Invaded by Shipment, Abducted by Roswell, Sinking in Arabic

a bit like Christmas

Yesterday, our shipment from Alabama was delivered to our new home in Maadi, Cairo.  We had been living off of what we could pack in suitcases at our departure 4 months ago, and we had gotten accustomed to our empty house and rooms.  Now, we're hip deep in the rubbermaid containers we purchased for our shipping--35 of them, along with 2 larger cartons (1 for a basketball goal that i now have to assemble).  Opening these containers is full of, "oh yeah" moments as we become reintroduced to things we haven't seen in months--some things we had forgotten about, and other things for which we have been longing.

Among the items we (okay, I) have been longing for is the espresso machine.  I found it rather quickly, everything arriving intact and ready to reassemble in the perfect location I had cleared on the counter.  I became overly excited at the sight of bags of Starbucks beans that had been graciously given by mother-in-law and the Decatur Starbucks employees (I was a good customer).  I, contrary to my typical patient and strategic execution, excitedly began putting everything together and grabbed an adaptor to plug in the completed masterpiece--and then there was the "Pop"--in my excitement, I had forgotten that the espresso machine was rated 120volts, not the 220 of international systems.  So, now, we have a lot of espresso beans and no espresso machine :(.

Meanwhile, as you know we completed our Arabic level 1 class.  We had been on a 6 hour per week schedule, and we wanted to accelerate that pace a bit, so we're now doing 9 hours a week.  This increase in time has been matched by an exponential increase in required study and application.  We're still doing well, but it has become mentally exhausting by the time we are done with the class, and then we have to study as well as helping the kids with their studies.

This exhaustion has led us to pursue some "veg" time, a little mental escape.  We kept a Netflix account (we have elected not to pay for local satellite tv for a number of reasons).  Prior to coming to Cairo, we used the Netflix instant queue to watch the entire "24" television series--what a blast to marathon a series without commercials and without having to wait till the next week for the next part of a story.  Anyway, we thought we would give the old Roswell television show a try--i was unprepared for the impact this sci-fi, cheesy, teen angst would have on me!

Note: The views, values, & dialogue of the Roswell tv show
are not necessarily those of ourselves, ChoG Ministries,
or Three-Worlds.
Also, we think a percentage of all "Twilight" profits
should be deposited to the Roswell creators.

I've always gravitated to sci-fi/fantasy stuff because there is usually an element of purpose/calling/destiny among the lead character(s), and I have always had a sense of calling and purpose in my life (go ahead and laugh, but I used to stare at the Indiana sunsets over the fields from our barn roof the same way Luke Skywalker looked out at the sunset on Tatooine).  This sense of calling/destiny created unique angst in my teen years and into college as I attempted to personally reconcile relationships--with my family, friendship, and romantic--in light of that calling.  I made more than my share of mistakes and missteps through that process and I'm so thankful for God's grace, patience, and providence in leading me through that and to Keli.

So, I've been entertained by shows (like "24"), intellectually engaged in shows (like "LOST"), but I was simply captivated by Roswell.  I was quite unprepared for the emotions and memories it brought forth--through a cheesy show!

I could go on for days about why this resonated so much, but a lot of this connection has to do with my age.  As I quickly approach 40 this year, I'm now continually confronted by Egyptians who can't believe I'm over 30!  All I have to do is point to Grace, reminding them that she is 14 and that if I was in my late 20's, then I would have been in high school when we had her.  Meanwhile, Grace, for some reason, is totally excited about me turning 40--and all of this happens with her approaching High School in the fall.

My daughter will be going to High School.

I remember High School--as much as I would like to forget all 4 of them--I remember it all too well.  I remember how life became a blur, and how a lot of those relational experiences and mistakes shook and shaped my life.   I've been reminded that the next 4 years are not only going to fly by for her, but they're going to shape her--I've been reminded that Keli and I have so little time left in attempting to prepare her, teach her, and help her.

And that's no easy task for a parent of a teenager because they would rather discover for themselves because their parents couldn't possibly get-it or understand what they're experiencing.

But we do remember; and telling them or attempting to warn them (if not outright prohibiting them) from making the same mistakes, has generationally fallen on deaf ears and creates the generational divide.  (I doubt if Will Smith, now a parent of teens himself, would agree with is lyric "Parents just don't understand.")

So, in the context of watching this television story, I'm attempting to tell my daughter my stories, my "romantic misadventures".  We have lots of time in walks throughout Cairo, and I've been taking the time to attempt the impossible: to help my daughter see we do "get it", we were young once, and we do understand.  She has been listening, even smiled a time or two as she has heard about my first attempt of asking a girl to dance, first breakups, etc.  It's our hope that this may prompt some openness and willingness to dialogue with us in the future--that may only happen after High School--but, we have to try.

And, Titus is preparing for Middle School in the fall--that's a bit more of a distant memory, but we're working hard to prepare him for those tumultuous years, as well.

Speaking of the kids--it's time to go pick them up from school.  Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support...