Packin' Up

We're in the final stages of cleaning and packing up our current little house. Truly scary how much sand and dust accumulates here- sometimes overnight or after a habuub. We don't have a whole lot of stuff... so we moved most of our personal items to the new flat yesterday. It's in the same neighborhood about 2 miles north of us. Situated on the top floor of a 4 story building, our new place offers views of the "suburbs" sprawling out to the north and a nice "cooler" cross breeze. We are excited to have a more permanent residence for a few months!

Our good friends and neighbors (for a day, we're moving!) returned last night with their now 11 month old child- how 3 months flew by! It was great reconnecting with them and filling them in on what's been going on here. When asked this morning how they are adjusting to being back, my friend said, "I just had forgotten how plain and run-down everything is here... It's going to take me a few days to get back into the swing of things!"

It's true- while mentally seemingly unaware of it, we have been slowly acclimatizing ourselves to life here in North Africa. The weather, landscape, customs, culture, relationships, lifestyles have all become, in some ways, normal or commonplace. There are definitely things we are still adjusting to and coping through, but little by little, we are settling into this place.

Photos: Our hosch (lanai, patio) mid-cleaning/laundry... The kids room we NEVER used with a cool Nemo mural... The Doolabs (cabinets/closets) with beautiful a freehand painting of a tree... *note dust on ceiling fan... yikes...