Archive for March, 2009
The Answer
Author: Dana
No one guessed fit!? I may need to clean up my blogging a bit – but – that wouldn’t be authentic and I don’t want to go there. I’ll give you a word picture of which category I’m in (at least most of the time):
There you go. That’s where I am. Hiding out. But. I’m trying to move out of that stage and at the same time not forcing myself too hard.
Thanks for playing!
read comments (1)Home Again
Author: Dana
I didn’t mention I was leaving in the first place did I? And my posting went right on as usual didn’t it? That’s because I’m a paranoid freak of nature. Especially since the break-in. Because surely the theives are online checking out my blog.
So we went to Dar last week. At least I think we did. The thing is that I’m writing this before leaving. Because I like to be so ahead of schedule and I feel I’ll be too tired to post an entry on Monday after getting back late Sunday night. So I’m posting it now instead.
Therefore, I can give you no further details on my trip. It hasn’t happened yet. I’m feeling really weird writing this post. I could have just picked out a quote or picture but I just had to mention the trip. And I want to delete now but then I would have wasted all this time and I just hate to waste time.
I am spending a lot of energy not packing and not cleaning. This crazy blog post is just what I needed to get me back into something useful (and reasonable). Hopefully the rest in Dar (a whole week without cooking – can you imagine!?) will bring me back refreshed and ready to give you much better material. Let’s hope.
Fun, Fight, Flight, Fit
Author: Dana
The other day I found this chart within the information we got during training before coming here.
Culture Stress
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
| CULTURE STRESS | |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
|Quick Outline of| |
| the Process | |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
| | |
| | |
| Fun | Honeymoon Stage |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
| | |
| | |
| Flight | Avoidance |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
| | |
| | |
| Fight | Anger (Different and bad) |
| | |
| | |
| | Mockery (Different and Foolish) |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
| | |
| | |
| Fit | Tolerance (Different but O.K.) |
| | |
| | |
| | Understanding (Different but Reasonable) |
| | |
| | |
| | C Creativity (Different but Open to Interaction/Transaction) |
|—————-+——————————————————————–|
I’m not sure when our honeymoon stage ended (or began) but we’ve definitely moved on from there. I’ll let Jonathan talk about where he is (if he wants to). I’ll just say that he’s not in the same place I am.
Where am I?
Anyone want to guess? I want someone to guess. I know one person for sure who would get it right. Maybe everyone would get it right. I’d love to know what you suppose. So go ahead.
Unasemaje? (What do you say?)
Morning to Evening
Author: Dana
Quote of the Day
Author: Dana
Harvest
Author: Dana
We got the first vegetable harvest out of our garden. This is Chinese Cabbage. We have a lot of it planted and will harvest some a couple times a week. The rotation will be: guard, gardener, mama, us. The guard is the one who originally planted it so he’s first. The gardener is taking care of it now so he’s next. Mama is the reason we planted it in the first place because she likes it so much so she’s third. I don’t have a clue what to do with it so we’re last.
Our tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots are growing but nothing has yielded from it yet. They’re doing good though and we’re excited. We’ll have plenty of those to share too! This is what I love about having a garden!
Joys of Motherhood
Author: Dana
One of the things that make me the happiest is hearing Asher laugh. Sometimes I make him laugh and I don’t even know how. The other day he ripped a page out of a book (the only book he’s allowed to rip pages out of) and was holding a sliver of it. I tried to take it out of his hand and he laughed so hard that I just started playing that game with him. I have no idea even now what was so funny about that but hearing him laugh is so much fun for me that I happily participated. One day Jonathan flicked a beetle off the grapevine and sent Asher into hysterics. I bet a dozen leaves got torn up just for the baby’s enjoyment. People tell me that Asher is at a fun age. I hope it lasts a long time.
Before
Author: Dana
Here’s the playroom when I first got it organized. This is the way I want it to be every night before bed. That has yet to happen. I’m just glad Asher likes it.
Efficiency Reigns
Author: Dana
I am getting dangerously close to the end of a to-do list that has been plaguing me since we moved into this house. Dangerously close. I’m scared to get my hopes up but if I squint hard enough I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
It seems the minute I gave up hope is the minute I became efficient. I wonder if it has to do with getting out of the “deer in headlights” phase of being overwhelmed. Most of what I have left on my list is low priority stuff or things that are on hold because I’m waiting on someone else.
Oh the joy. I will savor these moments when control overcomes chaos, no matter how brief!
Morning to Evening
Author: Dana
These are both mine. With the recent chaos I can’t promise this feature to be as organized and clear cut as I imagined it. Welcome to the chaos. 
Asher’s bedroom window.
Our neighborhood.