Beginnings of Easter Advent 2014
Rough Rough Draft #1

Day 1: The 3 Gifts for a King
Day 2: Jesus as a Boy visits the Temple
Day 3: Jesus' Baptism
Day 4: Jesus' Calls his Disciples - "Follow Me"
Day 5: Nicodemus Visits in the Night
Day 6: Woman at the Well - Living Water
Day 7: Jesus Calms the Storm
You can see my Christmas Advent was a bit more developed

The Party's getting started!

Part 3

How adorable is this little girl ?! Look at that smile.

Henna Hands

Fancy hair for the party

We had a bit of a photo shoot, I was letting some of the girls take pictures with my camera.  My camera is a bit more complicated then they are used to but a got a couple fun pictures for the effort.

And the table, after we had devoured the first round of snacks - salad, humus, bread and cakes...

Beautiful details on an abaya

And the dinner served to our table - rice and meat

Sorry I don't have more pictures!  Most women don't like for there picture to be taken.  Normally I would never bring my camera to a wedding for that reason, but I had the opportunity since I know the family.

Wedding!

Village - Part 2

We got to the village and immediately joined a group of ladies getting ready for the party!  I was so excited to re-connect with family member I had met in the past and meet more of the sisters.  I think I finally figured out more of the connections.  Though I did think the Mom of the group was an older sister until about halfway through the night, and that some of ladies I thought were nieces were actually the younger of the many sisters in the room.  One can never assume.  Here is just part of the many piles of clothes and make up around the room.  I got one of the sisters to help me with some eye makeup.  And my friend caught me with my own camera while I was putting on eyeliner.

On the way to the wedding tent I walked by one of the areas set up for the men to sit outside.

And I had to take another picture of the mountains!  About here we met up with a group of little girls who took us to the tent.

Party Tent

Stage and royal chair for the bride when she arrives much later in the night.

We ate a full meal, danced to loud music and then most of the room left to go get the bride from her family home.  The slowly returned making a long parade like procession honking car horns, yelling and shooting off gunfire.  I stayed back with some of my friends in the tent knowing I would have more opportunity to chat and get to know them better there.

Trip to a Village

On the Road

I was so excited to be able to get out of my little town yesterday and see more of this beautiful country and visit my neighbors in their home village.  Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of all the water.  Yes, it rained the night before our trip and I was so worried my friends (who have a car and are my source of transport) were going to cancel the trip.  Because you see this country was not build for rain - I think we counted 6 crossings on the way where water was flowing down through the valleys and creating rivers over the roads which we had to drive through.  But we made it there and I was so thankful.

Henna Hands

I love henna, and I love that for engagement and wedding parties all the women and girls get henna.  It is hard to take a picture of your own hands, so these are the hands of my good friend who studies Arabic with me.  She is also wearing a traditional house dress and I just love the mixture of colors and design in this picture!

I found something green!

It was so wonderful to arrive in the village and be in the beautiful outdoors.