dreams are weird.

Had a dream last night. Half of which was in Arabic. Man I've been dreaming like crazy these past few weeks. Real vivid dreams. Aren't dreams weird? And often times hilarious? Here are a few...

So one dream was I was at the beach with my family and Amelia Foshee. I think it may have been like a youth things cause we were all camping out in the sand under the stairs...yeah, weird, but i remember thinking that in the dream "this must be a youth thing". hah. what does that even mean?

anyhow. when i woke up Amelia was a fish. An orange fish to be exact. And Dad told me she had a brain virus and that I shouldn't touch her because it was highly contagious. ... hmm. So obviously I was a little bit worried havin slept next to her in the sand and all. But Dad was like, well, she's a fish so you better put her in the water. So I put her on a hook and line and let her swim around in the ocean all the while (I was wading in the water) trying to keep this fish from touching me least I get a brain virus too. hahaha.

Then, as crazy as dreams are, the next thing I know is I'm on this raft with Dad, Mom, and Camille and Amelia (who is now, miraculously, a person) and we wade out to a pier...(yeah doesn't make sense but what about dreams ever do?). Dad tells Amelia she's looking pretty bad and she better go back to shore and call her parents. haha. We are a very compassionate family...

Then somehow or another I end up back at the beach talking on the phone with Marie (Amelia's mom) about her situation. Amelia, at this time in on her way in an ambulance to the hospital. I have dad call the ambulance and they say her eyes are bleeding and that the brain virus doesn't look good.

The last thing I remember is Dad telling me she probably wouldn't make it and that we all needed to pray for a miraculous healing. So in the middle of a prayer for Amelias life I woke up...

The dream last night involved me in a wheelchair. Kind of hilarious I know. Some guy...I have no idea who he was...was trying to help me learn to walk again. And I remember yelling out "Musaidny! Musaidny!" and then "Help me! Help me!" (Musaidny=help me in arabic). I also remember after yelling this several Americans, several Canadians (?) and several Arabs came to help and then it switched senerios and we were all laughing about how I yelled in Arabic and English...and then I woke up....

so. any interpretations of these dreams?

Cairo Bound

I am amazed. What have I done to deserve what He has given me? Certainly nothing.

Today I learned that after I go home to complete my masters studying that the gymnastics federation of jordan want me to return. And they want me to return as not just a 6 month coach that happened to go over a year... but as a fulltime staffed coach. wow, Father.

and not only that. but I had planned on taking a trip to Cairo and the Princess, HRH (Her Royal Highness) has offered to pay for me to go.

He really never ceases to amaze me with His goodness towards me.

men

Sometimes, no offense to you Esam if you are reading this. But Arab men can make me so ...frustrated.

For instance, not that this is the first time or anything just the most recent. Tonight I was on my way home from work when I notice a guy stick his head out his window to look at the "foreigner" walking home. Awesome. That's okay though. I do that too in America I'm sure.

But then he goes and pulls the U-turn to come back around. Not cool. So I walk through a field. But notice that he AGAIN does a u-turn to get onto the street that eventually I would get too. And after passing me AGAIN and then doing ANOTHER uturn I decided it was time to do something about it. I had 2 options.

Option 1: Run home and obviously he'd follow me in his black car to my home then learn where I live.

Or Option 2: HidE in the small crevice of a building and hope that he didn't see me jump behind the wall. hah.

so naturally, being a dark night, i picked #2. And I must say I was victorious. After he drove past the crevice with me peeking out he didn't turn around again but drove on. I OUTWITTED HIM! woo hoooo!

wedding day (s)

Tomorrow, my dear friend from Camp is getting married. Morgan, I can't believe I'm not there for your big day. You know how much I wish I could be. I'll be lifting you and Aron up.

So it's official. I won't lie and say it's been easy. But I've missed 3 of my best friends weddings. Jennifer, Maggie, and now Morg. Girls, I hope you know how much of a blessing you have been in my life. Such a sweet honor that I could be your "bridesmaid" even from the Middle East. I can't wait to spend time with you each and your husbands :).

Jenn, I miss you. Couldnt of survived Ole Miss without you. or Kanakuk Osage years for that matter!! Was so greatful to get to skype into your rehearsal dinner and surprise you and David!

Mags. All my hilarious stories at Auburn High include you! haha. I wish i could of been there!

Morg, You get married tomorrow!! Seems like just yesterday we were at Marannook shouting at a bunch of kids to listen to us and mostly at Matthew to kill snakes and..well...other things... great times.

Love you all.

Miss you all.

am so blessed through y'all.

I Heart Pals

Wow. It's hard to believe i only have 4 months left. I don't want to think about. It some ways I'm so thrilled to see my friends and family! How I miss you all. But so much work is left to do. So much. My heart is heavy. Must not think....

So anyways. Lots happening on this front. Israel, as evident on the news, has boarded the next bound ship for Gaza taking aid. Makes life interesting. Was in a "Ducan" (coke shop) to buy some water and the owner said, "ah yes, you and Israel, you are like bestfriends". All I could think to say to get out of the coming forceful political conversation was to tell everyone in the shop, "I love Palestine!!!" Which, thankfully is true! Then I quickly left.

I do love Palestine. I pray you do too. For I know, that He loves all people, and is currently adopting Pals as His own chosen, sweet, children.

How I love Him for it.

oh arabic. you never stop making me laugh.

so todays "hafle" or party was a success. people came, ate, socialized and left. lots of fun. my favorite part though would probably have to be my language mishap. this is HILARIOUS.

get this, so this guy who i had never met was going to first come by our house to see where it is so that he could go pick up his family then bring them back here. So when i went to arrange where to meet him, "drive to dahleeah circle, uturn, i'll meet you at the regency hotel" he agreed. So Josh and I headed out there together to get this guy. Anyhow, he was like, so i recognize you, what are you wearing? now this is a natural question for someone to ask who has never met. but because i was giving him directions i didn't at first really understand. plus he had cars in the background and was speaking 90 to nothin' in a heavy palestinian accent! so i was like...um, i don't know if i understand, but ...now heres the funny part...i said in arabic, "whatever you'd like!"

bahahahhahahahahahha.

"what will you be wearing?"

"well, sir, whatever you'd like"

oh the joys of arabic.

don't worry. i quickly realized what i'd said and after many apologies and laughter i explained to him I hadn't understood and that I was wearing black and green. hahahah.

happy independence day jordan!

So, last Friday we were invited to share a meal with a family. Friday is the holy day here. It is also family day. So it’s normally a grand event to be invited on this day because you are meeting EVERYONE and you don’t stop eating.
So after we met everyone, Aunts, Uncles, grandkids, cousins, etc we watched about an hour of a car parade. That was fun. Apparently, my friend was riding in the white van. Good to know.
Secondly, we invited them to come to our house. So turns out tomorrow, we’ll be hosting roughly 15 Palestinians who don’t know any English in our home and we’re pretty darn excited about it! This family is great. Granted it will probably be hilarious considering the following that has already taken place: below is a guide to how to plan an Arab party.

1. Make sure you order SIX pizzas and ask for NOORMAN. He’s legit. He drove all the way out to our house today just to deliver us a menu. Gotta love Noorman.

2. Be sure you can speak Arabic. When communicating to a family member…I’m still not sure who he said he was or how he was related, be sure you do not agree to anything you don’t understand. For example, he called me at 10 o’clock tonight and said “I’m almost at your house!” dude. No. it’s night. We’re busy. Plus we’re girls. Not okay. See you tomorrow.

3. make sure you pick up your phone the first time they call. If you ever try to screen then you can expect 15-20 calls in the span of 5 minutes until you give in.

4. make sure arabs like pizza. We’ll find out tomorrow.

5. Make sure that you look on the calendar before inviting a massive amount of people over. Tomorrow, it so happens, is Jordan’s Independence Day. So that’s exciting. Go Jordan! Eat your American pizza now!

6. more to come as the party unfolds tomorrow