Toward the end of July Stacey and I both caught an amoeba. The result was that we spent several days struggling to get comfortable and with little sleep. It is not life threatening. I only had to buy and take some medicine that cost about $4.00 and was feeling better in no time. Stacey did not even have to take the medicine. However, our sleep schedule was turned upside down (which in Egypt is right side up)and since we were preparing for an important language evaluation we simply stayed up late to study and then slept in. After being sick for three days we were so tired that we slept through the sound of the alarm clock and the time to get the kids up for Hadonna. We awoke to Matthew Ray beside us hitting the side of the bed softly saying, "I think someone is at the door Mommy and Daddy." Well Mr. Sayed, our taxi driver had been waiting patiently (he loves us) for about five minutes. Long story short is that I had to ask him to return in half an hour. This brings us to the picture. Stacey and I began moving franticly to get the kids ready for Hadonnah. Fifteen minutes later the door bell rang. When I opened the door, still in my pjs, Mr. Sayed entered with two plastic bags and a big smile. In the bags was a traditional Egyptian breakfast made for Muslim holidays and festivals. The white stuff is called ashure-ah. It is a recipe of milk solids, wheat (cooked until it pops), and cinnamon (mmmm- just like mom used to make). It is served with bread and milk tea(hot milk, tea from a bag or just grounds, and sugar) which we made in the kitchen but is not pictured above. About the time Mr. Sayed arrived our language helper arrived eager to begin language lessons but Mr. Sayed was insistent that we eat first. Somehow Stacey found a way to graciously decline the ashure-ah so I had the pleasure of ashure-ah all to myself (well, Matthew Ray did eat a couple of bites). There we were. Kids were running around half dressed tearing through the apartment, Mr. Sayed ready to "celebrate good times" over traditional Egyptian fare, and our clueless but tactful language helper trying to figure out what was going on. And oh yes, Stacey and I were still in our pjs at the table, our hair hadn't seen a comb and our teeth hadn't seen a toothbrush. We were all at the table. After it was over it had been a very interesting morning which we have come to understand is par for the course in Egypt.
