I am so sorry it has taken me so long to write another post. So much has been happening here, and I just have not had the time.
First of all, my husband made it back to Egypt. He never really heard, officially, from the doctor that everything was ok. He did hear from the nurse that he has a strong heart and there seems to be no blockages. So, we praise God for that.
Second, I started teaching 3rd grade at my son's school. This is enjoyable and rewarding, but at the same time so much work. I usually end up bringing work home with me to grade, prepare, etc. So, that has cut into my free time considerably.
Third, I did not have internet till my husband returned. There was a difficulty in getting it set up again. It took him about 1/2 a day just to get it up and running.
Then, fourth, I had internet for about 30 minutes and guess what! My computer crashed. What a time for it to do that. I know there is never a good time for something like that to happen, but I needed it so bad to do lesson plans and other things for school. Also, I couldn't believe that happened so quickly after we had gotten our internet going.
Well, my husband rushed out the next day and bought me a new computer. I wish we had known this was going to happen when we were in the States because computers are cheaper there, but he did find a pretty good deal on one.
So, I hope to be back up and running soon. I probably won't be as consistent as I was in the past, but there is always so much going on here in Egypt I should have plenty to write about.
Oh yeah, I can't post a picture at the moment because I don't have any pictures on my new computer yet. ;o)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
FYI: An Update
Well, I guess you all have noticed I haven't been around in a while. Well, there's a good reason for that. We suddenly decided my son Levi and I would travel back to Egypt to get started with school on time. So, here I am, back in Egypt, with my son, but without my husband.
Let me explain. No, we didn't have a fight or anything drastic. My husband has a heart condition that he has known about since he was a kid. He has what is called an "Aortic Stenosis". This condition is caused from having two cusps in the aortic valve instead of three, and it is a condition that when it gets bad enough, has to be monitored from year to year. Well, this year, the condition had worsened a bit more than usual. So, his primary doctor wanted him to stay a bit longer for a consultation with a vascular surgeon and a couple of more tests. The consult went well, and the tests went well too, but we still do not know the results. The surgeon did say though, that he will not have to have surgery at this time, so Lord willing, he will be traveling back to Egypt this next Friday.
That's a good thing too, because my life is in chaos right now. (I'm probably exaggerating just a little.) Levi and I flew into Cairo around 3pm Friday afternoon, and I went to work as a teacher, teaching 3rd grade on Sunday. I haven't even finished unpacking, my apartment is still dirty because it hasn't had a thorough cleaning, and I feel so behind on getting everything ready for my students. But, everything is in God's hands. I am where I am for a purpose, and He tells me to "be anxious for nothing". So, that's just what I'm going to do.
So far the teaching has gone great! I am surrounded by good, loving people who are walking me through each step.
Sorry there are no pictures this time, but my husband kept the camera with him. I hope to keep up on the posts, but with a new teaching job they may be fewer than in the past. Besides that, my internet is not working at my apartment so I don't have much time on the computer these days!
Hope to be back up and running soon though, so don't give up on me just yet. ;o)
Let me explain. No, we didn't have a fight or anything drastic. My husband has a heart condition that he has known about since he was a kid. He has what is called an "Aortic Stenosis". This condition is caused from having two cusps in the aortic valve instead of three, and it is a condition that when it gets bad enough, has to be monitored from year to year. Well, this year, the condition had worsened a bit more than usual. So, his primary doctor wanted him to stay a bit longer for a consultation with a vascular surgeon and a couple of more tests. The consult went well, and the tests went well too, but we still do not know the results. The surgeon did say though, that he will not have to have surgery at this time, so Lord willing, he will be traveling back to Egypt this next Friday.
That's a good thing too, because my life is in chaos right now. (I'm probably exaggerating just a little.) Levi and I flew into Cairo around 3pm Friday afternoon, and I went to work as a teacher, teaching 3rd grade on Sunday. I haven't even finished unpacking, my apartment is still dirty because it hasn't had a thorough cleaning, and I feel so behind on getting everything ready for my students. But, everything is in God's hands. I am where I am for a purpose, and He tells me to "be anxious for nothing". So, that's just what I'm going to do.
So far the teaching has gone great! I am surrounded by good, loving people who are walking me through each step.
Sorry there are no pictures this time, but my husband kept the camera with him. I hope to keep up on the posts, but with a new teaching job they may be fewer than in the past. Besides that, my internet is not working at my apartment so I don't have much time on the computer these days!
Hope to be back up and running soon though, so don't give up on me just yet. ;o)
Friday, August 14, 2009
Several Reasons I Miss the States
I love kids, and I really love all of these little girls. They are just several little reasons I miss the States when I am overseas. The one I am holding, and the one behind me in the turquoise t-shirt are my nieces. The rest of them are my sister's best friend's little girls. Aren't they all sweet? They are sweet to look at anyway. They can be a bit of a hand-full and a bit mischevious when they are all together, but I miss them anyway.
If you notice, they are all wearing "Egypt" t-shirts. Even the baby, who is only 3 months old is wearing one.
I really hate missing out on their lives as they grow up, but most of them are at an age now where they pretty much remember me. I'm just happy about that, and I'm also happy that when I do return, I get so many hugs.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pictures From the Past
An old sausage press.
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Answer on bottom.)
The picture above, that I asked about, is a toaster. Some of you may have known, but it really threw me at first.
These are just some more pictures I took at Wilson's Creek Battlefield.
Can anyone tell me what this is? (Answer on bottom.)
The picture above, that I asked about, is a toaster. Some of you may have known, but it really threw me at first.
These are just some more pictures I took at Wilson's Creek Battlefield.
Monday, August 10, 2009
A Trip to the Past
Our family took a short drive last Saturday to an area very close to where we live called "Wilson's Creek Battlefield". It is a national park and is an area where a battle took place during the Civil War. Today, August 10th, is the anniversary of that battle, and because of the anniversary there were some special activities that went on there this past weekend.
The first thing we did was watch a movie that was about 20 minutes long about the battle that took place at Wilson's Creek 148 years ago today. I'm not much of a history buff, but I do admit the movie was quite interesting. Missouri was one of the only States that was split on its decision whether to stay with the Union, which was the Northern States, or go with the Confederates which were the Southern. The battle was considered a victory for the South, but it was not a strong enough victory to take Missouri away from the Union.
The next thing we did was park the car and walk a beautiful scenic route back to the site of a mill was called Gibson's Mill. As you can see, it was a beautiful, sunny day and a nice day for a walk. Doesn't the creek look inviting?
The beautiful, green path we walked.
After this, we went to see a house that was actually there during this famous battle in Missouri. There was a family that lived there called the "Ray" family. There were 12 people who lived in this small house, and then a slave and her 4 children that occupied a cabin in back of the house. The house has been redone but still has the original fireplace. The house was occupied till around the 1960s. During the battle, most of the family stayed in the cellar which was under the house. When the battle was over, they left the cellar, only to find all kinds of dead and wounded soldiers all over their yard and fields. So, the house served as a hospital during and after the battle.
The original fireplace.
The house of the Ray family.
The next thing we watched was a demonstration of how the soldiers shot a cannon and how the infantry loaded and shot their weapons. This was very interesting to me. The cannon took around 6 to 7 men to operate it. In both this group and the group of men in the infantry we took notice of how there were even very young men, practically still boys, who participated. This is not unlike what it would have been like back then.
There was lots of other things to do and observe, but by this time, we were 2 hours past our lunch time. So, we decided to call it a day. Tim and Dillon went back the next day and went to the museum and to a seminar on how to trace your ancestry back to Civil War times. Tim really enjoys tracing his ancestry and has done this for many years, but that will be a topic for another post here soon.
Tomorrow, I'll try to post some more pictures of this adventure, as there were just too many to post in this one post.
The first thing we did was watch a movie that was about 20 minutes long about the battle that took place at Wilson's Creek 148 years ago today. I'm not much of a history buff, but I do admit the movie was quite interesting. Missouri was one of the only States that was split on its decision whether to stay with the Union, which was the Northern States, or go with the Confederates which were the Southern. The battle was considered a victory for the South, but it was not a strong enough victory to take Missouri away from the Union.
The next thing we did was park the car and walk a beautiful scenic route back to the site of a mill was called Gibson's Mill. As you can see, it was a beautiful, sunny day and a nice day for a walk. Doesn't the creek look inviting?
The beautiful, green path we walked.
After this, we went to see a house that was actually there during this famous battle in Missouri. There was a family that lived there called the "Ray" family. There were 12 people who lived in this small house, and then a slave and her 4 children that occupied a cabin in back of the house. The house has been redone but still has the original fireplace. The house was occupied till around the 1960s. During the battle, most of the family stayed in the cellar which was under the house. When the battle was over, they left the cellar, only to find all kinds of dead and wounded soldiers all over their yard and fields. So, the house served as a hospital during and after the battle.
The original fireplace.
The house of the Ray family.
The next thing we watched was a demonstration of how the soldiers shot a cannon and how the infantry loaded and shot their weapons. This was very interesting to me. The cannon took around 6 to 7 men to operate it. In both this group and the group of men in the infantry we took notice of how there were even very young men, practically still boys, who participated. This is not unlike what it would have been like back then.
There was lots of other things to do and observe, but by this time, we were 2 hours past our lunch time. So, we decided to call it a day. Tim and Dillon went back the next day and went to the museum and to a seminar on how to trace your ancestry back to Civil War times. Tim really enjoys tracing his ancestry and has done this for many years, but that will be a topic for another post here soon.
Tomorrow, I'll try to post some more pictures of this adventure, as there were just too many to post in this one post.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Away for A While
Just thought I would pop in and let you all know I may not be posting for a week or so. We are on vacation and I am not going to be on the computer much. After this week, we only have one more week till we go back to Egypt. Hopefully next week I will at least be able to post a couple of times. So, have a good week, and I'll "talk" to you next week.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Another Ozarks' Experience
The area I am from in the States is called "The Ozarks". It is a beautiful area with lots of trees and hills. It can be really beautiful when all of the trees are green like they are right now from all of the rain, or when it is autumn and all of the trees are changing colors.
There are lots of things to do in the Ozarks. I already wrote a post about one of our experiences, and that was going to Silver Dollar City. Another place worth visiting is Branson Missouri. There are so many things to do in Branson that a person could not do everything in a whole month if they tried. There are lots of Music Shows, mostly country, blue grass and gospel. There are also museums, go-carts, putt putt golf courses, arcades etc.
Well, we were invited by some special friends to go see one of the many, many famous music shows which is called "The Presleys". No, they are not related to Elvis, but the Presleys Music Show has been around for years. In fact, they were the first to start a music show in the Branson area.
The show was fabulous and included all of the kinds of music mentioned above. Besides singing, each member of the show played at least 3 musical instruments each. Also, there was lots of comedy.
The man who started the Presleys show is now 84 years old. He used to be really involved with all of the different aspects of the show. Now he is still involved, but only plays the bass fiddle, but if you ask me, that is still pretty impressive for someone who is 84.
So, if you are ever passing through Branson and wonder what might be a good show to visit, I would highly reccommend "The Presleys". It is just good-ole, old-time entertainment for the whole family.
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