Pandora

I just have to post these perfect pictures of Ben and Mary's lab puppy. Her name is Pandora, but we call her Dora or Pandy for short. We love her so much. She is a sweet, sweet puppy and she stole the show at the parade on the 4th. The crowd wanted to pet her more than they wanted to watch floats and bands pass by. Since her name is clearly linked to the Greek myth of Pandora's Box, her new parents might be opening a whole new set of adventures. Happy Puppy Adventures, Ben and Mary!

Haircut

BEFORE

Abbey decided to get her hair cut two weeks ago. She has been asking to do it for months. I told her we could do it when we got back to Utah. She then told me that she wanted to stop at a hair salon on the way home from the airport! Well, we didn't quite do that, but it finally happened.

Because the 4th of July was coming, and Abbey had convinced Mary that they needed to look like twins on the holiday, Abbey wanted her hair cut only to her shoulders so she and Mary could have the same kind of braids. So when she sat down in the salon, she made sure that the stylist knew how much she wanted cut. As the stylist played with Abbey's long hair, she said that it was long enough to donate to Locks of Love if she would let her cut it just a little bit above her shoulders. Abbey really didn't want to agree, but somehow she was persuaded. As the stylist began to cut, I walked over and asked Abbey if it was too short. She said everything was fine.

Well, just above the shoulders turned into just under the chin. Abbey seemed happy as we walked out of the salon. Then we ran over to Target for a few items. That's when the tears started. How do you comfort a daughter who says through heavy sobs,"I should have stood up for myself, but I didn't want to hurt her feelings!"? It was amazing to me that she could verbalize such a complex personal struggle. The deed had been done, so we tried to make the best of it. The funny thing was that Abbey was more upset about not being able to be twins with Mary for the 4th than she was about her hair being shorter than she wanted. I told her that twins often wear their hair differently so people can tell them apart. That seemed to calm her a bit.

AFTER

Brett and I both think she looks so grown-up and so pretty. And the best part . . . . Mary knows how to braid even the shortest of hair! Below, are the cute twins at the parade.

20 Years of Friends, Fun, and Fireworks

Happy 20th Anniversary to a great tradition: a 4th of July picnic with the best of friends and an evening of games and fireworks! Yesterday marked this welcome event, and I thought it warranted mentioning. Whatever the situation, our two families have met and continued a much loved friendship.

Lori and I met almost a hundred years ago in the Granger 14th Ward. She is only a few years older than I am (one or two, right, Lori), but when I was a Beehive, and Lori was one of the youth camp leaders, the age difference seemed huge.

Fast forward about ten years. Brett and I moved to a little apartment in Taylorsville, we went to church, and one of the counselors in Relief Society introduced herself. She instantly remembered me, but my memory wasn't so quick. It was Lori. She, her husband Frank, and their three children lived practically next door to our new apartment. We quickly fell into a much needed grown-up friendship, complete with walking in the mornings, long conversations, craft days (Lori filled in my gaps in that past time), babysitting for each other, institute classes, and crying on each other's shoulder.

The first 4th of July we spent together was at Sugarhouse Park. Surprisingly, our husbands and our children got along almost as well as we did, so the fun we had was spontaneous and organic. Lori spent a lot of that first picnic studying her law book. She had just started taking a few college courses, getting back into school. I don't know how much studying she accomplished, but we had fun trying to distract her. The day was such a success (except for the LONG wait in traffic to get home), so we decided to make it an annual event.

Our tradition has survived as we have carefully tended our friendship. Lori deserves most of the credit for that, but she has always made it easy to be her friend. Together we have weathered all the storms of life and well . . . . the actual weather. One year Lori was so sick she couldn't make it, but her devoted Franky gathered their children and went ahead with the plans because Lori INSISTED that he do so. Some years thunder and rain would threaten our celebration, but nothing has gotten in the way of our reserved get together. We've changed venues a few times and some of our children have moved on to their own traditions, but we have always oooohed and awwwwwd together over fireworks at the end of the night. Sometimes those fireworks were the kind we lit in the street, but they have always represented the blessings of our friendship. So, thanks Frank and Lori, for a wonderful 20 year run. Let's hope and pray that we have at least 20 or 30 more together!

The Identities Revealed

1. Marcell - and Daisy
2. Jalisa
3. Jennifer
4. Kristy
5. Jan
6. Mary
7. Lori
8. Donna
9. Abbey

Let me know if you want to play dress-up and have your picture taken!

Guess Who!

In order to show everyone the kinds of things we see every day in Qatar, I brought home an abaya and hijab. It has been very interesting to let my friends and family members hold and try on the complete public attire for a devout Muslim woman in Doha. They have been able to feel the heat and heaviness of wearing this imposed outfit. I can't help wonder how Muslim women adhere to such strict, seemingly oppressive restrictions. I haven't been able to talk in depth with a Muslim woman yet about her beliefs and the wearing of the abaya, but I know modesty is a big reason. Why black in such deadly heated deserts? Why do the men get to wear the cool white thobe? There are so many things I want to know.

I've taken photos of everyone who has tried on the abaya, so see if you can guess which mysterious ladies are featured here (Hint: both friends and family members are included). The one with Daisy is a dead giveaway, but I had to include that one, because she was so disturbed with the transformation of her favorite person, she kept growling. Even the models might have trouble identifying themselves. I know the hijab is probably not on correctly, but I really think I will need to take a class to learn how to wear this unusual clothing to do it correctly. So, my apologies to any Muslim friends who might see this.

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Home Sweet Home

Hey, it's been quite awhile since I have posted anything, but recovering from salmonella, moving into a new villa, and traveling home to Utah have been the priority. Our flight from Doha to Salt Lake was a story all in itself, but let's just say one of us came down with the flu (Abbey) and the other two took turns holding a very good kitty in her carrier. All in all, the 28 hour flight could have been worse.

At least we made it home and were welcomed by a wonderful family. In addition to Ben and Mary, there were four surprises. As we were coming down to the baggage claim area in the elevator, Abbey said, "Hey, there's Kristy!" I thought she had just seen someone who looks like Kristy, but all I could see was a very unattractive woman, and I didn't know how Abbey could possibly think that woman was her sister. Then as Abbey was trying to explain, I saw Kristy poke her head around the corner of one of the airport shops. The surprise had been found out, but it was so fun nonetheless. I got to hold and squeeze my grandsons sooner than I had expected, and it was a good thing, because as we flew over Colorado before landing in Utah, a small part of me wished we had three parachutes so we could bail out and visit the Robinsons. Luckily, my sleep deprived mind didn't get that wish, because the Robinsons had come the eight hours to welcome us home. Other surprises included a newly finished basment room and bathroom and storage shelves courtesy of Ben, Mary, and Mary's expert family helpers. It was a great day, but we ended up at Instacare with Abbey having a 104 degree temperature. We spent the next few days laying low, recovering from the flight, and nursing Abbey.

Utah has had more than its fair share of rain the last few weeks, and most everyone here is pretty tired of it. We, on the other hand, love the crisp weather and the summer showers. Last night the sky was very dramatic as another storm gathered from the north. I snapped these shots of the beautiful sky and then the three rainbows we saw after the downpour. Brett, Abbey, and I stood on the porch and soaked in the spellbinding qualities of the rain. The wind picked up and turned quickly cool, and we watched the dark sky bubble over into streaking, headlong moisture in the distance. The mountains to the east picked up the clouds and they hovered so low that the peaks were covered. We finally had to go inside when the rain reached our front door. After a few minutes of blustering weather expressions, we stepped out to see three rainbows bending over the mountains, one for each of us. It is so good to be home.

Cause for Celebration

I guess since we are home from the hospital Abbey has cause for celebration (we both do actually). Just now, when Brett left to go to the store he asked Abbey if there was anything she might want him to get. Without missing a beat she simply said, "A piñata." I don't know that we would have the strength to beat the candy out of a piñata, but I think my Abbey has the brilliant ability to express the most with the fewest amount of words. I think she might take after her brother that way. So Happy Fiesta!

The Curse of the Cookie Dough

Don't do it! Don't taste that delectable cookie dough. Every time I have put a mound of chocolate chip cookie dough into my mouth I have heard the warning in my head: DO NOT EAT ANYTHING WITH RAW EGGS OR YOU WILL DIE! Well, I'm here to tell you that warning is not some old wives' tale.

And even better advice: DON'T LET YOUR CHILDREN EAT ANYTHING WITH RAW EGGS OR YOU WILL BE PUT IN THE BAD MOTHER HALL OF SHAME!

Yes, Abbey and I are lying in matching hospital beds as I write this, and even though we are feeling much better today, I can't remember ever being as sick as I was these last few days. Being a patient in a hospital in a foreign land hasn't been as scary as I thought it would be, and that is mostly thanks to the skilled, yet ever so sweet Filipino and Indian nursing staff they have here at Al Ahli Hospital. They have been a blessing to our temporarily topsie turvy family life.

The other blessings have come in the thoughtful visitors stopping by with puzzles, books, and games for Abbey and Labello lip care for me, the many phone calls from concerned friends, the grocery store run by our home teachers, the timely delivery of personal items from a good neighbor, the cards and flowers from my children, and the continuous flow of moral support from friends and family for my Superman hubby Brett.

Thanks to all of you who made such a nightmare turn into another reminder of how many wonderful, Christ-like people we have in our lives!