Another New Kid on the Block

Another precious, tiny little baby was born on my street! World, meet Hunia. She's my new little neighbor. She was born in the middle of the night, around 1.30a.m. and I went over to see her at like 9.30am, so in these pics she's around 7 hours old! wow, incredible.

Here she is! 7 hours. She still quivered a little and opened her eyes only once.

It was amazing, I can only imagine what it feels like for all you moms, to hold your baby... and all you who are soon-to-have! (my best friend, yea!)

Here's the proud big sis and grandma. The baby was going to be born at home, but the grandmas and mom made a last minute decision to go to the hospital. Many women have babies at home here, which is so interesting and wild and great, I mean that's how it's been done for thousands of years!

One thing that they do here that I CANNOT imagine... oh wow, so to celebrate this new birth, EVERYONE YOU KNOW comes to visit you, as soon as they hear word of the birth... and then you have to HOST!!! I can't imagine. So you give birth, you're exhausted and tired and overwhelmed, and then everyone you know comes to visit you and you have to be customary and serve tea and offer dinner to them... wow! Luckily, the moms usually have daughters and sisters to help with the hosting duties. I brought them a chocolate cake, which they thought was special.... and I brought mom Zulfan a bottle of Advil, cause she had nothing but amoxicilin from the hospital... and that ain't gonna do anything for her pain!!

Newroz

Newroz is my favorite time of the year! The warm weather, the spring, the food, the bright colors… it’s little piece of Kurdish bliss. It’s an ancient holiday, daiting back before 2000BC, I think… don’t cite me on that. They celebrate when someone defeated someone… and he ran up on a mountain and jumped over a big fire as a sign of victory. They still make big fires and crazy Kurdish boys still jump over the flams. But now in 2010, Newroz looks like picnicking, dancing to loud Kurdish music, waving flags, and getting new jili kurdis. Here’s few pictures from this year:

These girls are as sweet as they are cute!

wild riders.

Green and gold! Sic em' Bears!

It did get quite cold… we’re under a blanket, you can’t really tell, but it was cold. But we stayed out at the picnic site in the cold and dark, they are tough picnickers!

I did get a new jili kurdi, too. This was the first one that I really helped design/pick out. Our seamstress neighbor sewed it. I like it! I'll have to put a picture of that later, though, the internet is quite slow right now and Carol and I are going on a walk to get some Vitamin E (sun!).

My Sunshine Friend

Happy Birthday, Jocita!

One of my best friends is turning 25 today!! Wow, this girl is an INCREDIBLE friend, I had all these great pictures picked out from our many adventures and stories over the last few years, but the internet just wasn't enough to load all the pics, but I got this one!

Jolynn, I just love you, you are one of my favorite people of all time and I'm so glad we met freshman year at Baylor. Just knowing you has taught me so much about friendships and relationships. I credit you with teaching me how to be a friend, seriously, YOU taught me how to be a friend! Before I didn't know, but you pursued me as a friend, leaving notes on my dry erase board, calling me to hang out, or to go get food at Memorial, you taught me how to love and pursue a person with no strings attached. You love and accept people unconditionally, really really, you do! How many people do that? No one! I love that you really savor people for who they are, and find a way to appreciate everyone... everyone... and we've encountered plenty of weirdos that tested that, haha.

I've been consistently loved and blown away by the ways you have loved me-- sending me letters and packages, giving gifts and trinkets from all over the world, squeezing orange juice when we're sick, planning parties, taking trips and adventures in Memphis (rest in peace, faithful vehicle), living the high life in big cities all over the US, laughing pool-side and hot-springs-side.... and you're gonna be in Texas when I get back!!! I'm so excited about that! I knew you'd come back... or maybe that was wishful thinking, but whatever, you're gonna be back in Texas!

I love you tremendously, and am so thankful for you and the way you serve and bless other people- you're so refined and beautiful. You have amazing artistic and creative giftings, which always bless me! You love laughing, you love LIFE, you enjoy everything... except maybe sciences and rules, haha. And I love and treasure our sleepy going-to-sleep talks about God, beauty, and life. You hunger for the meaning and purposes of God.

Beautiful!

Beautiful! You're so beautiful. Happy Birthday!

A New Kid on the Block

Congratulations! There's a new kid on the block, his name is Yehiah, I think... I'm still working on the pronunciation. He is now 7 days old! Our neighbor delievered him at home while we were traveling in Greece. So as soon as we came back we went to visit the baby. He's amazing, so tiny! I've never held anything that 6 days old! It's like holding years of pontential and dreams all in one little 9oz bundle.

really happy and relieved mama Siwra

The whole gang- 4 girls and now one boy and two american neighbors.

I'm so happy for them! Piroza, and we have one other really pregnant neighbor, like any day she could go into labor. She's also going to have her baby at home. Kristi and I have asked if we could help and be apart of that delivery, so I'm really praying that opportunity will happen! That would be incredible!

Also, If you want to see more greece pictures, I put some here.

Athens, Greece

Αθήνα, Ελλάδα

Hey Everyone!

Welcome to my blog! Ok so, I wanted to start a blog (all credit going to Krisit Meldrum-love ya!). I'm still learning how to blog and can't make any guarantees on how often I will update this, or to what you may find interesting on this blog, but it's invitation to share my life and experiences with me! Fermu!

And, what better time to start than today because I'm in Athens, Greece for vacation! I'm here with friends Carol and Elijah, taking a break from teaching and from daily life in Kurdistan, to rejoin the West for a bit and peacefully conquer all of Athen's sites and attractions and restaurants in 5 days!

Today we hiked up to Mars Hill and saw the ruins of the Parthenon and other famous Greek ruins.
This is an amphitheater in the same area, which looks like is still in use today for events. I'm pretty sure this is the place that Paul spoke when he was in Athens. (Check out Acts 17.16) He declared to all the Athenians the unknown God they had statues for ... Jesus!

I really didn't learn too much because it was freezing and we were giving ourselves a self-guided, free tour around the ruins... hmm, so my Greek ruins knowledge is limited to.... the attractions I've enjoyed the most (below).


The dogs. Ok, funny things about Athens, Greece... it's 1/3 tourist and 1/3 stray dogs. There are so many stray dogs... but they are nice and love people, like they've been raised by tourists! So with every group of tourists walking around, you'll see a stray dog trotting along with them, just following them around for scraps of food, but more for some human attention and affection, I think. The tourists love them! Who wouldn't want a cute, mangy dog following you around all over the city. So here's a pick of a tourist petting her canine Greek tour guide.

FOOD!!! Ok, fun new fact about me, I love Greek food! I haven't eaten the Dolmadas yet, but don't worry I will. I have eat Dolma in Greece so I can compare it to Kurdish dolma. But so far I have loved the Feta cheeses, and gyros, and yogurt. Today for lunch we had wraps of gyros chicken, tomatoes, and tzatziki (sauce). Then I turned around and forced myself to choose in ice cream flavor... 1 in 20, wow, how could I choose!? I went with yogurt with honey and walnuts, one scoop. (it's simple and healthier)... lunch for 4 Euros.

Greece is great so far! I'm so thankful to be here, yet I'm still thinkin about you! I'm missing my team, my family, my best friends and my Matt. :)