Enjoyed another great day today! We hung out poolside most of the day and a bunch of friends dropped by. We ate hommus and I learned to play cribbage. Then Jeanette Rizk came over and we cooked low carb Morrocan Chicken and steamed clams! It is only 10 p.m. and I am ready for bed...this is a good life!

First Day of Vacation!

Heaven...I 'm in Heaven... Seriously, today was awesome, We did nothing, zip, zilch, nada! Well unless laying by the pool playing scrabble counts as something or sleeping in until 9 a.m. It is a tough life but as you know someone has to live it. Paris Hilton has her course in life and this is my lot in life.

Summer School was no joy but it makes vacation feel well deserved. I will think twice next summer before I sign up to do it again!

Yesterday I went to bed with Caleb at 9 p.m. exhausted after two nights of minimal sleep. Wednesday night was spent at the emergency room learning the meaning of "croup". We had eaten popcorn not long before he had gone to bed and so when he woke up making this bizarre noise (barking like a seal) and having difficulty breathing, it seemed as if something had gotten caught in his passage way, besides the fact that he had no fever or any other clue to indicate sickness. I tried to act calm and not worry but finally broke down at midnight and called a nurse friend for advice. She said "better safe than sorry" and that was all I needed to hop in the car and go.

In the end it was croup.

So we are having some snotty days but all in all its not too bad.

So yeah it is vacation and I am pumped. I have a old friend (actually an old youth group kid) from Denver and her husband coming to visit on Tuesday for a couple of weeks. Hopefully we will make it out of town to somewhere. If not I am happy to hang around here and just catch up on her life. Getting around is a bit of a hassle as I have still not yet bought a car. For the last few months I have been able to borrow different friends cars while they traveled. Now I am in discussion either to buy a affordable piece of junk or to hire a taxi on a fulltime basis with my neighbors.

My neighbors are a family I have known for years from church. They are in their mid 30's with 3 daughters. Juleen is a teacher at CAC and Roger is a househusband. The property we live on has twin villa's side by side. We share the pool and yard and are really looking for ways to live more in community. It is a great arrangement for us as we are similar in lifestyle and have many of the same friends.

"Monkey see Monkey do" Caleb doing his part to help Alia out as she snaps the beans. He is quite pleased with himself.











Caleb had a great day playing in the water.

I think this could be a great Colgate ad!

We live with 7 dogs (not by my choice!) and finding a safe place to sit and eat your meal is no easy task.

July 4th in Cairo

Domestic Bliss

Once I upon a time...I used the term "domestic bliss" in a rather perjorative fashion. I assumed that household chores were a form of bondage, something only to be endured never enjoyed. The fact that I was single, had a full time maid, and worked a chaotic, non stop schedule all contributed to my misunderstanding of the meaning of "domestic bliss". My life is so different now in my post ministry days, a bit slower in a sense. I still work long days and it is still a very hectic schedule but my mind isn't as busy as it once was and so life seems slower to me. It allows me to ponder other issues or to actually be quiet and ponder nothing. Somehow moving at this quieter slower pace has freed something up in me. Tonight as I cooked dinner for Caleb and I, I had a type of "ah ha!" moment. I was chopping veggies, washing dishes, soaking stains out of his clothes, (and feeding chicken heads and feet to the dogs I am caring for, but that is aside from my point) and I was experiencing a form of well...bliss! I was enjoying caring for my home and feeding my child not because it was a chore that had to be done but because it was my joy. Weird! Maybe I am finally growing up.

For you more recent ex Maadi ites: Travis Black is BACK! He is here to fill the interim youth pastor position while a year long search takes place. I am happy to have him back, but I doubt that I will see him much with his new title and schedule.

Man I have been online for hours!!!! Trying to catch up takes serious time. Fortunately Caleb was in a mellow mood happy to sit on the floor next to me and play with his cars and let me write away. This is not a normal thing!!! I had this brilliant idea to post the Christmas letter that never got sent with teh pic that I had 50 copies made of and never sent (hmmm a reoccuring theme I also have 50 copies of the previous years photo never sent!) I never know who knows what so sorry if this is old news. I know I e-mailed this letter out so those who I didn't have a hard address for but for the rest of year Merry Christmas!

New Years Resolution 2006…send in my 2003 and 2004 tax forms that have been sitting on my desk for the last year AND write my Christmas 2004 and 2005 letter.

OK, so the taxes are still on my desk waiting for the right size envelope to appear but here goes with the Christmas letter!

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words but I will include a few of my own to explain the cute little face if you have not already heard. Caleb Christopher Widener is his name and bringing me much joy and laughter is his game. As most of you know I rarely do things the normal way and Caleb is no exception. Lets just say that he was nothing short of a miracle from God. Someone asked me not long after Macon had died whether or not I would be open to getting another child like I had gotten Macon. As much as I cherished the gift that Macon was in my life, I wasn’t all that enthused about walking that journey again in the same fashion (i.e. no papers nor legal security). I told this friend rather emphatically “No! God would have to drop a child off on my doorsteps for me to know I was supposed to do that again.”…yeah… so I am a Mom again. He was delivered to me at about 4 hours old and just over 4 pounds to hold. Amazing huh?

It is hard to describe the radical change my life has taken over the last 2 years. After 10 years as the Youth Pastor at Maadi Community Church I stepped out into the unknown in June of 2004. Still grieving the loss of Macon I was unsure of what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go, and even more clueless as to God’s plans for my life, but I knew that I wanted to stay put for a time here in Egypt and figure things out at a slower pace. I really was at peace and yet anxious to see what God had in store for me. The summer of 2004 I went back to the U.S. for a short visit and then returned back to Cairo and had to move out of church provided housing and begin fending for myself. I found a cute little apartment reasonably priced and with the help of some youth group kids painted it up funky and made myself a new home. In late August I got a call from a friend of a friend asking if I could help with her teenage son who was doing a home schooling program. I said “yes” and one thing led to another and I found myself employed part –time at a small school for kids who, for either academic reasons or behavioral reasons, were not accepted at the American school here. I teach writing and grammar as well as history to a couple of kids with mild learning disabilities. I also began to get a number of calls asking for after school tutoring in various subjects. None of this was really what I was looking for nor expecting but what an amazing gift it has turned out to be! No sooner had I gotten this job then Caleb came into my life. What a perfect set up! I had an income that covered my needs, I had a versatile and flexible schedule that allowed me to handle caring for a newborn, and I had great friends who shared the early months with me! Like a red carpet rolled out at the Oscars I walked the path with no doubt that God was in control and leading.

So here we are 1-½ years later, Caleb is 17 months old and full of life and raw energy. He has the most beautiful eyes you can imagine with his lashes curling up to touch his brow. He has a mop of curly brown hair that I can’t bring myself to cut, and these big white teeth that look like Chiclets planted right in the center of his smile. Everyday I look at him and my heart swells with delight at how good God has been to both of us. Over and over again I think of Job’s words “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord!” and the Lord gives again!

Besides work and mothering I am also enjoying being back in ministry again as I lead a small youth group at another expatriate church downtown. It is a church filled mostly with Christian workers so most of the youth have been here long term. Neat kids and very appreciative of anything I offer. Unfortunately time and transportation issues keep me from spending the individual time with them that I would like but I think good stuff is happening anyhow. After sitting all week and talking simplistic grammar and study skills with kids it is good to be in a role that is familiar and challenging.

I continue to enjoy being a part of the community here and the chance to still interact with my old youth group kids is such a privilege. I even have an old youth grouper living with me for the year, which is cool!

In many ways life is very full and busy but I must say compared to the life of a full time youth pastor this pace is way slower and more relaxing. It took me a whole year to get over guilt pangs when I laid on the couch to read a book, or took an after church nap but I think I am cured now.

Forgive me for my poor correspondence but believe me when I say that I do cherish the friendships that I have around the world and that out of sight DOES NOT mean out of mind!

Enshallah, (Lord willing) I will write again before the New Year, until then peace and good tidings,

Love,
Amy and Caleb

I keep waiting to send out the address to this sight until I can figure out exactly what I am doing but at the rate I am going it will become as outdated as my Christmas letter which never got sent. Hmmm maybe I could post that letter and finally be done with that task as well!
So pardon the pathetic blog format.I can't figure out how to get my pic into the profile box any help out there?

It is Sunday, and as many of you are enjoying your weekend and looking forward to the big game tonight, we here in Egypt are already back at work. I started my second week of summer school today and lets just say the weekend wasn't long enough! I teach a mere 4 classes but ,with kids who all have either dyslexia, ADD or ADHD plus a variety of other small learning struggles, it can make for a very long arduous day. ( imagine an emoticom of a person pulling their hair out right here)! I enjoy the kids but dislike the pressure of trying to actually accomplish something. Today we had to turn in our goals and our strategies to achieve them, the use of duck tape was one of my strategies, my supervisor wasn't impressed.

Even though it seems like a forever long day, in reality I am done at about 3 p.m. which makes for a 4 hour shorter day than usual. So I am home enjoying daylight, a cool breeze and the company of Caleb who is working out 2 more of his final four teeth.Life is good!

For those of you who know Kerry McGuigan she got married on July 3rd and just sent a few pixs which I will post. She was a bit (understatement) bummed as she had an outdoor wedding and reception and it evidently rained a bit...OK alot. But as you can tell by the photo's she was beautiful as was the scenery. She and Marcus will honeymoon in Spain on their way back to Cairo where she will resume her teaching and he will start a job with the church in the finance department.

Anyone want to come vacation in Egypt? I have plenty of room and am open and available year round.

Caleb dancing up a storm at the baby disco

OK ...OK I will admit it. I am looking for an "easy out" of letter writing. I am so far behind that I can't see even a glimpse of light at the end of my e-mail tunnel. Is it because I don't care about my family and friends? Is it because I am a recluse who desires to hide what I am doing? Is it because my life is boring and I think I have nothing to report? Nay! Again I say "Nay" to all three of the options...well there is some truth to to the third one. Truth be known I want to write and keep up, but getting the right combination of time, concentration, and working internet is very difficult.
Although I am a bit intimidated by the many bloggers who have gone before as well as the technology of it all, I am going to join the world of blogging. Now lets set the ground rules right from the start. First off,I am making no commitment as to how often I will update this blog. Secondly don't come here looking for deep intellectual fodder, my reading as of late goes no deeper than "How Terrible Are the Terrible Two's?" and the occassional Suduko puzzlebook. Finally, lets all keep in mind that a blog really isn't a substitute for a real letter nor does posting a comment count as a real letter. So although I hope to relieve a bit of pressure I am not excusing myself from the occassional personal form of communication...nor you.

Ok with that all said on to posting pixs! and sending out the address.