Update on Life

So... I haven't blogged in two and a half years. That's bad. I have an amazing family and life that I would love to share with you. Especially if you are my family and I see you like once a year :)

I have this amazing daughter, Elizabeth who is growing by leaps and bounds every day. She is brilliant like her Dad. She is constantly walking around with her finger pointing to her head and trying to say "think, think, think".

She was born December 12, 2009 and is the most amazing blessing in our lives. I was working part time in the mornings when she was born until this last August when I was laid off. And luckily, thanks to Josh; I have been able to be a stay at home mom since then. It's the best thing in the whole world. We wake up at 10ish in the morning then Elizabeth and I love getting dressed. She loves helping with jewelry and makeup. Then she takes my brushes for my makeup and does her face and/or hair. Then we share breakfast and hang out until Dad comes home for lunch. Then more hanging out and playing like crazy along with a nap. Then Dad is home for the evening. We love playing dress up and reading books. But most of all Elizabeth loves music and dancing. She is just the best thing ever and makes for an amazing life!

Josh is working 8-5 right now and waiting to hear back from graduate schools. He applied to two schools that offer the best program for linguistics. So we will find out in March if that is an option this year. And if not we will try again next year. But he is planning to get his PhD in Arabic and Linguists and have the goal of a professorship somewhere but just see what happens along the way. You never know how your life can change from day to day. And boy is he ready for a change. Other then that he teaches the four year-old kids at church and is a read-a-holic. He has been going through a book a day right now. If you do www.goodreads.com add him as your friend and you will see the stack of books he is always reading. That's the only way I can keep up with the amount he goes through.













It's a great life and honestly we are ridiculously happy. Other then needing to get Josh's schooling moving along we are in a wonderful place and are so happy.

Flying Home

Hey guys! We are loosing internet today as we pack up our apartment. We are so bummed to leave!!!! I think I might cry when we leave. But we are flying out on Saturday and will be back in the states on Monday. After a lovely trip to Egypt again. Yeah see you all in the states.

Ode to my Old Man

Today is my Old Man's birthday his name is Michael Jackson and I want to tell you how amazing he is and show you some fun pictures of him. My father is nothing short of perfect. He raised us six kids with my Mom and he works harder then anyone I know. He has worked his entire life just trying to provide for us. He has not always had it easy but he has always been there for us and been the best Dad anyone could ask for. I don't know how to describe my father. He is... loving, amazing, kind, compassionate, the hardest worker, the best father, and my hero.

Here are some fun pictures of him on a camel, cooking, using the computer, and doing the BBQ.

I love you Dad!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Baptism

So... today after our church block there was a double baptism. We attended and Josh got to say the opening prayer. It was so wonderful as Jordan is not a country where there is missionaries. Except couple missionaries under humanitarian services only. So it was wonderful. The font is outside in the back yard of the church house. President Cook who is here with his wife on a mission baptized both of the brothers. He is the guy in the middle picture. Anyway it was a lovely afternoon.


Also... on the water front we got back to the apartment and jumped up on our water tank. Still empty so we talked to a family outside and they too didn't get water last Friday or today either nobody did. And the mother told us it's a high water season so the company won't come give us water. She called the boaab (manager/guard/door man) for us because he wasn't here and asked if he can get a private company to get us water. We have tried this before it doesn't work. So we may have no water for the rest of the time. And as we are all going on day 8 of no showers it will be lovely. No washing anything; ourselves, hands, dishes, apartment, flushing; Well lets just call it what it is we live in an outhouse right now. Fun fun.. Yeah for Jordan :)

Water

Hey! So if you care it's day two of no water again. I am not sure why we are great little water savers. But we have a problem with the water truck forgetting to come once a week or filling up some tanks and not others. It's tricky, stinky, not fun, and well you can imagine 6 people in one house. No running water for toilets, dishes, bathing. It gets lovely :) Yeah for no water....

Jerash

So we went to Jerash the other day to see the Roman town. We really had fun here are some pics.

We went to their show where there was Roman everything and here is some fighting of the peasants ...

Racing...

Josh with the winner...

Soldiers defending their flag keeper...

Josh with soldiers...

All of us at the show...

Captain man...

Marching...

Fighting...

The town was huge here is Brekke and Phil...

Me exploring again...



It was a very long day and the longest bus ride there so this is all us after the long day. And it was hot! Waiting for the next micro bus to come along with enough seats going the direction we were going.

It will be strange not to have to take buses and taxi's everywhere because we are so used to it here. Anyway it was fun just wanted to show you some pics. Yeah Jerash

Petra

Hey Y'all so we just got back from our weekend at Petra and we have tons of photos to share with y'all. Sorry Josh and I keep switching who writes so hopefully you can figure it out. Also Josh took a bunch of pics of me when I didn't know it so sorry some of them look stupid. Here is a few outside our hotel window. a few pics....









And this is the group going into the entrance of Petra. We came all together in the morning we had to meet for breakfast at 5:30am to be there early but it's nice to beat the sun. So we started out at the gate together and they bought our tickets and then we were all let go to do the Petra thing and get back whenever we were done.


Here is us all past the gate and how obviously we are in the dessert.


Even just walking to the entrance of Petra is amazing of all the things you start to see..



Our husbands exploring the caves and they actually found some tombs...



We walked the entire way but there were many people who wanted you to ride their animals; donkeys, camels, etc...



Entering into the walk down between the rocks to get to Petra. It was amazing to see the rock formations and if you see on the left and right of these pics below that they had a water system going into Petra at the bottom of the rocks. Like a ditch thing built into the rocks. The rocks had amazing color...




more caves...






First glimpse of the Treasury...

Treasury... Anyone seen Indiana Jones? This is in it...


View from Treasury steps...

alot of the Treasury is still underground you can kind of see a bit of it.


homes....




You never see dogs in Jordan but here is one and yes he is breathing we checked :)




graves....


This is the spot you climb up to the high place you can see people starting to climb it here. We went later so we will show you more pics below....

Home....


Amphitheater... seats 8,000? maybe I think that's what I heard....


Josh exploring caves....






You would not believe the steps that we walked that day there were millions everywhere...

a cat (random)....


amazing rock color in a tomb....


exploring the tombs....

I am so fast I was flying down the mountain :)




Josh and I thought this rock was so funny....

A lot of the steps where bigger then me and I had to jump

more steps :)

On our way to the Monastery...






Cutest little boy was herding these goats...

So funny... modern garage by old world garage :) ....

Okay trail to the Monastery... It was like death... There are apparently 800 steps but it took us so long because it's back and forth and back and forth and tons and tons of steps. We all had to stop some times because it was so hard....




Josh loves this pic of me looking at those last 100 steps ... It was a hot day I can't help it it was hard

But SO WORTH EVERY STEP... THIS IS THE MONASTERY....


Josh actually climbed up it even though he wasn't supposed to and even a Bedouin came and told him "if you don't come down in two minutes the police will come and pick you" we laughed and he got down but he loved it up there. scary...

After I climbed up the stairs I saw people and animals lying in the sand everywhere and thought gross! but the moment I sat down I knew why it was so nice and cold so yes I am that yellow puddle down there. And Josh is taking pics from the top of the monastery...


Josh with his feet over the edge.

the very top...






getting down....

Camel mountain... do you see it?

more tombs....




So I have been reading 'Married to a Bedouin' by Marguerite van Geldermalsen and I am about half way through it and she lives at Petra so I found her stand and she was on holiday but I met her son Rommi who was running the stand. And he signed my book. It was kinda fun....

Time for the high place....











Every one's legs were like J-ello but it was so worth the hike for the view.


Our hotel we took a pic later that night.

The shop beside the hotel had these strawberry ice creams we loved....

And we spent the rest of the evening on our balcany watching the village. It was so lovely. The government doesn't allow people to live in Petra so they live in a village the government made for them and just work and go to Petra every day... I think that's what we are looking at...






Josh taking pics of me on the bus ride home. Longest ride of my life....


We stopped at a market half way back home and we thought it was so funny they were selling crack :) Language differences makes everything funny

So... that was our weekend it was wonderful and such a good workout. But we are happy to be back to our home in Amman. It's such a funny feeling to feel like we are home in Amman but it's true. Yeah for Petra!!