What'cha Been Up To?

Hello blog-reading friends.  We're still out here.  We've been busy doing all of this:

 We went on a little drive and after much searching, found this little spring that friends had told us about.  Sadly they had bull-dozed the nice grassy area around it we were planning to enjoy so our visit was short, but Maya had tons of fun playing in the cold water, throwing rocks, and generally getting dirty!

 This Syrian guy we met wanted to take Maya into this cave where the spring comes out of a rock or something.  Sometimes I'm amazed at the things involving my children that I allow to take place in this country (although I did shout at some children at the park two days ago, "Put her down, she's a person not a doll!"). 

 Having a good ole time gettin' dirty and wet.

We've been trying for months to get Zain to eat food.  In about the last week, he has FINALLY gotten the hang of it, but is still the slowest eater of all time, and seems to just tolerate it, not enjoy it (like his big sister did). 

I found a recipe for homemade puff paint and Maya and I had a lot of fun creating! 

 "Look at what I did!"

We are potty training right now, and the only words I have to describe how it is going might earn me the name potty-mouth, so we're just going to move right on to something happy . . .  

And how happy this makes me!  Zain and Daddy having some tickle time.  Zain is UBER ticklish and just loves to be cuddled, held, tickled, etc.  What a fun boy! 

 Speaking of fun--this was not.  These precious friends of ours left in June to to back to the States and boy do we miss them (Maya especially).

How could you leave this place?  We have sand we have sun, we have the sea!  On this trip to the sea, Zain, who has a super gag reflex got a bit of salt water in his mouth and puked.  He made up for it by eating sand the rest of the day.  Almost daily now, Maya wants to whisper this secret in my ear, "We're going to the beach with Isla!"

Speaking of Zain, doesn't he look like he is going to be extremely ornery?  His true colors are starting to shine and the boy has a temper when he doesn't get his way. . . what are we in for?!

For the 4th of July we had a crowd over to celebrate, swim, eat awesome food, etc.  I fixed these: BBQ chicken that was SO easy and SO good.  Homemade ice cream without a machine-I made cookies and cream, vanilla, Reese's pb cup and chocolate--and now I have a tire around my waist again!  It is SO simple, so easy, and so rich and creamy!  Try it!  I also made Baked S'Mores with some marshmallow cream hand carried from 'Merica, but I can't seem to find the conversation on facebook with the link to the recipe. . . We also had baked beans and amazing potato salad that friends brought.  It all tasted very American and yummy!  Maya took swimming VERY seriously (as you can see). 

 Zain and his buddy taking a dip--he really loves the water too.

Zain has started crawling!  Look out world (and mommy, say goodbye to showering). . .  

He has also sprouted two teeth!

I've been teaching an art class to some precious girls from about age 3 to 11!  It is an hour and a half of controlled chaos and I LOVE it!  I'll teach two more classes this summer, and I've been too busy at the two classes so far to take pictures, but we've done fabric yo-yo's and made them into hair barrettes, and we've started a canvas with recycled magazine pages and we're going to make it a mixed media piece with their names and a Bible verse of their choosing next week.  Still can't decide on what to do week four, any great ideas?  It has to be something that's not just on paper (that gets thrown away eventually).

Matt has been doing what we call a language push.  It's when we take a limited period of time and do something very intentional to push our language to a deeper level--his class is twice a week for 3 hours and it's all about controversial topics in society here!  I'll be taking the same class next month when I do a language push (and I'm REALLY nervous about the time commitment and the level of Arabic, but it will be GOOD for my very stagnant process (and I'm sure will humble me and challenge me spiritually). 

My friend's mom came for a visit to Lebanon and spent several hours with me and some girlfriends talking about parenting and it was really practical and encouraging.  The Lord really convicted my heart in regards to how I view Maya.  I haven't really been enjoying her for the last several months (maybe all the way back to when Matt broke his foot?  sidenote: I think that may be why I haven't blogged in forever--injured hubby for 3 months=busy stressed mommy!).  Anyway, I am trying to see her as a person again, rather than a project or a responsibility or a creater of greater messes and more responsibilities for me.  She is a fearfully and wonderfully made PERSON who needs me to try to know her and understand her as that.  Humbling.  So humbling. . .This parenting thing is hands down the hardest thing I have ever done.  But God continues to guide me and speak correction and conviction so even as I feel kind of at a loss as to how to do this (see this post), I continue to put my hope in Him and plead for His Spirit to guide me. 

I'm sure we've been doing other stuff, but right now, kids need fed, laundry needs done, Momma needs a shower, you know--the usual! ;)