Without the friends I have made through the Embassy family in Kuwait, I probably would have gone crazy here long ago. These women come from all walks of life, they are different races, religions and all have different reasons to have a connection to the U.S. Embassy. I can't say enough good about these ladies and there families. I am proud to be here in Kuwait with them and I am also thrilled to know that if push comes to shove"they have my back".

This sense of community reminds me of getting close to your fellow church members in the U.S. Baby showers are thrown for people, meals are provided for those in need, we check in on eachother and we know that if there is a need we have a helping hand. I have realized that life in the Foreign Service means making "fast friends". When you move to a new town or state in the U.S. it may take you awhile to find women with similar life experiences and interests. Here you are thrown right in to the mix with groups already meeting and invitations to things abundant. Without these women I would feel even farther away from "home".

Every month in Kuwait the women of our Embassy play BUNCO. You may have played it or heard of it. We have a fun loving group of ladies that chat about frustrations, make jokes and just have a bunch of fun! This has become a real time for me to take a night and just focus on something that can be pretty mindless, rolling dice. It is a time to chat about anything and everything, all while playing the game and sometimes keeping score. Yes, we women can multitask ; )

I would highly encourage you to start a group like this if you are needing a time with other women. It doesn't have to be Bunco, maybe a book club, cooking club, a breastfeeding mothers group or even a teenage parent commiseration group ; ) I know that this time has often kept me sane in some of my darkest moments here. It reminds me I am not here alone and that other women are sharing the same struggles and triumphs of living here.

I am looking forward to our next post of Bamako, Mali! I have made a couple friends there and I am already dreaming of hosting Bunco in my next home. Maybe there is already a group and I can join in. I have gotten quite good at keeping score! Get ready Bamako, here I come and please have the dice ready~

I hosted the last Bunco at my home and it was Easter themed. We all had at least one chocolate bunny : )

The camels crossed the road to get to the race track! Today we went to the Kuwait Camel Racing Club. What an amazing thing to see.

We were excited to get to drive our 4 wheel drive Durango. The Durango just arrived in Kuwait and we have missed it!!! We packed up and headed out 6th ring road determined to experience something unique to this area of the world.

We were very impressed that as we got closer the racing club, people were directing us where to go. Even some kind police officers escorted us in the right direction when we took a wrong turn.

We arrived early and were able to see many camels up close. The camel owners and trainers were very accommodating with letting us take pictures and video.

Once inside we asked a man if we could drive further inside near the track. He told us that would be fine. We were able to follow the race in our car along with the owners and camel trainers. I think this was the best part of the experience. We were racing around beside the camels in 4 wheel drives with the wind and sand (or more accurately dust) blowing through our hair. During this time I felt like I was in a James Bond movie, it was surreal. The domesticated James Bond(Kelly) and I had to juggle five kids while taking photos and video at 30-40 mph with visibility almost nothing from all the sand being kicked up. I don't think James or the bond girls ever had to worry about one of their children flying out a window. This was the most fun I have had in a long time!!!

We were shocked to see some of the children who were riding around the track standing on some of the cars wheel wells. Yikes!! This does not appear to be a safe way to ride in Kuwait.

When we returned home everyone bathed or showered. It is amazing how much sand a few camel races can kick up. If you are ever in Kuwait or anywhere in the Middle East, catch the camel races. You will be glad you did. Just be prepared to need a hot shower afterwards.

We enjoyed many fun family times this LONG holiday weekend. The kids loved riding bikes, shopping for rugs at the Friday Market, and our own "silly string" wars. We can say we found "true happiness" and it had nothing to do with Islam (see photo below). I loved the colors of the "true happiness" painting on the wall that we spotted while going to Fahaheel. Let me just say I don't agree with the sign, but it was unique so I had to capture it on film.



Timmy would like everyone to know that he found "true happiness" in the silly string war. HA! HA! Just look at this face in that photo, he HATED that stuff on him in anyway. It was very hard to get him to keep still for a photo of The Bunch. He cooperated, but immediately ripped the string off and ran into the open door of our mini van.



I would say I found "true happiness" at least for a time while shopping for rugs at the Friday market. I purchased three big rugs for 150 bucks!!! I am embarrassed to admit I have paid 400 dollars for one similar in the U.S. On of our favorite things about Kuwait is that rugs are inexpensive. I am not talking about the really high quality Persian rugs. I may have to purchase one of those before I leave as well.



Due to the fact that a bulk of our items that were supposed to be sent into permanent storage in Virginia arrived with our HHE (Household Effects), we are sending these rugs we purchased back to storage in the shipment that will go back soon. I wanted some everyday rugs that someday my grand kids can run, play, and eat on. I know nothing like planning ahead! We will probably do more rug shopping in another location at a later date and share it with you all. It would be beautiful to have a "magic" carpet to hang on the wall.



Speaking of magic carpets, the bunch had their own magic carpet ride. At the Friday Market there are men with wheel barrows everywhere that will carry your load for tips. At least we thought it was for tips. After this nice gentlemen had carried our three rugs and five children out to the car, he showed us something in English that it was 6 KD (Kuwaiti Dinars) for the use of his muscle and wheel barrow. YIKES! I tip the men who carry the groceries out to my car much less. 6 KD is about 24 U.S. dollars! I don't know that the ride was all that magical, or worth it. I am still not convinced that it really costs that.

The last photo was taken this morning. It was taken during a yucky sand storm. I can be honest, I don't miss snow, but I would take that any day over a sand storm. At least with snow it melts, can be plowed and dries clear. Imagine sand (really light dirt) hanging in the air, you cough, sneeze, have itchy eyes and the visibility is terrible. Sand storms do not equal "true happiness", my friends. Have a great weekend~

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving! What a blessed holiday we had. We went out to spend the holiday with our friends near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Matt, Kimberly, Jonah, Gracia and Benjamin, THANK YOU so much for opening your home to us and for the wonderful day!!!

We met Matt and Kimberly in Uganda when we went to bring Timmy home. In the brief time (ten days) I was with them we had formed a great bond. Little did we know how through the tribulation of both of our adoptions that we would become much closer. Like in most things in life, adversity reveals character. I am here to attest that this family is of the highest character and without both of them we probably wouldn't have been able to bring the kids home. Kelly and Matt lived in a guest house together, after Kimberly and I went back home, for over a month while fighting and clawing for the small victories as far the adoption of our son and their daughter. Imagine two big bald white guys walking the streets of Kampala each day with a Ugandan baby. The locals must have had a hard time not staring. MUZUNGU (Lugandan term for White), was often shouted at them as they were out and about. I don't think Matt misses hearing that term and would probably prefer never to hear it again. There are actually T-shirts with printing reading "My Name Is Not MUZUNGU" that one can purchase.

Here is the picture of their beautiful daughter, Gracia and our sweet mini man, Timmy. These two are two of the cutest Ugandan Americans ever!

Matt and Kimberly have a farm in Lancaster County, PA. Matt offered to take us on a hayride and the kids had a great time. We fed their goats, donkey and we attempted to feed their Holstein calf to no avail, he prefers his bottle. But Luke was able to pitch a corn ear in his pen and I think it was the highlight of his trip.

We stayed a t place called The Red Caboose Motel in Ronks, PA. It was a blast! They have forty train caboose' all outfitted like camping trailers, we spent two nights in the red caboose with Southern painted on the side. Right next door is the National Miniature Train Museum. We visited that the day after Thanksgiving. It was great the kids were allowed to push many buttons to animate different parts of the miniature trains displayed.

We also ate breakfast in The Little Red Caboose Motel's dining car. We watched buggy after buggy "klip klop" by on the road while eating. The dining car even shakes to give the illusion of riding the rails. What a fun time and great holiday! Thank you to Matt and Kimberly and their sweet kids for sharing the holiday with us! We love you and we are so glad to have met you in Africa. What a blessing to see you in your element in Pennsylvania. Please come and visit us anytime, we will keep the guest room open for you. Matt, I promise we won't even call you, MUZUNGU : )

We are once again preparing to leave D.C. and we HOPE to be flying out the middle of next week. It is a Muslim holiday, so the Kuwaiti Embassy is closed. Please pray for everything to come through and for us to get the visas early next week. As I look at these photos I am so thankful to God for the gift of friendship. What are you thankful for?

Hello to all! This is a photo collage of our recent activities. We had a great time last weekend at the National Arboretum. Our favorite exhibit was the Bonsai trees. One of which they have been "training" for almost four hundred years. It was a gift to someone in our government from a high ranking Japanese official, amazing! I barely can keep a house plant alive. Imagine the pressure of keeping a tree that began it's life as a Bonsai in Japan over four hundred years ago alive. I couldn't do it, very impressive!

On Veteran's Day we had our tickets to tour the Washington Monument. It was chilly and raining, but we did it! I have been to Washington D.C. many times in my life. I have never in all those visits actually went up in the Washington Monument. Kelly hadn't been up the giant obelisk either. We all had a great time and enjoyed seeing this historical city from the sky.

After our tour came to an end, we went over to The American History museum. I have wanted to see Julia Child's kitchen while here. I loved seeing that. Her coffee maker even had masking tape on it with the number of scoops per cups of coffee. I am sure this is for her husband, Paul to use : ) The kitchen was wonderfully organized. I think she may have inspired me. We finished out time with lunch in the cafeteria, a tour of the first ladies dresses, finding Dorothy's ruby red slippers from the Wizard of Oz and checking out a bunch of political buttons (my favorite is the last photo).

My mom is flying in to visit on Sunday and we have tons to get done before we leave for our new home. We are excited, tired and so ready to be out of a three bedroom apartment. This week we actually get to see what condition our HHE (Household Effects) are in and sort them for shipping. I hope you have a great weekend! See you next week~

Today we found my new favorite place. The closest nature center. I have missed "Green Space", which is apparently what it is referred to here in the big city. Back in Michigan "Green Space" was our yard.

I rarely lose track of time. I am a descendant of many Germans. I am always on time. Today, though I think I slipped from our space-time continuum into heaven. I was able to photograph my beautiful children, spy some birds, listen to the water rushing over the rocks and enjoy the amazing fall foliage. It was perfect for a time. The kids were all happy running, laughing, and watching leaves float down the stream. Had I stepped off into another world? Where was the traffic, the loud sirens of the millions of firetrucks constantly going here or there? The towering buildings were replaced by the towering trees. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end. Is that Hope crying because Timmy had the audacity to breathe? Snap, just like that and I am back to life, back to reality!