~Merry Christmas~

~Merry Christmas~

Just three of us were home for Christmas this year, but we had a fine time celebrating with dear friends. Oldest Daughter has three homes now: one in Chicago with Music man, one with us in Jordan, and one with Music Man's family in Colorado--that is where she is this year. Active Son is enjoying time with grandparents, an aunt, an uncle, and cousins in Arizona, and Artist Son spent the day in Paris. To say that I am thankful for Skype is an understatement. We enjoyed talking with all our kids over the days surrounding Christmas. We hadn't planned to hear from Artist Son, but he surprised us with a Skype call on Christmas Day.

After the traditional Christmas morning program and reception at the hospital, we came home and relaxed awhile before putting our Christmas lasagnas in the oven to bake. Later that evening we had a merry time around the dinner table with friends from the United States, Egypt, and the UK. 

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Awladuna Akbaduna--again

I'd call today an Awladuna Akbaduna kind of day. The Arabic proverb that most often comes to mind and most often describes my heart:

اولادنا اکبدنا ماشیین علی الارض

Awladuna akbaduna mashyeen 'ala al'ard.
Our children are our hearts walking around outside of us.
(literally: Our children are our livers walking on the earth.)

Dear Husband, Tayta, and I gathered around the computer monitor, two continents away, to watch Active Son walk in the Boise State University commencement ceremony and receive his Bachelors of Science degree from the school of  Heath Sciences. 

That wave was for us. We cheered loudly!

 

We were able to spot Active Son in the commencement crowd with the Jordanian flag on his mortar board.

Love that smile. Love this guy so much. We're so proud of you, Active Son!

Also today: I was praying for Oldest Daughter as she had an event in Chicago, and for Artist Son as he traveled to London to begin a holiday tour of Europe with a college friend. That is a lot of mom-emotions and mom-prayers for one day. I wish I could hug them all!

Flowering Jordan Calendar~December 2014

A Charming Singer

The white-spectacled bulbuls which frequent the trees in our yards, serenade me throughout the day. Their beautiful, clear songs often draw me to the window and sometimes out the door, beckoning me to observe the creatures who sings so charmingly.

Today I spotted these bulbuls, resting after an brief afternoon concert and cozied up to each other in our pomegranate tree, which is nearly bare of leaves.

I tried to sneak around to the other side of the tree, guessing that they would spy me and fly away, and so they did, only to alight on a nearby olive tree.

This bulbul's white spectacles and bright yellow breast can be seen in this picture.

It spied a few olives on the tip-top branches, missed when Dear Husband and a friend completed the harvest a couple weeks ago...

...and found one within immediate reach.