Phillip and Rebecca Mefford

To our untrained eyes the almond, cherry, and plum blossoms all look the same, but our neighbors tell us almond blossoms bloom first, so this must be an almond tree. Isparta is having an unseasonably warm winter. While just a few weeks ago we were throwing snowballs on top of Davraz Mountain, today snow is only a memory replaced by the gentle pink of almond tree blossoms. “Phillip Hoca” or “Phillip Teacher” is back on his teaching schedule. The fall and spring semesters were punctuated with a more than welcome visit from his parents, a trip to Davraz Mountain to teach Lincoln how to ski, and various other trips and visits, and also filing our taxes (the highlight of the break J ). Rebecca moms on. The big event of the semester break was throwing an insanely big birthday part for all three of the kids. And, as they are growing, she is starting to see a horizon filled with maybe just a little bit more time for one of her favorite past-times, reading books! She has recentl

Umut displaying his Turkish patriotism. On the average night, after convincing Hudson to go to bed, doing a few last chores, and winding down after a full day, we usually achieve lights out around eleven pm. We often refer to a running joke that springs from an early marriage miscommunication. Rebecca would say, “I’m going to brush my teeth.” Twenty minutes later she would come out of the bathroom. Meanwhile, Phillip is sitting around waiting to watch a movie or something, frustrated, thinking “why would it take so long to brush your teeth?” Somewhere in Rebecca’s life “brushing your teeth” became a quick phrase that encompassed getting pajamas on, flossing, brushing teeth, washing face, maybe even taking a shower—anything involved in the getting ready for bed process. It is an unconsciously developed code that her entire family has used for years. It took Phillip at least a year to figure this out. Rebecca didn’t even realize she was using code until Phillip ‘decoded’ it!