As you may notice from the picture above, Valentines Day is not practiced in Saudi Arabia.
So this Valentines Day, we took a trip with some friends to Bahrain. Joseph and Naomi stayed home with some friends while we took the older two and some other friends with us. (Let me take a moment to say that traveling without the younger two was like heaven - it was peaceful!) We had so much fun while there...the kids did some team building activities together in the morning, we made 580 school kits for children in Iraq by 1:30 pm, and then we went bowling and ice skating for a few hours later that afternoon.
The highlight of my day, however, was the youth dance that evening. I knew the words to almost all of the music! It was all 80's music....I guess that's the last time they made good, clean dance music! ;) My friend, Joy (who I went to high school with in the States) and I were having a lot of fun - we danced to this stuff 20 years ago together!
Although Jacob, Jim and I were having a great time, it took two hours to get Emma onto the dance floor. Finally, a sweet guy named Max was able to get her to slow dance with him after encouraging her for only a few minutes. I think he made her feel comfortable, because after those dances she would dance the faster songs with her friends and I think she realized that it was fun to make a fool of yourself out on the dance floor. (Perhaps she had seen Jim and I dancing earlier and was secretly embarrassed to think she might look like us...) Jacob was even chosen to compete in the dance competition (with his kung fu arms - ask him to do that move for you when you see him this summer!) He was on the dance floor the entire three hours...I even got a slow dance with him. I had such a great time, and I can't remember the last time I danced like that (I think it might have been the first time I danced while pregnant!)
The time in Bahrain was just really wonderful, and we enjoyed the testimonies that were shared on Friday at the end of the trip. The 11 hours it took in travel time in three days was worth all the good, clean fun we had while we were there. We can't wait for next year!
The time in Bahrain was just really wonderful, and we enjoyed the testimonies that were shared on Friday at the end of the trip. The 11 hours it took in travel time in three days was worth all the good, clean fun we had while we were there. We can't wait for next year!
