Dress Up

A few weeks ago Joel and I decided to be indie kids. I think we're pretty good at being hippies but the reason it was a big deal is because I never wear trousers. Ever. I've worn almost solely skirts and dresses for nearly a year now and am simply more comfortable that way. But it was fun to wear jeans again and act brave enough to wear a headband like that because I've always wanted to. And I wasn't the least bit embarrassed because I was with Joel, and the people at our favorite cafe didn't even notice we looked less refined than usual.
The pictures don't do it justice but I hope you are amused! We had fun.

love,
Cait

Thankful

a song about a boat

a picnic

a cat, who is very vocal, and quite sunshiney

braided herb bread

exercise

a newly made memory box

pondering selflessness, and pouring out.

praying to be filled now even for years to come.

Sandy Beauty

We spent the afternoon in the desert last Friday after driving half an hour out from Dubai and then twenty minutes off-road. I'm not really the rough-it sort (though we will be desert camping next weekend) but this is beautiful, and one of my favorite parts of living in the middle east. We saw two scorpions this time - not a rare occurrence but the most we've seen at once! They are spotted by the fire, and usually someone catches them in a cup and throws them in before they run around too much. Still, it's unnerving to see the deadly, tiny things scurry past!

These photos don't show my favorite two things about the desert. One is the endless, untouched, rolling dunes you see after driving a few minutes farther out, and the other is the blanket of stars once dark has fallen. The only time you'll ever see more stars is in Khasab when the village power goes out :)

love,
Cait

Global

Last Friday three of my friends (two just home for Christmas) and I went to Global Village for the evening. It's a fun place to walk around, with internationally themed pavilions selling (usually) authentic, unique, or handmade things. Our favorite 'countries' are India (a bounty of cheap earrings), Nepal (lots of brightly colored felted wool and knitted mittens), and Africa (hand carved wood and friendly coffee sellers).
Hannah greeted the coffee seller with 'Praise the Lord!' in Swahili, and he immediately responded 'What church do you go to!?'

Jamaila, as always, made us a few friends, including this tribally dressed performer who would have charged Hannah 10 dhs for a photo if Jamaila hadn't interjected with immovable protest.
This is the Dubai version of a fair, and lasts throughout the 'cooler' months (look at them all bundled up - we are such sillies).

love,
Cait

Probably

Maybe I'm still listening to the Libera Me every day.
Maybe it's 3 p.m. and I'm wearing a pencil skirt but still a pajama shirt.
Maybe I finally bought pale turquoise paint for my hallway.
Thankfully, the chorus practice was unintimidating and exciting.
Maybe I was planning to wear red lipstick to church on Friday but chickened out again.
Maybe I'm really behind on thank you notes (even though I love writing them).
Maybe I'm also really behind on emails.
And, quite possibly, I write down every text Joel sends me because I hate how my tiny inbox fills up and has to be deleted.
Maybe, I'm also a very bad blogger. No, definitely, and that doesn't bother me.


And just because my little sister is cute and pictures of girls and cats are beautiful.

love,
Cait

Requiem

Thank you all for your sweet comments and for rejoicing with me =) It's a lovely thing to share.

It's been so busy here that I haven't been very crafty of late, but tonight rehearsals begin for a new musical venture, participating in the chorus for Verdi's Requiem. You can listen to the entire fiery requiem here, and I beg you to listen to the last sixteen minutes at least; the ridiculously beautiful Libera Me. I'm a little nervous, having never been part of a formal chorus before, much less on such a grand scale. There are a bunch of notes to write into the score, saying things like "look out for unprinted rallentando." "Look out for unprinted stringendo." "Observe all dynamic markings and accents and exaggerate." Or, "Sotto voice."

So tell me, what are you listening to these days?

I scarcely like it when bloggers post only about 'inspiration' or 'what I just made,' so I guarantee you the lack of interesting stories and deep thoughts on here (apart from what comes out ever so naturally, of course) is purely the result of the increasing shortness of time. To be honest, this is ok, as there are more important things and I don't see life in terms of 'I should blog about this.'


But, there's some news I'd very much like to share with you, since those of you who really read this little blog are caring enough to be interested and happy. In mid-November a courtship was begun between a truly wonderful and exceptional man named Joel, and myself. That occurrence held incalculable delight and surprise for me, and continues to astound me.

Those comments on my blog about contentment, and joy, and fulfillment from the beginning of this year until now did indeed increase over the past month, but they were heartfelt before too. Because I was happy before this happened too. And if I wasn't content and satisfied before, finding my satisfaction in God, 'He Whom my soul loves,' I wouldn't be content now either. But He is worthy, and this is an added, undeserved gift, and I couldn't be more happy.

But what is courtship?
For us this means an intentional relationship under the authority and guidance of my father, for the purpose of getting to know one another better with increasing commitment (determining whether it is God's will for us to marry). Some would refer to it as a wise alternative to dating, but I think it is rather a Biblical model.

If that sounds stuffy and old fashioned; trust me, it's exciting =) And what makes it more exciting is the assurance I have that I'm being protected, cared for, held accountable, and kept from unnecessary emotional confusion or pain. And that this man measures up to my dad's (high) standards and was 'evaluated' for months before it reached me. That I get to learn about him and pray for him and have this time is something to praise God for every day.

If you have any questions please ask; I'd be happy to explain and try to answer.
I'm sure you'll hear more about it.
This is a very happy Cait typing, and a very thankful daughter.

much love;
Cait
p.s. he's amazing.

January of 2010

Happy New Year Ladies =)

From December.
- Have Christmas tea
- Complete all gifts in timely manner
- Have time with out of town guests
- Cook for out of town guests (On January 2nd!)
- Scrapbook with Candace (partially done the 3rd)
- Practice pipes more again.
- Memorize my new song; Care Selve
- Successfully make ice cream cake
- At least buy paint for my room (This keeps getting pushed back!)
- Finish '18 before 19' list.
- Finish current book ('What He Must Be')
- Find new cute, practical shoes since mine are all falling apart


This has been the best and most blessed year of my life thus far, I think. But I also think that I will be saying that for a long time, by God's grace =) Do you make resolutions for the new year? I have intended to think of some in earnest, which are worth putting great effort into throughout the year, and have been helped by Jonathan Edwards' resolutions as well as Donald Whitney's 10 Questions.

Thus, among others, I echo these three of Edwards';

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

64. Resolved, when I find those "groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those "breakings of soul for the longing it hath," of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear', of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.