Alabama Camel Riders: Recap: Meredith was here!

I guess it takes a freak rainstorm, complete with thunder, for me to write another blog post. It's been raining about 10 minutes, and there's been thunder along with it. I can see and hear the excitement of the kids next door as they run and jump in the puddles. Rain is a strange and blessed thing in this part of the world!

Moving on...

We took Mere to the airport Friday night. She left in the wee hours of Saturday morning and arrived safely back to Bham sometime Saturday night. What a wonderful 2 weeks we had together! She is an amazing young woman and I'm very proud of who she has become in the Lord and excited to see where He will take her next!

I felt kinda bad that we had school the 2 weeks she was here. But God knows what He's doing and His timing is perfect. For those of you who know this sister of mine, you know that it's just about impossible for her to sit still for any period of time. I stayed busy when I was younger, but man, she makes me look like a couch potato compared to her social calendar! So, while we kept her busy on the weekends, she was able to sleep in and relax during the week. Something that I know she needed! (She came to us from Morocco, where she did a 4-month study abroad term)

We had an amazing time! The first full week Mere was here, she mostly caught up from her jet lag and relaxed. I have it on full authority that she slept until at least 11 several days!

That first weekend, we headed to our former, modern big city for her to meet some of our local friends and to see the sights. Basically, we wanted to whet her appetite to come back and visit again. I think we succeeded! :) We visited and ate local food with some of our Indian friends and some of our Arab friends. She ate every single thing that was put in front of her! Very impressive! We visited the huge mosque in out city and then went to the souq (market) for Mere to do some shopping. (It was probably 100+ degrees the whole day, with high humidity!)

*Temperature update: The high in our city today is 108. The high in our former city is 93. Major difference is there is no humidity in our current city...well, except for today with our freak rain storm.*

After that, we headed back to our current city for a little more relaxing for Mere and a lot more Arabic for me and Brad! We made a few visits that 2nd week and Mere went to Lucy's nursery school to spend the day while we were in class. She had a great time with the local ladies that run the place and was very pleased when Lucy got jealous of her giving the other kids attention. Mere also got henna designs on her hands (see pictures below).

Then our 2nd weekend, we headed up to the Big D. We had Thursday afternoon and evening in the biggest mall ever (!) underneath the tallest building in the world. It was a great time and Mere was sufficiently overwhelmed! (As is usual in the Big D.) Friday morning, we took it easy, had some Mexican for lunch at an On the Border, then went to a water park that afternoon! All 3 of us are totally water park kind of people! I mean, I'd go every day, I think, if I could! It was so fun to have Mere there and very necessary so that we could all take Lucy duty turns. The park was packed - when YOU come, we'll go on a week day! Then I took Mere to the airport at 11ish that night. Boo. It was sad.

We had such an amazing time! What a blessing to have her visit! Now I just gotta get those other 2 sisters out here! (hint, hint...)

Here are some pictures for you to SEE what I've been talking about.
Mere enjoying her first McArabia from McDonald's.