expectations.

it was the best of times. it was the worst of times.

August has been a very turbulent month. I think i can say that it has been the hardest month of living here yet. The heat just seeps into your skin and starts to melt your heart right along with your motivation, ambition, and excitement to seize the day.

mixed in with the moments where i am fighting to control my tears and agitation over different things brought on by the heat are all these small moments that just make life so worth it. things that cause me to laugh or smile and i just want to freeze the moment so i can savor it just a little bit longer.

i thought i would go ahead and list some of the extremes of both...as a sort of release for me.

o jordan...thank you for....

-being so hot that i am dripping sweat just to prepare a sandwich or small meal for claire

(felt like you could tell how hot i am in this pic)

-causing my pizza dough to be so risen/un-workable that i have a total yelling-crying-throw-the-dough melt down to drew because i was suppose to be making Mel and Ryan a pesto pizza for dinner. and it was just not working.

-running out of water because we were taking so many showers to cool off,and because our toilet is broken. 105 degree heat + no water = a bit claustrophobic.

-little claire bear's head being perpetually wet. she is so mobile that she works herself into a sweat. at least she has little curls.

-not one coffe house/restaurant in the whole country being open during the day for some sort of relief in the air conditioning. except 5 star hotels. see below for more on that. =)

( us going out at night when things open!)

-a walk to remember. debi, drew, mare and claire fleeing from our home to the magical escape of a hotel. walking down a burning hot street with all our stuff in 109 degree heat, laughing and moaning as we became drenched with sweat immediately. but we found a taxi and were able to be swept into paradise...

-trying to make an ice cream cake for Val's birthday and none of our freezer's being cold enough to freeze it once we made it. we had to eat it 2 days later. luckily the White had a stash of things in the cabinets that i could pull together for a last-minute cake for val.

(Val's bday celebration. She wanted us to all do talents for her! so drew did stand up comedy.

Mel and i did a skit about Val. Ryan did magic, Rem wrote and sang a song, Jason showed off his amazing movie/film trivia skills, and the Kopkes performed something that must remain a secret. )

(And of course we have to get the Baby Whisperer with the babies...)

but then there was....

-being followed by my buddy all over the house. turning my head and seeing here sunshine-y self smiling at me.

-getting kisses from claire.

-watching her explore, stand, move from table to couch and be fascinated at the way her brain works and try and figure out what she is thinking...

(she figured out debi's camera and when she saw the little red light flash she would close her eyes!)

-sharing this extreme situation with drew, my best friend and being able to laugh, groan and make the most of it.

-eating dinners on our roof. it is like our equivalent of a picnic. our house can stay stuffy and still even with all the windows open, the roof...cool breeze, sun setting and just an invigorating feeling.

-having debi..gigi...come be with us. being lavished on by her love, words, gifts, and help. she loves so freely and showers it down on us. we LOVED having her here and wished her stay was longer.

-being swept away to the Marriot by gigi...best shower i have had hand's down since leaving the states. most comfortable bed. air conditioning that actually makes you cold.

-watching drew get fascinated by Biggest Loser at the hotel. =)

-discovering how to make fresh lemonade and limeade. love it.

-and mostly just loving to see claire laugh so much more. the most random things strike her as funny. like being put under a sheet. or if something breaks, someone falls, or i drop something.

August in Amman...you have been a doozy, we bid you farewell with gusto.