Easter Hike!

We celebrated Easter with a fun hike... to visit the ruins at the top of this mountain!

We enjoyed the incredible view!

M loved hunting for lizards!

We had a BLAST!

First "Football" Game!

Mason playing goalie.

The boys had their first soccer game today.  Try playing soccer on asphalt!  

From the rooftop

 Dad took a couple of pics from the top of our building.  

Beautiful, isn't it?

The Eagle has landed!

Although we arrived 12 days ago, we have been so busy getting acclimated to our new "nest" that we haven't had much chance to post to our friends...Sorry about that!  But life is going great and the kids and we agree, "We love it here!"  We were blessed to arrive in Spring, when the flowers and trees are blooming and the temperatures are comfortable.  Even now the scent of the blossoms below our apartment wafts in through the window.  We can see a tree with fat oranges growing on it from our balcony, lemon trees throughout the neighborhood, and wisteria vines blooming all over the city.  It's really quite lovely!

The big kids started school today.  Their classes will be conducted in about 90% arabic, with 2 math classes each day, one with English #'s, one with Arabic #'s.  Should be challenging!  Little M was so sad that there was no room in the kindergarten right now, so she will have to wait until fall.  For now she will come to language classes with mom & dad.

We have lift-off!

We are writing you from the Houston airport... our last opportunity for some internet before launching into a new world of electronic uncertainty, as we get our new "everything" established (electricity, phone service, internet, etc.)and can get back online.  Our journey with our Father continues... so glad you've come along!

We are SO blessed by our family, who helped us pack, drove us to the airport, helped us with the many bags that have monopolized the majority of the last 5 days, hugged us, cried with us, pra*ed with us, and kissed us good-bye, for now.  It has been an active, draining, bittersweet, but exciting day, and we've only just begun!  The kids LOVED their first experience on an airplane:

"I loved it.  It was a little scary at first."

"It was almost like a roller coaster, but with more hype!"

"My favorite thing was looking out the window!  I saw houses that were ants and lots of trees and little cars!"

"My favorite thing was landing!"

I don't ever remember enjoying a flight more.

Enjoying one last serving of beef BBQ ribs before leaving Texas and the good ole' USA!

Thanks for pra*ing for us!

Ski-time!!

We just wanted to share a few pictures of the kids' first ski trip!  Our Grandpa in Winston-Salem wanted to take the kids to Sugar Mountain in Boone to learn to ski.  He rented a comfy cabin right on the slopes so we could ski right up for a break to warm up with some hot chocolate, chili, or oatmeal!  The kids learned quickly and were up and skiing the first day.  We were so proud of them.  We had an awesome time!  Thanks Grandpa!!

Family Fun at the Lake

Daddy hooked it, but let his big girl reel it in!

Boys have been squirrel hunting.  No, those are not pellet guns.

Girls have been boating!

Did we mention it was 73 degrees when we went fishing today?