Leaving on a Jet Plane

I'm sitting in the airport awaiting my flight to a mystery destination. Well, it's not so much a mystery to me, or anyone really close to me. Any guesses?

After the semester ended Baba Sanfour and I made the trek up to Georgia to visit my family and spend mother's day with my mom. While we were there, Baba Sanfour attempted to start the dryer while I was out with a friend. I neglected to tell him, however, that the knob to start the dryer has a bit of a trick to it, as it broke a couple years back.

*ring ring ring* my phone sang to me, pleading for an answer.

"Hello?"

"Honey, The dryer is not working. Did I break it?"

"Oh, no. I forgot to tell you that it's broken. Just push it in and turn it to the right. You might have to twist it a few times. There's kind of a trick to it"

"I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me it's broken? Did I break it? I'm confused!"

"No, no. It's alright. Go ask Lucas (little brother) to help you. Im sure he knows how to do it."

"OK, bye."

*Ring Ring Ring*

"Hello?"

"It's broken! It's broken!"

"Don't worry about it, Honey. I will start it when I get home. Did you ask Lucas?"

"Yes, he doesn't know. The thing went inside the dryer. It's broken!"

"Ok, I'll look at it when I get home."

"I broke it, You're mom's gonna be mad at me!"

"No, she won't. I promise. I will call you when I'm on my way home."

"Ok, I love you."

*Ring Ring Ring*

"Hello?"

"Are you on your way home? When are you coming home? You have to fix it."

"Just try and twist the thing."

"No, no, it's broken. I need to call someone to fix it before your mom gets home!"

"Honey, it's okay. Just don't worry about it. We will hang the clothes to dry them when I get home."

"You have to come fix it."

"Alright, I will be back soon."

"Okay, see you then. Bye."

*Ring Ring Ring*

"Hello?"

"You have to come home. We have to fix it."

"Alright, alright, I'm coming"

"Thanks, bye. Love you."

"Love you too."

I got home to find an array of screw drivers and and other tools atop the decapitated robot that was the dryer, along with a husband distraught by the broken pieces of the machine. Lesson learned. Maybe we're not ready for our own house yet. We are way too comfortable with the maintenance staff at our apartment complex.

Traveling Through Morocco

A friend of mine posted a video from this family on their facebook page, and I thought I'd share one of my favorites. They have a collection of videos on their world travels and a complete set on Morocco. I'm fascinated and just might start falling even further behind on my homework as I get through all these videos. Enjoy!

You're Gonna Miss This

Lately I've had a bad case of what I like to call house and career fever. Baba Sanfour and I live in a one-bedroom apartment and are both working in retail while I'm in school and it's been getting to me lately. Most days I just want to fast forward to a few years from now when I'm out of school, no longer working long nights and weekend shifts and have more living space and a kitchen big enough for two people to comfortably stand in. I know Oprah's always telling me to live in the present (and I know I talk about Oprah like she's my best friend, but that's OK), but sometimes I just want to be a different place. That is, until I look back to the past and remember how badly I wanted to move forward, only to wish I could revisit those moments.

Tonight as I was doing some spring cleaning, I heard a message that I really needed. I almost always play music while I'm doing housework and as I was loading the washing machine, I heard the Trace Adkins song, "You're Gonna Miss This" playing in the background and I had to stop what I was doing, just to look around at our small apartment and smile. The furniture that we've collected from craigslist, the curtains that we constantly battle with, and the even the tiny galley kitchen where we cook our meals are so precious. I look back at my own childhood often and think about the house that my family grew up in and picture my family when we were whole. It was before we had all grown up. When my dad was alive and before any of us had even thought of marriage. It was modest and cramped, but it holds so many family treasures that it's priceless in my mind. I miss those times and I'm sure that my mom does even more. I'm in a place that she was in so many years ago, before she ever imagined how far life would take her three children and husband. Starting a new life with my husband has been a challenge, but one of the most rewarding difficulties that I've ever faced. I look back fondly at my family and look forward to what's to come. But between those two places, I'm perfectly happy with where we are now. Late work nights, homework and all. I know that someday soon I'm gonna miss this.

Balance

One of the most difficult things for me in my life right now is finding balance between work, school and home. And I'm pretty sure that just about everyone has this issue as we all try to work our busy schedules to allow for family time. I'm a full time student right now, which is challening enough as it is. But between finding time to spend with Baba Sanfour, work and trying to keep our home clean and cook a meal every once in while, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. Actually, just plain behind in everything. So, in other words: Life will resume after midterms. I hope.

The Stall Door

Last night I had dinner with my sister at a Disney hotel, and once again I have found proof that it's not possible to be negative at Disney World. Even the bathroom graffiti is happy. Written on the stall door in pencil was the phrase, "Disney Rocks!"

Potato Salad

Last night Baba Sanfour came home with a huge tub of potato salad. I'm loving his adoration of comfort food. He's practically a Georgia Boy. Today I'm surprising him with a shepherd's pie and I'm pretty sure he's going to love it!

Afternoon Date

Baba Sanfour and I have made it a bit of a tradition lately to spend Friday afternoon together as a date day. Yesterday he really wanted to go to the Oriental Seafood Buffet (he loves buffets), but I finally convinced him to go to a nice little Italian restaurant instead. We enjoyed a delicious lunch (and the most wonderful soup that I just can't stop thinking about) and then decided to spend the next hour at a place nearby called Fun Spot. It's basically a mini-carnival with a ferris wheel, go karts, bumper boats and cars, amongst other little attractions. We did some exhilarating laps on the go kart track. I was the first cart to take off and somehow by the end I was the last one in, much to the satisfaction of Baba Sanfour.

After our adventure on the twisty, multilevel track, we headed inside to the arcade where Baba Sanfour spotted a shining emblem of his childhood: the pinball machine. He Loves playing pinball. I first learned of his love of the game shortly after we were married when we happened upon a little arcade while walking around the cutesy downtown area of a local community. He was ecstatic, to say the least, and by the end of the day I was quarterless, but happy to see my husband so excited. Friday was no different as the arcade that we used to go to has since shut down and been converted into bakery for dog treats (which is a weird concept in my mind, but some people like that sort of thing, so there you go). His eyes gleamed with excitement as he rushed to exchange a dollar for tokens to feed the pinball machine. We played a few rounds of pinball and then competed in a game of skeeball before calling it a day. All in all it was a lovely little date and now I'm just waiting for the day we can buy a house big enough to hold our very own pinball machine.