February 4, 2023 - Saturday

Today was a bit different from our normal Saturdays! Ben and a bunch of other dads in our HC went to the Air Force Museum in Dayton with all of the kiddos. Honestly, I can't remember a time when Ben has taken all four kids out for more than a quick trip to a store. I just don't think it's ever happened before. While it would have been a beautiful opportunity to pour myself a mimosa, lay in the bath for a soak and read a book, I got myself dressed and headed to church to work on the bulletin board in the hallway. I think it turned out so beautifully! I'm very happy with it...other than the fact that my border was ONE PIECE too short. Very annoying. 😒 I'm going to have to go back to the Dollar Tree and get duplicates of all of the borders I bought or they will be useless! 

We all got home right around the same time in the early afternoon and everyone was very upset to find out that we were still doing no screens today. Especially Ben. He handled the disappointment with a very, very long afternoon nap and the kids just played. They were fine. Jonas and Clemi played this game where they bounced a ball into a doll high chair for almost an hour. Eventually, it was time to take Clemi to Eliane's birthday party that I have been so nervous about for the past couple of weeks. 

So. We get there. I'm just planning to drop her off, so I'm in my sweats and I only bring Clemi. We knock and go in and we're the first people there. Ayat (Eliane's mom) is wearing a LITERAL BALL GOWN. A maroon, velvet, floor-length gown. She has her hair looking beautiful and is all done up, with makeup and jewelry. I'm feeling super shabby at this point and, honestly, downright rude. I just didn't realize it was such a formal event! She introduces me to her mom, who just came over from Jordan to spend the next few months with them. Then she asks me where the other girls are and I say, well, I didn't know they were supposed to come too! She asks if I'll go get them and bring them back. 😟 I agree. I race home, get the girls in their fanciest dresses, throw some decent clothes on, dab a little makeup on my face, and head out. We spent the next two hours there and I was SO out of my element. There were only women, other than Eliane's brother and a cousin, but they spoke Arabic the entire time. A group of 7 Arabic-only speaking women and me. I felt very out of place! I ended up sitting at the table with the kids for the whole party with the excuse of needing to stay with Ollie, but really because the women basically stopped speaking when I sat in the same room as them. They were clearly uncomfortable with my presence there and, although I'm glad I did it and stuck through the two hours, I was very relieved to leave and I am sure they were all relieved to see me go! Ayat also sent me home with a huge tray of treats and that was super weird. I don't know if that's what hosts in Jordan do? If I should have refused? Should I have taken it all like I did?? I just have no idea if I did the right thing or what, but I did my best! I did take a ton of pictures, but I haven't edited them yet, so they'll have to be posted another day.