The Beginning of the School Year- Back to Beirut!

We returned to our home in Ein el Mreisse, Beirut! I came mid-August to assist with training for the beginning of the school year and Tim and the girls returned a week later.  It has been a busy start but filled with wonderful "welcome backs" from our Beiruti family!

When we returned, our kitties Hadiyyeh and Kousa were happy to see us again and as playful as ever!

Curious Hadi, wondering where the flash is coming from!

Happy but hot here on the couch.

Our Kousa always wants to get in the duffle bags while we are unpacking.

Just a favorite spot.

It's always cooler under the bed for a hot longhair kitty!

We had a staff retreat for a day up in the mountains. What a nice place to be! Here are some pictures from our day.

These were right next to a group of tomatoes. I thought they were pretty.

Our good friend Sharon did the ice bucket challenge!

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This was the entrance to where our training would happen.

Such a beautiful view of the hills of Lebanon and a Mosque in the distance.

The plants were very pretty.

Our friends are awesome too! This is Zeinab. She is kind, funny and full of smiles!

School started the next week. Here are some first day of school pictures on our balcony.

Janna is now in 4th grade. Time does sure go fast!

And Delaney is in 7th grade now!

We also had an opportunity to go with the new staff to the "Florida Beach Resort" in Chekka. Chekka is just north of Batroun in the northern part of Lebanon. It was very nice and relaxing.

The Mediterranean water was really salty. 

Always nice to have lunch with friends!

Some of the new staff we now work with. A nice bunch of people and great additions to our school!

Our Hawaiian sweetie, Julianne enjoying the sun.

The girls had a great time.

Janna had a good time as well!

They dug a huge hole with a moat around it. Too bad some kid came over and filled it in before we could get a picture.

It was Tim's birthday. He had a nice relaxing time.

 Overall, it has been a nice start to the school year. While we miss friends who have started adventures in far off places, we have connected with new ones as well. Here's to another great year in Beirut!