the holiday

some of my most potent memories of the Eid in Jordan was walking through the streets trying induce labor with Layla and having to avoid the streams of blood in the streets due to the goats they were slaughtering for the feasting.

 not this year. this year was the joy of reconnecting with our Syrian friends and stepping back into their world. Our girls missed them and were anxious to see them and bring the presents we had chosen in the States. 

  i loved how excited my girls were to be with our sweet Syrian friends. how now a normal part of their lives is weekly visits in the camps with their buddies.

 then we met up with the rest of our crew for a feast at an out door picnic area that had playgrounds and horse rides and delivered the most perfect weather. 

Super hero poses...

 It was so rich to be celebrating the Eid with true friends. for our kids to be able to step into their world and it to feel right. for our kids to laugh, run, swing, slide, pretend, and eat with energy and joy and carelessness. 

 then we were serenaded with an instrument i have never seen before. we watched as our friends made up songs about how much they loved each other and our kids. 

 we also slipped into the mode of the day which is just enjoying each other, no time tables. no one thinks of naps or bed times, or schedules. we just prepare food, eat the food and then lounge around and have conversations about all the deep things on our hearts. 

 on the drive home, Layla and Sophia were talking about how much fun they had and they started articulating how much they wanted our friends to be able to return to their homes, toys, families in Syria. It was such a kingdom moment. Of seeing their sweet hearts longing to restoration and justice and peace to reign. 

  It was a moment that i smiled and thanked God that we are exposing our kids to these complex realities and instead of creating stress or troubling them deeply, it is bringing out the heart of the Father and pushing them to ask to pray with us for Syrians.