A Year Ago...

Last year this time, we'd just arrived in Amman.  Re-reading that post, I can remember that day, but only in a very hazy sense.  And Ramadan this year isn't nearly as strange, it's inconvenient when I want something from a specific restaurant and they're not open, but knowing what to expect I can just suck it up for four weeks (just two more to go!).  Last year we'd just arrived and didn't have a vehicle, didn't know where to grocery shop, etc. so life was just harder.  Thankfully having one year under our belts we're just sliding back into life here in Amman!

This past weekend we moved Benjamin's crib and sundries into the playroom to make it his "big boy room", and the other, slightly smaller room will be for the new baby when he arrives.  He has done really well with the transition so far, thank goodness. 

Benjamin's big boy room

Using the dresser as the changing table is very high, I'll probably start using the floor soon.

This used to be just the playroom, but the toys still fit.  I need to have them take away the extra mirror though.

The past couple weeks we've said goodbye to some friends who are leaving, and a few more leave this week.  It's hard to see awesome people go, but I'm hoping that we'll make some new friends and continue to create our own little community here.  And hopefully we can all be in DC at the same time, at some point in the future.  God has been so gracious in giving us meaningful friendships in such a short period of time.

There's been a customs strike in Jordan, so the police have been called in to help man the customs offices.  Not sure if it's made any difference to our packages getting delivered, but it does seem that this week things are arriving all the time, last week was pretty bereft of brown boxes. 

We've got lots of diapers!

I was craving pretzels last week so I ordered a gigantic tub which will hopefully arrive soon.  I vacillate between sweet and savory in my cravings, last night I made cheese dip at 10pm after eating ice cream earlier.  It's calcium, right?

Almost 34 weeks, in the empty-ish baby room.  Waiting on the crib to arrive.  (It'll be the same as Benjamin's.)

At the last Dr. appointment, the baby measured about 5 pounds!  Yay!

Not much exciting is happening these days, we're just laying low and I'm trying to take it easy, keeping my feet up as much as possible.  I did get a mani/pedi with a girlfriend yesterday, which was really fun.  I'm trying a bolder color than my usual pink or red, so we'll see how long I can keep it going.  When we were traveling back to Amman and I was all puffy and weird, I was so stressed that I bit my nails back down so I've got a long road ahead to grow them out.  But it's helpful to get the professional polish job, it definitely lasts longer so I hope I can get in the good habit of moisturizing my hands and leaving my nails alone. 

Electric blue.  Definitely out of the box for me.

Man, a whole year has passed.  We've got two more to go and I'm guessing they'll go by quickly as we adjust to life as a family of four.  It was hard coming back to Amman after being home for three weeks, but now we're in the groove and getting into a routine again.  Praise God, Benjamin is sleeping better and if he wakes up he doesn't take much coaxing to get back to sleep.  Fingers crossed we can all be rested up for when the baby arrives!

Rachel