To My Dear Family and Friends

This past trip to the states was short and jam packed with things we had to do. Getting DS ready for college topped our list but also, we wanted to spend time with family and friends, get the kids ready for school/winter and prepare for the baby's arrival. We had 6 weeks to do it which in my book, wasn't near enough time but it got done. One thing I would like to say is thank you to all of my family and friends that we connected with this past time, as well as those we missed. We were truly blessed above all expectations - Keke was able to go to a Young Life camp and spend a week as a teenager having fun, Josh was able to attend a Vineyard conference with his father as well as get ready for college with the help of our church family, and I was able to prepare for this new addition to our family with an abundance of clothes, a new stroller and diaper bag complete with his name! I was floored when my mom's friends had a celebration of life party for me and I received a wonderful new bracelet to commemorate my baby's birth as well as being able to add charms to it. I was surprised to see old friends from our church and such at an impromptu baby shower. We were given a house to stay in Florida while we were there getting Josh ready for college thanks to my friend Tracy (as well as many breakfasts, dinners, laundry etc... the list goes on and on). We had good friends, Janette and Collin move us in a time of need to another house in the middle of a rain storm. My friends Liz and Freddie fed us and fixed my computer so it doesn't overheat anymore. I was able to experience the youth reach out to my son. I had lunch with an longtime friend and prayer warrior. While I know I have missed many people and haven't mentioned it all, don't think I have forgotten what you have done. Thank you for blessing me and my family. I know thank you isn't much but know that I love you and hope to see you all soon.

Hardest Thing I Had to Do

This morning, after the first call to prayer, I lay awake allowing my mind to wander through things. This past week, I had to endure one of the hardest things I had to do. I had to leave my son behind in the states so he could attend college. I am having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that he won't be here when I wake up in the morning or when I go to sleep at night. He has been a part of this family for 18 years and now he is somewhere I am not. I am very proud of him and I know that he can do this but I also miss him terribly. Coming back to our apartment without him just doesn't feel right. I keep expecting him to show up but he doesn't. When we left him, I told J that I was sad and she replied "don't worry, mom, we will see him again." But when we arrived at the apartment, she asked me where he was.

What am I doing right now? I am unpacking and then I will be getting ready for the baby. I am trying to keep busy so I don't have to think about it....much. Only in the darkest part of the morning, when the prayer wakes me up, do I let my mind wander over the things that I am trying to avoid.

So...DS have you called your mother lately?

We are here

After a long day of traveling, we finally made it to our destination. Two nights before we left, we started to pack and weigh each and every suitcase. We shopped for items that we can't get here and we packed and repacked several times. The trip was relatively uneventful except for the last leg of it. The airline of our longest flight had decided that our part of the plane needed the heat on. All most the entire trip was in extreme heat. I was wearing jeans, support hose for my swelling legs, and had J laying across my lap sleeping which didn't help my situation. I begged the stewardess to do something about it which she did for a couple of minutes and then, the heat was turned back on. It was sweltering and it is still summer! I had hoped that the plane would have been freezing since this was my last hurrah in the air conditioning since we don't have air here. But, it was not meant to be. But overall, the trip went well and we made all of our connections and went through security with little problem. We even avoided traffic on the way back to our apartment during a peak traffic time! That was a blessing.

Now, we are unpacking and trying to get used to the time change. It was definitely different hearing the call to prayer out of our window especially since we haven't heard it in the last 6 weeks. Also, the feel of the apartment has been different as well, since we are missing a part of our family - DS- whom we left in the states to attend college. This will be a year of great change whether we like it (or are ready for it) or not.

Star Table Runner

 

I don't normally post twice in one day but, in honor of receiving my furniture Sunday, I thought I would share my latest project. We bought a great table, new to us, from a couple leaving the country. The table originally comes from IKEA, one of my favorite stores, and can seat ten comfortably when fully extended. It came with eight padded chairs. It is sturdy and, although it may have a few scratches, it is ours and I love it. Because of having a table, I was able to set up my sewing machine and work at it. We were also able to eat without having to sit on the floor. It is so nice having a table!

I wanted to make something that was bright and cheerful so I decided on a table runner. I saw one such table runner here and thought this would be an easy project to complete in a short amount of time. I had some fabric left over  from my bird quilt and decided to use that since I probably won't be making any trips to the fabric stores until our return. I had really wanted to machine quilt the runner but it was harder than I thought. I believe I will have to practice that method for a while before I actually use it on any of my projects. So I just quilted around the stars. It could have probably used more quilting but I really didn't want to take the time. On the back, I used strips of the fabric from the stars, hoping that it would be reversible if I wanted a change. But I didn't like how that turned out, so it will just stay a star table runner. I think it turned out cute and summery and I like the way it looks on my new-to-me IKEA table. I have plenty of space so those of you who would like to come to visit for some holiday dinner, we are ready :) (sorry about the wrinkles, I was in a hurry to take the picture because I was so happy it was done!)

Unbearable Heat

It has been unbearably hot here. I am, at the moment, jealous of those people who have air conditioning and long for the hot days in Florida where we had central heating/air. Here, we have what we call Klima which is a unit that is installed on the wall in one room. It is very expensive, which is why we do not have one. They do not have units that cool the whole apartment. Typically, one would put Klima in a main room and then camp there the whole summer. That is what I would do.

It has been hot. It seems like I wake up and, before I even start the day, my ankles are swollen. We are constantly running the fans and praying for rain. It seems that is the only way it cools down right now. One way we like to beat the heat is on our balcony. I have a large plastic bucket that I fill with cold water and give J her water toys. I lather her up with sunscreen, as we don't have any shade out there, and make her wear her hat and sun glasses. She loves to pour and splash about. It is not as nice as having a pool but it will do in a pinch. The only draw back is that the balcony is tiled and tends to get very slippery with all of the water she spills. She has started to wear her sandals because she doesn't like to fall either. 

Well, today, I woke to a rainy day with some cool breezes. I hope it stays awhile. We could use the rain. It tends to keep down the dirt and dust. It doesn't make for a water play day but it does make living alittle nicer. 

On Sunday, we received some furniture. We have been busy unpacking, cleaning and rearranging. I finally have a table and some chairs. So now I am able to hook up my sewing machine and work out some creative frustration. I am currently working on several projects. I had hoped to have them done by now but I still have to do every day things and haven't had too much time to work on them. But I will be posting them soon.

More Squares

I had posted before about J's duvet cover that I made and after I completed the cover, I had soo many squares left over that I wanted to do something else with them. So, I made a matching valance for J's window/balcony door. I didn't want the valance to be a traditional valance. I thought it would look better if it had a type of "V" design. I sewed them together, lined them, and added the strip for hanging them on the ceiling. We don't hang our curtains here on rods, at least most people don't. We have tracks that are attached to the ceilings, above the windows. The white curtains I picked up at Carrefour for 3 TL a piece. All I had to do was shorten them to fit the window. Over all, her room is coming together. All we need to add is a rug, baby crib and changing table. I believe we have decided to have the baby room with her for awhile. J is enjoying having her own room but she is willing to share it with her baby brother, at least for now. When he is born, that might be a different story!

Graduation Day

It seems like it just snuck up on me. Just yesterday, DS was a chubby baby who loved to eat and was always happy. And today, he is grown, graduating, and ready to start his new adventure, without us, going to college and studying music composition. Wow, where did the time go? I thought I could make it through the ceremony without crying but I didn't. It occurred to me how proud I was of him and how much I am going to miss him when he is in college. I knew this was coming but I didn't think I would feel this way until I had to leave him in the states. It is going to be harder that I thought. He is ready even though I am not.