On the way home from Mt. Nebo, we stopped at the zoo. For all the years we have lived in Jordan, this was our first time visiting the zoo. It was pretty underwhelming, but the kids had fun and enjoyed seeing the animals. We were one of a handful of other visitors, it felt weird being in such an empty zoo.
The zoo had lots of caged...pigeons, ducks, deer. They also had horses, monkeys, ostriches, and a strangely large number of lions and tigers!
Another couple came well prepared with bags of lettuce heads and were kind enough to give us some to feed the monkeys. Yes, you can feed the animals at the zoo!
Caleb and the lion were having fun playing together.
Benjamin wanted to join in too...then all the lions started growling in unison across the zoo. It was kind of creepy.
These posts are out of order, but on New Year's Day, we went to Mt. Nebo to enjoy the nice weather. This is another place we have loved visiting over the years during our time in Jordan.
And Eliza's first visit.
It was a beautiful day and we had a great view of Palestine.
The boys starting taking rock climbing lessons a couple of months ago at a climbing gym, and they are loving it! They are learning fundamentals of climbing, rappelling, tying knots, how to put on and check climbing equipment, and they are working on belaying each other. Their coach is very patient and really enjoys working with the boys. They have come a long way since they started, and it's amazing to see their strength and how they can spider their way up these walls.
Benjamin
Caleb
I think repelling is their favorite part of the climb! This is Benjamin,
Caleb
They have also enjoyed bouldering too. Each week they try to get one rock higher! This is Caleb
Benjamin
This has been a fun new activity for the boys and we are excited to keep it going for the next couple of months. We hope to find a good climbing gym in Ankara!
In January we took a day trip to Jerash. We have enjoyed coming here the past several years, and watching the boys get to know this place so well. It was Eliza's first visit and she seemed to have fun and liked being carried around in the backpack carrier. Our first stop was the Amphitheater.
Next, we walked along ridge with a nice view of the Oval Plaza.
We stopped at the Temple of Zeus.
Then made our way to the old Roman road.
The boys love climbing all over the rocks and columns. It is truly amazing to see the engineering and extensive manual labor that went into constructing this old town. And even more amazing how well preserved it has remained over thousands of years.
We stopped in the Oval Plaza to count the columns...and we always all count different numbers!
Eliza loves to walk and she did a great job walking back to the car.
It was a beautiful day and fun to explore Jerash as a family!
As I reflect on 2019, I am thankful for the year of experiences our family has had, new places we have seen, challenges we have overcome, and I look forward to what 2020 has in store for our us. Here is a glimpse of our year.
In January, we explored a new place in Jordan, the King Talal Dam, which is where Jordan stores some of their rainwater they use for drinking and sanitation. Jordan is one of the most water-poor countries in the world and rain is very important to them. Thankfully it was a very rainy winter and the dam was full this year!
Later that month, Benjamin fell at school during recess and broke left arm. This was his 3rd (and hopefully last) broken bone in Jordan! A few years ago, he broke his right arm when he fell off the couch, and then fractured his right foot shortly after when he jumped off the couch.
This little lady turned 5 months old.
And we got some snow!
In February, Nathan and I went to the Black and White Ball. We didn't make it to any of the Marine Balls in Jordan, but I'm glad we got to one ball, and we had a fun time dressing up fancy and spending the evening with friends.
Eliza Rose turned 6 months old:)
In March, my mom came to visit us for a month. It was fun to have here her and she greatly enjoyed spending extra time with the kids (and us too). It was the boys spring break while she was here and they Ubered all over Amman going to movies, museums, and other activities. While she was here, we also went to Aqaba, took a cooking class with the ladies from my office where we made a traditional dish, Maqloubeh, and visited Jerash.
Eliza turned 7 months old.
In April, the boys started the t-ball season, however it did not last long for Caleb because he broke his left arm when he fell down at the park, shortly after the first t-ball game. It was not an easy time to break a bone on the first Friday of Ramadan, because all the doctors were at the mosque praying. After two different hospital visits, an X-ray indicating the break was very serious because it was resting on an artery, surgery to put pins his arm, and an overnight stay at the children's hospital, he was good to go, and a great sport about having a cast up to his shoulder for several weeks.
Later that month, our family took a long weekend trip Malta to celebrate my 40th birthday. We had a really fun time exploring the tiny island, visiting ancient cities, touring the Valetta harbor by gondola boat, and taking a ferry boat to Gozo, a smaller nearby island.
Eliza turned 8 months old.
In May, we did one of our favorite things to do in Jordan, hike Wadi Mujib, with our co-workers who are good friends and like family to us. The hike through the slotted canyon is so much fun, and is different each year. Based on the rainfall, the water levels and patterns change each year, so it is always a surprise where you can slide down rocks or have to maneuver your way via ropes across the canyon. It never disappoints and is something we will have a great memory of doing many times over the years here.
Benjamin finished the t-ball season, and they were sweet to give Caleb a medal too :)
Sweet girl turned 9 months old:
In June we took our summer vacation in the US. It was a relatively quick trip, but we had a lot of fun. We started in the DC area because Nathan had some work obligations, we visited the Naval Academy, then got a hotel in downtown DC, and showed the kids the White House, Natural History Museum, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Arlington Cemetery, we rode the metro, and walked all over the city.
Next, we spent a night at Shenandoah National Park and hiked before the rain storms settled in for the rest of our stay. We love showing the kids where we got married, it's a special place to go as a family.
At our wedding site :).
Next, went back to the Mountain Pond House for a couple of nights, to relax, hike in the Goshen pass, canoe, hike around the cabin grounds, and be outdoors and unconnected for a few days.
Next, we road tripped to Illinois and spent the next couple of weeks with Nathan's family. The Jolliff's were home for an extended visit this past year, so we got to spend a lot of time with them, and the boys loved the time with grandparents and cousins. We all enjoyed the Salem pool, and this year the boys could ride the water slide and of course used the diving boards.
We ate a lot of ice cream!
And saw then biggest pencil, mailbox, book worm, rocking chair, and other things in the small town of Casey, IL.
We took a trip Holiday World for a couple of nights, and this year the boys were thrilled to be tall enough to ride all the waterslides and most of the roller coasters! A hefty thunderstorm each day cleared out the park and made for shorter afternoon lines...we opened and shut down the park both days!
Mark and Betty also hosted a big family reunion and most of the extended family came, it was special to see everyone!
We saw fireworks for the 4th of July, and then a couple of days later headed back to Jordan.
It was a great trip and we look forward to the next visit!
Eliza turned 10 months old:
Shortly after returning to Jordan, Caleb turned 8 years old, and the boys finished the remaining few weeks of summer camp.
We were sad to say good bye to some good friends at the end of the month. The Cheneys were with us in Kuwait and Jordan, and we are thankful for their family's friendship.
Our office and their families...but Reed's wife and 5 kids were missing because they were in the US for the summer.
Eliza turned 11 months old:
In August, we took a trip to Tel Aviv and Jaffa. We have been to several parts of the West Bank and Israel, and this was our first time going to the beach. We stayed in Jaffa, a smaller town south of Tel Aviv that was wonderful to explore by foot. During the days, we camped out on the beautiful beaches.
The following week, the boys started first and second grade.
A few days later, Eliza Rose turned 1 year old!
In September, Nathan traveled to Thailand for a work trip, and he returned just in time to celebrate his 39the birthday. He was greeted with cake and a happy wife and kids ready to celebrate. Nathan's birthday is the start to our festive week of celebrations.
Sweet girl turned13 months old.
A few days later, in October, we celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary and enjoyed a date at a restaurant we had been wanting to try for a couple of years. We never imagined 10 years ago we would have 3 kids and be living in the Middle East, and we are thankful for this journey together.
A few days later, we celebrated Benjamin's 7th birthday, concluding our festive week of celebrations.
In the middle of the month, we took a trip to the Dead Sea, and enjoyed beautiful weather, floating in the sea, and swimming in the pools.
Earlier that month, I injured a tendon and joint in my foot exercising, and spent most of the month in a boot cast. The injury formed a cyst that was on the outside of my foot, and in early November I had a minor surgery to remove it. I was so thankful for Nathan and Tes for taking care of the kids and I for the few days following surgery, while I had to stay in bed and then was crutches.
A couple days after surgery, we had good friends from VA in town for a few days, and we enjoyed spending time with them.
We started the Christmas season early this year and put our tree up before Thanksgiving.
This year we celebrated Thanksgiving with some friends we made during our first year in Jordan, and our kids have become very good friends over the years. We are thankful for the friends we have made, they have become our extended families, and we are grateful knowing we can count on them for anything.
We are also so thankful for Tes! She has been taking care of our family for almost 7 years, she loves our kids like her own, and we could not do what we do without her.
In December, I had to travel to the U.S. for work for 3 weeks and returned a couple of days before Christmas. It's not easy being away from family this time of year, but I was glad to to visit with Nathan's cousins and see a few friends, and Nathan did a great job keeping our family traditions while I was away. I love seeing Christmas through our children's eyes, and pray they continue to grow in their understanding of it's meaning each year.
We are thankful for the great year we had, and we look forward to what the next year has in store for our family. It will be very bittersweet leaving Jordan after almost 5 years, but we are very excited to spend the summer in America with family and friends, and move to Turkey later in the summer!
