Ugh!

I have to job hunt again. I HATE job hunting. Especially when I don't really want a job. I want to be home with the kids. But until we know what kind of job Baba will have and how much it pays, I have to at least try to have something to do for income. At least my training and experience are for a career I love. Just wish I wanted a career at this time of my life.

So, I'm checking out the schools in my area. So far none have openings for my area of certification. I have experience in another area (from teaching abroad) but no certification for it. I could always go back and take classes if I could get a temporary certification, but at this point I'm undecided about working. Do I want to commit myself to a job AND taking classes?

Actually it's not so much a question of *wanting* as of the time in my life. I want to continue to be a SAHM. It's what I'm loving right now. I do enjoy teaching elementary and would love to be certified for it so I can work in that position. It's just a matter of wanting to now.

So, I'm looking at the school websites. I'm going to send my CV to the various schools, even though they don't have openings right now for my area. But it's April...more could very well pop up. I will express an interest in being a substitute if no openings occur. I'm sticking close to home. We're near a larger town that has a good school system but they rarely close school for bad weather. Meanwhile I have curves and hills to contend with. Teaching there would mean I could use up sick days if we get enough snow to close our school without closing the big town's too. Besides their online application is scary. I don't remember what dates I started an ended. I don't remember what month for half of them, let alone the date. I think all of them had teachers start back in August, but some ended in May and some in June. I'm getting too old for this.

Also, was my last certificate a PC-1 or a PC-2? I think it was a PC-2 but I only have a copy of my PC-1 and the expiry date is earlier than I know my last certificate expired. I thought I brought that copy with me but I don't know where it is. I want to scream!

Right now I'm hoping and praying that Baba gets a job easier than expected so that I can either stay home or sub. I'd love to sub in the kids' school. It will help me to stay on top of them with their teachers. I want to be involved in their school. If I teach, that's where I want to teach. It's the closest and the kids will be there. Plus, unlike the last school I taught, there will actually be a curriculum in place so I'm not reinventing the wheel with each lesson plan. Heaven!

OK, off to find e-mail addresses again. Wish me luck!

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

We're moving home. So the kids and I will stay in the States instead of coming back for school next year. I'll return with the cousins and then turn around with suitcases full of winter clothes. It was a quick decision, but the right one. The Boss is thrilled, though he'll miss his friends. But with e-mail and social networks, he can keep in touch. I'm not telling the Peanuts until closer to the end of school. But I have been feeling them out.

Yesterday morning I asked the Little Prince if he was excited to be going to America this summer. "Yes!" Would you like to live there? "Yes!" Would you want to go to school there? "No, because I don't know anybody." So he's decided he wants to live there and go to school here. I think I'll let Baba break the news to him.

Yesterday afternoon I asked the Diva if she was excited to be going to America this summer. "Yes!" Where would you rather live, here or there? "Here." But then she decided there. Would you like to go to school there? "They have schools in America?"

This rocks!

This book is terrific! The trilogy is soooo good. I love the characters (except for Victor Frankenstein, of course) and even the members of the New Race are fun to eavesdrop on. I've always loved how Koontz writes dialogue and this doesn't disappoint me at all. I find myself laughing out loud at the things the characters say.

A few years ago I bought "Life Expectancy" by Koontz. That one had me hooked all the way through. I reread it twice. Unfortunately it was in a sack of books that someone left on my terrace all winter. I know it wasn't me. I'm not that dumb. If I ever find out who did it, that person had better run! There several books that I'd reread and want to again. {sigh}

Anyway, I'm hoping that I get my bathrooms and kitchen cleaned tomorrow early enough to read. I plan to bake a cake so maybe I'll indulge all the way.

It's that time of year again!

Here in Lebanon you know spring is here and summer is on it's way when you can leave the windows open all day, your laundry is dry in one day, you have less water than during the winter, and you need to start plugging in these things...that thing in the picture up there. Yes, they've arrived. The lovely mosquitoes.

The Diva and I tend to attract them the worst. Saturday night when the kids went to sleep over at their aunt's I sent them with some Off! spray and Fucicort (before and after) in case her power went out and the Vape wouldn't work. While sitting on the couch watching TV and playing on the computer at night I've been enjoying the familiar aroma. Then I go to bed and enjoy it some more.

We plug them in as soon as it starts to get dark, later if we're not home yet. It often seems that they don't do any good since we wake up with bites anyway, but if I run out and don't go buy some you can sure tell a difference. So they are doing some good.

I also have some Vape lotion for the kids and the Fucicort is good for treating the bites later. I've also been using alcohol on them when they're itching to stop the itch right away. Then put on the Fucicort if necessary.

SIL leaves this week for her next stint on the boat. Assuming, of course, that the ash cloud that's crippling airports around Europe has cleared up enough to allow them to open. So we're going to meet up with her after school and head to Kiki Monkey. Looks fun, doesn't it?

Fans

For the last several weeks my laptop has been making a really annoying noise. The fan is humming and whirring in a way that it shouldn't. For starters, I don't think I should be able to hear it at all. Not only do I hear it, it's loud. To try to put off replacing it until we can find the part cheaper (or at least avoid the cost of shipping) I bought a new cooling pad that has a big fan in it. I've noticed it's not as loud as much since the pad keeps it from having to run quite as much.

The week the Boss has 3 tests. History on Tuesday, Science today, and Math tomorrow. Welcome back from spring break! His tutor is coming again after school to help get him ready for the math. He's good at it, but she's better at drilling him than I am. Math is not my thing. I can help with homework fine, but test prep? Not so much.

I'm also seeing a dermatologist today. I've always had a problem with acne. Normally it's in the T-zone. Occasionally I'll have one or two on my cheek but not more than that at a time. Less than a week ago I one on my right cheek. By evening there were 2 more. By morning 3-4 more. They almost didn't seem like acne because I never get them like that on my face. They didn't itch, but still could have been mosquito bites. But over the course of 2-3 days? In the same place?

Last night when I was washing my face I noticed some more in the same place on my left cheek. Which has me seriously doubting it's acne. It still could be but in the same pattern on both sides of my face? I went to the pharmacy and asked about a good dermatologist. There's one in the clinic with my doctor. I went right there and made an appointment for 4. So...

Pick up the kids...We get home around 3:30 and that's what time the tutor gets here. Pick up manakish on the way...so hopefully she won't be too punctual. Take the Peanuts with me to the doctor (unless I can bribe them into watching a DVD in the Boss's room), come back and get everyone in the car, stop at the pharmacy if the doctor prescribes anything, and head to Beirut. During rush hour. Actually considering the route we take and how close she is to the roundabout at the end of it, that might not be bad. But if we go see SIL afterward, that could be the pain in the derriere. Thinking rewarding ourselves for being brave enough for it with supper from Abou Sako.

We also have another water situation. For some reason water isn't making it from the big tank on the roof to our tank. So I'm waiting for the guy our friend was calling to call me to set up a time to take care of it. It's late enough that I doubt he'd make it today (just as well with what we have going on) but he'd better make it tomorrow. We can shower tonight but I have laundry to do. Why can't we just have normal plumbing and water supply?

1 Corinthians for Moms

I can read bedtime stories till the cow jumps over the



moon and sing "Ten Little Monkeys" until I want to



call the doctor-- but if I don't have love, I'm as



annoying as a ringing phone.









I can chase a naked toddler through the house while




cooking dinner and listening to voice mail, I can fix




the best cookies and Kool-Aid in the neighborhood, and




I can tell a sick child's temperature with one touch




Of my finger, but if I don't have love, I am nothing.









Love is patient while watching and praying by the




front window when it's 30 minutes past curfew.









Love is kind when my teen says, "I hate you!"









It does not envy the neighbors' swimming pool or their




brand-new mini van, but trusts the Lord to provide




every need.









Love does not brag when other parents share their




disappointments and insecurities, and love rejoices




when other families succeed.









It doesn't boast, even when I've multi-tasked all day




long and my husband can't do more than one thing at a




time.









Love is not rude when my spouse innocently asks, "What




have you done today?"









It does not immediately seek after glory when we see




talent in our children, but encourages them to get




training and make wise choices.









It is not easily angered, even when my 15-year-old




acts like the world revolves around her/him.









It does not delight in evil (is not self-righteous)




when I remind my 17-year-old that he's going 83 in a




55-mph zone, but rejoices in the truth.









Love does not give up hope.









It always protects our children's self-esteem and




spirit, even while dealing out discipline.









It always trusts God to protect our children when we




cannot. It always perseveres, through blue nail




polish, burps and other bodily functions, rolled eyes




and crossed arms, messy rooms and sleep overs.









Love never fails! But where there are memories of




thousands of diaper changes and painful labor(s), they




will fade away..









Where there is talking back, it will (eventually)




cease.









Where there is a teenager who thinks she knows




everything, there will one day be an adult who knows




you did your best.









For we know we fail our children, and we pray they




don't end up in therapy, but when we get to heaven,




our imperfect parenting will disappear.







When we were children, we needed a parent to love and




protect us. Now that we're parents ourselves, we have




a heavenly Father who adores, shelters us and holds us




when we need to cry.







And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.




But the greatest of these is love.

Home at last and I found it!

A little before midnight Thursday night the Boss sent me an sms telling me that he had landed. Then about half an hour later SIL sent me one telling me she had him and they were heading home. The next morning the Peanuts and I headed down the mountain to pick him up and bring him home.

After some time on the Wii the kids were ready to head back down to Beirut and see some family. They were staying in Achrefieh a few days and we went down there to see them. I had to drive past their house since I wasn't sure where to park and the street I thought would take us around to go back again didn't. I ended up on a not-so-scenic tour and finally found a highway I thought I recognized but it took us all the way back to Dora. That's OK though...I knew exactly where to go from there so I didn't mind repeating part of the trip. We finally made it back and found a parking space.

We stayed a few hours and then headed home for grilled cheese sandwiches with fresh strawberries for desert.

This morning we slept in and then headed down to Dora again to see "How to Train Your Dragon". It ended up not starting until 2:30 so we had about an hour to kill. We wandered around Virgin Megastore and I hit pay dirt. I've been wanting Queen Nour's autobiography for several years now but never had the money on me. I found it for less than it normally costs and I grabbed it up. Last year I started reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstein trilogy but only found books one and two. I could never find book three. Today the Little Prince wanted this one story book he found on the 35% off shelf. I wandered over to look at it and what did I see?! Book three! Whoohoo! So I snatched that one up too. I do need to read the first two books again though to refresh my memory though.

Now we're home and the homemade pizza is getting to me. It just came out a few minutes ago and I'm letting it cool off a bit before slicing. The Boss has tests next week to study for so he'll get busy on that after supper. I sent him for a haircut before it gets dark and there's a chance for rain this evening. Actually I don't know if it's for evening or later tonight but figured the earlier the better. He looks great!

I'm thinking we'll stay home tomorrow morning and let him revise for his tests. We can listen to a sermon online together during a break. But he really needs to hit the books to get him back into non-vacation mode. We're heading to SIL's for lunch. The washing machine we gave her emptied her water tank and still didn't finish after 3 hours. I couldn't help her on the phone because it's been too long since I've used it to remember what settings, etc. I used. Hopefully there's not a problem with it.

OK, the smell has gotten to me. Time to chow down on some pizza.

Almost here!

Tonight, at just before midnight, the Boss will be landing. He's been gone a week and a day. I really wanted to go to the airport to meet him but with the Peanuts it's just not feasible. With the lateness of his arrival it would be too hard with them. I could take them in their pjs but there's a good chance they wouldn't want to sit still to wait (heck, I wouldn't really want to either if I forgot my Kindle) and would probably end up on the floor. The purpose of the pjs would be to carry them from the car to their bed without waking them. If said pjs are dirty from the airport I wouldn't want to put them right into bed, therefore negating the whole idea.

So... SIL is picking him up with a friend of hers, whose wanting to go out tonight to celebrate finishing up her preparation for the GRE (she took it today). They'll go out to dinner and then pick him up and the Peanuts and I will pick him up from her place after breakfast tomorrow.

He had a blast. He saw friends and hung out with his dad and made new friends. He did a LOT of swimming so I'm expecting to get a prune back instead of a boy. He won a Wii, which I'm looking forward to using. I've heard it's really good exercise.

I've had a blast myself this past week. It was great to spend this time with just the Peanuts and myself. I have to admit part of it was the lack of bickering/fighting between the Boss and the Little Prince. It was going to be the death of me if the Boss hadn't been gone this past week.

Sunday night the Peanuts had a sleepover with their aunt. I took advantage of the alone time to go see a movie all.by.myself! I went to see The Bounty Hunter and had a really good time. I think it's the perfect date movie...manly stuff for the guys that doesn't make the gals roll their eyes and just enough romance for the gals without the guys gagging.

I received a set of CDs as a birthday gift. They're by a popular woman televangelist from St. Louis. I listened to the first CD Sunday night while I had the house to myself. Going into it I already know this woman to be a false teacher. The first clue is that she left the Lutheran church to start her own ministry, which is all about sending her money so you can be *blessed*. Next there are all the news items, easy to find on the internet, about her questionable business practices, such as buying the home rented by a former employee and requiring her to be evicted. Nice, huh? So, I admit that I didn't start listening with an open mind. However, I wasn't listening to her to learn anything. I was listening to understand what my friends are listening to and believing. I wasn't disappointed. I learned nothing. In fact, there are quite a few things I could easily correct her on. There were a few times she would start to say something promising, but it would turn into a praise of her own ministry and way of living. Anyone who will come right out and say that she's not a sinner and wants her reward now instead of in heaven just isn't one to give any credence to. I still plan to listen to the other 3 after the kids head back to school. I've wanted to spend my time with them and I admit that I didn't want them hearing any of her nonsense.

OK, off my soapbox...

The Peanuts had friends over on Tuesday. When the Little Prince's friend was here we got locked out in the garden. The Diva had closed the gate, not realizing it would lock. So we called the Big Prince who kindly drove up here with his extra key to let us back in. The Diva's friend came later in the day and they had so much fun.

Yesterday was a quiet day around the house and today was grocery shopping. It wasn't too bad with two *helpers* along. After we came home and put the groceries away we went out to lunch. The Little Prince and I had shawarma and the Diva had a HUGE burger. After lunch we went to get gas and wash the car. They enjoyed watching the canaries at the gas station.

I'm thinking after picking up the Boss tomorrow, we'll come home, unpack and get laundry sorted and ready to go, and then maybe go and surprise the cousins. I haven't talked to them this week, except for chatting a bit on Yahoo. They drove us to the airport last week and are anxious to hear how his trip went. I'm anxious to try out that new Wii.

The Resurrection of Our Lord-Easter Sunday

Easter is the oldest and highest of all Christian festivals - the festival of festivals, the feast of feasts! On this day, when Christ first stepped triumphantly from the ranks of the dead, all our waiting is declared to be a waiting that is already completed; Christ's triumph makes all the waiting that follows in our lives of faith a building anchored on the foundation that was laid when He whom the builders rejected became the Cornerstone. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

-Treasury of Daily Prayer

Fairuz sings The Passion

Enjoy, everyone.

Good Friday

Yes, it is most certainly *good*, isn't it? Here's today's "writing" from the Treasury of Daily Prayer.

But if any honest Christian wants to know why the Lord suffered death on the cross and not in some other way, we answer thus: in no other way was it expedient for us, indeed the Lord offered for our sakes the one death that was supremely good. He had come to bear the curse that lay on us; and how could He "become a curse" otherwise than by accepting the accursed death? And that death is the cross, for it is written "Cursed is every on that hangs on a tree." Again, the death of the Lord is the ransom of all, and by it "the middle wall of partition" is broken down and the call of the Gentiles comes about. How could He have called us if He had not been crucified, for it is only on the cross that a man dies with arms outstretched? Here, again, we see the fitness of His death and of those outstretched arms: it was that He might draw His ancient people with the one and the Gentiles with the other, and join both together in Himself. Even so, He foretold the manner of His redeeming death, "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto Myself."
-Athanasius of Alexandria

I love this show!

OK, I have no idea what they're saying but you don't need to in order to enjoy it. It's 4 guys riding around Lebanon on a bus. The audience is there too. There's one guy on the bus who never laughs or even cracks a smile. There are skits and crowds gathering to share jokes too, but most of the show is the 4 guys sitting around and telling jokes.

Notice the man in the pink shirt. He has a VERY distinctive laugh. I don't know how the serious guy does it. But watch until the end. Everyone gets a big surprise.