Mother's Day

It was Mother's Day here today, so yesterday our church had a lunch celebration together after church.  This is the first sort of "social" thing at our church that we've attended and it was so much fun to get to know some of the folks a little bit better and see how they do a church dinner.  We have been really blown away with how friendly and kind everyone has been toward us.  And accomidating!  It's just amazing to see so many people make an effort on our behalf.  People willing to take care of Maya during the sermon ("nursery" looks really different here).  Providing translation for us any time we want (we choose to stick it out in Arabic, but we've had friends who have taken advantage of their standing offer to translate the sermon for us).  Calling us when we're not there, and I've even had a play date with one of the gals from church who has a little girl a bit younger than Maya!  Also, to celebrate Mother's Day, my precious husband got me a bread machine!  I am so excited!  Now all I have to do is muster the strength to use it.  That sounds simple enough, but even dumping some ingredients in a bread machine has been more than I can do some days (Yes, I continue to struggle a great deal with morning sickness).  I have always disliked the bread here (hard, dry if you want whole wheat, weird and sweet if you go for the slightly softer white).  It goes bad so quickly that you have to keep it in the fridge (someone tells me this is because they don't put all the preservatives in it that bread in the U.S. has, but I say give me some American preservatives!) and keeping it in the fridge makes it even harder.  So. . . . I have always wanted a bread machine so I can (easily) make my own bread!  I am so excited that Matt found one for me!  As soon as I give it a test drive I will let you all know.