Still here

Still here...still waiting on paperwork......

On a side note I have to share a story....

Before I met Sam I didn't own a TV and when I finally had a TV it was to watch an occasional video.. that's how long ago that was I had VHS.....

When I met Sam he had a huge TV one of those big screen things.. it made my eyes hurt. Eventually that went ( shh don't tell Sam thank goodness) and we had our family TV in the Entertainment center..... I don't let the kids watch TV to much junk. I rarely turn it on maybe for my favorite shows but not even always then.

We sold our TV to get ready to move ( it weighed over 100 lbs) 32 in. anyways we sold the TV well over 2 weeks ago actually I think we are close to 3 weeks. 

I don't miss it one bit I am knitting more reading more and I have one less thing to dust... and I don't have to unplug it to keep H from trying to watch it. The kids are playing more no temptation no fights.

I could live with out the thing even after we move. The one thing I do kinda miss though is Saturday night movie...we get the kids together pick a kid movie and Sam makes his special Tabasco popcorn we all love.

I am thinking maybe we could have Saturday night game night which would be fun and have popcorn after.......

yes my life is still hanging in limbo the medical paperwork is still floating somewhere in Germany... our Military passports are somewhere at the state department..... still waiting for those to come. Yes , Sam still has to go ahead and yes in mere weeks the reality is I will be traveling with 4 kids 2 of which are 20 months old and it is their first time flying.... with 2 travel beds, 2 car seats, and 10 pieces of luggage on 4 different flights and 11 hours of flying... by myself.

I said I wanted adventure right...well that sounds like a thrill ride.....

Germany, Iran, and The United States

I have to start this "story" with the statement that my National Geographic Magazine came and Iran was on the cover. I LOVE my NG I have loved it since I was a kid I remember I always had a chance to read it even as young as 5. I Loved the big glossy pages the exotic people and places I wanted to go to every place I read about and learn more. I still to this day get excited to rip open the package and read that magazine from cover to cover. Sam has been to the headquarters twice and behind the scenes.  Sam also did a workshop... I have worked on a project and been to a lecture and I tell you I could do more would love to......

Now moving on... I couldn't wait to read the article about Iran it was about the Persian aspect of Iran's history. I have to say as we all no at times NG can be a bit liberal and get a bit political...such as the media. Of course this article delved into the U.S. and Iran's tension as well as a few other current topics but the bulk was about the Persian influence on Iran. I waxed and waned during the article sometimes I was angry at the writer for making the political issues her sounding board and at times I was angry and what Iranian's said......

I did have to smile several times in the article Iranians ordinary people stated they wanted us the US to know they weren't terrorist waiting to destroy us and that they are uncomfortable with the "Arabic" identity they have had thrust upon them. They wanted to be know for their rich cultural heritage through ancient times and that they were a people still of that culture and that is where they saw the future.

In reading this I remembered another article I had read about a travel writer who went to Lebanon to write about the country and he too encountered many wonderful people who wanted the US to know they weren't terrorist and that they too had great pride in their culture and rich past.

Stay with me here... My friend Jenny had been to a workshop with international business people. As an ice breaker the attendees talked about their countries and things about themselves etc. Jenny told me that a German man said to everyone..." I am German everyone hates us ...." 

How very interesting..U.S. citizen's are feeling like the whole world hates us? We are all drawn together by the perception that everyone in the world has the wrong opinion of us. They probably do to some extent.

The problem of the ages misunderstood cultures trying to learn more about each other and understand each other better. Something gets lost in cultural differences and translation.

I know in anthropology we have fancy terms for trying to understand and observe others with out letting our own cultural views interfere.

Germans Iranians, and Americans all feeling the same thing. Many countries are caught up in so much political strife ordinary people just want to live their lives.

I would also like to note that in my area (other blogs) the blog My Marrakesh... Maryam has several very good blogs listed on her site about Iran and human rights etc.

I always like to look for ways we are more alike than different and despite being angry about some of the statements or parts of the article or their leaders behavior I would like to think we are alike in the pride we feel for our countries history and culture...we all share that no matter where we live in the world.

Yes I'll take 2 passports please.....

The paperwork saga continues...... The flaming messages keep coming......and more people are added to my  "hit" list. We will have 2 passports each in order to go one is an official military passport...which looks identical to our regular passports....and we have to have both.... so please hope hope for us that it will not take the state department the quoted 8 weeks to get them to us...... or Sam will be going and I will be here with the kids for the 8 weeks ...which means for the third year in a row we will be separated from August on.......... and yes that would mean I would have to pack handle to movers ship the car etc. do everything for the move with all the kids by myself.   So to my catholic friends out there I know there is a saint to bury in the yard to sell a house is there a saint to make the state department move paperwork faster????

More and more pictures.....

Picture happy today what can I say :)

Pictures pictures.....

The past 5 days have been fun filled with not only mission impossible....... But ( start humming the twelve days of Christmas tune)  The end of summer school for T,  The sale of one car by Sam, A trip for camping at Mc Grath state beach...in true Bendet style there was misty overcast weather..... ground squirrels galore, smores and more...sand mud and 4 dirty kids...... British soccer camp...sliding down a slide climbing through a tunnel and 3 bike ridesssssss ..... 4 dirty kids, 3 bike rides, 2 tired parents .......and one million pictures :)

actually we had a fun filled weekend with camping despite the sand mud and dirt heheheheheheheh and then this week started British soccer camp for the boys which they dearly love love and the twins have had a great time playing at the playground at soccer.

so with out further adieu let's get on with the pics.....

Little inspirations

I have to start by saying yes the paperwork saga continues...... oddly I was telling a friend today that I feel like I am in a scene from mission impossible....should you choose to accept this mission you must maintain your sanity prepare a family and house to move and pick up the dry cleaning by 2 make dinner by 5 drive kids to blah blah blah. Then after I make the dash and complete the task there is another flaming note waiting to explode and for me to go on the run again. Actually visualizing it makes me giggle. We managed to get into the school office ( hear the mission impossible theme song playing) get this ... My husband works with the former PTA president's husband he called her she called the principal who called me....... yes please fall over laughing at this point at how lame this has been I know I am laughing. Finally we get the school paperwork done.. it is sent to Germany so hopefully by tomorrow it will leave the wrong place in Germany for the right place..... keep your fingers crossed. No sooner had I arrived home when Sam was calling to tell me that now despite holding 3 identity cards, 2 sets of official paperwork....and passports ( the whole family) we actually have to get military passports. Yes Military passports which look identical to our passports .. apparently it serves as our visa for Germany. It takes 8 weeks to get.... unless the office pays a huge amount of money to have it expedited..... and it is there fault they were suppose to do that paperwork first. So tomorrow the next mission impossible meeting will happen ( cue music again)....... I'll keep you posted on my next mission impossible task :) hahahahahahah

Now on to the real reason for the post this evening :) I was driving home from the school office and I saw a woman walking her dogs. Nothing extraordinary, I smiled though maybe it was the sun shining maybe it was the time of day. I see this woman literally out everyday over her lunch every day rain or shine walking her 2 dogs. I smile because it makes me happy to think of her dedication to this her obvious enjoyment and pleasure. I even became inspired to think of more of these moments in my own life. Happiness and joy in the simple things in life that make our days better in small unsung ways. Good for her for getting out for her dedication. To all of you who do all of the ordinary things that need to be done rain or shine ! "They" always say happiness lies in the little things and as a detail person I like that !

Things to make us smile

Realizing that the past week I have been a negative Nelly and realizing that I missed out on posting some positively smile inducing pictures..... I have come to my senses and have decided to post happy thoughts to start the weekend. It is a Friday and what better day to reflect on the week and dream of what can be for the coming week !

Picture one we have the prettiest beach flower that there ever was and the splash of color upon the blank canvas of the sand makes me smile ! S was happy and content to watch the waves and enjoy the breeze. Warm sun, cool breeze, calming waves....what could be better?

Picture two We're off the race has begun ! What fun it is to run carefree in the warm sun ! P was running from Mom but, in general he has fun running wildly about making mischief of one kind or another for the sake of a laugh. Carefree the wind at his back a boy and the beach just makes me smile.

" In the end people will show you their good side almost everybody has a good side just keep waiting it will come out"  - Jon Snoddy  quoted in The Last Lecture

So we end our week with happy thoughts of children laughing the sun shining and carefree moments with friends, family, or new acquaintances. Have a good weekend and Hopefully next week will be full of joy and happiness !

Also I would like to thank Maryam for posting comments being positive and reminding me that there are exciting things around ever corner :)