Gratitude 21st

Today I am grateful for the car washes in the basement of shopping malls here. While Alex celebrated a friend's birthday and then we had dinner out, the car was transformed from beige (the color of mud and filth) back to gleaming maroon. And no more getting our clothes dirty getting in and out of the car.

Gratitude 20th

Today I am ever so grateful that Terry and I are Pennsylvania residents. Actually, I am often grateful to this, as PA government seems to align with my major issues more often than not and more often than many other states I could have kept "citizenship" with. Most especially, I am grateful that my governor has not only refused to sign up with the other governors trying to refuse to allow Syrian refugees within their borders, but he is openly welcoming them. Can't wait to actually live there again, one day.

Gratitude 19th

Today I am grateful for thoughtful, respectful, constructive disagreements conducted on social media. It almost never happens, but sometimes it does, and both parties can actually learn something and maybe even change their viewpoints. Wish there was more of that in the world!

Gratitude 18th

Today I am grateful for something to look forward to. We just booked out Rest and Relaxation trip over the winter and it involves sunshine and beaches and a country I have never been to.

Gratitude 17th

Sunday was a big day, Zoltan lost his second ever tooth and Alex earned her orange belt at karate.  Today I am grateful to be able to share these moments with my family, and I think of the people who are far from loved ones (deployed by military or foreign service or working in a foreign country to earn enough to support family at home or who have had to leave their countries because they are no longer safe, whether due to general conflict or more targeted danger that leads the person to seek asylum elsewhere ...)

Gratitude 16th

Today I am grateful for the breadbox we just bought this weekend. Why did we wait so long?

Gratitude 15th

Today I am grateful none of my loved ones - or even just people I know - have been victims of the recent violence. Stay safe everyone, everywhere in the world.

Gratitude 14th

Today I am grateful for modern conveniences, such as internet and international shipping. We can still have Cheddar cheese sometimes, and get Alex some dairy-free alternatives to the foods everyone around her is eating, through the joy of the internet.  I still miss turkey bacon, though. 

Gratitude 13th

Today I am so thankful the week is over. Starting last weekend we celebrated the Marine's birthday and a friend's (mid-week! so fun!) and then moved house, unpacking almost all of the 250 boxes in about 36 hours.  Ready for the weekend and starting fresh again Monday.

Gratitude 12th

Today I am thankful for Sensei Talgat, the kids' karate instructor. He is strengthening their bodies, sharpening their reflexes, disciplining their minds, and teaching them how to count to 10 in "karate" (i.e. Japanese)

Gratitude 11th

In honor of Veteran's Day, I am grateful for the men and women, and husbands, wives and children, who sacrifice so much for the wellbeing of their country.

Gratitude 10th

(this one is prepped in advance and scheduled because I may not have internet tomorrow)

Today I am grateful for my kids' imagination. When Zoltan came home today to all his toys and things packed up, he ended up deciding to run obstacle courses through the boxes. When we went out for dinner the kids made pretend magical creatures out of the cloth utensil holders the restaurant had, told us stories of their adventures (Alex really got into the back story of how they acquired their magical powers) and kept themselves, and us, entertained while waiting for food.

Moving Day (And Gratitude 9th)

I don't think I mentioned this previously, but we're moving to a new apartment.  The details are unnecessary, just that there were problems with this apartment and the embassy decided it was best if we moved, and we agreed, and the process moved forward.  Now it's all ready.

Other than the obvious, being grateful for an apartment that doesn't have the problems of the old one, the new one is walking distance from the office. And closer to school. The door to Zoltan's room is solid wood (he currently lives in a study - no lock on the door and the door is half glass, which we had to cover with cardboard to keep out the living room light, because all rooms in the current apartment open into the living room. There isn't one square inch of hallway. It's a layout that took a bit of getting used to.)

We are over the moon.

November Gratitude 8th

Today I am grateful my biggest crisis yesterday was when the babysitter and the taxi both bailed on me at the lastest possible minute, so Terry and I were dressed to the nines for the Marine Corps ball and (almost) didn't manage to go. We were an hour late, but we went. If that was the worst thing that happened that day, then life is pretty good.

November 7 Gratitude

Eight years in the foreign service and tonight I am going to my second - yep, only second! - Marine Corps Ball.  Today I am grateful for my husband, who is putting on a tuxedo tonight for me even though he hates dressing up.

November Gratitude 6th

Today I am simply grateful that it is Friday.

November Gratitude 5th

Today I am grateful that my children still hug me, and want to hold my hand. I know the days are coming to an end but as long as I can stretch it I will.

November Gratitude, 3rd and 4th

Once again I missed a day. Oops.

I am grateful for the wonderful education my children are getting at their international school at post. Not only is the teaching very individualized and high quality, but they are also learning about being in a minority (the school is 75% local children), diversity (not much socio-economic diversity but all other kinds), and just experiencing a different system (it's a British school, so my children have favourite colours, but also for example my daughter learned about "animals of the steppe" in science class)

I am also grateful for my community of colleagues both within the embassy and within other diplomatic missions. It is much easier to do my work when I look forward to getting there.

November Gratitude, 1st and 2nd

As usual I am hitting the annual gratitude a bit late. However, I have a fair excuse. More about that another day.

For today, I am grateful for today's snowfall, because I do love the snow.
I am also grateful nobody I know fell very badly today, because many people at work were running around the city and there were some falls, but so far as I know no major injuries. Especially broken bones. Not on my watch.

(Belated) Merry Christmas to all

The waffles were made and eaten, as well as the homemade breakfast sausages (Note to husband, there is no such thing as too much maple. Thank you for the beef sausages).  A LOT of presents opened and then played with, batteries charged so other toys can be played with. New movies watched. Alex has not yet taken off the winter hat given to her by my in-laws, she loves it so much.  I had to break our resolve not to change out of pj's all day because we needed eggs - chocolate chip cookies can't be made without them.  Fresh bread, an apple pie in the oven and chocolate chip cookies the kids made - with minimal supervision - queued up.

Some highlights: Alex saying this was the best Christmas ever primarily because we got to wear pajamas all day, even when we went outside to play in the snow (thank you snowpants).  Alex excitedly running out to tell Terry about one of the kitchen science experiments we did this morning and telling him "It's all fizzing over like beer!" Zoltan making tunnels and mountains out of his own body as the new electric train runs around the track.  Terry got the VPN working so Target no longer scorns me when I try to access its web site.

And, for the first time ever, thanks to living in a Muslim country ...... when Terry cooks up his traditional Christmas ham for dinner there was a ham just for me made from beef!  Merry Christmas indeed!