Day 17: Down day in Istanbul

I'd fussed a bit after we got into our place late.  I really was just feeling done with it all.  Done with the driving.  Done with the crying and disobedience and upheaval for the boys.  Done with seeing new things.  Done with remembering that as homesick as I feel, we aren't going back to our house on the island.  That we aren't going back to a familiar yard for the boys to spend hours roaming.  These last few days that has been heavy on my mind.  I'm not sure what to do with four boys, in 100+ degree weather, on an unfamiliar base with no yard to roam and no one that we know.  I have NO idea how to navigate that, and the closer we get to our end goal, the closer that scenario gets.  Life on the island was so slow and calm and at ease.  The boys had full roam of our place and it wasn't ever too hot or too cold for them outside.  Idealic, yes.    They have some learning to do.  I have some learning to do.  

Many of the nights on this trip I've found myself in the shower with my face streaked with tears.  As I let me head hang back and the cool water stream on my face I've had to fight fear, anxiousness, stress, irritability and complacency.  I am so tired, but God is good.  My body hurts, but God is good.  My boys are so confused, but God is good.  I miss my precious friends on the island so intensely, but God is good.  I am desperately home sick, but God is good.  I don't have a CLUE how to do things once we get to Incirlik base, but God is good.  He is good, and will always be.   

Josh said we didn't have to go out and do anything the next day if I didn't want to.  We could just stay in the air conditioning and watch movies all day.  The boys would love that anyway.  Not Luke - that boy doesn't care a lick about movies and only ever wants to be outside.  But we didn't stay in.  We all got a hefty night sleep under our belts and were ready to explore the next morning.  We got up and did breakfast - eggs and toast never tasted so good! I still had some of my gf loaf that Josh bought for me at the commissary in Naples, and he'd found eggs at a market just under our apartment the night before.  We hadn't had eggs in a long time!  Josh took the older three to explore the surrounding area while I stayed in while Luke was napping.  I updated the blog and waited for their return.  They came in sweaty, hot and excited to have found a park nearby.  We waited for Luke to wake up and went out all together to explore their find. 

strays galore!

They have some sort of stray care program here in this park - the strays are fed, have little shelters provided and are loved on by the locals.  It's like nothing I've ever seen before.  There are cats EVERYWHERE!

INCREDIBLE park!

this park was crazy cool!  All sorts of climbing and sliding fun to be had!  

not sure

I'm not totally sure what this means, but it looked cool

We went back to the apartment and ate lunch and took naps in the beautiful air conditioning after our trek through the very hot park.  After naps we loaded up and ventured out to the subway to make our way to the Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cistern.  Very cool stuff!  Look them up on google!  Especially the cistern.

the giant reels for the fenicular train

This train that we rode on is pulled by these huge wheels.  Way.cool!

yum soft pretzel things

The Turkish people just absolutely adore children.  It's really incredible to see.  They go out of their way to touch the boy's hair or pinch their cheeks or say hello - or give them food.  :)

the Basilica cistern

snack break with some road side corn

Delicious and RIDICULOUSLY expensive plate of meat

We think maybe there wasn't a price next to this and maybe they just put whatever price they wanted on it.  It was painfully expensive and we didn't know that until we'd devoured it.  :/

We hopped back on the tram and then on the subway to head back to the place, but got all turned around when we got off the metro stop and came up the escalator.  It took us some looking and asking the locals to figure out where we were but thankfully we did it before it got too dark.  We got the boys to bed, talked for a bit and then I headed to bed while Josh stayed up to plan the next day, as he's done every night of the trip.  He's been the mastermind behind all this, and I've been blown away at his determination in it all.