Enjoying the Challenge

Our villa curtains shading us from the hot, hot Qatari sun

Our voices echo, hitting the barren walls as we sing "whenever I hear the song of a bird..." surprising us with how good it sounds.

Our feet turn coy at the cool tiles as they efficiently pick up any crumbs left along the way.

Our legs skip a stair at a time going up and down (especially with piles of laundry waiting to be done on the third floor).

The curtains filter in light from more than one angle of the house, giving things a natural glow.

The shower spray never gives an unfriendly shock of cool.

Our front step offers complimentary steam baths with a single crack of the door.

The terrace displays the sky's arabian sunsets perfectly.

The water fixtures are surprisingly aesthetic.

The walls conveniently shelter sleeping ears from noisy toddler ramblings.

The space makes for a more romantic setting once the kiddos are down.

We are working on making this house a home. It is literally three times bigger than our old two bedroom apartment and so I feel the need to work three times harder to fill it with all things good. It has been a process. Most of our stuff is making its way across the seas with weeks still to go. It's amazing how you just make-do. Sure, it's frustrating but I enjoy the challenge. No food processor? No problem. Give me the bottom of a cup and some elbow grease and I'll make those chickpeas into falafels. No mop? No problem. Hook a wet rag to the bottom of the sweeper and I'll make those floors shine.

I made myself sit down today and write all the things I loved about our new abode (see list above). Lately, that has been my remedy to feeling sorry for myself or complaining (because really, I have no reason to grumble). It has also been the key to adjusting to change--whatever that change is. Brendon jokingly refers to our villa as a "luxury dump". I think we've had more maintenance issues in the last month than we did our entire three years in Virginia. The latest is plumbing leaks causing mold and no doubt, pseudomonas. Needless to say, a nightmare for someone with CF. We are still working on getting it resolved.

Back to making this house a home. I can't help but imagine the house filling up with a warm and inviting spirit with each uncomplicated prayer said at MD's yellow bedspread, with each verse of I Am a Child of God sung in the cutest off pitch voice, with each welcome-home-kiss for Brendon, with each giggle from Clark trying to feed his momma cheerios with his sticky fat fingers, with each scripture read and pondered, and with each apology from this ever repentant wife and mother. And the list goes on.

We have two years to fill this villa up and I think I'll enjoy this challenge more than any other.