Girls Day Out!

Spring is full of birthdays - both my boys were born this time of year and most of my nieces and nephews. So naturally, it's gift season for us. 

I used to stress over what to get each child as no one wants a gift to go to waste. It's obvious on any child's face if they don't like the toy...then it goes in the re-gifting pile or the donations bag. 

I have fortunately discovered something that's far better than any toy or gadget: it's the gift of time. 

Growing up, we didn't think about time. It always seemed plentiful. I have fond memories of times preciously spent with my aunt Randa and her boys and our parents never had to schedule "play dates" like we do today. 

With the hectic lives we lead, with children's organized activities and our juggling act as adults, I know there's no time if I don't make time! 

So today's girls day out was very special because it was time carved out for memories that will serve a lifetime. I know because I have my dear aunt to thank for mine. 

   

Ayla, the birthday girl!  

Berla, at Solace Skin Care Center, advises the girls on the colours in fashion at the moment - Nadine and Maria go for this white dotted elegant blue while Ayla stands out with multi-coloured circles!

Ayla getting her nails dried while Maria reads her The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania

Ayla and I enjoying a sweet moment

Happy Palm Sunday!

In Jordan, the Catholic and Orthodox churches decided long ago to celebrate Christmas and Easter together, which means celebrating Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar and celebrating Easter according to the Julian calendar

We celebrated Palm Sunday at Our Lady of Peace Church. The Lady of Peace Centre is dedicated to serving people with disabilities and raising awareness about the rights of people with disabilities. The Centre provides educational and counselling services for  mentally retarded persons, physiotherapy and occupational therapy for those physically disabled and early intervention unit for severe cases and autism. The centre also hosts youth retreats and pastoral programmes


Shareef carrying an olive tree branch before we start our procession, which represents the palm branches the crowd scattered in front of Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem

Palm Sunday Lunch at Grand Hyatt Amman

Our festive lunch was made all the more special thanks to the warm welcome we received from Executive Chef Thomas Brosnan, shown here carrying Shareef, and Pastry Chef Norbert Stanni, joined by his wife Ana and their adorable children Ana Maria and William, and Oliver, Omar and I are on the far right

This chocolate egg was a big hit with the adults and kids in our group!

The kids enjoyed painting on these egg and bunny cutouts

No need for a caption here...these photos of Shareef say it all!

We started out with beautiful indoor music and ended with sunshine and the kids, of course, more energized than before...but then again, isn't this what we expect of our Easter bunnies?!   

These are Rumi's words on my necklace. 

As someone who was bullied in school and struggles with low self-esteem, I know the long-term scars that come from formidable experiences - but also the wisdom and strength that they can bring. 

As a mother now of two, I look for everyday opportunities to help them recognize and appreciate what's beautiful in everyone. We tend to catalog the weaknesses, mistakes and flaws in others and in ourselves - our kids watch us do it and they pick it up faster than it takes us to teach them a math equation. 

Yet "the only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart" and what endures are the inner qualities and the passions we nurture.

Honoured by Vera Baboun's visit! As Mayor of Bethlehem, she's one of the few female mayors in the world

In most regions in the world, fewer than one in 10 cities has a woman as a mayor, according to the World Economic Forum. What's more remarkable to me is how Vera overcame personal, social and political hardship for her family, for her city and for her people.

In the March 2015 edition of Family Flavours, Vera recalls:
As a young mother of three children (she would later welcome two more), Israeli soldiers came to the door and arrested her husband for his participation in the first Intifada. This was the moment she realized that she had to start a life outside of the household...After completing her Master's, Vera found herself teaching courses in English Literature and Gender and Development at Bethlehem University. But at home, her husband, who remained committed to the Palestinian national cause, had returned from prison ill and in fragile health. During the Second Intifada, his car shop was demolished twice. "The first time, he was okay. The second time, he looked at me and said, 'I give to you my sword and my shield. The sword to fight the world instead of me and the shield to protect me'. She gets quiet for a moment. 'In 2007, Jonny passed away.' "From there, I got my conviction. I continue the path - my belief in my national right.

Vera is in Jordan today for a conference for the Bethlehem Development Foundation, which seeks to revitalize the old city that's of equal importance for Christians and Muslims worldwide, to better accommodate the needs of its residents, pilgrims and tourists. Vera tells Family Flavours that she hopes to one day be a part of a Palestinian nation: 

Bethlehem is a Palestinian city and a global city. It is also a restricted city, maimed by a wall that limits its residents' freedom of movement, exacerbating the severity of the region's poverty and unemployment levels. I look at my grandson and wonder what kind of life can he live in a city that is walled and gated. Are we permitted, in this occupation, to live life in fullness? I hope, I pray and I work ("The Power To Empower", Family Flavours, March 2015). 

Our gift to Vera

 

Here with Vera (middle) and my father who was born in Jerusalem and whose mother (my Tete Margo) is from Bethlehem

Love this olive wood pen and case engraved with Vera Baboun's signature

Il Terrazzo at Amman Marriott Hotel
I'm a big fan of eating out but it's rare to find the right combination of quality food, impeccable service and stylish ambiance that you'll get at Il Terrazzo. No wonder it is rated #4 of 405 restaurants in Amman, according to www.tripadvisor.com

Food lovers from left: Marie-Christine Mougin (Advisor to Al Marji' Publications), Norah Arafeh (Writer Intern at Al Marji' Publications & Fulbright Fellow), Chef Andrea Donazzan, Hind-Lara Mango (Publisher & Managing Director of Al Marji' Publications, Christine Sargent (Writer Intern at Al Marji' Publications & Fulbright Fellow), Dima Malahmeh (Editor of Nakahat 'Ailiyeh magazine at Al Marji' Publications)

From left: Dima, Laura (Editor of Family Flavours magazine at Al Marji' Publications), Christine & Norah

I thought I had good risotto before but after this creamy asparagus risotto at Il Terrazzo, nothing else can compare! And of course, you can expect homemade ravioli at this authentic Italian restaurant. Veil loan (above right) with tuna sauce, capers and basil oil is unique in taste and presentation. Often in Jordan, it's hard to find restaurants that accommodate their customers' diverse lifestyles, preferences and food allergies. But as soon as Chef Andrea heard that one of our team members is not eating dairy today, he whipped up a special menu for her that left the rest of us wanting her food as well as ours!

Chef Andrea personally poured balsamic vinegar aged 20 years on our dessert plates to accompany the flavourful Fresh Citrus Ricotta Cheese with Wild Forest Fruits, which consists of an alluring combination of ricotta, cream, lemon zest and lime, fresh fruit from Holland and fig and strawberry jam. The gracious hospitality of Chef Andrea and his colleagues made our dining experience all the more special 

Fresh Citrus Ricotta Cheese with Wild Forest Fruits
Strawberry Panna Cotta
Tiramisu

Baci di damaBaci di dama, or "lady's kisses", consists of almond cookies sandwiched together with a dollop of hazelnut chocolate. These treats, specially made by Chef Andrea, were the perfect ending to our lunch...and the perfect beginning to our love affair with Il Terrazzo at Amman Marriott Hotel

Omar and Shareef love to be with their Sido Samir from Jordan and their Opa Heinz from Germany. This special moment was captured at breakfast this weekend

This describes me on most days!

For every hand on the clock is a hand reaching for time: 

Time for kids. 

Time for spouse.

Time for work.

Time for housework. 

Time for cooking. 

Time for errands.

Time for social obligations.

Time for exercise.  

Time for friends.

Time for personal care. 

Time for God. 

Time with God used to be at the end of my list. Now I wake up a few minutes early for a daily devotional - before I get my son's school lunch ready, before I check my work emails, before I put away the dishes. 

After following Divine Perspectives in Family Flavours for a few years now, I can fully appreciate what Sonia Salfity meant when she warned, "Neglect to have a good spiritual breakfast and you'll pay the price later." After many years of trying to budget her time productively, she came to realise that she simply cannot afford to get out of bed until she connected with God. "I ask Him to carry me throughout the day."

It's ironic...Today, I want the clock to slow down so I can make time for what matters most to me. One day, I'll want what matters most to me to slow down to make time for me.