Gathering Friends in Cairo

Ronnie B and I spent our first day in Egypt exploring the city and had a blast at the antique flea market. The people were friendly and bargaining was expected. Only when we were in Peru did we hear so many horns. I am convinced that these driver’s wouldn’t survive without their horns. They hold surely knock you down if you don’t move out of their way after their beep beep. The vibe was great. People were willing to let me take their picture to show who I got special gifts from. All of them wanted to know where we were from and what our names were. We were warned not to go out in Cairo without a guide. Instead we called an Uber and even got a language lesson along the route. Ron has a phrase list and fine tuned his pronunciations with the help from drivers and those we met while bargaining. 

I am taking pictures of those who sell me something to give their sweet smiles along with the treasure. Enjoying this new adventure with my Ronnie B. 

In Him,

Joyful

10-25-26

All My Bags are Packed for the Umpteenth Time and I Need to Repack Just One More Time!

 I packed early for our trip to Egypt and Kenya. So proud of me. One and done……not even. I have packed and then repacked multiple times. I feel like this icon since I have been in and out of my suitcase so often. Maybe, just maybe I should wait till the last minute to pack and then I would really be one and done with moments to spare. 

Our fellow travelers shared a tip that we should put half Ronnie B’s clothes in my suitcase and half mine in his. That way if one of our bags gets lost we will still have something to wear. Ron even got airtags for our carry on luggage. Why? It can’t get lost if it is with me. Last night he pointed out that they often are out of overhead room and check the bag you thought was going in the cabin with you. Hmmm, I hadn’t considered that. 

So here I am the day of departure repacking yet again. Making room for some of Ron’s clothes and considering what clothes to put in his bag. Then Lissa came over with the kids last night. I shared the items I decided not to take. She disagreed and wants me to repack and add them back in. Okay. Mind you I am trying to only take a carry on and a backpack. This also has to include my books to give away. Then Ron said I need my medications and liquids accessible for customs. Now I need to shift things from carry on to backpack so they are readily available. To fit everything including the add backs, I have decided to wear my coat on the plane so it frees up space. Then there is the truth that I will shop on this trip. Where the heck are those items supposed to fit on the journey home?

 This is way more complicated than it needs to be. There are in fact stores in Egypt and Kenya. Who knew? So after I post this I am going to repack and hopefully be done once and for all. Now I am not even sure what to wear on the plane. Maybe if I wear two outfits on top of one another I will have more room in my bag. Or I might save that idea for the trip home. Stay tuned for travel posts. I ordered a keyboard for my phone since I am not taking my iPad. Now I need to figure out where to pack it. I guess I will figure it out. 

In Him,

Joyful

10-22-26

Ghost is Loved and will be Missed, Until then Hold Her Close

Oh Ghost, you were just a sweet, lovely kitten in this photo. Now you are a ten year old member of our family. My beautiful daughter called me yesterday in tears. You are going to have less time with us than we hoped for due to lung cancer. What a sad day. Natalie has big emotions and rightfully so. She had the hard task of telling her family this devastating news. Felix FaceTimed me with Ghost in his arms to let me know that his six year old heart was shattered. Loss is loss. Whether it is a human loved one or a beloved pet. This family will snuggle Ghost and give her the best time left. 

What a wonderful part of life our pets play. They are our companions that never judge us, only love us. My prayer for Ghost is that she won’t suffer. When the time comes that Natalie and her sweet family will be a comfort to each other as they say goodbye. Love you all so much. Ghost will be missed because she has been so loved. 

In Him,

Joyful

10-21-26

Ron’s Eyes…..Then and Now

I wrote this poem in 1973 when Ronnie B and I first started dating. This summer I was away at a camp that hosted teens with disabilities. It was probably the summer I chose my career path in special education. One of the things that attracted me to Ron was his confidence to look me in the eye when he spoke. This poem came right after Ron came to visit me at the camp. I was a speaker out in the forest during the church service. Rather than it feeling awkward, Ron held my gaze and I was able to speak directly to him. I fell in love with this young man and still love the seventy year old who stretches me to be the best version of myself. 

Your eyes tell me say much your strong look shows your warmth and interest in our surrounding world they epress your goodness and love for others but mainly they are sure and don’t turn away but reach out to find the feelings and warmth of others….your eyes.   

What an insight to this man I have now spent a lifetime beside. There was no way this eighteen year old could have known the connection we would build. But I knew that Ron was someone who had the confidence to bring out the same confidence in others, in me. I love that I still have the original letter that I sent to him. It is a bit dark and hard to read but that just means that like our love it has not faded with time. 

Here we are ready to embark on a trip to Egypt and Kenya and all the adventures that will entail. I would never have the courage to do this on my own but with Ron by my side I am up for the journey. His eyes continue to hold my heart all these decades later..

In Him,

Joyful

10-20-26

Growing My Way Through My Senior Years

 I spoke to a friend yesterday who is nearing retirement from her lifelong career. She pondered that sweet she is winding down yet at the same time still learning to better serve those she interacts with. This is so important. We never stop growing, learning, and experiencing new things in life. Although it can also be true that a lifetime of learning has given us a toolbox of what works and what doesn’t. That is why it is so important to share our finds with younger people who have not had the decades of growth. 

It is such a joy to know that Ronnie B and I are going to Kenya to the school/orphanage we support.  (Connect with a Childis their website if you want more information or to donate) Tom Abungu is allowing me to take all my tricks of the trade from my special ed career and share them with his teachers. He told me they have not had special ed training and would appreciate any tips that could help one of their students. While I have a plethora of ideas to share, I also know that this meeting will grow me as much as it grows them. What an opportunity to share with those who are in the trenches in this foreign land and who love their kiddos enough to take time to grow. 

Each day is a growing opportunity. That is why I get up early to do my Bible study. It is not only to be closely connected to Jesus but also to learn something that hits my heart in a different way in this season of life. Today I learned that each of us does not hear from God in the same way. I would not have thought of myself as a knower but that is my main way to hear Him. I like to say that God gently pressed into my back and nudged me to act. Too often, I resist before moving into His plan but when I do it always creates a powerful connection. There should be a growing aspect of each day. Some will be small and barely noticeable while others can make me need to go out and buy new shoes. Okay, maybe it is not about my feet growing but rather my heart and my head. 

When we launch on our trip Thursday to Egypt and Kenya the growing won’t start when we land in Cairo. The people we meet in the airports and on the plane have the power to connect with us and grow our lives. I recall flying from Ireland to Barcelona last year. There was a young mom with three littles. One had autism and was understandably melting down on a plane full of strangers and stimui. This mom did not apologize or get frazzled by her kiddos loudly annoying other passengers. Because she remained calm her young one eventually relaxed into his surroundings. How often I panic and get worked up when things aren’t going as I expected. That does nothing to shift the situation but exasperates it. This mom taught me to take a breath, live through the moment and most importantly not to apologize for what is unavoidable. My hope is she will not avoid flying with her littles in the future just because of the nasty looks she received. I gave her my book and told her how inspiring she was with how she handled her kiddos. 

I look forward to meeting people on our journey, on our group tour and at the teacher meeting. It is pretty clear that the next few weeks will be a growing season for Ronnie B and me. I am not taking my iPad so may not blog much but will be posting on Facebook. Barbara Friedman Barber. Please join our journey there. Tell me how God grows you in the next few weeks whether through His word on your couch or off on an international adventure. 

In Him,

Joyful

10-19-26

Jean is a SeaGlass Friend, So are You!

 What a gift our friends are in our lives. I appreciate my been there fro decades friends who can remember my parents and all the growing pains of teenage and early adult years. Those who came into my life as we raised our kids together share the memories of busy schedules and houses filled with chaos, exhaustion, and joy. There are those who lived with each other through the tragedies of life and were a constant presence to get us through. Then there are the friends who stepped away for a season but returned to be one of our closest confidants and support. It is how we walk side by side with old friends and those who just showed up but quickly became family that strengthens us. 

I met Jean on our trip to Ireland. She just clicked. That she closely resembles my grandma helped but it was really her heart that drew me to her. Although she lives states away and I rarely take time to pick up the phone, she crosses my mind often. There is something connecting us and I know we will be in each other’s lives from now on. Will we ever be together again in person? That is to be determined but doesn’t change the closeness that just is. It is not clear why we have an instant bond with someone but it happens. What a magical thing when it does. I just want to say that my life is fuller because I met her and the fact that she sent cookies for my Dolly Parton party is not why I love this lady. 

Let’s treasure those rare people who enrich our lives just by being apart of it. Whether present in our daily routines or present in our hearts the people that we cherish and those who cherish us are the true gifts of life. My hope is to be better at intentionally reaching out when they cross my mind. I know several friends who have a set time to group chat during the week with those they love. I want to do that. It seems I always think of Jean on Sundays yet I never call. Her son spends weekends with her and I don’t want to interrupt their time together. So I need to call my friend and set up a time that is convenient to both of us to spend time catching up and growing deeper in our friendship. 

How about you? Who do you need to prioritize to make your week shine just a little brighter  through a conversation? Or what if we chose to send a snail mail touch that would surprise them when they went from their mailbox to the recycle to toss the never ending junk mail? Just a thought. I think I will call Jean today and ask what time works for her. If not today I will get distracted and let it slip by. I will let you know how this works for us. Let me know how you stay in contact with those that make your life sweeter just by being in it.

In Him,

Joyful

10-18-26

Egypt has Swimming……Who Knew? Now I Really am Excited!

 In less than a week we will be in Cairo embarking on an adventure I never imagined I would take. This archeology trip sponsored by Jornada Institute is the third we have been on. Ronnie B knows that no trip is a success for me unless there is a bit of water time included. After drizzly Ireland we went to Barcelona for beach time and sun. Now I find out that we will be staying at this hotel in Aswan right on the Nile River. Wow! I guess I will get to swim after all. Ron says I won’t be able to swim in the Nile because it may have critters that would be dangerous to my health. Well, you can bet even if I can’t swim in it, I will put my feet in that water. After all, a pool is not my first choice of swim venues. I much prefer lakes, rivers, surf, or even ponds. But I will spend some time in this cement pond while others explore ancient sites. The temperatures should be perfect for a leisurely swim unlike my frigid dips in Greece. 

Let me explain that I have never been a world traveler. My mom and sister never flew on a plane until Ronnie B and I were expecting our first adoption. But a few years ago, Ron encouraged me to go on Dave Greenwald’s trips with him. So here I am ready to embark on number three and excited to explore a place I never realized I would be excited to visit. Who knows where else we will explore in this travel filled retirement? Although I love being home with my sweet cat curled up beside me, I am getting more confident traveling. 

The saying parents are spending their kids inheritance seems like a selfish way to live. Rather enjoying life to the fullest is an inheritance. The example to live life to the fullest and spend time together with others. We end our trip in Kenya with Tom Abungu who runs an orphanage and school there.  I am going to share some of my teacher tools that I have found effective over a lifetime of teaching. Ron and I are excited to spend time there on Safari and with the young people who have stayed in our home. 

Life is unpredictable and we don’t have a magic eight ball to see what the next couple decades hold. For now, we are both healthy enough to travel so we are. Whether it is flying across an ocean or moving north in our little rv to the northwest to see family, we are loving life together. For that I am grateful. Next June, Ron and I celebrate our fiftieth anniversary. Fifty years of being Barbara Barber. Wow! I really think that all the seasons of our life have been a blend of challenges and joy. But this season is quieter in so many ways yet filled with more family than we dared to dream of having. I feel beyond blessed to be a mom and Noni to so many. God is good all the time.

Pray for our safety and follow our adventure on FB or instagram at Barbara Friedman Barber. I hope to share photos and snippets along the way. Love you all for reading my heart story.

In Him,

Joyful

10-17-26