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Sunday, May 24, 2009

something

I am feeling something today. I guess you could call it homesickness. An event happened yesterday that got me thinking about Turkey. I was able to dismiss the feelings for the most part, because I was enjoying myself. Then today my kids started talking about the fun times they had walking home from school in the snow in Turkey, and the feelings swept in again.

For 6 1/2 years I lived in this building.

This pink and yellow and gray building. 3rd floor, apartment #12. The building was new when we moved in so we were the first to live in that apartment. It was like no apartment I had ever lived in. There were four bedrooms, a kitchen, a combined living and dining room, and three bathrooms. Only two of them had toilets though. You could start at the front door and follow the hallways in a square passing every room in our apartment and end up back where you started. Every room had a door that could close it off from the rest of the house. We took the kitchen door off it's hinges right after we moved in because it was in our way. It took up precious wall space when it was open and closing the kitchen door seemed strange. Our doorbell rang to the tune of Für Elise. It was a friendly way to announce a guest.

I honestly can't imagine not going back to that apartment there. I walked in and out of that front door countless times in the 6 1/2 years I lived there. I took off my shoes as I entered and hung my bag on one of the hooks by the door. I greeted many a guest in that entryway. We don't even have a real entryway hall here. The front door just opens into the abyss that is the office/formal living and dining room area. We don't even use the front door on a regular basis save for the pizza delivery guy and the kid next door.

I moved around a lot as a kid. I remember lying in my bed at night in the new house and closing my eyes. I would picture the old house. I would picture the layout of my old room. Being in the same bed made it easy. The closet door was to the right. My dresser was in front of me. The pink prayer picture was hanging on the wall to my left. I would fall asleep remembering.

It's much harder to do that here. The bed is different. It's a king size instead of a queen. All of the furniture is different. I can't close my wardrobe and feel the air rush out of the small crack between the doors. I don't have that wardrobe anymore. I have a closet for my clothes. I can't pry open the secret compartment in my dresser to reveal passports and shot records. The dresser here doesn't have secret compartments. The passports and shot records are kept in the filing cabinet in the office now.

I don't have a basket full of winter wear by the front door. I did bring back a few of our favorite scarves and hats for winter, but they weren't ever taken out of the coat closet. It never got cold enough, because well, this is Texas.

The treasure chest that sat on our entryway table...the one where we kept loose change to give our doorman so he would bring us a loaf of fresh bread in the mornings sits empty in our office here. There is no doorman to bring us bread. This is Texas.

There is no sending the boys to get their haircuts, no asking one of the kids to run to the store for a forgotten item, no walking to a friend's house, no doing a lot of things I got used to doing. This is Texas.

The kids still take their shoes off as soon as they come in the house even though it isn't considered dirty to wear your shoes in the house here. Some habits die hard even though this is Texas.

For some of my musings about Turkey and moving to America you can go here and here and I'm sure many other places on my blog. Clicking the Turkey link on the sidebar will get you to some of it. If you're interested.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Um...

So I've been hanging out at this new place quite a bit lately. Like Monday - Friday from about 6 or 7am to about 2 or 3pm. You know...depending on the day.


I've eaten quite a few of these which I only have to pay half price for. You know...since I'm there so much.


Would you just look at the yummy goodness!!!


These aren't so bad either!

So...yeah...if you've been wondering where I've been you obviously haven't looked here.

Monday, May 18, 2009

sustenance

Lately I feel like I've neglected this blog. I've posted pictures and the random words that go with them, but it hasn't been enough. I feel like there hasn't been much sustenance. The pictures are nice, but I can't live on a diet of pictures alone. I am starving. I need my words. Many of you know that about me. Thankfully when I have a hard time coming up with my own words I can count on my blogging friends to have words for me. I read and comment and read and email and read some more. I reread and close my eyes and let their words paint the picture of experience in my head. I've been to a parade, attended a wedding, bought a house, stepped in dog poop with my bare feet, dealt with the loss of a child, contemplated a classroom of 3rd graders, had a colon cleanse, been on a Turkish picnic, and remembered a relationship through the words of my friends in the last couple of days. Thanks to everyone for sharing your words with me.

I'm so very grateful.

(Oh...and the great thing about a virtual colon cleanse and virtually stepping in dog poop is it is so much cleaner this way. I totally recommend it!)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

a day

Today was a nice relaxing day. We hung around our house this morning before heading out to a local farmer's market to browse the fruits and veggies. Most of the stuff was trucked in...tomatoes from Florida, cantaloupe from Guatemala (which I realize is a very long truck ride)...so we elected to wait a couple more weeks before we tried out their produce. Hopefully some of the local stuff will be ready by then.

I brought my camera along with plans to take pictures, but since the fruit was slim pickins I never even pulled it out of my bag.

After a bite of lunch we went out to my parents' house for a little swim time. I did manage to get some pictures of the kids swimming.



















Now I'm sleepy.

comments

Ok...I've enabled comment moderation again. This time for me. I want everyone to feel comfortable saying whatever they want to say here. I will get all the comments and have the power to approve or delete them. If I think a comment was left that was meant for my eyes only I won't worry about publishing it. So say what you want. I'm listening.

Monday, May 11, 2009

A.G.

Anna Grace made me a card for Mother's Day. In it she wrote a rather lengthy note. I wanted to share it with you.

Dear Mom,
I love you. I know that you do almost everything for me so I decided to make you this. I love when you rub my back and say my prayers at night. I know that you love me and will always love me. I wish that someday I will make it into college so that you won't have to pay for me and my things. I think it's funny when you sing a song on American Idol that you know. I love how you make me laugh. I hope that you stay alive until I die. Hopefully we will never get separated. I like making puzzles with you. You are the greatest. Oh yeah, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I'm glad that we got to move here, but I really want to go back.
Your's Truly,
A.G.

Yeah...I cried. That kid can get to me for sure.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

All mixed up

On Mother's Day I get to choose where we have lunch.


Last year in Turkey I chose Timboo Cafe where I enjoyed a cheeseburger with grilled onions and fries.


This year in America I chose Zamani Mediterranean Grill where I had icli kofte, sarma, and hummus.

Yeah, I've got issues.

Camping

I am in a camping mood. I get in these moods every once in awhile. I want to go somewhere pretty and enjoy being outside. We don't actually own any camping gear anymore. We had quite a bit of stuff before we moved to Turkey. Most of it we gave away before we left. We acquired quite a bit of stuff while we were in Turkey. All of that we sold before we came back. So now we are back at square one with nothing. I'm sure my family has everything we need for a successful camping trip. I just need to call around and see who has what I guess.

Saturday, May 02, 2009

A flower story









The natural look

My parents have an amazing yard. Last night the kids and I went to their place to spend the night. This morning I walked around with my camera and took tons of pictures. These 5 are my favorites!


I love this. If I were to name my pictures I think I would call this one Determination.

Feel free to offer names for the others if you'd like.