A Day in the Life

Today Lane actually slept in. So Shannon and I took the rare opportunity to sleep past 6:30 and didn't get out of bed (other than her 5:15 a.m. feeding) until she woke up the second time at 8. It was glorious. After a lazy morning of oatmeal (with dried cranberries and walnuts) for breakfast and checking emails, playing with Lane and making a grocery list, Lane went down for her morning nap and I headed out.

I walked the 2 kilometers to the Carrefour mall this morning in a light drizzle, and by the time I arrived my jeans were soaked to about 4 inches up my pants legs. I bought a new t-shirt and a new long-sleeved shirt on clearance at Zara for 8 lira each (about $4.75). Then I did our grocery shopping (chicken, diced tomatoes, bananas, cheese, tortillas, pastas, powdered sugar and cocoa, cereal, and a few other things). I saw celery for the first time since arriving in Turkey and decided that today would be a good day for chicken noodle soup. After all, it was so dreary. So I splurged on the celery (about $2.33 for a small bunch (is that what you call a "thing" of celery?)) and after returning home via minibus, I showered and caught a nap while Lane slept (what is it about gloomy weather that makes you tired?). Shannon headed out for the day so it was just me and Lane, as it often is on Sundays.

Later I stood in the kitchen chopping celery and onions while Lane played with a wire whisk at my feet, often standing up, clinging to my pants legs, demanding to be held. I'd never made chicken noodle soup from scratch before. I don't know why...it was quite easy, but I guess that in the States I always had the convenience of either a) Lipton Soup Secrets (I think that's what they're called), or b) my mom (who makes fantastic chicken noodle soup). So, I'd never done it before but had a craving for soup that comes with chilly, rainy days. After browsing AllRecipes.com to get a general idea of what people put in their soup, I invented my own. It turned out quite well...you can check out my recipe here if you'd like.

Lane and I headed out to the local outdoor market (pazar) for some grapes (since I needed something to put out for a snack when my Turkish tutor comes tomorrow). I strapped her in the ERGO and we headed out, buying grapes and onions, giving a lira to a handicapped man, and picking up a Ramazan pidesı at a local bakery on our way home. It's a special bread that they only bake during Ramazan, and it. is. fantastic. I thought it'd go well with the soup. I was right.

Ramazan pidesı

We came home and I finished the soup, cut up some chicken for Lane and warmed up her puréed pumpkin. We sat eating together, and I even shared some of the bread with her (don't judge me for giving white bread to my 7-month old). That girl is her momma's child: she loves bread. After she demolished her chicken and her pumpkin, I gave her 1/4 of a peach, which she ate some of and then sat smacking and pushing the rest around the table, chattering and cooing, happy as a clam at high tide. I love it when she's so happy.

We got cleaned up and played peekaboo, practiced walking, and I growled at her while she squealed in delight and grabbed my hair. We did our "bazoomba" dance together, with her grinning from ear to ear as I took one of her hands in mine while supporting her on my hip and bopping along to this insanely crazy song I made up, just for her. As bedtime neared we showered together, Lane grinning at me as the warm water flowed over her head. As I got her diaper on she kicked her legs furiously in what I'm sure is a game to her: how long can I distract mommy so she can't get that thing on me? And then I nursed her. Read a Bible story to her. Sung to her. And put her in bed where for once, she didn't cry because quite possibly she took good naps today and was not exhausted.

What awaits me this evening: Bible time. Prayer time. Studying Turkish. Possibly making a chocolate cake and a decaf vanilla latte while I reflect on how blessed I am. Today was a normal day. Nothing special about it. An average day. But a good day. One worth remembering.