We are HERE!

WE are here,

After spending two days in Amman, we are in AL Husn. This city is approx 60 miles north of Amman. We found our apartment (pictures above) and mom is in the process of tearing it apart and cleaning to her standard. I am trying to learn where all the computer files are and how things work. We have another couple here (the Dews) who are helping us get acclimated where this area. The culture shock should hit about Friday! We miss you all and look forward to the emails. We hope all the birthdays and other events we have missed all went well. We love you all.....Dad

To all of you.....

As Dad said we are finally here and trying to settle in our apartment. It is very nice. We almost feel we are in a little palace looking out over the city. From the outside you walk into a steel rod iron front door that brings you into a foyer area with marble stairs going up to another foyer like area. Then there are two big heavy wooden doors that go into our apartment. One door goes into our office area off from the kitchen and the other goes into a big living room area with a large dinning room. Off from that is a large balcony. Each room has very large windows with bars over each window and heavy metal-like blinds that are attached outside each window to open and shut from the inside when needed. I feel like I'm in a fortress. From each of those rooms there are heavy wooden french doors that go into a wide long hall way that attaches the rest of the house. We have two large bedrooms with large windows like I described earlier. Two large bathrooms and a small laundry area. I even have a small washer machine. Yeah! The kitchen is very modern, bright and open with very nice cabinets with a lot of counter space. I did not expect to have such a nice place to live. We meet our land lady yesterday when we got here. Very nice. Doesn't speak any english but she invited us in and served us some 7-up. It is the custom here when you receive visitors you always serve them something. We are told that when we visit all the organizations that we will work with that we will be given something either to drink or eat. Sometimes it can be a problem because we can't always eat the food because of the sanitation situation and because of tea, coffee or some other drink we can't have. It offends them if they can't serve something to us so they will often run to the store to get a 7-up. When Dad went to the police station to register for our residence visa for Jordan a young officer offered him something to drink and Dad said 7-up so the policeman was gone awhile and returned with a can of 7-up from the corner store. It's the custom here to do what ever it takes to serve your guest! I thought of Sarah on her mission and all the food she was offered. Well, I'm going to have to do a lot of praying to stretch my stomach.

We had a wonderful time in Frankfort. We met the other missionaries serving in the Middle-east and the other humanitarian missionaries serving in the Central Eropean Areas. Every day we had training. Elder Oaks our Area authority was there several days and then one of his counselors the other days. We learn so much that our heads are still spinning. On Saturday we all went to the temple. It was so wonderful to have that opportunity.

We have really missed not being able to e-mail and call. While in Germany, for some reason we could not e-mail out but we could receive e-mail. Thank you to all who e-mailed!!!! It has finally hit me! I'm not just on a little trip. I'm here to stay for a while. I have thought of all of you so many times and pray that you all know how much we love you and appreciate what wonderful people you are. I've even sent some "Brain Waves" out to you since I couldn't e-mail. Hope you got them! Well, we need to get some work done and finish getting situated. You Kentucky folk we are 7 hrs into the future. You Washington folks we are 10 hrs. into the future. So it's morning for all of you now and it afternoon for us in Jordan. Just thought I'd tell you all that the future is bright I love you all so much.

To you, Walker................... Hope you had a Happy Birthday!

To you, Sarah and Adam...... Hope you had a Happy Anniversary!

And to you, Amie................. Happy Birthday Thursday

Remember who you are!

Love MOM