get real.

so, it is the weekend after thanksgiving and what else to do but set up for christmas. i did think ahead and brought our stockings (all 4) with the stocking hangers, and a couple special ornaments. i sacrificed precious packing space for a few christmas decorations to make our apartment feel like home. scott thought i was crazy at the time, but i know that he appreciates it now. i went out shopping today at a store that is somewhat similar to a walmart (at least as close to walmart as morocco can get). i am headed there with a friend because they have christmas trees, fake trees, but nonetheless, christmas trees and some ornaments, too. i was excited to go get it because i should be thankful that they even had christmas trees here. as i buy the tree i am a little sad at the fact that this will be my first fake tree in i think forever. for as long as i can remember we have always had real trees...sometimes flocked with fake snow and sometimes so massive it took up half of our living room or bending at the top because it was too tall for our ceiling. for the last two years we have cut down our own trees in elgin so i was missing that, too. i purchased the tree and a couple ornaments and was truly happy just to be getting what i could. well, wouldn't you know that on the way home, my friend pointed and said, "look! they are selling REAL christmas trees!" and yes, oh yes they were! i flipped a u turn and went to look at them. i was so happy. i almost cried when i stepped out of the car and smelt the sweet smell of christmas. there is nothing like the smell of real chirstmas in the house. another blessing delivered from God. they never have real christmas trees in morocco, and if they did, they were really hard to find. i bought a tree that was small enough to fit in our tiny car, but big enough to make it feel like christmas. when i got home, my good husband set up the tree and even turned on my josh groban christmas music while i decorated (as is my tradition). so, here i am, living in morocco, with my stockings hanging over the fireplace and small, but beautiful real tree in the corner. christmas has officially come.

our cozy living room


the tree i will never forget


stockings hung by the chimney with care...

thankful.

we have much to be thankful for. the Lord has been so faithful to take care of us in many, many ways over the last few months. we are thankful to be surrounded by wonderful friends and supported by loving family back in texas. we celebrated thanksgiving with two other families and some single girls who work here at the school. there were about 30 of us total so we combined three tables, taking up our entire apartment. so much fun! here are some highlights. oh, and yes, we did have a traditional thanksgiving with a turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, 2 sweet potato casseroles, corn, cornbread, applesauce, and fresh pumpkin pie and apple pie. yum! we even got to watch some football provided by the slingbox (thanks cub cub).

the very long table


the kid's table


happy ella


the girls


thankful for my family


mommy and b


silly beckett


matching daddy and b



najet and beckett

he perceives our thoughts from afar...

i got on the subject of diet 7up with a friend of mine in french class. she said that she was able to find some in fes (another city in morocco) but hadn't seen it here. i hadn't seen it either and let me tell you that i have been to several different grocery stores (at least 5). i haven't had diet 7up in over three months and the other night i was thinking to myself,"i could really, really go for some diet 7up." i quickly dismissed it, knowing that i would be settling for citron schwepps for the next 7 months and loading up on sugar, probably causing me to gain a couple of pounds. oh well. so the next day i go to the store. i stroll down the soda aisle and throw in a couple of schwepps and a coke. just as i am about to turn the corner something catches my eye. could it be? yes, yes it is! diet 7up! i had just been to that store a couple of days earlier and it was not there. they must have just gotten it in stock. i was so happy. so, so happy. in that moment i was reminded that God does know all our thoughts, even the petty ones about diet 7up. how amazing that our God knows us that well, and more than that, He loves us. so, God i thank you for knowing me intimately and blessing me with a simple beverage.

family reunion

we are soooo excited to have my parents here for a visit! it has been three months since we have seen them...three months! the four of us went to the airport to pick them up and ella was so excited. upon pulling out of the gate she yelled, "here we come, lulu!" we have had such a wonderful time with them. ella has loved waking up to lulu here and asked if she was going to stay forever. the first day they were here she followed lulu around all morning...even sitting on the sink to watch her put on make up. beckett actually started crawling this week. he had been so close for a while and i knew that he was waiting until they got here to show off his stuff. it has been great to show them our life here...the school, some of the many places i buy groceries, where we like to go out to eat (ella had to show them her mcdonald's), the beach, etc. they also got a good taste of morocco with many moroccan dishes prepared by our house helper. here are some pics of us out and about casa...shopping at the habous, getting a drink at a cafe, and eating at one of our favorite restaurants (one of our favs b/c it is equipped with a playground). enjoy the pics.

popi will always have something to teach ella

taking a break at a cafe




ella's new shoes


at the habous


beckett is tired of shopping


popi and b


lulu & ella


the brother and the sister


happy b


b hitching a ride from popi


ella & daddy




at the beach


a night out out without the kids!

happy wedding birthday

today we celebrate five years of marriage. five years! it seems like just yesterday i was waking up early to get ready for our big day. scott, i will never forget how excited i was to walk down the aisle and become your wife. we have made so many memories in the last five years...too many to count. it has been the little things like playing rummikub and eating brownies in our little apartment, you teaching me to swing a golf club, endless dates to the movies to "sit in a cold theater and eat milk duds", and us cuddling on the couch to watch our shows that remind me that you truly are my best friend. i have also enjoyed the big things like cruises and vacationing in fun places like destin, vegas, and beijing. so many memories. so, here we are, five years and two kids later living in morocco. thank you for being adventurous and thank you for being obedient to the Lord and following where he leads you (and our family). thank you for continually keeping your vow to love, honor, and cherish me. i love you.

happy halloween

yes, we do have halloween all the way over here in africa. linda and i hosted a "fall party" (aka halloween party...aren't they the same thing?) where all the kids got to dress up and even go trick or treating here in the apartment complex. we feasted on corn dogs, popcorn, cupcakes, and caramel apples (i have to add that the caramel was made from scratch), and someone even brought candy corn all the way from the states. the tink was, you guessed it, tinkerbell and the brother was a pirate.

aarrrrr!




tinkerbell



tink and cinderella (ella and sofia)


the pirate and the ballerina (beckett and eliana)