For the Love Amy and Africa

This transition has been very difficult. I find myself struggling along. It's very hard to leave a place you've come to call home to see your father in the hospital then home to your house that's in disarray . I know everyone did their best but I am hurting. I am finding the world really different. I went to get my hair cut and a woman my age was putting fake hair in and getting botox. I could not believe it. Please all women are beautiful without all the makeup think of what you are teaching your daughter when you pile   on makeup. Last night Ali heard me cry and she came and hugged me. I should be taking care of her. Dad called and he said he got it and to take it slow . I'm trying and need you to bare with me. Today is the first day I let myself read the goodbye map my associates wrote me. I felt love and wrapped myself in the scarf the Djiboutian dancers wrapped around me.I took Ali out of school and we went away for 4 days to reconnect. I have had so much fun with her. I missed a lot in a year it was nice to share Africa stories with her while she shared boy stories . I am sorry I did not expect this to be so hard.

Camel Chair

Camel chair with books. I had to do something. I got it for Megs and I am sad.

My tray still working on it .

Cleaning out old things for changes!

Britny's Grandpa made this for me and now I'm sending it to Britny with the lesson her Grandpa taught me with this gift.

He Grandpa had made this for a customer but has put the S on backwards and I saw it in his shop and I told him how beautiful it looked how I loved the purple on the wood. He then told me what was wrong with it and that Christmas I received it from Santa. Even mistakes are beautiful and we all make them . Doing Art helps us be our best self . Don't be afraid to makes mistakes someone will think it's beautiful!

Last Week of Freedom

Making final changes before I go back to work and it gets crazy.

This chest is from Yemin my Djiboutian husband got it for me. It is beautiful and I don't think they 'll be too many more woodwork until the war is over.

Changed my Jodanian scarf! Much better!

It's been raining here so I have been making a tray with my odds and ends from Djibouti kinda like the Germany one below. I still have a ways to go but it looks good so far.

Books

This book is the best. Rhonda you will love it. Quotes from it"The best teachers are like that. They don't teach you how to do things exactly the way they do;they teach you how to be your best self" " In his faith that beauty reveals itself, layer upon layer; in the smallest moments in truth beauty...in beauty truth" "The most important things in a friendship didn't have to be said out loud"" If everyone were fair,you wouldn't need anyone to be brave". I can go on and on get this book already this quote is me totally" When you saw different parts of the world , you saw different parts of yourself. And when you stayed home,where it was safe,those parts of yourself also stayed hidden"

This one opens with perfect quote for all kids. "To be nobody but your self in a world which is doing its best,night and day,to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." HOOAH

This author is different but his quote on marriage gets you thinking" You could try dumping the poison back down into abandoned underground mines, but it had a way of seeping into the water table. It really was a lot like the deep shit that got stirred up when a married couple fought:once certain things had been said,how could they ever be forgotten again?

Thirteen Year Olds are like Terrible Twos

We GI cleaned Ali's room. We had to try on things to decide to keep,burn or donate! 

We will go to beach next weekend so I suggested Ali borrow my glasses see below I was making her look like!!!!

Britny this is yours. Your Sis admitted to stealing?!? Borrowing...

I want this closet!

Book shelf Heaven!

Selling The House

Today a contractor came to access house for selling he said not to change the paint he said he liked the house as is but would paint fireplace white I think Austin paid him to say it. He said most people want the colors I picked now it's trending. 

This is a little piece of furniture I brought back with me . Also a Jordan scarf with my African bowls and jewelry box. I love it together.

Also got journals with scarf covering them . 

B-122

Now my room # is under our Maryland house#.When I come home it makes me smile.

Djibouti girl!

My first home with my ruby red slippers!

Confessions from a 13 year old

Alissa told me her Dad and her ate dinner in front of TV (Dad tried to deny) I think I'm driving them crazy already . Everything tastes so good now. My favorite so far was homemade pancakes.

The good thing I found today was the Stargirl quotes Ali & I put on stars! My favorite one is when Stargirl cries she doesn't shed tears she sheds light!

I also found a poem of Alissa's I thought I had lost.

Also some old drawings . 

Today I announced 3 house rules. No phones or computers in bedrooms. No eating in living room and I gave them each housework assignments while I go to gym. 

First Day Alone

I know it was hard without me here but the things I have found you have to LOL or you would cry. My brother told me if I want to get rid of Austin's military pictures to take them down due to painting and don't put them back up. I'm going for it.

I tried to make his table more feminine and not so military. I put flowers in the canteens he got from Hungarian Officers.

So far I found cat poop, Alissa tooth and another woman's underwear . I think it's funny because Austin was proud of his cleaning ! ( the underwear was my daughter in laws)

I added my coins on my lamp above his chest.

Getting House Back to Standard

It is a challenge when you've been gone so long . I can't remember where I stored things! This table runner was made for me in Djibouti it has the uniform I wore when I taught English to Djiboutian Soldiers and a scarf from my store on other side. 

It looks nice on my night table.

I redid bookcases.

This one has my Africa things.

Acclimation Continued

Aunt Rita got this for me before I left I decided to hang put one of my fav quotes on it " If you don't give the right attention to the one you love, it is a kind of killing. When you are lost in your thoughts assuming you already know everything about her, she will slowly die" Thich Nhat Hanh

My Afican holder ! 

A Japaneese officer gave this to me when he left. It's my new Meg's. Today I also threw away 2 chairs and made 3 boxes for donations. It is easy to get rid of things you did not use in a year. 

Acclimation

This is harder then when I left for some reason. I feel like a stranger in my house and country. I decided to start to unpack and add Africa to my home . The coke bottles are all from Africa...I used then for my glasses there and here for roses!

My hippo  candles Ali didn't like until she saw they were candle holders!

This is a scarf from Somalia which looks beautiful with my curtains.

This is a paper bead necklace from Ethopia on my vase Aunt Rita got me.

On my love letter chandelier I put the letters you all wrote me while I was gone!

Carly and Lilly's look best !

These are my rocks and shells from Djibouti,Petra ,Aqaba and Wadi Rum!

Look how pretty the pattern matches the curtains. I might sew them to bottom.

This helped a little today.