keeping flexible

If you're related to me, you heard the news yesterday that we won't be traveling home this summer. You know that whole US budget problem thing that has been happening for a while now? Yeah, it affects us too. Hydroponic plant, hydroponic plant . . . taking my roots wherever I go . . .

Moving on. We are excited about living in Bahrain and the idea of taking extra time to explore the capital city of Manama instead of hurrying back to the states is appealing. Maybe not as appealing as relaxing in my parents' backyard surrounded by my favorite Trader Joe's foods while petting my cat, but whatever.

And by going directly to Bahrain, we won't suffer a temperature shock like we would if we were in 115 degree humidity, then spent time enjoying California's lovely 75-80 degree days and then had to go back to 115 degree humidity. It will be much easier not having to adjust to those sorts of temperature swings. It's practically providential.

Another bonus? Those pesky goodbyes. Since we won't be going home to visit, we won't have to say goodbye to everyone as we leave again. This change of plans is looking better and better all the time!

If you really know me, you know that this is all tongue in cheek and after the initial surprise wore off (Hey honey, guess what? We're actually not going home this summer!), I can truly say that I am content. One of my favorite quotes is from the 1995 award winning film,* The Brady Bunch Movie, where Mike Brady tells the kids that they don't need to worry about losing their house because "wherever you go, there you are." That's how I feel about things. As long as I'm happy with who I am and happy with my family, it doesn't matter where we live or where we're sent.

*award given by me in the category of Best Parody of The Brady Bunch

Of course it would be nice to go back to America and see all of our friends and family, and it would be nice to have the family reunions we were hoping to plan, but we don't know enough about where we're going to anticipate what will be nice about this new development. And who knows? We may get word next week that makes this change of plans null and void. Aren't you glad that you have me in your life to keep things exciting?

Daddy's home from Morocco

and he came bearing gifts: an outfit for Camille, Moroccan National team jerseys for the boys, and a leather handled market basket for me. 

hydroponics

I was at a women's conference last weekend on the book of Ruth and during a "get to know you" time around our table everyone was sharing where they were from and how long they've lived in Oman. I shared that we had been here almost a year and were moving to Bahrain this summer. Hearing that, one of the women was surprised that we were here for such a short time and asked how long we'd be in Bahrain. She seemed a little worried that we were only planning to be there for two years. Then my friend added that Oman was just one stop in a long string of moves, including our extremely short time in Egypt. To that she responded, "My goodness! You've been uprooted for a long time!"

The conversation moved on, but I started thinking about my roots. I pictured them being pulled out of the ground unceremoniously, with dirt clinging to the tiny fibers. The way they might die off as they are shoved into each new hole, each new space. 

In all our years of moving around, I've never experienced being uprooted. I don't feel like my roots are exposed and naked. They feel healthy and strong as if they are continually growing and filling each new space we occupy. How can I move and not feel uprooted? It doesn't make sense.

Then I thought of a gardening equivalent:  a hydroponic plant. These are plants that are grown without any dirt. It doesn't seem like they should be able to grow without soil, but they are fed by the water that surrounds their roots. As long as nutrients are continually added to the water, the plant thrives. You can pick it up and move it around and the roots are never disturbed. It doesn't know the difference between a bowl of water in in one place and a bucket in another.

I'm glad that my roots are happy in great water. 

screen sharing

I figured out how to play Netflix on my Macbook for baby while I read and blog on the other half of the screen. The last few days she's been saying "TV? TV?" and pointing at the screen. Since I don't know how to work the TV and it is currently stuck on snow (don't ask -- it has 3 remotes that all do different things, it's hooked up to Arabic satellite, the computer, and the sound runs through our stereo, and since I can't watch Project Runway or Top Chef on it, it's as good as dead to me) the TV is out of commission until Josh comes home.

But I realized that I could open a window in Chrome and start Netflix, then resize the window to make it smaller and open a resized Safari window. She gets to watch in the top left corner, I get to play in the bottom right. We snuggle and are both happy.

a screenshot -- technology love

On the Netflix homepage she says "up? up? up?" as she asks me to keep scrolling through the shows. She settled on Shaun the Sheep, which is perfect because there isn't any mindless kid-show dialogue to endure, just claymation-style animation with music and sheep sounds every once in a while. It's cute, funny, and not annoying. win. win. win.

snuggled on my special chair -- everyone is happy

Mama's girl now loves coffee, chocolate, and TV. I'm so proud. She also loves music, but I can't take credit for that one. That's all daddy.

Omani tent day

The last day of Discover Oman, the younger elementary students celebrate by dressing in traditional Omani clothes and going out to the tents that are set up on the playground to take part in other Omani traditions.

Everyone in Caleb's class looked great. The little guy in the blue dishdasha is Omani and you could tell that his clothes were authentic and not costume quality because the fabric was so nice. The second graders were patient all morning and finally got the OK to head to the tents!

First the children all got to try dates and another type of dessert. A sweet round thing that looked like a ball of dough that had been fried. It must have been good since all the kids went back for seconds. 

Next, they all smelled the Arabic coffee that is flavored with cardamom.

Then she poured them each a cup of "special coffee"(grape juice)

Face painting time -- the Omani flag

Henna application. The boys got khanjars (traditional Omani curved knife -- Oman's symbol) and the girls were given traditional flower and vine designs. 

The henna is squeezed out through a small hole in a plastic bag, like piping frosting on a cake. The designs are all drawn free-hand. You leave the henna alone until it dries and flakes off. The henna stains your skin and the rust colored design lasts for about two weeks. 

The shirt I'm wearing is made out of a massar, which is the scarf that the men wear wrapped around their heads.

Back in the day when camels were the main form of transportation, the men would put perfume on their tassels to keep the camel stink away. The boys all got perfume to put on their tassels. 

She was so fast and so detailed with her designs

When they decorate brides before the wedding, they apply the henna all the way up to the knee


ETA: I almost forgot about the music! They had traditional singers and drummers and some of the kids had fun dancing. (not mine though)

Another great day at school. Time to head home for a nap! 

soccer game

A few days ago the boys and I went to Calvin's soccer game after school. Why wasn't Josh there? Because he's traveling in Morocco -- rough job, huh? So far he's loving it there and he described it as "gritty," like Egypt -- both literally and figuratively. I, on the other hand, am becoming quite content with the clean, quiet, and subdued life we get to live in Muscat. I'm not missing gritty at the moment.

Instead of dodging snakes in the marketplace (he sent me a text that the souk in Marrakesh was wild and full of mopeds and snakes), I got to relax on the bleachers at my children's private school while we waited for the game to start. With a cappuccino. Beat that Morocco.

Carter was happy because I brought them Sohar chips as a treat. Sohar chips are to potato chips what Funyons are to onion rings. Completely fake, but yummy tasting. (I assume Funyons are still yummy -- I haven't eaten them since 7th grade when I ate them every day along with a Skor bar and a Pepsi for lunch. Brain food.) Anyway, Sohar chips taste like they're made with powdered mashed potatoes. Out of curiosity, I just looked up the website as I was writing this and they're described as: Potato Based Pellet with Chilli & Chicken Flavour

Yummy. Anyway, they're made in Oman so I guess they're "green," even if they're not healthy, right?

Calvin's game was good -- they were evenly matched in the first half, but ended up losing 3-1. 

Once the chips ran out she got tired of watching soccer and not being able to run on the field so Carter and Caleb took her over to the playground. She loves slides.

This slide is tall and steep for a toddler, but she didn't hesitate for a second.

mangroves

On Saturday I got to go along on a Discover Oman field trip with the 4th grade classes to visit the mangrove habitat/sanctuary near our house.

The mangrove project starts when they collect the seeds and plant them in their nursery in July/August. It takes 6 months for the mangrove tree to grow into a seedling big enough to be transplanted. This grove of trees is protected by fencing or the camels and goats will come and eat them. The project has been ongoing for the past 10 years -- the first transplants recently reached maturity. 

It turns out that mangroves are great for the ecosystem. In addition to cleaning the air, they maintain the soil along the coastline by preventing erosion, and most importantly, act as a nursery for small fish and other marine life. I'm sure I could have learned more about mangroves, but I got sidetracked by the mermaid calling to me in the background and wondering if I could sneak off and grab a cappuccino without anyone noticing. 

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The mangrove roots growing back up out of the ground. I have no idea why they do this. Correction: I had no idea why they did this until I looked it up on google just now. It turns out that these special roots breathe air. Ocean mud doesn't contain much oxygen, so they stick their little roots in the air and breathe away. More nifty mangrove info can be found here.

Some of the mature trees that were planted when the project first started. The kids had binoculars and were spotting birds and huge crabs. 

This is the nursery where the baby trees are grown. It's watered by the tides twice a day, just like the adult trees.

That's why you can find baby sea snails hanging out on the mangrove leaves inside the nursery. 

Each of the kids got to take and plant their own tree. 

Planting is done at low tide -- in a few hours these trees will be covered by water. 

Carter found a tiny crab while he was digging a hole for his tree.

Once the tree planting was finished we all went across the street to the beach to eat lunch. Carter found a huge (live) starfish in the water. He has the sharpest eyes. When he was a toddler he was always spotting tiny specks of airplanes way up in the sky -- he'd shout out "pain! pain" and we'd have to hunt and squint until finally we could see the minuscule spot of a plane cruising at 30 thousand feet. It comes in handy daily when I have to ask for his help finding my keys, finding his brother's shoes, finding my shoes . . . 

As if the field trip weren't cool enough already, it turned out that the Tour de Oman (yes, like the French one) was scheduled to ride right past where we were picnicking. The police closed down the road and we all gathered on the sidewalk to cheer on the riders. 

We got a great view of everyone because the race started right down the road in front of the Opera House so they were all still riding in formation behind the lead cars when they passed our spot. Josh said they ride together for the first K of the race so they don't all pile up in a crash right at the start. 

Then it was time to go back to the beach where Carter and his friends built a dam to wall in one of the huge tidepools. This was a way better field trip than the ones we used to take from Laurel to Chabot Science Center . . .