A Visit From Our Extended Family

A gray rainy day was made sunny by a visit from the Yousefian family! Saba is on break from med school and so we were only missing Neda (and Anahita and Gabriel and Shirin) who is still in Mauritania in the Peace Corps. And although I didn't get any pictures of it (because I was lighting the candles) we celebrated Lua's third birthday with cupcakes and the Happy Birthday song, sung first in English and then in Farsi, although no one ever knows all the words to the Farsi version! One would think you couldn't possibly eat cupcakes after a big breakfast but Lua had taken us out for a walk in the rain and we replenished our appetites sufficiently.

Add to this some delicious eggs with potato and and onion and some big, fresh, soft flatbread and fresh coffee and tea and it was a feast.

Here we are discussing what it's going to be like when Saba visits Neda in Mauritania in two days. Apparently the village will be celebrating the arrival of their guest with the sacrifice of a sheep. My brain doesn't even want to go there.

Saba explained that she has one more year of academics then a year of residency and then the dreaded board exam.

Meanwhile, Lua was determined to get some action going with the cats. Frosty let her pet him a couple of times and then he'd had enough. A hiss or two and she backed off. Same with Obi. Chappu, however, will tolerate anyone who will pull a string for her to chase.

Even Marzieh couldn't resist the string game! And this is something that Chappu never gets tired of playing, never.

Saeed has been trying for hours to get some lovin' from Lua. Finally after getting a smooch from her Dad...

... she relents and gives her Uncle Saeed the hug and kiss he's been after!

We hate to see them go; Saeed doesn't even get up, hoping they'll stay longer!