It's not my fault. It really isn't. It's not because I didn't put the lid on tight enough or that I am absent minded and somehow didn't think 45 seconds ahead and realize that the baby was going to grab the bottle and magically get the lid off and poor it all over my carpet. Nope. It's the fault of this blog. Or, rather, the need for things to happen so that I can put them in this blog. Yes. And in some small way, it's the fault of all the people who read this blog. Yes, you! So if you are reading this, you must accept some small part of responsibility for this.

Of all things he could have poured on the carpet, and there are soooo many things to chose from at any given time with an older brother and sister in the house leaving things about, he *had* to pick the bottle of Gentian Violet? Had to? REALLY? And my rug is blue and beige. There is no way I can pass of huge purple blobs as some how an artistic part of the pattern. And of course he's now at least part Smurf. He managed to generously coat his foot and hand. It doesn't wash off. I have it all over my hands now too. Sigh. Just not the fashion statement I was looking to make right now.

So, of course I feel like a complete idiot. I did put the lid back on, but obviously not well enough. I should have put it up high for the half minute it took me to dispose of the diaper I had changed and wash my hands. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Didn't. Dang.

On to happier things, we had a good week. We went to Dubai to the Fire Station there for a tour and demonstration. There were about 40 homeschooled kids plus moms. They showed the kids where they live, eat, etc and then let them go through a fire truck and the back of an ambulance. They liked that. Then they took a truck out of the garage and set a tire fire in the parking lot and put it out with the big fire hose. Then the kids got to hold the hose and turn it on and off to see how heavy it is and how strong the water is. That was a big hit. But I think their absolute favorite part of the tour was stomping around in the water puddles left behind. LOL. They don't get too many chances to do that here in the desert.

We have gotten in touch with a larger homeschool group here also. It's good. Diverse. And there is about 30-ish families in it. It's just starting to get organized so I guess we will see where it goes.

The kids have also been ice skating. They both are doing well with it. They just got out there and skated. I'm sure their form will improve with practice. :-)

Eid is coming soon, as is Amin and Ahmed's birthdays. And Abdullah's. Amin will be 1. Time flies. He's getting so big. And just on the cusp of walking so that's exciting. It never gets old when babies and kids have their "firsts". I find it exciting watching my kids grow and seeing the changes and the processes they go through. Each stage has something wonderful and something frustrating. But that makes sense. If any stage was perfect, then we wouldn't want them to move on and grow. And they need us to want them to do that. To support them, nuture them, help them grow and be. The trick is to remember to ENJOY each stage as well.

More later.

Ok, here I am again. It took many minutes for me to figure out how to login and work on this blog. That's what I get for not coming here except every 6 months. :-)

So we are back in Abu Dhabi now, since about the middle of September. The house is about 90% done, but not yet livable. The kids are growing like weeds, ma'sha Allah. I will try to add some photos when I get some more recent ones. My time in Egypt was definitely interesting. I met a lot of lovely people, and made some good friends. I got closer to my IL's and that was nice. The kids got to know their family a lot better and that was one of the main goals of the trip. Yousuf and Tabarak have improved their arabic but we have to work now not to lose the gain. Amin is getting big. Insha'Allah, he will be 11 months next week. He is taking tentative steps and has 8 teeth. Yousuf is in "1st grade" this year, although we don't stick to a particular curriculum and limit him to only what schools consider 1st grade work. Tabarak is in Kg still so no particular expectations are on her yet from "others".

I'm feeling a bit homesick these days, but I'm not really what for. It's not the food or even the people in particular. I think it might just be the whole not being a foreigner thing. In the states I feel like I have a right to be there that no one can take away. And I guess I have the attitude that if someone doesn't like me, well, too bad for them. Here I feel a bit less "at home". I feel like I have to work harder to have the "right" to be here, and maybe prove myself or something. No one asks me to do that, it's just my own perception of myself I guess. I do miss my family and would like to be able to spend more time with them. Ahmed is agreeing that the kids and I should go for a visit, when we aren't too sure about. I would love to go up and visit my Aunt and cousins for a few days at some point but with living internationally and travelling with 3 kids, that isn't too likely.

The weather here is turning nice and the homeschooling group is getting active. I'm hoping to be able to get the kids out to the park more often now as the weather cools off. Anyway, I guess that's it, nothing really new or exciting. Oh, well. LOL.

Time Flies, Doesn't It?

I can't believe it's been 4 months since my last post. Amin is 4 months today and his first tooth finally came through today. It was pretty uncomfortable for him but he was a trooper. The second tooth is just under the surface.

We've been in Egypt now for the past few months, since the beginning of January. Yousuf started baseball today. He was so cute. None of the kids have a clue what to do. There was a lot of running in the wrong direction and not wanting to throw the ball once they got it. But they all seem to be having fun and that's the most important thing.

Tabarak is not happy because she's still too young to do most of the stuff that is available for the kids. She does go to gymnastcs but she wants to do every single thing Yousuf does.

Homeschooling is coming along fine. We are having a series of lectures/workshops on April 12. It should be fun. There are probably at least 40 families in Cairo homeschooling and I would guess there are others that I'm not aware of. I'll post pics now, and that'll be it for this post. ;-)

Baby Amin is here!

The latest addition to the Ghaly Family has (finally) decided to make an appearance.

Amin Ghaly was born 5 December 2007 at 12:20 a.m. weighing in at 4 K 460 g (9 lbs 8 ounces).

Everyone is home and doing well. Yousuf and Tabarak are having great fun having a new baby to fawn over. :-)

UPDATE - Finally

An update of what we've done this summer.

First, we went to the US for 2-1/2 months to visit family and friends. It was nice spending time with my grandmother and my brother, SIL, and nieces/nephews. It was good for the kids to get to know that side of their family as well. Being pregnant, I got homesick and we ended up coming back to the UAE at the end of June instead of at the beginning of September as planned. While there in the US, I "ran into" (online) a friend from High School. It was nice chatting and catching up. She has a lovely family and seems to be very well. I was really happy to know that as I had wondered about her often.

Of course when we got back to Abu Dhabi, the weather was *HOT* but that was expected. The kids were happy to be home and have their own space back. The weather is starting to cool off now, just in time for me to be a bit too tired to really go out much. Poor kids.

Now, I'm just waiting for baby to show up, hopefully will only be a couple of weeks or so. Assuming all is well and everyone is healthy, we are planning on going to Egypt about mid-January or beginning of February. I don't know how long we will be staying, probably for a few months. Then it is either back to the US to finish up my schooling or back here to the UAE depending on far too many factors to list here.

So basically life is rolling along, uneventfully, for which I am thankful and would be perfectly happy if it continues like that.

Will be back once there is something new and/or interesting to post. LOL.

Playing catch up.

OK, well obviously I'm doing a brilliant job of keeping up this blog. NOT! LOL. So now it's time to play catch up. Not that there's tons to report but still....

We went to a Astronomy Night a few weeks back with a group including 2 friends and families. It was really interesting, informative, and fun. We got to see the moon (Yousuf wanted to know why it was upside down), the Seven Sisters (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades_(star_cluster)), and Saturn. One friend commented that Saturn looked like they had taken a decal and placed it on the end of the telescope. It was so perfect and clear and bright. Just really lovely and awe-inspiring. I'm not entirely sure that Yousuf knows that it was real and not just a picture.

Most of the time we are just doing the usual, going to the park, homeschooling (although in our case that means playing, doing puzzles, and answering a multitude of questions that I never thought possible to ask), and trying to get the house organized before leaving for the US for the summer.

I'm not looking forward to the "trip" which includes 8 hours between here and the UK, then a 5-ish hour layover, and another 8 hour flight to Chicago. Then luggage, customs, and a 2-ish hour trip on the bus to Milwaukee. But I'm really looking forward to seeing my friends and family. And I think the kids will have fun this summer. DH will be missed but the time will pass quickly and, who knows, we may come back earlier than expected.

The house is slowly, painstakenly making progress. They have put in the foundation and the columns and are supposed to be finishing the first "roof" (or second floor) about now. That means it only took 4 months to do a 1-month job. So, right on schedule! What is it about construction and construction workers? Everywhere in the world, they never seem to stick to schedule or get done on time. Ah, well, everthing in it's time I guess. :-)

I spend a lot of my time just in amazment of my children. I can't beleive the things my almost-5 yo can do and absorb. He just loves to learn and spends so much time in pursuing information and figuring things out and Tabarak is following suit. It makes me so grateful to be able to be here to see everything they do and say and sometimes I just feel like bursting. Sounds silly but it's really the only way to describe it.

On Vaccinations......

The Hidden Truth about Vaccinations:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8610554679207090010

By Dr. Donald Miller, Jr:

http://www.generationrescue.org/pdf/user_friendly.pdf