We're Back

I know... a month late, we have seen a lot of you, but just to record it......

WE'RE BACK IN IOWA!

We have been enjoying running wild in big soft grassy areas!

 Teaching Zander a thing or two about Iowa... like eating sweet corn

 Playing in the backyard pool with old friends!

Seeing and visiting with family

It's been a fun month. Although living out of suitcases and bopping around from place to place is getting a tad old, it's all worth it! 

It has been different from what I was expecting. I thought more relationships would be awkward, and American consumerism would make me sick.  But that hasn't been the case at all. I think God has just been protecting me since 1. I tend to have more of a critical spirit  2. Our time in Iowa is longer than what was originally planned on. So He wanted me to enjoy our time back :) Which we have! IMMENSELY! It's  so fun to hang with friends and family again, picking up where we left off.  And the cheddar cheese, pork ribs, coffee-creamers, and Mexican are still tasting REAL GOOD!  

It's been a breath of fresh air in a lot of ways. However, looking back at pictures and receiving phone calls and emails from our friends back in Duhok, quickly makes us realize where we came from just a month ago.  Our heart still beats to that drum. God has given us that and affirmed that.  

Lord willing, we will be back there in 6ish months. Until then, I'll welcome the great/real/fun/hard/joyful/english conversations with people, and some yummy comfort food to go along with em'! Driving, shopping, playgrounds, camping, grillin, live music, Art fests, pool parties, are all just extra... Bring it on, Iowa! 

Thank You God for an amazing last 10 months, what you did, and what you will do. Whether here in Iowa, or there in Kurdistan... Use us to bring you glory!

Kurdish Haircut

If any of you saw the picture from our last email, you would have noticed that our little guys hair was getting quite long! I've cut it a couple times since we had been here, but we thought it would be fun to take him to one of the many barbers on each street!

Do you think he needed a cut? :)

The barber was amazing! He did a great job, and don't you love his decor?!

HA! This picture CRACKS me up! Seriously... we have a boy?!?!?

All done! We wanted to still keep his curls so we didn't give him a short cut like his daddy, but wouldn't you agree what a handsome little boy and a BIG improvement?!?!

One of the reasons

It was our day off, the sun was shining, so we decided to try and conquer the task in Kurdistan that we have so often heard about. 

Cleaning the Carpets after the winter season.

This day was a clear picture of one of the reasons we like this culture. 

The neighbor kids ALL came to help us with this enormous task that would have taken Andy and I two days to complete. These kids aren't afraid of a little work!   

We love our neighborhood, but honestly sometimes we get annoyed at how often these kids come to our door in a day!  However, we know deep down we'll miss these kids so much while we are back in Iowa.  They really have such giving and serving hearts. I pray Zander is watching VERY carefully and wherever we live, he will be willing to love and serve his neighbor the way it has been modeled to us. 

Resurrection Weekend

(I know this blog is a week late, but Easter weekend in Duhok was worth documenting!)

We started our weekend celebration on Good Friday with worship with our Church.  Our church meets weekly and consists of about 15ish other believers.  This Sunday was special because we had a "band" that led us in worship.  Andy on the guitar, a guy on the clarinet, gal on the recorder, and Mary on the piano.  It was great.  We also were able to partake in the Lord's supper together, and listen to a message prepared by one of the members.  During this time, another member led children's time and did resurrection eggs with the 7 children that attend.  It takes everyone to contribute on a week to week basis,  taking turns to lead different things.  A great picture of the body!  We ended our time with a oh-so-yummy potluck!  The Bishops be lovin' them a potluck!  I forgot my camera so sorry I don't have any pictures :o(.

The next day we invited our neighbors over to color eggs (I found food coloring here!) They were first timers to color Easter Eggs, and got to talk with them about the meaning of Easter as well. 

 Zander sorta did one egg. He did a little bit of coloring, then I helped him dip the egg. But mostly he just sat in his high chair eating a couple of eggs that had cracked.  I still think he was having fun!   

 We went shopping a couple days before, and I felt like we scored big-time when we found a few children's books in English! We also put a few pieces of candy, and some of the Easter eggs in Z man's basket.  He was excited to see that these were for him!

 This picture totally cracks me up.  Can you tell Andy and I were trying to get him to pose?  His sweet little hands holding that egg so gently :)

 While we were waiting for the egg bake to cook, Andy read him his new books.  The thing that looks ginormious in the foreground of this picture is my version of "Casey's Raspberry Cheese Flip" Have you had them?... Oh they are OH SO SO SO YUMMY! Very low in calories :) or... not.

After breakfast we took an Easter basket to our friends that had a picture Zander colored, a couple books in it, candy, cookies, eggs, and small toys.  It was fun sharing with them. 

 We took little baskets to our other 2 closest neighbors that just had cookies and eggs in them.  But enjoyed a long visit with our Assysian (basically Catholic) Christian neighbors. They don't speak much English so they had to show us what their tradition for Easter was. Pacha.  I was a bit surprised when they had the largest pot I have ever seen, FULL of cow intestines and pieces of the stomach sewed together with rice stuffed inside.  I tried to avoid trying it, but I did take one bite. Andy on the other hand felt like he should eat a HUGE bowl of it.  He still feels ok.

Later that afternoon we had the neighbor kids over for a game of volleyball.  Always a fun event :)

 We ended our day at the ZOO! This was the first time we were there. Zander loved it.  Especially the monkey's.  

They also had some slides and swings there. That are not regulation incline! If you go full speed down these suckers, you may die. You need to slow yourself down by gripping your feet a little bit on the edges. Zander couldn't go down this one by himself, but then we wouldn't have gotten the privilege to see Andy go down it.  :)

It was a fun weekend! :)

Kurdish Wedding Time!

Look at this sweet little love boy!

 Doesn't he look spify...We borrowed our friends traditional shal u shapik, and got all ready to go to a Kurdish Wedding.

I got the traditional Kurdish dress this year, but Andy still has yet to get the garb :) Next year Honey!  Just so you know.... Yes, that's a FULL sequence jacket from neck to toe! Pink too! That's right, I couldn't believe it either. The shinier and brighter, the better!

We stopped over to our neighbors house before the wedding to show off Zander to his girl, Lara.  She thought he was smokin' cute!

The wedding was for the brother of our dear friend Zach.

Bummer that sometimes people are trying to get the rowdy 2 year old to look at the camera, but then the adults aren't looking :) and Zander looks extremely uncomfortable. 

This is "Nicole", Zach's sister.  I would love to get to know her better. We have had good talks on a couple occasions, and she is always so sweet! Although she looks beautiful in this picture, you should have seen her dress! I wish I took a picture.  It was amazing and she totally rocked it!

The wedding was at a restaurant in town with a "hall" connected to it.  It was great because as soon as we    got there, waiters came to our table with salads, olives, and soup. We then got to order what we wanted. Sweet huh! No waiting for the bride and groom to arrive, or the best man speech and thinking "Dude, I'm hungry, get on with it"  Don't get me wrong, I do love the traditions of American weddings and they are special and memorable. Because, sad to say, I didn't get even one picture of the bride and groom.  (Who sit on this couch the entire time and people come up to them for pictures, which no one smiles in) I did get this short video though. (which I just tried to upload but it wouldn't with our slow internet.. sorry) After everyone else eats, the bride and groom go behind this screen to eat themselves, while the music gets set up.  Then people line up at the screen and dance and shake this cloth-cymbal thing around and lead everyone up to dance in this ginormous circle. 

Once again- it's always funny for us to see pictures of Andy next to Kurds.  Do you think we get starred at much here? The tallest couple in Duhok (1/2 million people).... by far!

It was a fun experience and a great way to see Zach and his family celebrate such an important day in their lives.