tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83888356532013109612024-03-13T03:00:48.424+03:00The Simple Life at HomeUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger649125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-54183530529958344542013-02-02T08:11:00.002+03:002013-02-02T08:13:41.327+03:00Simple Woman's Daybook - February 2, 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Today</b></div>
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<b>Outside my window</b>...it's a bit grey and cloudy, but I am enjoying the cooler weather knowing that all too soon the blistering heat will return. The winter weather is what makes Qatar bearable.</div>
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<b>I am thinking</b>...about the future and all the changes in store for us over the next few years.</div>
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<b>I am thankful</b>...for a good time with friends last night during our game night.</div>
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<b>In the kitchen</b>...with the cooler temperatures (mind you, 66 degrees F is "cooler" to me here!), I'm thinking I might bake a fresh loaf of bread and make some soup or chili.</div>
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<b>I am wearing</b>...a robe my mother-in-law gave me. It's white with pretty pink and blue palm trees on it.<br />
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<b>I am creating</b>...order in my kitchen. Today is the day I'm going to weed through my utensil drawers!</div>
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<b>I am going</b>...grocery shopping this morning. Yay!!! (Can you feel the sarcasm?) ;)</div>
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<b>I am wondering</b>...it if it worth it for me to purchase a new blender. The one I brought from the US 5 years ago finally burned up the motor last night as I was attempting to make hummous for the game night. That's really all I pretty much use it for, so I'm trying to decide if it's worth the cost.</div>
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<b>I am reading</b>...<u>Reading Lolita in Tehran, </u>a lovely, beautifully written memoir of a college professor leading Iranian college girls through some "forbidden" literature during their country's religious revolution.</div>
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<b>I am hoping</b>...Emily does well on her IB French external exam this morning. (Why on earth there is an IB exam in February I have no idea!!)</div>
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<b>I am looking forward to</b>...a weekend getaway with Hubby in a couple of weeks to celebrate our 20th anniversary!</div>
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<b>I am learning</b>...to trust God and know that He is truly all that I need. Before this school year is over, I will be losing many of my closest friends here as they are moving on. It's heartbreaking, but I know that God, my BEST friend, will still and always be with me.</div>
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<b>Around the house</b>...all is quiet at the moment. Hubby has left for work already and both children are still sound asleep. I love these precious moments of quiet when all seems right with the world.</div>
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<b>I am pondering</b>...what do do with regards to my job next year.</div>
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<b>A favorite quote for today</b>..."The days are long, but the years are short." As our time with Emily home with us draws all-too-rapidly to a close, this is ever more coming to mind. It seems like just yesterday she was a little girl playing with dolls and now here she is, ready to fly out into the world on her own.</div>
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<b>One of my favorite things</b>...climbing into bed at the end of a long day. Makes me happy!</div>
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<b>A few plans for the rest of the week</b>...Work, work, work. Try to catch up on laundry. Try to make my home a haven for my family.</div>
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<b>A peek into my day</b>...</div>
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I'll publish before and after pictures of my de-cluttering efforts in the kitchen later today. In the meanwhile, if you'd like to read other women's daybooks, be sure to visit <a href="http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/">The Simple Woman's Daybook</a> home page. :)</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-81260379671181999952013-01-29T06:46:00.001+03:002013-01-29T06:46:42.867+03:00Minimal MinimalismI've been reading quite a bit lately about the minimalism movement. I have to say that it certainly sounds appealing.<br />
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The idea of having just the bare necessities sounds wonderful. So much less to worry about, to move about while dusting, to hunt through while looking for something else. Sounds like my idea of heaven on earth. <br />
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But actually making it happen in real life? That's a whole other matter. Most people have an abundance of personal possessions, things that they cling to for better or for worse. This can range from sentimental treasures picked up while traveling to every little doo-hickey or gadget that ever crosses our paths that we keep because "someday it might come in handy."<br />
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Having recently helped a friend as she packed up to repatriate back to the US, I was struck by the amount of stuff we accumulate. (<i>Yes, Melissa, should you ever read this, this means you. Still love you!)</i> I started to think ahead to when we move back home, hopefully in about 2 years. I decided then and there that I needed to streamline my life well in advance of that move. Not just for the sake of a smooth move, but for the sake of my sanity every day in between now and then. <br />
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Some of the minimalist blogs I've been looking at are a little too radical for me. Selling off their cars, moving in with parents, only owning enough towels for one for each person in the family. I'm not quite there yet. I don't know that I ever will be. That's why I'm calling this post "Minimal Minimalism." I just want to simplify without hardship. To me, that seems to negate the point. <br /><br />In the course of my brain processing all this, I actually discussed with Hubby perhaps getting rid of one of our cars. After all, I live less than a 10 minute walk to school. Couldn't the kids and I just walk to and from each day?<br /><br />Hubby patiently listened and then reminded me that right now, in January, that might seem like an ideal plan. But soon enough, January turns into April, which eventually brings June when the temperatures at 7 am during our morning walk would already be over 100 degrees and by 3:30 when we head home it would be well over 110.<br />
<br />This is why I married him.<br />
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I think that minimalism is great - but it should bring relief and happiness to our lives. It shouldn't be just getting rid of stuff for the sake of it. Maybe being car-less works for some people but it wouldn't for us. So here are a few areas where I think I can whittle away at the amount of "stuff" in our home and have it be a positive thing rather than a negative.<br />
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<li>My closet - I have a rather over-stuffed closet, but rarely use more than half of what is hanging in it. Some of it I just have grown to dislike over the years, but some of it just doesn't fit. Instead of telling myself, "I'll get back into it someday!!!" I should tell myself, "When I get back down into that size, I'll have worked hard enough at it that I will deserve a new wardrobe!" Time to donate those clothes.</li>
<li>Paper - I have tended to keep every paper that is some what official. For years. I have a filing cabinet that we moved over here with us five years ago that Hubby and I went through over Christmas break and weeded out maybe 75%. I guess I don't really need maintenance records on cars that we no longer own or insurance policy documents on policies we've let lapse. Who knew??</li>
<li>Kitchen gadgets - Oh, this is getting a little sensitive now, I know. I fancy myself somewhat of a good cook and have amassed quite a little stockpile of gadgety items in my kitchen. So much so that I can barely close a couple of cabinet doors and drawers. I need to ask myself - how often do I use this and does that make it worth me dealing with it taking up space? The espresso machine that we bought two months before moving to Doha where we can't use it because it's a different voltage? 5 years it's been taking up massive space in my kitchen cabinets. The rolling pin that I never really use because I can't make a pie crust to save my life, but I keep hoping I will magically become a pie-maker extraordinaire? It needs to go. I'm going to try this plan - if i haven't used it in 6 months, put it in a box and move it to the storage room. If by that time I haven't had to dig through the box looking for it, to the end-of-school-year garage sale it goes.</li>
<li>Books - This is a real sacred cow for some, especially us homeschooling types. (Yes, yes, I know I haven't homeschooled in 4 years, but it's still in my blood.) Hubby and I have 4.5 bookshelves of books, and the kids probably have enough to fill another one between the two of them. We need to seriously assess what we need to keep (any material which enhances our spiritual life, for instance) and what we need to part with (school materials the kids have outgrown, fiction we won't ever read again, etc.). I'd like to get it down to just three bookshelves, working our way down to just one eventually.</li>
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I'll keep you posted on my progress. Things may get a little complicated because Hubby, well he's not as into this minimalism thing as I am. </div>
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And, well, there's an IKEA opening up here soon. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-11188108391701362052013-01-28T07:00:00.000+03:002013-01-28T16:39:58.195+03:00Commitment in a Christian Marriage<center>
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As I mentioned yesterday, Hubby and I have a rather unusual "<a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-get-married-without-even-dating.html">story</a>." We never dated, skipping ahead from friendship straight to engagement. Our marriage is truly one that is based upon the knowledge that God led us together and this has always been the bedrock of our marriage.<br />
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At the time that we met, we were attending a church which preached rather actively against today's dating culture. Instead, young singles were encouraged to seek God's guidance with regards to a marriage partner. This teaching was called "Perfect Choice," believing that God's choice would, indeed, be the perfect choice for you.<br />
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(<i>Please note that I have no problems with dating between Christians. Each person needs to do what is best for them and whatever they feel that the Lord is leading them to do. However, I do believe that in today's society, the way that dating often is handled leads to needless heartache and a "let's try each other out" mentality which often carries over into marriage. But between two mature, godly Christians of course God can work in any way He chooses</i>.)<br />
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Given the fact that Hubby and I hadn't dated and hadn't really even spent much, if any time alone together prior to our engagement, it was only natural that we didn't have the opportunity to learn exactly how opposite we are from one another. While I'm a huge extrovert, he's much more of an introvert. He's a total germaphobe, whereas I <strike>am normal</strike> take a more laid-back approach. I'm a yeller; he goes quiet when he's upset. He wants to keep everything. I throw things out and purge every opportunity I get. We are from two radically different cultures as well and that throws a whole other box of wrenches into the equation.<br />
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In those early days of marriage, there were many fights and misunderstandings and arguments. Many times when I would throw something and go storming out of the house. But even in our hurt and our pain, we had one shining light that kept up from giving up on each other.<br />
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We knew that God had put us together. And, even more importantly, we knew that God doesn't make mistakes. Ever.<br />
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If God joined us, we could trust thoroughly that He had a purpose for that. That He knew all of our ins and outs, our issues and our conflicts. And, yet, He still chose for us to be husband and wife. To be the foundation of a family. To be lovers, friends, co-parents. Yes, there would be rough edges to be smoothed over time. Yes, it would be hard. Yes, some of those struggles continue to this day, twenty years into marriage.<br />
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I haven't mentioned the most exciting (in my mind anyways) part of the "Perfect Choice" philosophy. While, yes, it's a very novel idea of not dating before marriage, to me the truly beautiful part of the "doctrine" was that if you had married someone that wasn't necessarily led by God, the amazing thing is is that your spouse now becomes your perfect choice. God does a miraculous work. God hates divorce and so therefore is thoroughly invested in blessing your marriage and seeing it thrive. You can count on the fact that, once you are married, God has a purpose for your marriage and wants it to succeed and bring honor to Him.<br />
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I offer you hope here today. Know that God wants your marriage to succeed. Know that the man that you are married to is God's perfect choice for you. Divorce is not the answer.* Working through the problems, clinging to God when the going gets rough, and celebrating the good times - that's all part of the answer. If you ever feel that you married the wrong person, take heart! Know that God works through all things to bring glory to Himself and nothing you could ever do would surprise Him. <br />
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God will and can give you all that you need to prosper and thrive in your marriage. He can heal the broken hearted, bring forgiveness in place of bitterness and anger, and make it into a beautiful representation of what marriage is supposed to be, a living picture of the relationship between Christ and His bride - the church.<br />
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* I know that some women are in abusive situations and I firmly believe that God would never want them to be in that situation. I urge you if you find yourself in such a relationship to seek out wise counsel and to not allow yourself or your children to be placed in danger. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-18877470978665906022013-01-27T20:59:00.002+03:002013-01-27T23:12:36.409+03:00Where We Are TodayGiven that it's been nearly a year since I've blogged and what with my newfound commitment to resume, I thought that a good place to start would be to reintroduce myself and my family. <br />
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My name is Lori. I'm in my mid-40's (technically I still have a few months left until I hit the official "mid" point, but let's not split hairs), I have two teenagers, an amazing husband, and a wonderful rescue dog. For the past five years we have made our home in the tiny Persian Gulf country of Qatar. <br />
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Yep - that's us, right there in that little circle. Just south of Iran and east of Saudi Arabia. It's a happy little corner of the world. ;-)</div>
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As for me, I'm a former homeschooling mom who now works at the school my children attend. It's been four years since my children started school, but I still identify myself as a (former) homeschooling mom. Strange, isn't it? For so long it was a huge part of my identity. Working at their school has allowed me to still stay involved and informed. </div>
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I'm a Bible-believing Christian who right now is struggling. Not with my faith. That hasn't wavered, but I definitely feel that I'm in a desert in more way than one. Moving here, being removed from our church family, from homeschooling, from my womens' group - it's gotten harder and harder as time has gone on. I'm praying that God reignites me. I'm trying to organize a small group of women into a Bible study, hoping that will help.<br />
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My husband, known here affectionately as "Hubby," and I will be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary next month. We are two very different people who were brought together by a pure work of God. You can read our story <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-to-get-married-without-even-dating.html">here</a>. Hubby is in the construction industry which, sadly, is still struggling to recover from the economic downturn back home. This job here in Qatar has allowed us to not just stay afloat but to pay down quite a bit of debt while allowing us to give our children a top-notch education at a private school here.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8hXvt9QKvs/UQVmvFOZIqI/AAAAAAAAA9o/dNPcJRiX_vQ/s1600/Emily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-q8hXvt9QKvs/UQVmvFOZIqI/AAAAAAAAA9o/dNPcJRiX_vQ/s200/Emily.jpg" width="132" /></a>Our daughter Emily is 17 - a high school senior. She can't wait to spread her wings and fly, like most young people her age. She'll be going to school in Florida; which school is still up in the air. She's received a couple of acceptances already, but is still waiting to hear from a few others before making her final decision. She's a total drama girl - literally and figuratively! She's served as the assistant director for the middle school productions two years running, as well as participating in high school productions, and was recently elected as president of the Thespian Society. She hopes to eventually go into television production.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Z_lwyQvlI/UQVoeRlb1YI/AAAAAAAAA94/rsxlmJWfjqA/s1600/Daniel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O-Z_lwyQvlI/UQVoeRlb1YI/AAAAAAAAA94/rsxlmJWfjqA/s200/Daniel.jpg" width="140" /></a>Daniel is 15 years old. He is the jokester of the family and keeps me in stitches. He's unable to stay angry for longer than 2 minutes. Less if you make a funny face at him. He founded the archery club at school and is currently getting his toes wet in the world of drama, after much encouragement from his sister, with the lead role in a short one-act play. He is a total animal lover and is also involved in a fledgling effort at school trying to improve the lives of Doha's many street animals. It was he who led us to our wonderful rescue dog, Diego. Diego was the first dog Daniel walked as a volunteer at the local animal shelter and he picked a winner. He plans on studying criminal justice in college, with hopes of being a K-9 officer.</div>
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So that's us. I hope to get to know you as well over time. Please feel free to comment and introduce yourselves. Thanks for dropping by. :)</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-27659843784115703982013-01-26T12:56:00.001+03:002013-01-26T12:56:21.948+03:00Changes Must Be MadeLately, I've come to realize that I am not really happy with my life. I mean, I love God, my husband, and my children. I'm happy in that sense. But I'm not happy with my quality of life. There's very little fun, very little inspiration. Just a whole lot of chores, driving people here and there, and sitting around with everyone in the family on their separate laptops. <br />
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Not my idea of a great life.<br />
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So what can I do about it? I want to enjoy this amazing life God has given me. Instead of just sitting on the sidelines, I want to savor every second, falling into bed at night with a smile on my face knowing the day has not been wasted.<br />
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Here are a few steps I hope to take in that direction:<br />
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1) <b>Start blogging again</b>. As I was considering this change in attitude I realized I have no creative outlets. Nothing. Like the Dead Sea who only takes in and doesn't give anything out, I've become dead inside. We are meant to be creative like our Heavenly Father. Now, I have no actual artistic talent per se. But back when I was blogging regularly, I felt invigorated by it. Once I started working I felt too pressured to keep it up, but now I realize that for me it is a necessary outlet that will bring some small measure of life and joy back to my spirit.<br />
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2) <b>Embrace simplicity.</b> I've been reading a lot lately about minimalism and it's really drawing me. The thought of just streamlining and simplifying, not just our home but our lives really speaks to me. We have so much stuff. Needless, pointless stuff that weighs on me day and night. Recently a dear friend here in Doha repatriated back to the US. As I helped her pack up I was overwhelmed with the sheer amount of things she had in her house. Now it was, for the most part, all very beautiful stuff, but it made me very aware of how the over-abundance of belongings doesn't really bless us. As she struggled to decide what to keep, what to give away, what to throw away, it struck me that probably most of that stuff she hadn't used in years and that I have a similar situation in our own home. <br /><br />In a couple of years, we plan on moving back home to the US and I don't want to find myself in that situation. While we plan on only returning home with things that are truly meaningful to us, selling off everything else and starting fresh back home, I want it to be as smooth a process as possible. To that end, I've started a pile of things in my room - things I don't use, don't love, don't need. There's a large "garage sale" in May at our school and I'm planning on clearing out big time in preparation for it.<br />
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3) <b>Have fun. </b> We very rarely socialize. I don't know how it's happened, but we've become virtual hermits. Between the flat-out exhaustion of Hubby's work schedule (6 days a week, starting at 6:30 am) and the kids' demanding homework load, we spend most of our evenings helping them out, doing dinner dishes and then heading to bed. But we've decided that we are going to invite others over at least every other month. We're hosting a game night for 3-4 other couples this weekend, in fact. <br />
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For our marriage life, I've decided to quit whining about how we never do anything fun and make it happen instead. I've discovered an awesome site "<a href="http://www.thedatingdivas.com/">The Dating Divas</a>" that's got a bazillion ideas of ways to break out of the same old dinner and a movie date night. One idea I have used is a series of dates in which each date is set in a different country. I printed up phony plane tickets, an official itinerary, and even a fake passport for Hubby. We had our first date a week or so ago and "travelled" to France - I made homemade quiche, salad, and threw in a bottle of non-alcoholic bubbly and we had a lovely picnic on the living room floor with a video of scenes of France with cafe-type music playing on the tv screen. Then we cuddled up and watched The Artist before heading out for dinner crepes to cap off the evening.<br />
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I'm excited about these changes. Small tweaks that hopefully will make a difference in my outlook on life. I hope you follow along. I know I've been AWOL from the blogosphere for quite a while, but I'm looking forward to getting back on board. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-76479083405139203652012-04-01T21:12:00.003+03:002012-04-01T21:36:06.530+03:00Hi! I'm Lori and once upon a time I used to blog here. Then real life interfered.<br /><br />But right now I'm on Spring Break. And I have one glorious week (almost) all to myself. Both the kids are away for the break and I am blissfully enjoying my quiet, able-to-stay-clean-for-more-than-six-minutes house.<br /><br />Where, you might ask, are the kids? I'm not sure you'll believe it if I tell you. I certainly never dreamed of taking such amazing trips when I was in school. Emily is in Paris with her French teacher and about 20 other kids, soaking up culture and language. Daniel is in Nepal, ministering at an orphanage and trekking tomorrow to an isolated village to share the gospel and pray with people for salvation and healing. About 23 kids, plus leaders from the youth group, are part of this trip. <br /><br />When I was in school, the big excitement of spring break came if the roller rink had daytime sessions.<br /><br />Otherwise, life is good. I love my job, the weather has been A-MAZING this winter here in Doha, we are planning our trip back to the U.S. in the summer during which time we will make several college visits for Emily. Hard to believe that that little baby girl I used to sit and rock to sleep as her tiny little fingers grasped the hair at the nape of my neck is now making college plans. <br /><br />And so life goes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-71070659004297288882011-06-06T20:09:00.003+03:002011-06-06T20:38:22.235+03:00Facebook - My Addiction and BlessingAre you as addicted as I am to Facebook? <br /><br />I just can't seem to stay off it. I love hearing from friends from near and far, new friends and people I haven't heard from in 20+ years. I love the opportunity it provides to stay in contact with so many people, especially people who once meant the world to you, but through time and circumstance lost touch with.<br /><br />I know some people hate those "I ate a meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner" status messages and deride the posters for being mundane and boring, but I love them. I love the little peek Facebook provides into other people's daily ins and outs of life. I love knowing I'm not the only one who's lost her hairbrush or who is still watching "Survivor." I laugh hysterically and am thrilled each time I'm reminded how funny my friends are. I can weep when I know my friends are hurting - when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness or a parent passes away.<br /><br />Living so far away, I often marvel how missionaries and others who left their homes and travelled far, far away coped. How did they manage without a reliable, quick mail service? How did they stand not having Skype, which allows me to not only hear loved ones' voices, but to actually see them as well? No email for quick little jots home. No Facebook to keep up with the lives of those you love. <br /><br />So, yeah, I spend waaaaayy too much time logged in to Facebook. I usually have it open in another tab while I'm doing a myriad of other things. I'm down near addicted, but I have no desire to cure that addiction. I love having the live updates to find out what my peeps around the world are up to and I'm not ashamed!<br /><br />Life is great in the 21st Century!!! Can you only imagine how life will change in the next 50 years??Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-7922846935200436502011-06-03T23:52:00.002+03:002011-06-04T00:14:27.167+03:00It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!I am less that two short weeks away from our annual trip home to the States. In between now and then Daniel will finish his last year of middle school, Emily will become a high school junior (meaning it's just two short years we have left with her at home), and I just have to make it through the next 10 straight days of work while still preparing for an almost three month vacation.<br /><br />There are so many things I look forward to about being "home." Family, friends. Shopping. Freedom to do what I want, wear what I want, say what I want. <br /><br />As if to reinforce the desire to escape Doha for the summer, the weather has recently been very cooperative. It's suddenly gotten very humid - combined with temps above 110, it's been simply miserable. Then today we a horrible dust storm blow into town, lowering visibility to a couple of hundred feet. Yuck!! Yep - it's time to get out of Dodge!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-25717537848517962162011-02-13T17:00:00.002+03:002011-02-13T23:44:38.014+03:00Being Focused on the Truly Valuable<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">We live in a world where we are constantly being bombarded by media and messages that are often not consistent with how a woman of God should live. The radio, the television, movies, even the grocery store check-out lane shouts at us to be </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">thinner</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">! </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">sexier</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">! </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">prettier</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">! </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">a perfect mom</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">! </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">a perfect wife</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">! </span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">a perfect woman</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">And the truth is, we often fall for it. I know I do, at least. I want to be that perfect woman that I see on the screen or the cover of a magazine. And maybe, just maybe, if I buy into whatever tip or trick is being offered, I will be completely satisfied with my life.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">That's yet to happen.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">And don't you find yourself in the trap of comparing yourself, your husband, your children, your home to others around you? Isn't it easy to wish you had a bigger, nicer home? A husband who is ultra-romantic and helpful around the house? Children who are accomplished and well-behaved at all times? A tinier waistline and bigger budget?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">It's just all too easy to focus on the wrong things, isn't it? </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">A while ago, I found on a wonderful blog, </span><a href="http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2010/08/simple-living.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">A Wise Woman Builds Her Home</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">, the perfect antidote to this trap. It's a simple prescription to help us keep our eyes in the right place and, in so doing, to help us keep our hearts content with all that God has blessed us with. Here it is:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><br /></span></div><div> </div><div><!--StartFragment--> <!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">1. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Ignore</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> all the books, mags and ads that convince me I need to buy them in order to find out their secrets.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">2. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Focus</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> my life, my mind and my heart on Christ.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">3. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Drown</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> out all the voices that dictate what you and the children are "supposed to be doing"- (everyone seems to have a plan for our lives, don't they?),</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> take your eyes off </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">what your friends/neighbors are doing by not comparing and then</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> reexamine</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> false standards or high expectations you have made for yourself and your loved ones.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">4. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Pray</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> and ask God to give me focus, ability and wisdom to prioritize my husband, children and home. Ask hubby for advice that He has to offer.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">5. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Expect </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">for Him to answer in a powerful way and then....</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">6. </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Obey</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> and </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">listen</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> to Him!</span></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;"></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> <p class="Default" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:21.3pt 106.35pt 170.1pt 241.0pt 311.85pt 375.65pt 446.55pt"><span style="font-size:11.5pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-Times New Roman";font-size:12.0pt;color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="Default" style="text-align:justify;tab-stops:21.3pt 106.35pt 170.1pt 241.0pt 311.85pt 375.65pt 446.55pt"><span style="color:windowtext;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Sounds so simple, doesn't it? </span></span></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-4764766633991175322011-02-07T03:12:00.003+03:002011-02-07T03:44:56.066+03:00Life is GoodI don't know if anyone is ever even checking this old, practically defunct blog anymore. I wouldn't imagine so, but if anyone ever happens to check in, I thought I'd give an update. After all, it's 3:15 and I'm up watching the Super Bowl. Not for the football, mind you, really for the commercials. After all, the only bowl my team (Denver Broncos) went to this year was the toilet bowl!! Anyhoo, this seemed like a good time to pop in and say hi to anyone who's still interested. <div><br /></div><div>Since my last real substantial update, lots has gone on. We had a fabulous trip to Rome in November!! It was so nice to be in a place where you found something beautiful around every corner - a park, a fountain, a piazza, a church, something. We had a great time. Could have been a little bit better if the apartment's heat had been working since it was in the 40's but, hey, let's focus on the positive, shall we??</div><div><br /></div><div>We had a nice Christmas break, during which we traveled to Abu Dhabi, just an hour south of Dubai. Hubby's sister lives there, so it was really nice to visit her and her family. Daniel really enjoyed visiting with his cousin of the same age and Emily got to participate in a youth retreat put on by Youth for Christ for kids from all over the Gulf region. We had a great time visiting Dubai, but the highlight for me was bookstores!!! We spent well over $200 at the Christian boostore (yippee!!!), and then stocked up at this amazingly huge bookstore we found in Dubai as well. That's one thing I really miss living here. Another great treat for us was some of our favorite restaraunts - PF Chang's, Wendy's, Taco Bell and more. Yummy!</div><div><br /></div><div>Daniel got to participate in January in our middle school's Week Without Walls. 8th graders get to go to either Malaysia or Sri Lanka. Daniel chose Sri Lanka because it had more of a service element to it and involved more contact with animals. He had an amazing trip during which he worked to help refurbish a local primary school, visit an elephant orphanage and tour cultural sites all over the country. The highlight, though, was that leeches apparently got into his shoes and sucked his blood. Very cool stuff for a 13 year old boy!!!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Emily went to her winter formal also in January and looked so beautiful and grown up I thought I would cry. I can't believe that we only have another 2 years or so to have her in our nest before she'll be out on her own. It's been such a change to start relating to her as more of an adult than a child. Sadly, she had to learn some grown-up lessons last week when the mother of a friend passed away. The situation brought up so many conflicting emotions for her - how to deal with mortality, how to talk to the friend about it, and more. I'm so thankful that she's really built a good relationship with one of the school counselors, who's both a friend and neighbor. He spent a good deal of time talking to her since it happened, helping her process and deal with her emotions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, life is pretty darn good though. Emily is preparing for her spring break mission trip to Jordan again. The kids are doing well in school. We're looking forward to summer. I learned today that I'll have almost three months off, so we'll have a nice long visit home. We are considering spending some time looking at colleges while we are there. My mom and dad will be sick of us by the time we leave, we'll be at their house for so long!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to those of you who have kept me on your "follow" list. I promise to try to get back to form soon!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-41729685778109942522010-09-14T07:59:00.000+03:002010-09-14T08:08:26.929+03:00Whoo-Hoo!!!I'm so happy about the way that the living room turned out! <br /><br />I did end up second-guessing myself and going back and getting another paint color. But it didn't seem right either, so at the last minute, decided to go ahead and paint the first color. I'm so glad I did. It came out beautifully!! It's kind of a caramel color, and it looks so lush and rich. I just love it. <br /><br />Hubby and I took some time to rearrange the room as well - moving artwork, furniture and plants around. We also put up some of that vinyl lettering you can buy with the pre-cut letters in different sayings. While I was in the States I picked up one that says, "Live. Laugh. Love." It's looks so nice up against the rich color. Now it looks like a pulled together room rather than just a place we just moved into and haven't really worked on. I'm so happy!<br /><br />Pictures will follow when I figure out how to get them out of the camera!! (Hubby's still home, so hopefully later today!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-16278826244861440422010-09-09T09:36:00.002+03:002010-09-09T10:16:03.710+03:00I'm Back with a Quick Update<div>Moving to another blog site seemed to be the right thing at the time, but it just never felt like "home." So here I am, back at my bloggy home. I'm not making any promises about the frequency that I'll be posting, or that my posts will instantly revert to dispensing of wisdom and tons of homemaking advice. Life is still the same with me over here - still working, still struggling to make it all work, but here I am.</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's a quick run-down of what's going on in my life to get you all caught up:</div><div><br /></div><div>1)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Those of you who followed my workplace drama during my early days of working might be relieved to know that it's really turned out very well. Over the summer I received a promotion which was designed by my new boss to really let me know how valuable he considers me. It's really helped me be happier with being there.</div><div><br /></div><div>2)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>It's September 9 and it's still 115 degrees outside during the day. Ugh!</div><div><br /></div><div>3)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Emily seems to have really blossomed and settled in here finally. This is a huge answer to prayer.</div><div><br /></div><div>4)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>We had an excellent vacation in the US over the summer. 4 weeks in Tucson, 2 weeks in Miami. A great time of re-connecting with friends and family, not to mention experiencing all the little things that make American "home."</div><div><br /></div><div>5)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Today is the last day of Ramadan. This month long period of fasting and reflection for Muslims has quite an impact on the lives on non-Muslims living here as well. Hubby has been lucky enough to finish work each day at 12:30, the kids finished school at 2:30. Everything runs on different times to accommodate the day-time fasting fatigue which most Muslims struggle with. </div><div><br /></div><div>6)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>However, tomorrow is the first day of Eid. This comes with a week off school for the kids and I (actually we've been off since Wednesday), and four days off for Hubby. Restaurants will resume regular hours, as will stores, I can drink a bottle of water in the car, and I won't have to hide my fruit or glasses of water at my desk.</div><div><br /></div><div>7)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>During this week off, we are going to be painting the living room. Hubby painted our dining room a gorgeous red while the kids and I were back in the U.S. over the summer, and we painted the kids' rooms the weekend after we got back and now it's time for the living room. I'm a little nervous about the color I've gotten to be honest. I couldn't find the paint chip I had selected when it was time to buy, so I tried to pick the same one there, but now that it's home and the paint chip has been found, it's quite different from what I chose. I'm debating whether I should just try it out or waste the paint (which is pricier than it is in the States) and go back and get what I really want.</div><div><br /></div><div>8)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Did I mention there are TWO Eids? Yes, that's right, there's an Eid holiday now and another one in 40 days. So in November, we are off for our first big family vacation (to somewhere other than visiting family) to. . . . . . ROME!!!! Yep, that's right - we are going to the Eternal City. I've rented us a great 2 bedroom apartment smack dab in the middle of the historical center of Rome, just blocks from both the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. The Coliseum will be within walking distance. I was in Rome a long time ago with a friend and I'm so looking forward to going back!!</div><div><br /></div><div>9)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>And in December we get three weeks off for our winter break (Heaven forbid we call it Christmas break!!), we are planning on driving to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Yes, this means we will be once again driving through Saudi Arabia, but this time it will only be a matter of hours rather than days. We'll be staying with Hubby's sister who lives in Abu Dhabi, but the really exciting part is going to Dubai. We can't wait to try the indoor ski slope!!</div><div><br /></div><div>10)<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>My current reading list is: <i>Crazy Love</i>, by Francis Chan; <i>The Lovely Bones</i>, by Alice Sebold; <i>Just Take My Heart</i>, by Mary Higgins Clark; and a quick re-read of <i>Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women</i>, by Geraldine Brooks (for the book club I'm joining this fall). Quite a variety!</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's it. Life is good right now. It's good to be back.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-38269023939920461952010-04-25T10:55:00.002+03:002010-04-25T11:03:36.599+03:00Moving Again!No, we aren't leaving Doha. <div><br /></div><div>(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Shucks</span>!)</div><div><br /></div><div>I've just decided that it's time for me to leave <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">The Simple Life at Home</span> behind. It's just not what I had originally envisioned anymore and I don't know how to make sure that I'm not disappointing people who come here looking for something that I can no longer offer here. </div><div><br /></div><div>But if you are interested in just little ol' me and my life here in Qatar, feel free to join me at my new home, <a href="http://middleeastmama.wordpress.com/">Middle East Mama</a>. It will be more personal, more about my life now. I still hope to offer the occasional bit of wisdom, delicious recipe and more, but I'm not going to feel obligated to. And that will make all the difference. I'm hoping that this move helps get me back to loving blogging again, rather than feeling guilty if I don't post often enough or am able to dispense wisdom from on high.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'd love to see you there!!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-57247011221393561942010-04-04T22:39:00.002+03:002010-04-04T22:44:16.138+03:00Have a Blessed Easter<div>Happy Easter, everyone!! I pray that you spend today with friends and family, being ever mindful of the resurrection of Jesus. His death on the cross and his resurrection, conquering sin and death, allow us to have true fellowship with God. Here is a beautiful song celebrating the resurrection by one of the all-time great Christian artists, Keith Green.</div><div><br /></div><div>(P.S. I'm taking today as one of my "grace days" in the 90 days through the Bible. There are two built into the plan and with the holiday and celebrating Hubby's birthday, today seems to be a good day to use one. Be back tomorrow!)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z3kc1jDahU4&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Z3kc1jDahU4&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-10406187815601520552010-03-29T14:55:00.005+03:002010-03-29T18:58:46.294+03:00Menu Plan Monday - March 29<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S7CVh9ih7VI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Sv3eeWz_E4Y/s1600/mpmpencil.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 154px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S7CVh9ih7VI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Sv3eeWz_E4Y/s320/mpmpencil.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454023559433284946" /></a><br /><div>Back again for another edition of Menu Plan Monday! Two weeks in a row - wow! I'm on a roll!</div><div><br /></div><div>We are on Spring Break here this week. Emily is off in Jordan on an outreach trip with our youth group, Hubby is busy working and Daniel and I are hanging at home relaxing a bit. I've been on an organizing spree, and boy, can our home use that! Ever since we moved in to this house in late October, I've just never really found a "home" for lots of things. Consequently we have been living in chaos and it's contributed a lot to the stress level. I'm so much more relaxed already and I'm only a few days into getting it all done. I can't wait until I get everything done and settled. </div><div><br /></div><div>This week we are still trying to be frugal and "shopping from home." Tostadas are a great bargain dish, as are most meatless dishes, and easy to boot. The Potato Lover's Salad is also very inexpensive to make and it's one of Hubby's and my favorites, full of flavor and delish. I found a great deal on shrimp this week, inspiring me to make the shrimp scampi. The stuffed squash dish needs just 1/2 lb. of ground beef, rice, squash (very inexpensive here) and a few tomatoes. Our big splurge will be dinner out on Easter, but frugality should also include a splurge once in a while, or everyone becomes miserable, right?</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Monday</span> - Tostada bar</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Tuesday</span> - <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Shrimp-Scampi-Bake/Detail.aspx">Baked shrimp scampi</a> over fettucini, caesar salad</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Wednesday</span> - <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/04/koosa-mahshi-stuffed-zucchini.html">Koosa Mahshi</a> (stuffed squash)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Thursday</span> - <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/12/menu-plan-monday-cheap-eats.html">Potato Lover's Salad</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Friday</span> - Pizza (for lunch - don't forget Friday is our day off here); sandwiches for dinner (then off to the airport to pick up Emily!!)</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Saturday</span> - <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/04/menu-plan-monday.html">Rosemary and lime chicken</a> (one of Emily's favorites to welcome her home), basmati rice and steamed vegetables</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);">Sunday</span> - We'll be going out out eat to celebrate Easter this year. Hams are not available here in Qatar, turkeys by themselves cost as much as a meal out anyways, and we will be celebrating two birthdays in our family which fall this week (not mine - yet). </div><div><br /></div><div>And now, I'm off to organize my entertainment center cabinets. Bliss!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Monday!</div><div><br /></div><div>(For more menu ideas, be sure to visit <a href="http://orgjunkie.com">The Organizing Junkie</a>.)</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-63579843504302068312010-03-23T13:42:00.002+03:002010-03-23T15:15:54.065+03:00Well, I've Been Surprised Again!You know, after two years of being in the Gulf, I thought I'd already had all the new, funny experiences I was going to have. I've <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/04/apparently-i-was-not-born-on-tuesday.html">fallen down stairs only to be stared at by passers-by</a>, <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/06/doha-quirks.html">I've had workmen show up at my house as early as 6 am and as late as 10:30 pm without an appointment</a>, <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2009/08/photos-from-our-trip.html">I've seen camels riding by in pick-up trucks</a>, <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2010/03/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html">I've learned to hoard precious and rare ingredients like vanilla pudding</a>, <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2009/01/it-was-best-of-times-it-was-worst-of.html">learned to deal with bureaucratic incompetence at the doctor's office</a>, and much, much more. I thought I'd seen it all and that nothing could surprise me anymore.<div><br /></div><div>I was wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>I should know in Doha there is a never-ending supply of things to surprise you. Though I don't even bat an eye anymore when a car come barreling towards me, heading the wrong way down a one way street, and the sight of men greeting each other by rubbing their noses together barely gets a giggle anymore, yesterday I something new happened that caught me totally off guard.</div><div><br /></div><div>I had run up to the little supermarket nearby. Now, when I say supermarket, think of a tiny little stall of a storefront where the aisles are about 2 feet wide and so jam-packed you have to navigate carefully to avoid knocking everything to the ground. All I needed was a can of corn. I was roasting a couple of chickens (chickens come small here, so two are always needed) and I was just craving mashed potatoes and gravy. And, to me, mashed potatoes MUST always be accompanied by corn. It's the law, which I'm sure I could prove if I spent enough time looking through the books.</div><div><br /></div><div>So I find my can of corn, make my way up to the little man at the front. There's someone ahead of me so he indicates for me to put the can on the cooler of ice cream in front of him while I wait. I do and he tells me it's 5.50 Qatari riyals. Because coins are very rare here (<a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/10/you-might-be-in-doha-if.html">which is why you will often get your change in candy</a>!), I handed him six riyals. He must not have had change either because he looked in his drawer (yes, drawer, not cash register) and gave me back the 1, keeping the 5. Remembering that I had one 50 cent piece that I had been hoarding, I got it out of my wallet and tried to hand it to him.</div><div><br /></div><div>He instantly started gesturing at me, pointing at the cooler again. When I just looked at him in confusion, he finally started yelling, "Down! Down! Put it down!" Startled, I put the coin down on the cooler, from where he picked it up and put it in the drawer.</div><div><br /></div><div>He didn't want to take the chance that he might accidentally touch me while I handed him the coin. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shocked I walked to my car and just couldn't get over this. I don't know why it is bothering me so much. I know that Hassidic Jews often do the same thing and that it's a sign of respect to them. But trust me - this was not a sign of respect. The last word you could use for how most Muslim men view women, particularly Western women, is respect. It's more a fear of contamination. Seriously. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, once again, Doha managed to pull it off again. Shocking me has become more and more difficult the longer I live here, but hat's off to you, little grocery-store man. You did it!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-91475162104331632962010-03-22T12:33:00.000+03:002010-03-22T12:33:00.074+03:00Menu Plan Monday - March 22<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S6XaZTcMhuI/AAAAAAAAA8c/28okAZ_SSzM/s1600-h/mpmpencil.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 154px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S6XaZTcMhuI/AAAAAAAAA8c/28okAZ_SSzM/s320/mpmpencil.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451003052251973346" /></a><br /><div>Gosh, it's been ages since I've been able to participate in Menu Plan Monday. The whole time difference thing totally throws me off. By the time I get online over here on my side of the world, y'all have gotten posted so quickly that I'd be #973, so it just kind of seemed silly. LOL! But now that it's going up at a new time (6 am PST, 4 pm my time) there's a slight chance I might be able to crack the top 200!! ;)</div><div><br /></div><div>This week I am doing a frugal version of menu-planning. For one thing we are pretty tight on finances from now until the end of the school year what with paying off school fees, saving for vacation and such, so it's good to just tighten the belt and make do on what we can. Also, since the kids and I will be vacating the house for 6 weeks while we are in the States for the summer and Hubby will probably eat out a majority of that time, I figured it's a good idea to begin "shopping at home" as much as I can, using up what I already have. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my menu plan for this week:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0); ">Monday </span>- Homemade pizza using <a href="http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jays-Signature-Pizza-Crust/Detail.aspx">this</a> fabulous pizza crust recipe. The kids' pizza will be cheese and pepperoni, but Hubby and I will enjoy pizza Margherita, fresh sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and cheese (no sauce). Yummy!!<br /></li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Tuesday</span> - Roasted chicken in the crockpot (I recently discovered this great tip - ball up tin foil at the bottom of the crockpot and place the chicken(s) on top of it. No more slimy chicken!</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Wednesday </span>- <a href="http://simplelifeathome.blogspot.com/2008/05/lentils-rice-mujadarra.html">Lentils and rice with a lemon-dressed salad</a> - the ultimate frugal meal!</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Thursday</span> - Ribs with baked potatoes and steamed veggies. I'm so excited about this meal!!! A friend of mine, whose husband is stationed at the US airbase nearby, has kindly given us this rack of (shhhhhh!!!!) pork ribs!! I'm dancing gleefully around the computer right now just thinking about it. (Well, not really, but in my imagination I am!)</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Friday</span> - Tuna salad sandwiches (hitting the bottom of the barrel, here, right?!)</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Saturday</span> - Mezze - homemade hummous (recipe below), pickles, olives, cheeses, crudites, and pita bread</li><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Sunday</span> - Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup</li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Hummus seems to be gaining in popularity these days in the U.S. It's healthy and a great dip for breads, carrots and other veggies. But when I see those small little tubs of it selling for close to $4 in the deli section, I want to cry. It's SOOOO easy and so cheap to make, it should be a crime to charge that much for it. Here's how I make it at home in less than 5 minutes:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Hummous</span></span></span></div><div>1 can chick peas (liquid reserved)</div><div>3 Tbsp. tahini (kind of like a sesame seed peanut butter)</div><div>Juice of 1/2 a lemon</div><div>2 cloves garlic</div><div>salt to taste</div><div><br /></div><div>Put all ingredients and about 1/3 of the liquid from the chick peas into a blender. Blend, adding more liquid as necessary, until the mixture is smooth and is the consistency of a thick dip. Put onto a plate and drizzle a swirl of olive oil onto it and sprinkle on a little parsley and paprika for an authentic look. That's it! You've just made hummous!</div><div><br /></div><div>Be sure to visit <a href="http://orgjunkie.com/">Orgjunkie.com</a> for more great menu plan ideas!</div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-82318803720084634062010-03-21T08:22:00.002+03:002010-03-21T09:49:24.205+03:00The First StepYesterday I was trying to think back to how things got so far off track. How did we go from being a happy, Christian, loving family to this creation I don't even recognize? The constant arguing, the sniping at each other, the antagonism - I look around and am heartbroken.<div><br /></div><div>The cause could be any number of things. We have gone through major changes in our lives over the last two years. Moving overseas has created a lot of turmoil and even some resentment. Putting the kids into school for the first time has exposed them to a whole world from which we had always tried to shield them. My return to full-time work has left our home without a full-time "manager" and has left things in low-level constant chaos. Hormones are raging through my soon-to-be 15 and 13 year olds, creating mood swings which take us all by surprise.</div><div><br /></div><div>The first step in rectifying all this mess? Resume our daily time of Bible reading and prayer. When we homeschooled, it was always the way we started off our day. But lately we're all in such a hurry in the mornings - packing backpacks, preparing lunches, getting out the door on time - that our daily time with God and His word has fallen by the wayside, I'm ashamed to admit. I feel like we have lost our focus as a family and this is where our focus should be - on God.</div><div><br /></div><div>It might not solve all our problems overnight, but it is the firs step in the right direction.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth."</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Deuteronomy 11: 18-21</span></span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-8512996895241404552010-03-16T12:19:00.004+03:002010-03-16T14:16:42.865+03:00Caps for Sale<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S59P_a8hWZI/AAAAAAAAA8U/bvdm_GIi00w/s1600-h/51YEXVGwZPL._SL160_AA115_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 115px; height: 115px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ER_QVvCHfYQ/S59P_a8hWZI/AAAAAAAAA8U/bvdm_GIi00w/s320/51YEXVGwZPL._SL160_AA115_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449162025125108114" /></a><br />I've decided that I wear too many caps. (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Not actual hats, of course. I have an unusually large head and hats don't generally fit on it.</span>) What I'm referring to is the number of roles I play. It's nothing new really, this multiple hat-wearing. As any mother knows, we all wear enough hats to fill Imelda Marcos' shoe closet - wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, nursemaid, teacher, chauffeur...the list could go on and on.<div><br /></div><div>Adding in full- time employee has seemingly pushed me right over the edge. I've been working for one year now. It's been a hard year, full of adjustments and letting go of expectations. I've had to learn to give myself permission to not feel guilty for being the perfect Suzy Homemaker that I always dreamed of being. To be honest, home-cooked meals only happen about 2/3 of the time - our local Arabic restaurant's number is stored in my memory and I can dial it in my sleep. Dominos and KFC are getting quite bit more of our business than ever before, as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Housekeeping standards haven't been exactly up to snuff either. Mind you, I was never the best housekeeper in the world to start with. (Mother - stop laughing!) But in the last few years I had really gotten on track by implementing routines and was so proud of myself for really pulling the house into shape. Now I'm happy with myself if I get the dinner dishes done. By the time I get home, prepare dinner, help with homework and do a very basic tidying up, I'm D-O-N-E. </div><div><br /></div><div>Having the weekend be reversed doesn't help either. Since weekends here are Friday-Saturday, and church meets on Fridays because many people, Hubby included, work on Saturdays (yes, he works a 6-day week!! UGH!), that means that the weekend starts off with the day of rest/church. Somehow that has completely thrown me. I absolutely don't want to do anything on Friday after church, but then that lethargy carries over onto Saturdays. I always grew up that the first day of the weekend you did your housekeeping, gardening, errands and then the next day you rested. I just can't seem to get the hang of it being swapped. It just seems...wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>So much as I would like to, I can't really sell any of my hats. I just have to find a way to wear them with more panache. One issue is the overwhelming fatigue I've been dealing with. The last few nights I've been in bed by 8:30 - totally out of character for me. I've been trying to get more exercise, attending Zumba classes and hitting the gym a few nights a week, but that just seems to make me even <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">more</span> tired. I'm thinking that maybe some vitamins or something, but I don't know what. Any advice?</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm thinking that I strongly need to get back to using routines - even if they are vastly different from the previous ones I had in place. Less ambition, more accomplishment. I think I've just kind of given up - since I can't get as much done as I really want to, why bother. All my wonderful meal plans have fallen by the wayside as well. :(</div><div><br /></div><div>I think I'm at the point now where a year is long enough to get into the flow of things. It's time to stop making excuses and start making things happen. We have spring break coming up next week, so I guess I should use that time to sit down and figure out routines and plans that realistically work for me in my current situation, so be looking for some "Routines for the Working Woman" in the next couple of weeks. </div><div><br /></div><div>That gives me one week to continue my sluggish ways. I'd better go buy some Cheetos and soda and clear a space on the couch!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-53798031104323413832010-03-15T13:10:00.003+03:002010-03-15T14:08:25.409+03:00In the DesertI've gone back to my desert-themed layout here on the blog. As temperatures rise and the sun becomes more intense, it just seemed like the right 'feel' for the postings. <div><br /></div><div>As I look at the picture, I'm struck by how diverse Qatar is. To be sure you do indeed see things like this camel (though usually only at the markets or in the back of a pickup or out in the wild) and the man in the robe (known locally as a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">thobe</span>). But right alongside those sights, you'll see skyscrapers and Lamborghini's. </div><div><br /></div><div>Qatar is one of the most multi-national places I've ever been. One of the things I enjoyed about living in Miami is how diverse it was - Cubans, Haitians, South Americans, Europeans and native-born Americans. Miami has nothing on this place. Not only do you have the local Qataris (who make up only 20% of the population), but you have Indians, Filipinos, South Africans, Brits, Canadians, Nepalis, and just about every other place you can imagine. The school my children attend has students from 70 different countries. </div><div><br /></div><div>While we are very strong in our Christian beliefs, I am thrilled that my children are friends with people of other faiths and cultures. I think their entire world view is being shaped by the fact that they are getting to know <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">real</span></span> people from all over the world, not just radicals who get on the evening news. It's very easy to just paint everyone in a group with a broad brush and not get the whole picture. </div><div><br /></div><div>Living here in Doha it's very easy to take out your frustrations on a certain group of people - these people are rude, these people are the worst drivers, you name it. But then you meet someone from that group and realize that it's just people. That there are rude people where you are from too. That there are bad drivers in your hometown. It may be more prevalent here because there is such a mix of cultures where people have come from that it's like a melting pot of expectation and backgrounds, but the truth is there is good and bad in all of our cultures.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm glad that my kids are getting to know that now instead of when they are my age. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-8431464920607032432010-03-14T11:17:00.003+03:002010-03-14T11:44:48.034+03:00Bugs and HeatNow in Miami, this would be a whole different post. Mosquitos there grow to the size of rodeo-type bucking broncos. And they thrive in the summer heat of Miami, congregating by the thousands at your front door, ready to pounce on you the second you crack the door open.<div><br /></div><div>The kind of bug I'm talking about today, however, is the insidious <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">computerus virusium</span>. Foolishly, Hubby and I allowed our security software to expire on our home computers and we have been hacked. Big time. To the point where the government-run internet provider has blacklisted our IP address and we can't use the internet at home. Every time we turn on the computer, thousands of warnings pop up - key loggers, email worms, trojan viruses, you name it - I've got it. Then I was even too scared to attempt to renew our software license because they'd have access to our credit card info. So we bought <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">new</span> security software, but the hackers are too smart and the system won't allow us to load it. And so, the only solution? </div><div><br /></div><div>Wiping out the hard drive and starting clean.</div><div><br /></div><div>Do you hear my whimper coming out through the speakers of you computer? Wiping out everything - all the programs, all the documents, all the pictures (though thankfully Hubby had uploaded many of the most special ones to Facebook). The guys at the computer shop were going to see what could be saved, but we are preparing for the worst. Sigh...why do people come up with stuff like this? What kind of people are they?! (Evil, I tell you! They are just plain evil!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Ok, now that that little rant is over, let me just update you on what it's like in Qatar at the moment. Yesterday I had to run the kids over to the school for homework purposes (multiple times!!! grrrr...) since we couldn't use the internet at home. Once, at about 1 pm, I happened to glance at the thermometer in my rear-view mirror as I got in the car. It read (drumroll, please!!) 105 degrees.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, it dropped pretty rapidly down to a near-chilly 95 degrees. What on earth am I complaining about? I mean, here it is mid-March and it's already 95 degrees. Can you imagine what it will be like around here when summer really arrives?</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-58415106971341968512010-03-12T11:45:00.005+03:002010-03-12T12:18:16.596+03:0095 DaysWe're finally down into the double-digits!! Only 95 days until we get to fly back to the US for the summer! I bought our tickets last night and it seems so close I can taste it.<div><br /></div><div>(<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">That sounded dumb. What exactly does the US taste like anyways??</span>)</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, let me tell you what the US tastes like. Here's a list of all the places my kids and I have been dreaming of and that are on our "must visit" list.</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Wendy's - Oh, how I have missed you, Frosty!</div><div>2. Taco Bell - Yo quiero Taco Bell!</div><div>3. P.F. Chang's - Ok, that's just me, not the kids, but, mmm...Mongolian Beef and Chicken Lettuce Wraps</div><div>4. Sweet Tomatoes - Best salad bar restaurant - yummy!</div><div>5. Panera Bread - need I say more?</div><div>6. Cracker Barrel - Okay, honestly, it's more about the shopping than the food. :)</div><div>7. KFC - Yes, we have it here, but they don't offer mashed potatoes and I'm ALL about KFC's mashed potatoes!</div><div>8. Wienerschnitzel - Chili dogs, chili dogs and more chili dogs. A smile just crept onto my face.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm thinking that over the course of the next 95 days there will be more lists of what we can't wait for in store here at ye olde blog. Sorry in advance - we are just a wee bit excited over here!!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-68315995002846653292010-03-05T00:15:00.002+03:002010-03-05T00:49:34.794+03:00Be Careful What You Wish ForMy mother would tell you that I was something of an impatient child. If I didn't get my way, I might even be prone to going outside into the street and stomping my feet and screaming. Personally I don't remember that, but she claims it's true.<div><br /></div><div>This propensity to lose my temper easily has always been a source of frustration for me. For as long as I can remember I've prayed that God would give me patience. Well, we all know that patience isn't just given, but that it's instead developed through situations which God allows into our lives to grow us. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I just want to let you know that if you are praying for patience, I'll be happy to be your Doha tour guide when God sends you here, because this is the ultimate training ground for people with a shortage of patience.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not only that you will soon not even care about the people who are going the wrong way down the street to skip to the head of the long line of cars waiting at the stop sign. But you'll also find yourself barely batting an eye at the people in the grocery store who blithely stand in your way and don't even bother to move when they notice you are waiting to pass but continue to peruse the 50 different varieties of canned corn on the shelf. </div><div><br /></div><div>But the ultimate game of patience for me seems to be what I've come to think of as The Ingredient Game. As I've mentioned before, keeping store shelves consistently stocked with a regular line up of products seems to be a problem here. For the life of me I can't understand why since this is the richest country in the world, but such is life. </div><div><br /></div><div>This means that it's like a game to try and made something special. You have to carefully collect the different ingredients over time and wait for that magic moment when you find the last missing piece. For Valentine's Day the stars all aligned just in time to make one of Hubby's favorite desserts - Oreo Pudding Pie. Pudding mixes are extremely hard to come by here for whatever reason, particularly chocolate. For months I had been hoarding the chocolate Oreo Keebler pie crust and when I found the chocolate pudding in early February I knew it was a sign that I was meant to make this dessert as a sign of my love and effort for Hubby. He loved it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And now I've moved on to my next challenge: collecting the ingredients for Hawaiian Wedding Cake. I've had the crushed pineapple for several months, the instant vanilla pudding mix I found at the same time I found the chocolate pudding and last week found yellow cake mix. Now all I'm lacking is Cool Whip. I've gone from one grocery store to another trying to find it, all with no luck. It's not normally so hard to find, but that's life in Doha. You might lose access to anything at any time. And so I wait (yes, patiently) for that little tub of creamy goodness to appear once more on the store shelves. </div><div><br /></div><div>And then I'll start collecting all over again.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-56439425170904798872010-02-20T22:00:00.002+03:002011-04-25T00:52:10.974+03:00My New 101 in 1001 List<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">(I just updated this post I wrote in April of 2009 and realized, after nearly a year, that I had never published it!!! Yikes - bad blogger!!)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">-----------</span></div><div><br /></div>Well, having completed about half of my previous list, I was very motivated to make a new list and try to accomplish much more of it. I've been working on it sporadically for the last month or so and finally finished it this morning.<br /><br />I'm setting my start date as tomorrow, which gives me a target date of January 5, 2012. The thing I like about having 1001 days to complete the list is that it gives you approximately 2 3/4 years, so if it's something seasonal, you have more than one shot to do it. I'm going to be putting a countdown clock on my sidebar to keep me motivated.<br /><br />And now, without further ado, The List:<br /><br />1. Read through the Bible start to finish<br />2. Memorize Galatians, Ephesians, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Philippians</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Colossians</span><br />3. Watch sunrise on the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">corniche</span><br />4. Do Advent wreath and readings<br />5. Sabbath dinners<br />6. Go a week without saying something negative about anyone<br />7. Begin praying with Ibrahim<br />8. Pray for Ibrahim daily<br />9. Read & complete all <em>Fascinating Woman</em> assignments<br />10. Do character study with Emily<br />11. Teach Emily to cook 14 meals well<br />12. <strike>Paint first floor rooms</strike><br />13. Do the Grand Plan<br />14. Save QR 5000 for an emergency plan<br />15. Pay off debt<br />16. Learn Arabic through Rosetta Stone<br />17. Read a six classic books each year<br />18. Visit Doha’s other museums<br />19. <strike>Learn to bake homemade bread</strike><br />20. <strike>Make porch more welcoming</strike><br />21. Get my <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">BMI</span></span> down to at least 24.9<br />22. Eliminate soda<br />23. Stop eating at night<br />24. Take vitamins and calcium daily<br />25. Floss daily for a month<br />26. Go to bed by 10:30 on most nights<br />27. Get a complete physical (with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">bloodwork</span></span>) and mammogram<br />28. Take better care of my skin<br />29. 45 minutes of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">cardio</span></span>, 4x a week<br />30. See an endocrinologist<br />31. Christmas letter (via email)<br />32. <s>Take the family to visit a historical site</s><br />33. <s>Take the kids to the Dead Sea</s><br />34. Do a 24 hour fast once a month<br />35. <s>Get braces</s><br />36. Stop interrupting people<br />37. Visit Biosphere 2<br />38. Figure out how to play Settlers of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Cataan</span></span><br />39. <strike>Attend symphony</strike><br />40. <s>Go dune bashing</s><br />41. <s>Visit the Inland Sea</s><br />42. <strike>Plant flowers in flower bed</strike><br />43. Try to learn some type of needlework<br />44. Start keeping track of my grocery budget<br />45. <strike>Refine menu plan to work with new schedule</strike><br />46. Host a Christmas cookie swap<br />47. Identify 25 things I like about myself<br />48. <strike>Go to Doha Open tennis tournament</strike><br />49. <strike>Have a date with Hubby at least once a month</strike><br />50. <s>Join a book club</s><br />51. <strike>Set up laundry room as a storage room for household backups</strike><br />52. Get grill propane tank replaced and refitted<br />53. Volunteer at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">QAWS</span></span> (animal rescue shelter here in Doha)<br />54. <strike>Start carrying a makeup bag with me for mid-day touch ups</strike><br />55. Go to the Doha Debates<br />56. Go to the theater<br />57. <strike>Get the kids to an orthodontist</strike><br />58. <strike>Decorate seasonally</strike><br />59. Fight the frump<br />60. Use body lotion every day for a month<br />61. Entertain other couples once a quarter<br />62. <strike>Spend time at the gym’s sauna and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">steamroom</span></span></strike><br />63. <strike>Go to the movies at Royal Plaza</strike><br />64. No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">tv</span></span> for one month at least once a year<br />65. <strike>No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">tv</span></span> for a whole day at least once a week</strike><br />66. Get a new cleaning plan in place<br />67. Follow said cleaning plan for 30 days straight<br />68. Walk the entire <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">corniche</span><br />69. <s>Read <em>Blue Like Jazz</em></s><br />70. Re-read <em>Hinds Feet on High Places</em><br />71. Go through<em> The Power of a Praying Wife</em><br />72. Learn to “sprout”<br />73.<s> Clean out email folders</s><br />74. Learn how to do blog design myself<br />75. Create a list of 52 “life skill” to teach to the kids and teach them<br />76. Finish touring Islamic Art Museum<br />77. <strike>Convince Hubby to install <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Wi</span></span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">fi</span></span> here at home</strike><br />78. Use reusable bags for grocery shopping<br />79. Phase paper towels and napkins out of the home<br />80. Check for new <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">podcasts</span></span> once a week<br />81. <strike>Get a clothes dryer</strike><br />82. Get a free-standing basketball hoop<br />83. Finish Christmas shopping at least two weeks early<br />84. Do a monthly family fun night<br />85. Make a birthday calendar of friends and family<br />86. Learn to make homemade pies, including the crust<br />87. Do the 30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge twice<br />88. Leave 101 comments on others’ blogs<br />89. Learn to make egg rolls<br />90. Make homemade jam<br />91. <strike>Buy extra shelving units</strike><br />92. Organize this list<br />93. Find a doctor I like<br />94. Complete the <em>Love Dare</em><br />95. <strike>Try an ethnic cuisine I’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">ve</span></span> never tried before</strike><br />96. <strike>Give up something sacrificially for Lent</strike><br />97. Find 6 recipes from restaurants I like and try them<br />98. <strike>Thoroughly understand how to get all over town </strike><br />99. <strike>Try to find L from high school and apologize</strike><br />100. <s>Get new curtains for living room and family room</s><br />101. Make a new 101 list when this one is completedUnknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8388835653201310961.post-22755689604053759412010-02-17T14:55:00.000+03:002010-02-17T14:57:19.158+03:00Things that Strike Me as OddSo enough seriousness in my life already. Between my bout of homesickness and this horrible cough/sore throat I've come down with, I'm ready for something a bit more lighthearted. So today I'm just going to point out a few things that I still find strange about living overseas. <div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">1) First Floors</span> - In the US, the first floor is actually the first floor. But in most other places, it's called the ground floor and the first floor is what we would call the second floor. I don't get it. I mean, it IS the first floor, why not just call it that? You don't call the first car you ever owned your "starter" car and then the next car is actually the first car. But that's how it is. So you always have to be careful to think who you are talking to - North American or elsewise - when you are giving directions as it can be confusing.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">2) Military Time </span>- Apparently much of the world, not just people dressed in camouflage, uses military time. TV shows are advertised as being at 20:00 hours, not 8 pm. Store hours are also posted this way. I'm just now getting to the point where I don't have to count to figure it out!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">3) Light Switches</span> - A couple of things about light switches strike me as odd. First, in the US up is On and down is Off. It's the other way around overseas. But the thing that really makes me wonder is that bathroom light switches are located <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">outside</span></span> of the bathroom. I can only image how that can make for an easy torture tool for kids who want to annoy their sibling. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">4) Electrical Outlets</span> - In the US it's so easy. You buy something, take it home and plug it in. Not so easy here. Things come in different styles - either two-prong or three-prong. But you can be certain that whatever you buy, your home will probably have the opposite system, necessitating a myriad of different style converters. But you should still expect popping and sparks when you plug or unplug things. </div><div><br /></div><div>5<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">) Toilets</span> - No flush handles. Just little buttons on top of most toilet tanks. It doesn't change life in anyway, but it's just a little reminder that you are in a different place.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">6) Apparently there's a different expectation of comfort here</span> - Sorry, I couldn't think of a shorter title. But it seems that people are not so much into comfy here. Couches, chairs and beds are all firm. Really firm. Really, really firm. Am I communicating that well. You might as well sit on a concrete slab. I'm SOOO glad that we brought our own furniture over with us!</div><div><br /></div><div>That's all the useless information I can come up with at the moment. I'm so very happy to have provided you with a few minutes of wasted time. :)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2