Too cute

And did I mention that my sister has 2 cats, who she and the kids love?  Not that they were the highlight of the trip, but I do love kitties!!  They are both girls; the gray, striped one is Filfila (pepper in Arabic) and the spotty one is Spot.  They are great with the kids!  The cats have little beds and are fed on the window sill of the kitchen window.  These two cuties sit there much of the day, sleeping, looking longingly in the windows.  Wicked Spot has torn most of the screens in the house, and they've figured out how to open the windows if they're not locked.  One evening, my sister and I returned home quite late and as we opened the front door, Spot went running out of the house!  We were quite surprised, and laughed to find her inside.  I went into my room to change into comfy clothes and who was sleeping on my bed?  Filfila!  We shooed her out and settled down to watch a little TV.  After a while we got ready for bed.  As we were brushing our teeth, who came striding proudly into the bathroom, rubbing on the door frame, the sink, looking so pleased with herself?  Why, Filfila again!  

"How did she get in?" we were asking ourselves.  We walked from room to room checking to make sure all the windows were closed. I had never opened mine, so we didn't go in there until we'd seen that all the other windows were already closed.  Sure enough, the previous guest hadn't locked the window, and those little guys had opened it for themselves.  

As the days got hotter, I started sleeping with my window open, and little Filfila got a few comfy nights with me.  One day, even after I'd tried to repair the screen, the kids came in to wake me up from a nap and there she was again!  Very cute, but naughty.  ;-)

Back to the spa

I never got pictures posted of our day at the Dead Sea Spa, so here are some of those.  The kids had a great time, and we enjoyed it too.  The day was quite cloudy and overcast, but it was wondrous fun anyway.  Those kids could swim all day long!  This is one of their very favorite places to go for the day as a family.  It is about an hour from Amman, so easy to get to in one day.  They occasionally stay overnight, but the hotels are very expensive.  

Above 2 pics - Hannah loves to go on the big slide, but only with Daddy's help. ;-)

The boys' favorite big slide!  David and Joshua are kids #2 and 3 respectively from the front.

2 of the 5 pools we enjoyed.  

Joshua relaxing after lunch.  

 

David on his favorite slide.  

People really do smear the Dead Sea mud all over themselves - free spa!  I didn't do that, but did float in the weird, slimy, very salinated water!

I don't know about you, but I thought this highway sign was hilarious! What is its purpose?  Who knows, but check out the guy - I mean, that is some salty water!

A great day was had by all!

Back in the saddle

Frankly, getting "back in the saddle" isn't going very well as you might be able to tell by the dearth of posts!  They say Colorado is headache country, and I think I might be evidence of that.   After being away for 5 weeks, I've returned to an abundance of migraines.  Is it my squishy pillow?  Is it something else in my life (Tim says stress)?  Or is it indeed that where I live is terrible for headaches?  There have been a few studies published recently about just that thing. The theory is that the combination of high altitude living (over 6,000 ft.), dry weather, and unusually quickly changing weather because of the mountains is a recipe for headache disaster.  I tend to doubt Tim's stress theory as I live a fairly stress-free life...at least comparably.  I don't have to work, I get to plan my days as I see fit, I have few demands on me.  Well, whatever the reason, I'm doing my best to get on with it.  Seems like every day I plan on doing much, in or out of the house, I get nailed to the bed with a nasty.  

Let's see if some additional exercise and good eating can make a difference.  I'll try to write more about my trip, too.  I'll also try to not complain, but it is a bummer!  Meanwhile, the spring weather here in Colorado is lovely with just sprinklings of rain, cool days, even cooler nights, and the flowers going gangbusters!  It is wonderful!  I bought a sewing table and hope to get some projects accomplished this summer.  Tim and I made a rough landscaping plan for our yard (which is currently bare).  My bikes are cleaned, tuned, and ready to go.  I have good hiking partners.  I even have some menus and grocery lists made.  Sounds like a rip-roaring good summer is on the way!  Now if my body will only cooperate, I'll get busy.  :-)

Sunny day

I know, I know.  I keep saying I'm going to write more, and then don't!  Maybe I'll get around to that this weekend.  I tell you, since coming back I feel so lazy!  I just want to read, lay around, watch TV.  I've done hardly any housework, but I'm getting a little bit done.  I've caught up with some friends, but not very many.  I just feel so tired!  Is this normal?  I think it is.  It's been a long time since I've taken such a long trip, much less overseas, or been that sick for that matter.  I hope to turn things around this weekend. 

Meanwhile, life is just fine here.  ;-)  Tim and I had a nice date this week, I went to the zoo with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew, and today is a lovely, sunny Saturday.  We have a few errands to run, and maybe we'll have a picnic.  All together wonderful!

Oh, the yellow rose of Texas...

Greetings from Odessa, TX! Not much to see here but two beautiful girls - my sister and her daughter. I've had a great visit here with these two lovelies and my brother, and tomorrow we head home. I'm almost totally well, despite traveling again, and for that I am very thankful! It will feel lovely to be home for a while and am planning on no trips until June. I know that's not all that far away, but I'm going to pretend it is. I plan on going home and doing nothing much other than working on getting my life a little more organized, spending time with friends and family, and getting started on my summer garden. Things other than that will have to wait until June.

It is as hot here as one would imagine, but I know the summer will get even more miserable. I am very thankful for our Colorado climate! Summer there is hot enough for me - TX would wear me out! Nighty, night!

Feeling better

Wow, have I been a slacker!  I went to my Dr. Monday morning after getting home very early (VERY EARLY) Sunday a.m.  He confirmed that I had a bad case of bronchitis and a sinus infection.  He gave me a very strong, narcotic cough medicine to help me get some sleep.  It is my understanding that it actually turns off the coughing reflex in the brain.  Well, this stuff worked!  I slept almost straight through Tuesday through Friday.  I woke up for most meals, but slept, slept, slept.  Each day I felt a little better, and I couldn't believe I kept falling asleep.  Probably a combination of the medicine, being sick, and just being tired.  Amazing!

Now it's Wednesday, I've been home just over a week, and I'm getting ready to go to TX to visit one of my other sisters.  I know, I'm crazy to go on another trip so soon, but this one will be very short.  When I come back, I promise to resume adding pictures and telling more about my Jordan trip. 

In the past few days I've gotten caught up on laundry, unpacked, started preparing meals again (Tim took very good care of me while I was sleeping!), and getting back to life.  Feels good. ;-)

Just a word about my trip...it was an amazing journey!  I felt God's presence so constantly.  He looked after me, that's for sure.  The time with my sister and her family was incredible.  I feel so embedded with them now.  I do miss them quite a bit - especially my sister!  Everything I saw of Jordan was wondrous.  I knew it would be beautiful, but I just didn't know how beautiful!  And all the time I spent with Jordanians, in various celebrations, was great.  Words won't really do justice to this trip, but I'll do my best.  I'll sign off for now.  I'll be back Monday!

Home!

It's 1:35 a.m., I've been awake almost 22 hours (I'm being generous by crediting myself with about 6 hours of fitful sleep on planes), but I'm here!  My wonderful husband showed up at the airport with beautiful flowers and had borrowed his dad's Mercedes convertible in which to drive me home.  Didn't I feel like the queen?  And what did I walk into?  A clean house - no dirty dishes or laundry AND a newly installed gas stove AND a new garbage disposal.  I was floored!  I'm off to bed and will resume telling stories tomorrow...or the next day.  ;-)  Sleep!!!

Homeward bound

Well, the antibiotics are already working, and for that I'm very thankful! In fact, I woke up yesterday morning feeling markedly better than when I went to bed. It was a double blessing, because yesterday held two events I wouldn't have wanted to miss - a wedding, and an invitation to dinner in a wonderful woman's home. I was able to not only participate in both events, but thoroughly enjoy them both. I'll write details when I get home.

I'm in my last few hours here. I'm very sad to be leaving my sister and her family, but very glad to be going home. Weird, isn't it, how our minds and hearts work? The kids are very tired today, dragging as they get ready for school. We kept them out late last night. Visiting in Jordanian homes is seldom a short affair. They'll make it, though. I am lucky - all I have to do is fly. I can sleep on the plane! I'm still stopped up and coughing some, but so much better. I do have some odd stereo thing happening in my ears which I hope doesn't bode ill in terms of pain when I fly, but I'm not in charge of those details, so I won't sweat it.

What can I say about my time here? There aren't really adequate adjectives to express it all, so I'll just work on it as I go along. More from the other side of the ocean, on another day...

Not too great

Sorry I haven't been posting pics and writing. I've been hit with the leftovers of the cold I left home with. It seems to have turned rather nasty and is sapping all my energy. I started on antibiotics today, though, so hope to be on the mend very soon. When I get home I will sleep, sleep, sleep. I'll keep writing about my trip and posting pics after I get home.

My time here has been wonderful! This has been a precious month with my sister and her family. We've all had a good time, and I will be very sad to leave them! I'll be glad to get home, though, where Tim can take care of me and I can get some much-needed rest. There's too much to see and do here to rest well. Besides, I just can't resist those smiling kids and how much they want to play, talk, read, have fun.

I'll be home late this week. More after that.