Welcome to my new blog

Greetings all. Welcome to my new blog. Some of you may be familiar with my Life on the Ant Farm blog, dedicated to life with three adorable children 4 and under. This blog is intended to chronicle more my experiences as an American living in Jordan. You can see from my picture that I look as American as American can be. And, I mean this literally. Prior to 9-11, twice I went across the border to Mexico with people from other countries and twice I came back with no passport or even driver's license review. In fact, I flew home from the Virgin Islands and rather than checking my passport, the immigration officer helped me carry my bag. So, there's never a question. So far, we've been in Jordan for a couple of weeks. It is an interesting experience. To set the stage a bit, I've traveled to Jordan about 1/2 dozen times (including being married here) and stayed for about 3 weeks each time. I was certainly not moving here blind. It has been a different experience in that we're not on vacation, but we don't have our things with us yet. So, I'm spending my days trying to entertain my 4 year old daughter and 2 year old boy/girl twins with about 10 toys. My creativity is stretched to its limits... I would like to start this blog on the right note, so I'm going to put my very favorite things so far.

1. You can buy beautiful flowers on the street for 1 dinar. I don't mean carnations and other cheap flowers like I paid $5 for a bunch in the US every week. In Jordan, you can buy roses in all colors, lilies, and other lovelies for the equivalent of $1.50. I love this so much. I've already told El 3atal that no man has an excuse for not bringing home flowers. He took the hint (good call).

2. Driving is an experience. It's quite interesting to know rules, regulations, and customs and then simply ignore them. People turn left from the right lane, right from the left lane, triple park. All of these things are not only normal, but seemingly acceptable. I saw someone getting a ticket and had to ask, what can you POSSIBLY do that is so bad that they ticket you? Where do they draw the lines?

3. Warm weather with lovely breezes. Coming from hot, humid Louisiana, the dry, dusty heat of Amman is challenging. But, the breezes that blow through cooling the skin and bringing a hint of something else (ocean air? the winds of change?). I hear this is the best time of year, and boy am I glad we're here for it.

Those are my top three for now, but I'm sure that I'll be adding more before too long. I expect that this blog with be sporadic until we get our own internet connection, but I hope to be a regular poster with my thoughts, experience, and general feelings on life.

Sanity.