In Turkey, tea parties aren't just where you dress up your teddy bears and sip pretend tea in little cups, they are REAL! My neighbor invited me to a tea party on her terrace. Wanting to embrace every good opportunity like that, I went. It was a rainy afternoon, but her terrace is partially enclosed. She had invited many of our neighbors. As soon as I entered, they all said, "But where's the baby?!" He was napping with Firstborn keeping an eye on him. After we had tea, homemade börek, watermelon, a cucumbers/tomatoes/olives/cheese plate, my girls starting coming over. They ate, then went to play hide and seek with the other children.
We had a nice visit. We discussed the unruly wild dogs running through our streets (and subtly hinted that since my neighbor's husband is the Mayor, he could deal with the problem). We discussed the weather. We discussed allergies. We discussed children and their bedtimes. We discussed what they want me to bring them from the US. We discussed what America looks like in Tennessee. We discussed the green card lottery one lady's daughter won, and how she didn't want her to go because she'd miss her. As I proceeded up the steps to her terrace, I breathed a prayer, "Lord, help me. Help my Turkish." He answered with this sweet lady who had lived in America for a short time. We used some English, some Turkish, and basically were able to communicate for all to understand. Her daughter's name is Ece, which means "Queen." I told her my daughter was named for a Queen in the Bible.
After awhile, I told them I'd go wake the baby and bring him. They had so much fun pinching his cheeks and thighs, making him smile, and feeding him foods.
Then they told me, "Başka bebek yap." You must make another baby! ha! And this from women who say more than one child is too difficult! I told them I was finished with number 4, that number 5 was bonus. "En son bebek!" (The last baby!)
We had a nice visit. We discussed the unruly wild dogs running through our streets (and subtly hinted that since my neighbor's husband is the Mayor, he could deal with the problem). We discussed the weather. We discussed allergies. We discussed children and their bedtimes. We discussed what they want me to bring them from the US. We discussed what America looks like in Tennessee. We discussed the green card lottery one lady's daughter won, and how she didn't want her to go because she'd miss her. As I proceeded up the steps to her terrace, I breathed a prayer, "Lord, help me. Help my Turkish." He answered with this sweet lady who had lived in America for a short time. We used some English, some Turkish, and basically were able to communicate for all to understand. Her daughter's name is Ece, which means "Queen." I told her my daughter was named for a Queen in the Bible.
After awhile, I told them I'd go wake the baby and bring him. They had so much fun pinching his cheeks and thighs, making him smile, and feeding him foods.
Then they told me, "Başka bebek yap." You must make another baby! ha! And this from women who say more than one child is too difficult! I told them I was finished with number 4, that number 5 was bonus. "En son bebek!" (The last baby!)
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