A day at the River...

This past weekend we went with some friends to spend the day at the Nile and enjoyed the cool water as a break from the heat. We took a picnic lunch and then swam for a few hours. Sadie Mac LOVED being in the water. She was even splashing around kicking her arms and legs when we'd put her on her belly. The Nile is so wide we felt like we were at a lake! After we swam, we enjoyed sitting by the shore, but not for too long as the sun was HOT!!

Dipping my toes in...


Look at me... I'm a fish!

Sleeping Through Hydration

This is our baby, sleeping with her little bottom in the air. Lately, it's been pretty hot so she's sleeping with no pj's! At night, when we put her down, we give her water before she goes to bed, then a few hours later before we lay down to sleep, we give her a little more. When we first started doing this a few weeks ago, she would stir and wake up when we'd give her water. Now, the little girl just sleeps right through it. We can roll her over, put the little sippy cup to her mouth, she drinks it and rolls back over without batting an eye. This is now known as sleeping through hydration.

Celebrating the Savior...

We enjoyed an Easter Sunrise Service on the banks of the Nile River and it was truly beautiful. The weather was perfect (until around 8:30!!) and everyone enjoyed a breakfast feast afterwards. We are so thankful to be here and to celebrate the truth of Christ and that He is Risen!

Sunrise over the Nile...

Celebrating with others...

Enjoying goodies from her first Easter Basket!

Big Trip North...

Yesterday we traveled outside of the city and decided to go north to a place with pyramids and a big mountain that we thought would be fun to see. It was a long journey, but it was fun and a nice chance to see different places. We left early and didn't get back until late... but here are some of the sights we enjoyed.

Pyramids...


Camels, Camels, and more Camels...


The beautiful Nile River.


Many people might confuse a "sand drift" with a snow drift... let us help you. This is a sand drift.


We think that this was a pharaoh carved out of the back side of the mountain.


The first pay phone we've ever seen in the sandbox!


Really?!? Playstation... here?!?

GO Heels!!

Carolina girls... BEST in the world!! Yay, our Tar Heels won the national championship!!! Roy and the boys pulled it off! Woohoo! So, of course we are raising our daughter right- to be a Heels fan! This is the closest thing we had to one of those cute little cheerleading outfits! Unfortunately, the local sports store was fresh out, so she had to wear mama's t-shirt! We couldn't get the little cheerleader to smile either... that's a first! Anyway... GO HEELS!


We are Tar Heel born and Tar Heel bred, and when we die we are Tar Heels dead!

Making Friends

Last week we went on a visit to see some friends and Sadie Mac was the highlight for all. She was greeting everyone and playing with the other children and having a wonderful time. She was quite the little social butterfly. First, we were served water, which is custom. Everyone always brings water to their guests. Then we had coke, and coffee. Then, after that we enjoyed a meal together with water... only drinking AFTER the meal (also custom.) As the visit went on, we also enjoyed tea with milk together. We laugh at the fact it is 100+ temps and they LOVE coffee and hot tea!



We enjoyed the visit and all the while, Sadie Mac is having her a wonderful time. But, toward the end... her social hour(s) were finished. She had enough of being passed around (as you can see below). She was ready for mommy and daddy... and a NAP!

Mid-March Pool Party!

Last week the temperatures started rising and we thought... let's welcome summer back by having a "mini-pool party". Yes, Sadie's bathtub ducky doubles as a pool and she LOVED IT! We took it out on our balcony and we know she was thinking... "Bathtime??? YAY!!" NanNan brought her a bathing suit to enjoy days like this. (THANKS, cousin Caitlyn!!)I guess there are some perks for having 100+ temperatures in the middle of March... Welcome back summer... you weren't gone very long!


The lazy days of summer!!


Sadie Mac was having such a good time and when Stephen took her out, she kinda screamed (not mad... but just in a funny way) And I got them with the same faces.


This pool party is over!

Finding Contentment...

Recently I was inspired by a friend to make a list of all the things I like about living here. She was so encouraging and I was thankful to be reminded that even though it’s hard to be away from family and friends, and we live each day wondering what it shall bring, there are lots of great things about living here. Here are some of them…

Things I like about the Sandbox:
1. Fresh fruits and veggies every day and at one of the many stands that are always near by
2. My neighbors… so hospitable and helpful as I learn to live here
3 They love children here. Wherever I go people always want to hold Sadie Mac and she is quite use to strangers taking her. It’s so funny and so different than America.
4. Fool- the staple food here. We LOVE it. (mashed up beans with a few spices that you eat with bread... delicious)
5. It’s summer all year long! (I like this most of the time, but when I hear about ice and snow back home… there are a few times I’m jealous!)
6. Shopping at the Used Furniture Market… never know what kind of treasure you will find and what you can create from it. We bought Sadie’s nursery set there, chairs, and tables too! All for super cheap!
7. Having my own flower garden.
8. We can (kinda) speak Arabic!
9. I’ve learned to cook from scratch and Stephen says I’m not too bad at it.
10. Fresh bread daily at the local bakery and dookan (mini-mart)
11. Fresh pineapple juice with milk… basically, it’s amazing!
12. Not having to clean up water spills because the heat will get it in a matter of minutes!
13. Learning what Sandbox hospitality is…. And is often quite close to southern hospitality… I will raise my daughter right, whether it is here or in America!
14. Walking down the street and meeting a total stranger and them asking you to come in and drink tea… right then!
15. Having lots and LOTS of cultural experiences… henna (art work on my feet), halowa (waxing all the hair off my arms… ouch!), and wearing a tobe (cultural clothes that I never would wear in America!)
16. It’s ok to sweat and smell, because everyone does! (I hesitated to put this one, but it’s true!)
17. Learning to cook food from this culture (which I did with my language tutor this week!)
18. We have pyramids!
19. I can see the Nile River every day if I want to.
20. Even on hard days, we like knowing we are exactly where we are suppose to be.


The cashier took Sadie and continued to take orders!


We have our own pyramids!


The local taste... and learning to cook it!


Modeling a tobe... Sadie Mac is actually asleep in my sling under the tobe.


Standing on the banks of the Nile...


Fresh Fruits & Veggies... EVERY DAY!

Leisure Days

Here are some pictures of what we do on our leisure days. On days off we like to do a variety of things. One of Stephen's favorites, is playing golf at a course not too far outside of town.

Some days we have to stay around the house. Some days the sun is too hot to be out or some days there is just too much going on. On those days, we watch movies, play the wii, or my personal favorite, plant flowers!!
It's really funny that Sadie Mac is now crawling on her belly. She loves going any and everywhere... especially out on the balcony. When I'm out there with my flowers, she always finds me. As she crawls to me she typically spills my drink, gets into one I am planting and wants to play in the dirt. As you can see from the pic below... she has a trail of terror!

Allergic to VEGETABLES!

We've started solids. She LOVES rice cereal. I was excited to make my own baby food, feeling all domestic and what not! So, first we tried peas... uh, no thank you! Back to rice cereal.
Last night we tried carrots... again, NO WAY mama! She is so funny about it. She seems eager and when the food gets into her mouth she starts gagging and twitching. I think Sadie Mac is pretending to be allergic or something! Maybe we will throw veggies out the window for a little while and go to fruits! But this girl loves rice cereal!


(the actual gagging!!)


It was a food fight... and I lost!


"Hmmm.... this looks interesting. Green? Let's give it a whirl!"


"Are they serious? This is disgusting!"