Jordan

I got the amazing chance last month to go away for a week to visit my dear friend Annabel in Amman.  This is a trip I've wanted to take for years, and when she and Tim decided to move back to the states this summer, it was now or never.  We texted about plane tickets one night, and realized there was a week that worked for both of us, and just that particular week, plane tickets were half the cost they usually are.  So I rush-renewed my passport (and then ended up driving to Portsmouth two days before my trip because the new passport never arrived!), cleared Alasdair's work schedule for a couple days, and asked some friends for help with childcare (I have the best friends!!)... and somehow, this was really happening.

Even the travel time felt like luxury. I had a 10 hour flight from Boston to Istanbul that left at midnight, and thanks to Ambien and having an empty seat next to me, I slept for most of it!  I spent the time in airports reading and journaling, and arrived in Amman at midnight there.

Day 1: Amazing hummus & falafel at the Barger's favorite lunch place and visit to the Citadel, which is the highest of the 7 (8?) hills that Amman is built on, and which has ruins from all the various groups that have occupied that area since the Bronze Age.

Called Philadelphia during the Greek rule, the few hundred years before Christ.

Roman temple.

Annabel, Tim & Adia!

The Bargers courtyard, where I spent as much time as possible sitting in their constant sunshine.

Day 2: Annabel & I & Adia spent Mother's Day at a hotel by the Dead Sea.  So beautiful.  

 Floating!

The mud is supposed to be good for your skin?

Day 3: Mt. Nebo, Jesus' baptism site & Jordan River. In Deuteronomy 34, Nebo is where God showed Moses the Promised Land and told him he wouldn't live to enter it. This was in the region of Moab, and from the top, you look over the wilderness where the Israelites wandered, and you can see the Jordan River with Jericho and Jerusalem in the distance.

The Jordan River is really small and unimpressive here now, as much of the water is diverted further north.  It doesn't actually even flow quite to where Jesus' was (likely) baptized.

Old temples built near the site.

 This is where we could put our feet in the Jordan, or as our tour guide offered, buy white robes and the gift shop and be baptized! ;)  That's Palestine on the far side of the river, with armed guards sitting on the wall (the armed guard on our side was to my left).

Adia smiled and laughed more at a stray cat there than at anything else all week. :)

Mosque and temple and church side by side on a ridge

Making yummy dinner

 Barger's appartment

Day 4: Amman day.  We went to the grocery store, drove by the schools where Annabel has taught, met Tim for lunch near his office, walked around a bit.  I loved all of the tourist things we did, but to me the most important part of the trip was spending time with Annabel and seeing the place that's been her home for 8 years!

 We went out to dinner the last night at a Lebanese restaurant, and I wish I could express her just how amazing this food was, and how lovely it was to sit outside and talk about everything!

Amman airport at sunrise... up at 4am to start the 27 hour trip home.  This trip was everything I'd hoped for, great time with Annabel, a fun adventure, and totally refreshing to have such a long break from being responsible for my sweet small people.  Coming home was sweet too, and I have enjoyed parenting more ever since having the break.  The next morning Alden looked up at my from his crib and said in wonder and delight, "are you mommy?"  :)

"I free and half"

 

How to summarize this little boy?  He's affectionate, smart, and social, knows how to make us laugh, and will reward your undivided attention with cheerful chatter, impish grins, and easy laughter.  He does not like to be ignored, and used to the attention of his big sisters and a variety of big kid friends, is not great at independent play. He wants to be held and read to constantly; current favorites is Go Dog Go.  He's recently developed a little boy's love of trucks, but is terrified of the vacuum cleaner & lawnmower.  When asked how old he is, he without fail answers "three and half."  

unhappy when mama is trying to get anything done

chocolate cake at community group = birthday party. :)

Still in love with his "taba"

Lots of little video clips on our April video page. :)

April vacation

We did a string of fun things while the girls were off of school last week... it was nice to stay busy while we waited for the weather to finally get warm!

A day in Westford while Alasdair taught in RI, and celebrating all the April birthdays.
 

A few days at the Cape with the McFarlands in a sweet little house near the beach.  

Spring break in New England-- winter coats at the the beach! 

early morning reading

Audrey wrote these sweet notes

  

 Just one little ER visit, but no glue or stitches

This is what happy hour looks like when you travel with little kids!

 Back home, and desperate for vitamin D, I was determined to drink my morning coffee on the deck.

By the end of the week, spring arrived.  

who needs a fancy vacation when you can fly a shopping bag kite in the parking lot?!

a fun little hike and dinner with friends... the only picture I have is the girls enthralled by legos (or maybe by Austin;)

I took the girls to a riding lesson -- I think this was the highlight of all of our week!  A perfect day, their first time around horses, and a sweet time together.  In one of my alternative lives, we'd live somewhere like this and own horses!

Sunday afternoon picnic lunch on Balch Hill with friends, and then gelato.  

I'm trying to hold on to these happy sunny memories now that the weather is grey and rainy again, and we are stuck home with tummy bug germs and missing lots of fun things this week!  

(You know it's been a rough stretch when you call the school and the secretary, recognizes your number and answers the phone, "don't tell me she's sick again?!")