punk.

Benjamin jumped into Merril's shoes for a cool pose too!

A Broken Arm!

2009-03-02T00:19:00.000-08:00

Isabel twisted her arm falling from the couch and we treated it as a mild sprain. After two days of complaining of pain when she moved it and not using it at all, we decided to carry her to the local clinic in our neighborhood. The xray showed no fracture but he said it still needed to be splinted. We then drove to the local pharmacy and bought the plaster and went back to the clinic for the doctor to cast it up. An eventful day, especially in another country.

Isabel's friends at Preschool waiting patiently to sign her cast. Miss Kamala writes "I Love You" inside a heart.

Fun Saturdays At Compass

2009-02-21T23:56:00.000-08:00

One Saturday a month our family spends the day at Compass hanging out with members. This particular Saturday was spent chatting, cooking, watching a movie, and playing a game of spoons! We watched the movie "The Ultimate Gift" which is about a spoiled rich kid who inherits his grandfather's fortune, but not until completing a list of jobs that teach lifelong lessons. The kids even love taking part in the games and cooking!

Jump-a-thon

2009-02-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

This year the school had their first annual Jump-a-thon! The students were divided into their "house" teams (red, blue, yellow, and green)and had at least 4 jumping from their team at a time. They jumped for an hour and raised about $1000 dollars. The money will go towards helping a home that houses homeless girls in our city.

2009-01-26T08:53:00.000-08:00

We all wanted to say "Happy Birthday to You!" Hope today is a special day for you. Enjoy the song. We love you very much!

A New Year's Message from the Kids

2009-01-02T08:58:00.000-08:00

After 3 days of falling snow, we were walking in a winter wonderland! By New Year's Day, with the drifted snow, some areas of our yard were well over a foot deep in snow. We all had so much fun playing in it! The tricky part was trying to keep warm in our house with no power during the day and a leaking radiator that keeps our house warm not working.

Snow, Snow, and More Snow!

2009-01-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas From All of Us to You!

2008-12-25T03:03:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from all of us to you!

Look at my dollhouse!

I love my new Josefina doll.

I love finding presents in my stocking!

A kiss for my doll, Kit!

The year of the Lego...I even got some lego keychains!

"I wonder what this could be?"

Showing off her nickname!

Christmas Song from our Home to Yours

2008-12-25T00:39:00.000-08:00

May you be blessed this season with His Love and Grace as you celebrate Emmanuel, God With Us!

New Christmas Pajamas from America!

2008-12-20T23:57:00.000-08:00

The children were so excited to get their new Christmas pj's from Nana and Popa, along with the package full of Christmas presents! Shopping can be difficult here and the prices are extremely expensive so we are so thankful to our family in the States who will send us things we have ordered along with gifts from them. Millie even got her a sweater.

Christmas is not celebrated here in our country but New Year's Day is celebrated so trees and decorations and Santas can be found. Almost every shopkeeper we asked did not know who's birthday we were celebrating on Christmas Day. The Western commercialism has come this way but not the true meaning of Christmas.

Thanksgiving Day...So much to be thankful for!

2008-11-28T02:20:00.000-08:00

This Thanksgiving we celebrated with our teammates and were blessed to have a real turkey and all the fixings. Thanks to family who sent yams and pecans, karo syrup and coconut! It was a delicious meal and a blessing to be around the table with friends. This time of the year can be difficult to be away from our extended family but we have so much to be thankful for. After the huge meal, our families loaded up in two vans and drove to a nearby International School to support our boys in a basketball tournament. We are so thankful for Mr. Scott from our small school to take the time to form a team. Most of our boys have never played basketball or even learned the fundamentals of the game so this has been a huge blessing for Caleb and all the others. They have been practicing a couple days a week in our courtyard (not even a real gym) and then participated in a Winter Tournament hosted by a larger International School. The boys actually did great to be playing boys older and bigger than them. After the game, we ended our day with desserts and the children all gathered for a movie.

Compass Halloween Party

2008-10-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

This year our members put on two skits before a panel of judges. The plays were Land Ho! The Story of Christopher Columbus and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It was amazing how creative they got as they wrote their own script, prepared props and costumes, and even used technology. After the judging, we enjoyed pumpkin cupcakes while different teams decorated/designed a pumpkin. The pumpkins here are more like ghourds so it makes it a bit difficult to carve them like we do in America. Instead we used different veggies and told them to be as creative as they could. We had a great night with our English members. As you can see, the children enjoyed dressing up for the party. Benjamin, sporting his new pirate costume, Isabel in her new princess gown, and Laura Grace dressed up as a flight attendant. Who would have thought? Maybe we fly too much.

Benjamin's 6th Birthday!

2008-10-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

Aaarrgggg! It's a Pirate Party! Benjamin invited a few of his friends over to celebrate his birthday. We went on a treasure hunt, but to get to the treasure each team had to complete a game challenge (popping the "coconut" balloons, egg relay up misty mountain, water relay through crocodile swamp, etc...) Benjamin helped me decorate his cake, complete with sharks, shipwrecked boat, pirate, snakes, scorpions, crabs, and a treasure filled with jewels! I found these candles at a nearby store and had no idea they were like roman candles!!! Ha! I'm just glad we all stepped back a few feet!

New Furniture

2008-10-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

We were so blessed to buy a couch and two chairs from some expats who were moving back to the States. While we were vacationing in the States, my sister-in-law helped me find some great material to recover them. We found a man who recovers and repairs furniture in a small shop close to our home. I don't think he knew exactly what he was doing so don't look too closely. I then found a friend who could make the cushions for me and did an excellent job. Just an example of how things take much more time to do in another country, not mentioning the challenges with the language barrier! Ha!

My How We've Grown

2008-10-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

Looking over the past two years since we left America, we are amazed at how much the children have grown and changed. This summer, during our vacation in the States, everyone who saw the children talked about their changes. Each one is so precious and unique in their own special way! We are so blessed to be their parents and be able to love on them everyday!

Georgia Tailgate Party

2008-10-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

GooooooDawgs Sic'em! Our English Students didn't quite get it, but neither did our LSU friends. Ha! We had a great time explaining a bit of American Football language and vocabulary while watching a game and eating "tailgatin'" food. Thanks to mom and Larry for taping the games for us every week! We love you.

Harvest Party!

2008-10-03T09:02:00.000-07:00

The children all dressed up for their school's harvest party. We didn't get a picture of Caleb as a Ninja, but Benjamin dressed up as Batman, Isabel as a cowgirl, and Laura Grace as an old granny with rollers in her hair. The school has been such a blessing for us while living here.

Happy 11th Birthday Caleb!

2008-09-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Caleb's 11th Birthday with several of his friends from school and on our team. Merril took the boys bowling and then they came back to compete in our 2nd annual Lego Building/Designing Competition.

New Puppy!

2008-09-23T06:19:00.000-07:00

Amelia Jewels "Millie"

born on August 2, 2008

A new addition to our family!

First Week of School

2008-08-26T05:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is over and time for school to begin. OH NO!

Don't get too excited now...

Benjamin's first day of Kindergarten!

Laura Grace, our 3rd grader

Caleb, our 6th grader

The children were glad to be back and reunite with all their friends at the International School. It was also good to get back into some sort of routine after being away from home for 5 weeks this summer. In a few weeks, Isabel will begin going to a small preschool fairly close to our home.

New Kittens!

2008-08-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

We came home from our 4 week vacation in America to find our cat, Twix, in labor! She delivered 3 kittens 6 hours after our arrival!

All snuggled up, enjoying a meal

Caleb enjoying the playful kittens

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

2008-07-04T00:01:00.000-07:00

We had a great celebration with Americans and Nationals! We explained about becoming a nation, played games, ate hamburgers and hotdogs and all the fixin's, enjoyed apple pie and cake, and some of our volunteers taught a little line dancing.

Happy 8th Birthday Laura Grace!

2008-07-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

My first birthday sleepover! Ten girls came for a slumber party. We made flip-flops, played water games, made our own pizzas, and had a movie and popcorn. We watched Felicity from the American Girl Movies.

Water Balloon Toss...none of us are wet yet!!!

Showing off our newly made flip-flops

Funny pose! We had so much fun!

Happy Birthday Isabel!

2008-06-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

Today Isabel turned 4 years old! I wanted a kitty cat party so I asked mom if she could make me a Hello Kitty cake.

Playing games with my friends

Making Kitty cat shirts with my friends

Mommy helping me

Loving on my daddy

We love you and are so proud of our little girl.

Volunteers Arrive!

2008-06-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

Summer is a busy time with alot of volunteers coming our way but it is also such a blessing! They helped out with our English classes, seminars and by just hanging out with members. They also brought us goodies and loved on our children. We even were able to get away for a date night while they watched our children.

College-aged volunteers from CA, OK, and N. Dakota

Volunteers from the D.C. area

Dear Friends from our English Business

Spending Time with Volunteers

2008-06-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Annual Camping Trip

2008-06-13T01:40:00.000-07:00

We are not campers but are quickly learning to be. Things to do are very limited in our country, so many have found camping to be, not only cheap, but a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of the loud and polluted city we call home.

This year, we joined 10 families for a weekend getaway. Our team of 3 families provided breakfast and dinner for nearly 50 people. The rest of the time we enjoyed the meals other teams provided for us.

We ventured up to Gumdrop Mountain. H and I didn't

quite make it to the top. It was a steep climb up.

June 2008

We Love Our Teachers!

2008-06-10T10:31:00.000-07:00

We have been so blessed with wonderful, caring, and loving teachers at the International School and the Preschool where the children attend.

LG's 2nd grade teacher

C's 5th grade teacher

New Location for International School!

2008-06-01T02:14:00.000-07:00

The last month of school we found a new site for the International school where our children attend. It is a larger house than the first location and there is so much more room outside for the children to run around!

LG posing with her classmates

Friends from school

LG showing off our cat Twix during show and tell

Day Trip with Compass Members

2008-05-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

What a great time we had spending the day with friends! We traveled 3 hours outside the busy city to enjoy fresh air and green grass. We cooked kebobs and Merril taught the guys a little bit about American football.

Sunshine after a Long Winter

2008-04-01T23:04:00.000-07:00

Getting out to ride our scooters from Christmas! The sunshine was good for us after a long winter. A huge thanks to our teammate, Michelle, and several volunteers for carrying the scooters in their luggage when they came here.

Our Little Girls

2008-04-01T04:09:00.000-07:00

Isabel and Twixy

"Look what daddy let us do!"
"Shaving Creme!!!"

Our little girl is growing up so fast.

Celebrating Novruz with Friends

2008-03-29T04:27:00.000-07:00

How wonderful to be invited to our friend's home for a traditional meal! We enjoyed plov (rice with meat, raisins, onions, and nuts on top), dolma with yogurt (meat and rice wrapped in grape leaves), salads, and baklava! We had a wonderful time sharing about their traditions, dancing to traditional music, and laughing alot!

Our friends with their mom. She is a wonderful cook. Also, overlooking their apartment balcony is the view of the city!

A Day Trip away from the City

2008-03-20T04:52:00.000-07:00

During Spring Break, we drove out of the city to a place called Fire Mountain. It was actually just a little fire on the side of a hillside. Legend says that a shepherd was passing by hundreds of years ago and lit a fire and it has been burning ever since! We had a great time just getting out of the city and breathing a bit of fresh air.

Each child took their turn dropping down in to the hole. When I saw Merril doing this, I was terrified! Then I saw that it was not as deep as it appears.

Women's Day

2008-03-08T13:15:00.000-08:00

Women's Day is celebrated on March 8th in this country.

It is not only for mother's, but for all women. For Women's Day

Laura Grace, Isabel, and I took our friend, Sevda, out to lunch.

We all had a great time!

Spending Time with Friends at Compass

2008-02-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

Having fun with members at our business

Our Trip to Turkey

2008-01-13T07:20:00.000-08:00

After the New Year, our family took a trip to Turkey for a conference and a little rest. We enjoyed seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and putting our feet in the chilly Mediterranean Sea. Pictured is our visit to the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. It was a beautiful city and a special time together as a family.

What fun we had ice skating in a small rink outside of IKEA. We also enjoyed eating at Popeye's chicken, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Burger King while in Istanbul. Oh, and don't forget the coffee from Starbuck's!

Isabel posing at a mall. Actually, it is the largest

mall on the European continent. This was a huge treat for

us because our country doesn't have malls.

Walk slow, Benjamin and don't drop that bag of chips!

Volunteers from the States!

2008-01-02T12:26:00.000-08:00

Volunteers came to spread the holiday cheer to our business members and to our families living overseas. They helped us out by taking over the seminars and classes at our business and allowing us to rest. What a great time we had singing Christmas carols together and playing games.

Merry Christmas from Our Home to Yours

2007-12-25T23:21:00.000-08:00

We all wish you a Blessed Christmas!

Merry Christmas 2007

Sister's Love

I love my brother!

A Christmas Song from the Guices

2007-12-13T13:07:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-13T12:50:00.000-08:00

Joy to the World, the Lord has come!

Let earth receive her King!

Laura Grace (7), Benjamin (5), Isabel (3), and Caleb (10)

Trimming the Tree

2007-12-07T12:20:00.000-08:00

We spent our Friday Fun Night at our business trimming the tree and decorating for Christmas. Some helped decorate cookies and string popcorn while others made bows and trimmed the tree. We topped off the night with hot cocoa and Christmas music.

A huge thanks to Holly's mom for sending lots of Christmas decorations, stockings, greenery, and bows.

A big hug from daddy

Thanksgiving with our Gold Members

2007-11-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

During the month of November, we invited our gold members to our home for a Thanksgiving meal. We enjoyed sharing our traditions and delicious food with them. The menu consisted of turkey and dressing, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, green beans, fruit, pumpkin pie, and apple cake. Pecans and yams were shipped from America and the pumpkin and cranberries were bought in Dubai when we visited last May! They all seemed to enjoy it. Some of the comments were..."the sweet potatoes taste like baklava (a traditional dessert served here)", "do you have anything salty?", "very interesting", "thank you, ,thank you", "can we have some more rolls?"

We were able to seat all 16 guests with three Americans at each table for practicing English and enjoying lots of laughs!

Fall Party with Compass Members

2007-10-31T02:24:00.000-07:00

What a blast we had with our friends carving pumpkins, eating lots of candy, and playing games. Each team had 30 minutes to carve the most unique pumpkin.

First place went to the "Kind Pirate"

One member walked away with a jar full of candy corns sent from America for guessing the correct amount.

Lots of laughs with friends

Happy 5th Birthday Benjamin!

2007-10-26T10:44:00.000-07:00

We can't believe our Thailand boy is now 5 years old. He is beginning to love legos like his big brother, he loves to doodle and draw, and he is a great singer! Last week I caught him on video singing in the mirror using a broom as a guitar.

Egg racing

Picture taken after digging for goodies in a plate full of flour

Storytime with Isabel

2007-10-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little Izzie reading to Daddy. I just loved watching her expressions as she made sure she was reading it correctly.

Happy 10th Birthday Caleb!

2007-09-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

My homemade cake complete with storm troopers and theHoth Rebel Base.

Legos, legos, legos

We had a lego building competition while watching

one of the Star Wars episodes. Merril and I judged for

creativity and uniqueness. A Dr. Pepper and candybar was

awarded to the first placewinner.

(Dr. Peppers are really hard to find over here, so this is huge)

Harvest Party Fun

2007-09-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

The school where Caleb and Laura Grace attend welcomed in the fall season with a Harvest Party. The children enjoyed dressing up, games galore, food, and a tug-o-war competition at the end of the evening. Isabel dressed up as a ballerina and Laura Grace was her ballet teacher. Caleb was a Jedi Knight and Benjamin dressed as spiderman.

Jedi Knight Caleb turned 10 today!

Spiderman and Batman posing for a picture

The first and second graders pulling against the 3rd graders! Pull, Laura Grace, pull!!!

First Day of School

2007-09-20T09:51:00.000-07:00

Caleb and Laura Grace are beginning their second year at the International School here. There are about 50 students. We moved Caleb up to the 5th grade and he is in a class with 5th and 6th graders. Laura Grace is in the 2nd grade and has 14 1st and 2nd graders in her class. They both have wonderful teachers this year!

Benjamin and Isabel started at a small preschool (in a home) and attend two times a week. It has been good for them to meet and play with other children.

Sweet Memories with Nana and Popa

2007-09-08T12:15:00.001-07:00

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Sightseeing the City

2007-08-23T22:27:00.000-07:00

Stopping to get a picture and climb the tree

Fun Times with Nana and Papa

2007-08-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

Spending time with Nana on the Caspian

Fun eating out

Playing Games in the evenings

Nana and Papa are Here!!

2007-08-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

How wonderful it was to see mom and Larry walk through the

doors of the airport! The children ran into their arms with hugs and

kisses to give. We are so excited about the next three weeks with them.

Trip with Students

2007-07-23T11:16:00.000-07:00

What a great time we had traveling away from the city to

enjoy the cooler weather, sites, and greenery!

Our Modes of Transportation

2007-07-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

For the past 9 months, we have traveled in the

city by large bus (pictured above), mini bus (white "bus"

in the picture with the children), metro, taxi, walking,

or hitching a ride with someone on our team with a car.

There have been many challenges without having a vehicle,

but we have learned more about the

city and learned more about the driving here. In the fall,

our company will be providing a vehicle for us.

Benjamin walking into our apartment.

It looks like it has been a long day.

Benjamin loves to dance. The girls, I think,

are being entertained.

Laura Grace's Birthday Party!

2007-07-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

July 4th, 2007 - 7 years old

July 4, 2006 - 6 years old

Isabel getting dressed up too at the party

Laura Grace's friends posing after
getting hair, nails and princess dress on.

Celebrating Laura Grace's Birthday!

2007-07-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Laura Grace picked a Chinese restaurant for

her birthday meal. None of us objected.
Laura Grace holds up seven fingers for

turning seven! I can't believe our 4th of July baby is seven!

I Love My Sister!

2007-06-27T11:11:00.000-07:00

Laura Grace and Isabel showing off their

new bathing suits and blow-up chairs

from nana and poppa

Happy Birthday Isabel!

2007-06-23T12:36:00.000-07:00

On June 24, Isabel turned three! We celebrated with several friends in our home and then took the children to a kiddy amusement park we recently found in the city.

Picnicing and Singing with friends

2007-06-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

New Business Has Opened

2007-06-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

As of June, our new business opened its doors and students are enjoying the benefits of it. We have been amazed at the response of those desiring to learn English. There is an array of classes/seminars offered weekly as well as time to "hang out" in the living area and just practice speaking English with an English speaker.

Volunteers from Georgia!

2007-06-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

In June, our team was blessed with volunteers from Georgia. They loved on us and our children and were such an encouragement. The children are pictured above singing some of the songs they learned over the weekend.

Brothers and Sisters

2007-05-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

The latest addition to our family

2007-05-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

We found this little kitten in front of a store as we were walking one day. The children saw her and immediately fell in love with her. She was so little and without her mommy. After talking about taking her home over dinner, we walked back to the same place and she was still there. The children were ecstatic about this new member of our family. Her name is "Twix" (after the candybar).

Our Trip to the UAE

2007-05-15T12:21:00.000-07:00

Our friends that we stayed with took us to a few resorts during the week where we enjoyed swimming and the beach! The children all enjoyed the slide at the kid's pool.

Splashing in the Persian Gulf
Hmmm, which shell should I pick?

Welcome to the Desert!

2007-05-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

The farthest mountains behind us are in the country of Oman.

Sand Safari

2007-05-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

The kids posing with the Arab Safari Drivers

Isabel's face says it all! What a ride we had!

Enjoying Time Together

2007-05-14T05:32:00.000-07:00

After the sand duning and camel riding, we had a very nice dinner under the stars.

Go Caleb! Go Caleb!

2007-05-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

Shooting some hoops, sand surfing, and the desert safari were the highlights of the trip for Caleb. (oh, except for the search in all the toy stores for more legos!)

Fearless Laura Grace

2007-05-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

I have yet to see Laura Grace decline on trying out some new adventure...especially when her older brother is trying something new. She is our little spidergirl, always climbing, especially between walls!

Smiling Benjamin

2007-05-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Benjamin loves to collect all sorts of things, so he had a blast looking for shells and begged to bring them home with us.

Isabel and Daddy

2007-05-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

What fun I had in the sand looking for shells! Hmm, what should I do next?

2007-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Isabel almost 3 years old

Benjamin- 41/2 years old

Laura Grace- almost 7 years old

Caleb- 9 years old

Day Trip with Students

2007-04-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

Exploring the fortresses around the city with

over 75 university students

Decorating Eggs

2007-04-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Fun!

2007-04-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

CIRCUS TIME

Isabel enjoying some cotton candy at the local circus

Yummy Cotton Candy for Benjamin!

Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!

BOWLING FUN

Let's Go Bowling! "Hey, Laura Grace, that ball is as big as you!"

Watch out for the ball, Benjamin!

Doing a little dance

What a fun time we had!

On the Boulevard!

2007-03-31T04:44:00.000-07:00

The boulevard is a great place to walk especially when the weather gets warmer.

The children enjoyed riding some of the amusement type rides as well as getting their picture taken with... Mickey Mouse? When the weather gets warmer, we plan to go back and enjoy it even more.

We thought the character was just being nice and

posing for a picture, but we soon found out there was a charge per person!

Thankfully, Isabel was too afraid to join in on the fun.

New Business!

2007-03-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

Beginning in June, our team will launch a new business which

will draw, not only university students but professionals as well for an American/English experience. Classes and seminars will be

provided for members to gain more confidence in the English

language. We are still concentrating on language learning ourselves

so we will only devote a small portion of our time here. We are all

excited about this new direction.

(More pictures to come of remodeling and furniture)

Cooking with Sevda

2007-03-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Benjamin and Laura Grace

enjoying making Baklava with

Sevda. It was delicious!

Spring Party with University Students

2007-03-20T07:31:00.000-07:00

Some pictures from the party...egg breaking,

traditional dance "lessons", and spending time

with students.

2007-03-15T04:02:00.000-07:00

Sweet Isabel - posing for the camera! She is 2 1/2 now and so expressive with her language, even when the words cannot be distinguished. Sevda, our helper loves to tease her. She says (in her language) to Isabel, "my girl, you're my girl". Isabel just shakes her head and says, "no, mommy's gool".

Two Surprise Packages

2007-03-10T03:30:00.000-08:00

Thank you to my roomies from UGA and to the Agan's for remembering us! We appreciate the love, time, and money that went into your packages. We love everything!

Our Crate Has Arrived!

2007-03-05T03:01:00.000-08:00

Last July, we packed up many of our belongings (toys, dishes, bedding, movies, books, pictures) into a small crate in hopes of seeing it again one day. To our surprise, the wait was only 4 1/2 months from the time we arrived here! (We have been told, this was a short wait) The men carried everything up 3 flights of stairs and then disassembled the wood from the crate. Hopefully we will be able to make some bookshelves with the wood.

Isabel and Benjamin were thrilled to watch their toys unpacked from the truck! "It's like Christmas," Benjamin said.

"Look, my chair". He and Isabel couldn't wait to tell Caleb and Laura Grace about the delivery when they arrived home from school. Within minutes, Caleb was off to reconstruting his Viking lego ship, Laura Grace had her gymnastic mat out and uniform on for tumbling, Isabel was dressed in her princess dress complete with heels and purse, and Benjamin was rediscovering his Fisher Price animals, barnyard, and train set!

Fun With Our Sitters

2007-03-01T02:39:00.000-08:00

Every Thursday, mama goes to Caleb and Laura Grace's school to help out. Isabel and I need someone to look after us while she is away and daddy is at language school. Gulia and her sister, Samira come and play with us.

We color, play outside, and sometimes they bring their pet rabbit "dovshan" for us to play with. He is sooooo big. He eats cabbage and carrots. We tried to feed him tendir (bread) and chips but he didn't like it.

New Friends at School

2007-02-25T00:59:00.000-08:00

Caleb and Laura Grace have really enjoyed meeting new friends at school. Caleb is in a class with 3rd and 4th graders. He has 10 in his class. Laura Grace has sixteen 1st and 2nd graders in her class with 9 different countries represented! Every morning and afternoon they take a taxi to and from school.