dreams are weird. #2

so, it would seem, from my dreams, that i have some anxiety. but gosh i feel great. seriously i don't feel stressed at all...but check out these whacked out dreams.

#1 3 nights ago:

i had a dream i was getting married. and i totally didn't want to marry this guy. [and for the record i have no idea who the guy was]. anyways, i just knew it wasn't right and i was freaking out. i was in the fellowship hall of lakeview where i reception would be. which is hilarious in theory cause 1. i don't want to EVER have my reception there. i want to DANCE. and for some reason...well never mind. also i remember having this terrible dress on that had like a fish net waist. yeah. hideous. hahaha. i remember in my dream looking in this mirror and thinking, what the crap was i thinking?! i can't wear this! i can't marry this guy! and basically the whole dream was me agonizing over the fact that if i told him no that meant everyone inside the sanctuary and who helped set up and prepare would have so many questions! and feel like i used them and wasted their times. but this was a huge decision. in my dream i was freaking out cause it was either disappoint everyone and break it off. or just go through with it. i had and 8 minute football play clock counting down until i had to walk down the aisle. woke up as i was watching it tick and thinking of my monstrous dilemma.

dream #2: myself along with a few others were riding in our van...in Saudi...yeah have no idea why. but anyways, we get hijacked and kidnapped. they tie my hands up with robe and tie me to a tree once we at their base. and by "their" i have no idea who i'm referring too. i guess someone who was mad from all the stuff in the news about those peeps in FL. haha. so anyways, i'm tied to a tree while the others are tied a good distance away. while the guards are preoccupied trying to get a fire in the desert to start(yeah, weird, i know), i wiggle lose and with my heart racing and adrenaline going i get the others untied as we make a run for it to the closest vehicle and high tale it out of there. i remember driving cause the people with me were hysterical. i drove all the way to the closest border, which in my dream wasn't jordan, but iraq. (?). as soon as i crossed over i called my security guy and just started sobbing that i had just escaped from my kidnappers and trying to process what had happened then i woke up.

yeah. i gotta stop reading the news. but i LOVE THE NEWS. ah.

How many Jordanian firefighters does it take to screw on a lightbulb?

So today at work six firefighters from the huge firestation down the road today came to work. I always walk pass this station on the way to work, keeping my eyes away from the men guarding the station with their AK 47s even though I know more often than not they aren't loaded....but have decided never to test that theory.

Anyhow, today 6 of them came into work! At first I thought it was for the obvious reason, to check the fire detector. But, come to think of it, I've never seen a building in the Middle East ever have a fire detector so I should of known that was a stupid thought.

They actually came in to fix the boy's rings! Yeah totally random. But they brought in this HUGE ladder and as it only took one man to actually do the fixing, the others sat around and stared at all of us working. It took the whole 3 hours of practice...imagine that.

I took some pictures. Which I will post later. Because honestly, I need to go to bed to get up for work again tomorrow.

But thought it was kinda funny it took 6 guys to fix the thing.

Football Season is here! Yay!

Wow. it's September 1st. crazy! that means one month and 10 days until I'm setting foot back onto American soil. Hard to believe I have lived in the Middle East for the past year and eleven months. Where does the time go?

So September 23rd will be my final day at work. I will most likely cry. Everyone knows now and that day will be set aside for playing, games, and a goodbye party. It's going to be an emotional day. Although it's had it's tough times and lots of stress and pressure I have loved it. I have loved it so so much. I can't imagine what life will be like back in America with out this job, without these co-workers who are like family, and without my girls. Everyone keeps asking, "when will you be back?" The coaches ask if I'll return after my masters. My girls ask if I can come back after 3 days. haha. I hate to leave them. But am so thankful to God for this season of my life.

Among other news in the sporting world, it looks like the head coach is pregnant! At least that's what she told me a few days ago. But today would be the day she'll take the test. I hope to be able to buy her baby clothes before I leave!

Also, we have two new coaches from Germany who I absolutely love. They don't speak English but coached 3 years as Syria's head coaches so we communicate through Arabic. But I love it. And I love them. Both of them are very good coaches and I'm already learning so much more from them as well as my Romanian co-workers. The only coach I feel uncomfortable around is Ustz Salaam's brother. He is new. He coached with Salaam for Iraq's National Team for a while before coming here (he's Iraqi). And he's already proposed to me twice. And it's gotten worse since he knows I'm leaving in 1 month. I guess he thinks if he tries hard enough I'll eventually say yes. I told him, as nicely as I could, to go to the US Embassy and enter his name into the lottery that allows refugees to go to America. I didn't get the impression he loved that idea. oh well.

9 more days of Ramadan. And it's been one of Jordan's hottest summers in many years. Making this Ramadan especially hard for those millions fasting from water 14-15 hours a day. I know they are all counting down for the Eid, a week long holiday at the end of Ramadan. But before this Eid, comes the Night of Power--the night Allah revealed the K'ran to Mohammad (peace be upon him). So for many here, they are praying that Allah too, will reveal himself to them. I actually think this day falls on my dad's birthday.

ok this is turning out to be the longest post ever. i'll stop and save my drama for another time.

Routy, Sadie and Pepsi :)

i don't know why, but today i really miss my dogs. i guess cause i'm going walking every night around 9 or 10 and i love that, back home, they never left my side when i went walking.

not many dogs here in the mid east. but lots and lots and lots of cats. eh. dogs are better. who can go walking with cats?

Mid East

you know you live in the Middle East when the presence of policemen make you feel less safe then when they're around...

you know you live in the Middle East when you have multiple numbers in your phone contacts listed as "do not answer", "annoying", "beware", and "creep". hah.

and when it's Ramadan! and there are beautiful lights on every house shaped like cresent moons and stars and little boys spend most of their hours setting off bottle rockets to see if you'll jump as you walk by.

man. i'm gonna miss the Middle East. seriously. must not think about leaving...

ale ale alejandro, alejandro!

Last week was an amazing week spent with my adopted brothers. Three of whom I've known since my years at Ole Miss and one "newby" who quickly became like the others. I did my best to keep them busy. I think I succeeded. And despite a car accident mishap everything else was incredible. I love these boys. And am so thankful they came!

I took them to Wadi Rum...a desert landscape with mountains and lots of sand. Our great Bedouin guide took us on a very fast Jeep Tour and an overnight experience in the desert. He even danced and sang for us (below)!

Fish and Zack, my heroes!

The boys got to teach American football while they were here. This a group of guys in Irbid who said American football was "magnificent".

Brady and Michael: these kids never stop singing. And I loved it.

Boys we taught football too. They loved it so much they deflated a basketball and wrapped it up with duck taped until it took shape of a football. Classic.

Myself and my brother Fish, overlooking my city.

Amazed at what He did this week. So grateful for an incredible week. Just wish it weren't over! But headed to Cairo tomorrow...so more updates soon.

oh and i got my diving license!! no sharks! whoo whoo! but it was an adventure needless to say!

sharks or any fish with teeth for that matter

that's right ladies and gents. i've officially decided to conquer my greatest fear. coming to the middle east: peace of cake. hanging out with various members of certain "groups": nothing. living in the #1 city in the world for sexual harrassment: bring it on.

swimming with the possibility of sharks: ahhhhhhhhh!!!!

that's right. i'm going to get diving certified! and in the red sea!! hope i don't come across any dead egyptian bodies...but more importantly, you all who know me, know my number one fear is SHARKS. oh Lord, keep them away!!!

luckily, i have 3 weeks to mentally prepare.