When it Rains it Pours

I didn't have a blog topic all last week...well, not anything I could post anyway. Today it's raining with blog gold. Okay, so not gold. Maybe aluminum foil? It's useful for something right?

You GOTTA read this. This is from a Christian friend who lived in the US for 10 years before moving back to his homeland in the Sudan. He is very Western as a result of his 10 years here. This is is most recent email:

Thank God that you are living in individualistic culture, I am living in a
collective culture and I feel like every time I turn around my family or my
friends are going on and on and on about how they want to meet the right girl
for me, and assist me to settle down and have a family. My mother told me that
she wants to be young enough to hold her grandkids.

Let me give you two recent attempts of how my family tried to arranged a
marriage for me and how God intervened in a very amazing way.

Two months ago, they asked a girl from our tribe who has a college degree in
Public Health and her name is Isra and she is 23. Two days after the wedding was
planned my aunt died suddently of a heart attack, in our family tradition we
have to mourn her for 40 days before we can have any wedding, and by the time
the 40 days were up my cousin Isra was drafted in the militrary to do her
selective service for two years, so that plan plan fell apart.

And last week, my uncle talked to his cousin and asked him to give his daughter
Dalal who is only 16 years old to marry me. Everybody said yes including the
girl, and they set August 19th to be the wedding day, but today the girl's great
aunt demanded a higher dowry of 20 camels (becasue the girl is tall and young),
like $10,000. Of course neither me or anyone in my family has that money to
spend on the girl's dowry.

As my folks plan, all I do with my friends is just praying and asking God to
intervene and God always take my prayer seriously.

This is where hubby references Hitler when he sees my chores list...

I'm home from vacation and all ready to jump into the school year. I even made up a list of chores for my 3. Let's see how long this one lasts!

Note: Wondertwin's name is blocked out at the top of the page and she drew the pictures next to the words, not me. =)

Nobody Tells a Dying Guy to Shut Up

These are the words of Dave Chilcoat, the father of some friends of mine. He was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease in 2003. It is well worth the watch.

http://bethchilcoat.com/Media.jsp

Home Sweet Home

Almost 13 hours in the car and a stop at my Alma Mater. We are home. It's so good to be home. Of course with that familiar surrounding comes loads of laundry and tired adults. Kids are wired from all that napping in the car. Oh, why didn't I sleep in the car?

Oh yea, because I had a cappuccino at 10AM and I'm still Bzzing. I'm not kidding. The tiniest bit of caffiene (and there was nothing tiny in that grande) will keep me up for days. As tired as my eye lids are from staying open, I'm still awake at 9PM. Considering I got up at 4:30AM and spent a day in the car with those I love most...I should be crashed by now. So much to do.

A Beer with Barack

I thought we'd just stop by the White House and have a beer in the Rose Garden. Turns out you actually have to get tickets 6 months in advance just to see the great mansion...or resist arrest. Should have thought of that one.

Hubby and I had the privilege of taking one child to DC with us on the way to the beach. We stayed in the suburb of Reston and intended to take the train in. Turns out we spent the whole evening in Reston because it was rockin'! There was a very quaint town square...maybe quaint isn't the word. More like a 2009 version of a town center with bars, restaurants etc. The outdoor concert was well attended and Little Dude danced in the streets.

The next morning we drove into DC but had to jump on a train because we'd already promised Little Dude. We saw the Capital and the Air/Space Museum. I'm going back to DC asap. I love that place.

Mama Duggar

I woke up this morning thinking that I had to run to my computer. I had to blog about how I had met the Duggars. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was only a dream. What a strange dream. I dreamed that I was walking through the Duggar Compound and in every corner there was a teenager holding a young one while they did their reading lessons.

Mama Duggar was handing me coupons printed out on X-ray paper. Strange I know. She was giving me parenting advice and directing me on the rearing of children. I remember being disappointed that there were no TV cameras there that day. Not a clue why I dreamed that one.

In case you are wondering, Mama Duggar is a lovely woman when you meet her in person...in a dream.

BTW,

He forgot his swimtrunks and we had to buy a pair at the Outlet Mall.
(see post on July 31st for relevance).

"I remember a day when I thought it was a miracle to get my own belongings packed, organized and ready for a trip. Now I'm responsible for packing up 5 people. I'm including my husband in that number because well...let's face it. He needs help. I usually find a pair of shoes he has forgotten or a pair of much needed swim trunks. I have to admit...he helps me too. He's in charge of packing the van because it has to be "just so". I don't touch that part."