The Simple Life at Home

No, seriously! One of the many steps of progress I've made in the last few days is that I finally figured out the stove. In fact, just tonight for dinner I used it to make Pepperidge Farm 5 Cheese Garlic Bread.

"5 Cheese Garlic Bread" in Qatar, Lori?" you may ask. That's right. Another step is that I visited Megamart, a local grocery store. Now, I've been to probably 10 different grocery stores since arriving here in Doha, but this? This was heaven. I found so many things that I haven't seen elsewhere. Things like Cool Whip, hot chocolate mix, cake frosting (don't forget that our entire family's birthdays fall in April!), mild flavor olive oil, pepper jack cheese and - most exciting of all - TALL. DRAWSTRING. GARBAGE BAGS. I know, I know. Tr to contain your excitement.

Then I drove the kiddos and I all the way out to the Villagio mall and then found the nearby Doha Zoo. Just for fun, I took a different way home and found my way just fine, thank you very much.

Tomorrow we will have our satellite service connected so we will have access to several American channels. Most exciting, of course, about this is that I will be able to watch "Lost" again. Oh, how I have missed you, Sawyer. Season 4 doesn't start here until May, so I'll be reminiscing about the good ol' days of Season 3 this month. Charlie was still alive, there wasn't any boat and the biggest worry was to trust Juliet or not.

Oh, and most importantly, I have learned that there is a fine line between your water being just a little on the cool side and "oh, my stinkin' heck, I just burned off a layer of skin!" That line would be just about the thickness of a layer of skin tissue. So that was a good lesson to learn. Those of you who were concerned about our safety here in Doha? The biggest threat to our safety is, apparently, me. What with slicing my thumb open and scalding myself every time I turn on the water or stove I may not have much feeling left in my hands by the time we are ready to move back to the U.S.

All this is to say is that we are settling into life quite nicely here in Doha. Tonight we went to get our photos taken for our residency permits. Hubby took us to an area that, well, let's just say it's probably not on any tour bus route. I was kind of skeptical, but actually we had a great time browsing the shops while waiting for the photos to be ready. We went into a bakery and picked out some yummy Arabic desserts and breads. We stopped by a paint shop to get a quote and look at colors for painting the interior of our new home. We visited a fruit and vegetable market and picked up some things at a great price. It was really nice.

Well, holding fast to the cliche of better late than never, here I am posting my first Live Well Wednesday post. I've been thinking about joining for quite some time, but it just seemed that in the middle of a move to the other side of the world that there was too much to think about besides, you know, me.

But I think that's a big part of my problem. I'm always putting something else ahead of taking care of myself. Not that I'm a martyr, mind you. Often, that thing that I'm putting ahead of caring for myself is just my own foolish desires - staying up too late watching tv, eating junk food just because I like it, etc. It seems as if I don't value the body which God has given me highly enough. And so I let it fall apart.

Oftentimes I'll be overwhelmed with guilt and shame about it. Being an overweight person is a shameful experience, let me tell you. But instead of allowing that to motivate me to change, somehow it sends me into a downward spiral of self-recrimination. Which leads to more shame and guilt.

I make grand plans to go on big exercise and diet kicks. And then, just days into it, I give up.

My new plan as I begin to "live well" is to just try to modify slowly my life; to make healthier choices, to be more active, to sleep more, to take care of this one and only body which God has gifted me with.

Some of the things I want to work on:

*** Drinking more water *** I have a wicked addiction to soda. Having moved to the Middle East I am already noticing a difference in the amount of water I'm consuming. While I am still drinking Pepsi, the amount has greatly decreased. But my goal is to work my way up to 100 ounces a day.

*** Make better eating choices *** I won't eat perfectly. I need to accept that. But I need to not give up and binge everytime I make a mistake. I have started to start using fruits, nuts and seeds as snacks rather than chips. That should be easier here because chips cost much more here than in the States, so it will be easier on my wallet as well.

*** Stop eating at night *** My biggest pitfall seems to be at night once everyone else goes to bed. I stay up with the excuse that I "need some alone time." After all, I'm a homeschooling mother! But in reality I graze constantly once everyone's asleep.

*** Sleep more *** Right on par with the above item is I NEED MORE SLEEP!!! I generally go to bed around 1 am. Here in Doha, the sun comes up so early that I'm only getting 4 or 5 hours sleep. This morning, for instance, I woke up, lay in bed for several minutes, finally got up and took a looooong shower. I got out, got dressed, did my hair and makeup and started down the stairs, when I heard my husband moving around. I was shocked to discover that it was only 6:05!!! So I really need to work on getting to bed between 10:30 and 11:00. Not to mention getting a clock so I'll know what time it is!

*** Be more active *** I'm not promising myself that I am going to exercise for an hour a day or any of that. I just, at this point, need to move more. Having 52 stairs in my house is helping. I may have "buns of steel" before we move back to the States!! Also, the more physical housework that I've been doing is contributing towards physical movement. Slow and steady wins the race, right?

So, the bottom line of all of this? I do want to live well. I want to enjoy my life with my husband and kids. I want to be physically ready for all that God calls me to. I want to have energy and exuberance for this life. I want to love my life.

Thanks for sticking through reading this. I look forward to getting to know you other LWW participants and encouraging each other!

Have you ever watched "Little House on the Prairie?" Of course you have! Or perhaps you've read the books to your children. When I read them to mine, what stuck out is how much work homemaking was back then.

That's where I am right now, internet.

Ok, honestly maybe I'm at the "Leave it to Beaver"stage, some 70 years further along. But definately it's far different from any home-making I've ever had to do. This is the fourth home that Hubby and I have lived in. First we lived in his tiny, 400 sq. ft. apartment which was pretty much set up already, bachelor pad that it was. Several months later, we moved into our first house. We were there for about 8 years before moving around the corner. Each time I had no problem transitioning smoothly. Things were basically the same.

This is a whole other story. Moving to Doha has been an adventure in more ways than one. Having left behind some of the things I took for granted, I am now looking at my home in a whole new way. There is no one place here for which I can get everything I need - no Target, no Wal-Mart. Each store has some things that it is better to shop for and others it's not going to have. The same with grocery stores - we've visited a million of them and still there are things I'm looking for, things that in the States would be no problem to find.To me it reminds me of the days when you had to go to many different stores (butcher, baker, candlestick maker) to get what a home needed.

I also, for the time being, do not have either a dryer or dishwasher. Dishes are being washed and dried by hand and clothes are being hung up to dry, necessitating a great deal more ironing.

While I will probably soon break down and buy one, if not both of these items, for the time being I'm am enjoying being more...connected, if you will, with my home. I'm spending much more time actually working at being a homemaker; making this a place of refuge and a haven for my family.

I know that many of you probably live every day (and have for years) without these little luxuries. I am in no way trying to complain. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm really "working" on my home. Not just maintaining, but actually working: to make it a better place, to make it comfortable and attractive, to make it the control center of our lives.
Proverbs 31: 10-31, NIV

(Now, where did those servant girls go???)

Hey, I'm feeling pretty good!! I've gotten a home-cooked dinner on the table two nights in a row!! Not bad considering I'm still not sure how to work the oven in our new home. I did get it lit yesterday (with the help of Hubby) so that I could roast some potatoes and carrots to go with my pot roast in the crockpot. And today I made Bezella, one of Hubby's favorites. That's a stovetop recipe, so it was easy.

Apparently I need to push in the oven control to release the gas, then wave a match inside a slot on the bottom of the oven, then slowly release the oven control once it gets lit. Sounds simple, right? Well, I'm sure it would be if, upon lighting, a huge fireball didn't erupt and singe my hands! Then today, I cut my finger chopping tomatoes and just an hour later sliced into my thumb. Did ya know that thumbs bleed? Alot? There was blood everywhere - in the sink, on the floor, on the window, on the stove - everywhere. I was so relieved that I had sent the kids out to walk Snow just a couple of minutes before - they would have panicked.

Anyway, on to the menus. I know that it's only Sunday afternoon for most of you, but I'm used to doing my posts the night before when the house is quiet and I can actually, you know, think. I'll just have to link up later when Laura puts up her Menu Plan Monday post.

Here's what we'll be having this week:

Monday - Chicken Parmesan, Caesar salad and steamed veggies

Tuesday - Beef Stir Fry and rice

Wednesday - Bow Tie Pasta, garlic bread and salad

Thursday - Rosemary & Lime Chicken (recipe below), rice, and salad

Friday - Arabic Meatloaf (recipe below) and a chopped salad

Rosemary & Lime Chicken

1/3 cup vegetable oil
2.5-3 lbs. chicken, cut into serving size pieces (I use boneless breasts)
1/2 cup chicken broth
grated rind and juice of one 1 large lime
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Heat oil in heavy skillet over moderately high heat. Add chicken and cook, uncovered, turning once or twice until well browned, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Cover, reduce heat to moderate low and simmer for 25 minutes. Skim fat from pan juices and service chicken with natural gravy. Simple and delicious!!

Arabic Meatloaf

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 bunch (a little less is ok) of finely chopped parsley
1 large finely chopped onion
1 tsp. allspice
salt to taste
thinly sliced potatoes (approx. 3 or 4, depending on size)
thinly sliced tomatoes (approx. 3 or 4, depending on size)
2 onions, thinly sliced into rings
Salt (I use sea salt) to taste

Mix first five ingredients well and spread about 3/4"thick into a large baking pan (9x12 works well). Cover with a layer of thinly sliced potatoes, overlapping slightly. Top that layer with a layer of tomatoes and then a layer of the onions. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour.

Well, this may take a little getting used to. Blogging on a different schedule, that is. Being over here in the Middle East means I'm at least 7 hours ahead of anyone else in the States. How on earth do you Aussies, not to mention the rest of you all around the world, do it? I guess it will become second nature over time. I'm so used to posting late at night for the next day but if I did that now, I'd be really WAY too early.

I have a lot to be grateful for today. First and foremost, I'm so thankful to be with my husband again. After being apart for three months while in transition for our move to Doha, it's so good to be together. Having your best friend and life partner, fellow parent and soul mate, there's nothing like it.

I'm grateful that my children seem to be adapting well. After a bumpy start the first night when Emily cried for two hours hysterically about how much she hated it here (after 1 hour of being here. at 11:00 at night when you couldn't tell ANYTHING about the town. Drama Queen.), they have settled down and begun to enjoy their new home and exploring their new town.

I'm grateful for our beautiful new home. And for the fact that, while it's a new home, we have all of our belongings from our old home. It's definitely helping to make us feel more at ease quickly.

I'm also grateful for my neighbor who came by to introduce herself. She is from Jordan, like my husband, and was so sweet and offered to help with anything I needed.

I'm grateful that I know that God is with me WHEREVER I go. There is no place where he is not. Although this is a totally different environment, it's still of his making and under his control and sovereignty. I have utter faith that as long as we are obedient to his word and his will, that we will be blessed and protected.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Iris at Sting My Heart. Seeing the many blessings we all have is a wonderful way to spend some time.

• New houses make lots of wierd noises. Especially at night.
• Hooray to Blogger for finally giving us the opportunity to schedule posts to be published at a later time/date!!! I've been dying for this!
• Grocery shopping here is a sport. A sport very much like roller derby. Shopping carts are 4 wheel drive - all four wheels move freely, making it very interesting. Add in the fact that it's a crowded as DisneyWorld on a summer day and you've got the makings of a stress-inducing trip like you've never seen. I always enjoyed grocery shopping in the States. I think those days are over.
• My mom got a bird. I know, I know. You don't care. But she tells me about the bird so much that it truly must be a matter of national concern that I'm missing out on over here. It's a white-faced cockatiel named Tater. But you probably already heard that on the nightly news.
• Who would have thought that my children's new favorite pasttime would be ice skating? In the desert? And yet it is.
• 'Member what I said about grocery shopping? Well, quadruple that and you have driving. I've made two quick trips so far with Hubby in the car. Today is my first attempt at a real errand. If you never hear from me again, you'll know we fell victim to a Doha roundabout. LOL!
• I actually LOVE our house. (Well, except for the wierd noises. Like right now it's very windy outside and every exterior door is bumping back and forth.) It's huge and has high hat lights everywhere and beautiful tray ceilings in every room and, did I mention it's huge?, and beautiful floors and granite countertops. Plus I hear birds chirping (though I imagine once it hits, oh, 110 degrees that will stop - LOL!) in the tree next to my bedroom window.
• Tonight Emily will go to the youth group of our new church. Tomorrow we go to the church itself. Please pray that both she and Daniel, and, oh, heck ME, will make friends quickly and easily.
• And finally, I promise you (no, I'm not running for President) that this blog is not going to turn into being all about life in the Middle East. I know it's consumed my life in the past couple of months, but I'm going to strive to still make it about what it was designed for - living a simple life at home.

Blessings and much love!!