Monday, July 21, 2014

Talking Turkey

We are on a boat in beautiful Turkey. Stunning views, warm water, and delicious food. I'm doing a bunch of reading and even having a little white wine with lunch. Margaret is loving being with kids her own age. I'm not sure she even realizes we are on this trip with her!

 My only complaint is the heat which, Hello... Turkey in July....should not have surprised me! I am wilting a bit.

 We explored an early church in an underground city which was amazing-- tunnel after tunnel after tunnel. We also floated high above valleys rock formations in a hot air balloon. 

Here is our latest meal:


Not too shabby, huh? and that's just LUNCH.

And here we are in a salt lake, followed by a sunrise view from the basket of our balloon.. 

We are tying blue ribbons in honor of Jack along the way.



Some days have felt a bit like Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (plus boats!) because we are covering a lot of ground, but I am so grateful for this experience.

The friends we are with are beautiful and caring, and I realize life is less about an incredible setting and more about the people around us.

Speaking of amazing people, I wish you were here.





25 comments:

  1. AnneJuly 21, 2014 at 8:50 AM

    Wow, fabulous!!

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  2. joyfulchallengeJuly 21, 2014 at 11:58 AM

    So happy for you to have this beautiful trip with friends. EnJOY!

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  3. JanetJuly 21, 2014 at 1:20 PM

    Oh Anna,

    I am so happy for you and your family. You deserve much joy! I can't wait for my copy of Rare Bird which has been preordered. Hugs from Canada

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  4. JanetJuly 21, 2014 at 1:22 PM

    Oh Anna:

    I am so happy for you and your family. You deserve much joy! I am very much looking forward to reading Rare Bird which has been preordered and wish I could attend one of your readings. Come to Vancouver?
    Hugs from Canada

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  5. GigiJuly 21, 2014 at 3:28 PM

    It looks fabulous. Enjoy your time with family and friends.

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  6. Michele @ A Storybook LifeJuly 21, 2014 at 4:21 PM

    Looks like a beautiful trip in every way! Love the blue ribbons.

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  7. AlisonJuly 22, 2014 at 12:05 AM

    I'm so glad you're having a wonderful time with family and friends. xoxo

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  8. Jennifer MarshallJuly 22, 2014 at 5:02 AM

    So gorgeous, Anna! I agree with you about enjoying those loved ones you're with. Love the ribbons you're tying for Jack. Miss you!

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  9. KirJuly 22, 2014 at 7:30 AM

    What a beautiful vacation, wonderful family time and those gorgeous views. Thank you for taking us along with these photos.

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  10. Karen L.July 22, 2014 at 7:42 AM

    Soo happy that you can all enjoy some special time away in such a beautiful area of the world, too! I praise the Lord with you for His blessing you with a sweet trip together. (Love the blue ribbons, too.:)

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  11. AnonymousJuly 22, 2014 at 12:43 PM

    Enjoy the trip! Please post more about your adventures.

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  12. AnonymousJuly 22, 2014 at 3:46 PM

    Looks beautiful, you deserve a fab trip. And you look great too. Love the blue ribbons for Jack. Amanda. Xx. Ps. come to New Zealand too.

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  13. AnonymousJuly 22, 2014 at 3:56 PM

    That looks lovely Anna!

    All the best
    K xx

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  14. AnonymousJuly 22, 2014 at 9:30 PM

    So happy that you are enjoying Turkey. Such a lovely country. Can't wait to hear more about your trip. I did a biking/sailing trip through Turkey back in 2000.

    Theresa in Denver

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  15. ellaJuly 23, 2014 at 7:32 AM

    "and I realize life is less about an incredible setting and more about the people around us."

    I love this. Thanks for sharing a little about your trip! Not much scares me, but hot air balloons eeeeeeek!

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  16. Debby@Just BreatheJuly 23, 2014 at 9:58 AM

    The trip sounds amazing and that lunch looks delicious. I love that your leaving ribbons everywhere for Jack!

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  17. GilsnerJuly 23, 2014 at 1:12 PM

    Having traveled the world I can honestly say you couldn't have picked a better destination than Turkey. Cappadocia, the Mediterranean, Pamukkale... ruins and monuments- the sea and the mountains. And the food! Enjoy every moment... I'm sure Jack is enjoying watching you :)

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  18. Susan BowmanJuly 23, 2014 at 1:53 PM

    Enjoy the hospitality of the Turkish people and their wonderful food!

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  19. UnknownJuly 23, 2014 at 4:56 PM

    Beautiful! I am all about the food, so that looks fabulous. I'm jealous and so glad you're having a good time.
    I just told my librarian friend in Manitoba about Rare Bird...hopefully it will be in her library soon.

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  20. AnonymousJuly 24, 2014 at 8:28 AM

    Hi Anna:
    Would love to see more photos and hear more about where you went specifically in Turkey. I really don't know much about it and it looks AMAZING.

    But I wonder if you might consider in the coming months (or years) doing a followup post about Rett syndrome (I hate to be annoying by suggesting this and will NOT be sitting waiting for it!). The only reason I ask is that we have good friends with a daughter with Rett and the funding for this disease is so tiny that the disease needs all the publicity it can get. There are some very promising new directions for the disease, but just so little funding.

    Anyway. What I would enjoy even more is more pictures and details about Turkey.

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  21. RihamJuly 26, 2014 at 10:58 AM

    We're NEAR :) if the boat continues a little to the south (given that it's the Mediterranean Sea not a lake) you'll be in Egypt in no time... be prepared to more heat though

    By the way, Syria has a very similar weather, it shares almost all of its northern borders with Turkey, the same eastern coast of the Mediterranean. An easy way for me to explain where my country is, when people visit Turkey

    Enjoy your trip, say a prayer for Syria, I'll go there and wait for your visit to Damascus one day, aren't you following Paul's biblical journeys?

    Lots of love from Egypt, best of luck for your jet lag <3

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  22. KaraJuly 27, 2014 at 2:24 PM

    Gorgeous! Looks and sounds like you are having a blast. Great pictures.

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  23. Nomads By NatureJuly 28, 2014 at 9:43 PM

    We are just up the road from you in Ankara! So glad you have made it here to Turkey -- an AMAZING country with wonderful hospitality. Hope you have been able to exhale and just be with a total peace beyond understanding. Cappadocia is incredible and bizarre - hoping you got a chance to get to Ephesus, as well. Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures!

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  24. julie gardnerJuly 29, 2014 at 1:41 PM

    Your family is so beautiful and your gratitude is as lovely as the sunrise.

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  25. Andrea MoweryAugust 5, 2014 at 8:42 AM

    What amazing photos! The trip of a lifetime.

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