The "Have-Nots"

This year our family has had an incredible adventure. If you follow our posts you know that we have had our struggles, but have also had some amazing opportunities. We have also had a unique year, quite unlike what a typical year in our home in Southern California would look like. We have given up some things in order to make this experience a reality. The following (for posterity) is a list of this years "have-nots."

I Have Not:

Driven a car
used a microwave
Eaten good pizza, mongolian beef, cream cheese wontons, CPK salad, or good chips and salsa
Gone to the gym
carpooled
slept through the night (okay maybe once)
walked through a Target store
taken the baby to a "well check-up"
been to the doctor myself
stocked up at Costco
lived on the ground floor
figured out how to make the perfect Arabic meal (but I have eaten them!)
attended a bible study
been to church on time
worn shorts or tank tops (in Jerusalem)
used my cell phone
bbq'd in the back yard
decorated my own home
looked through my cookbooks
had more than 7 outfits in the closet that fit and dont have holes at any given time this year
been to the movies
had a pedicure

And so they dont feel left out....

Ryan has not

had mountain dew
eaten pepperoni pizza
done yard work
gotten a pay check

The boys have not

played on a sports team
left the house to attend school (except for field trips)
ridden their own bikes
eaten a cupcake
slowed down :)

Baby Ben has not

slept in a crib (only a pack n play)
had more than a handful of chew toys (or are those called teethers?)
slept through the night (okay maybe once)

And somehow we have still managed to survive our time here. We are looking forward to our return to the States and all that it offers but there was something refreshing about living out of 6 suitcases for the year. Life definitely was simplified in some ways while at the same time complicated by the nature of living in the Middle East. I did not miss all of the "Have nots" this year, although some of them I missed every day (my non-kosher kitchen for example...)! I am curious about our re-entry into California life - will we dive right in or will it be a challenge? Hopefully driving a car is like riding a bike...