these are just random thoughts .. I am constantly thinking .. "oh, I should update people about this .." and don't want to "overpost" on facebook ... so, here ya go .. I think these kind of updates might be the way to go for the beginning.
-on the agenda today: Mall of the Emirates! pictures to come. We won't ski indoors today .. but we'll definitely see it! We can actually see the "slope" from our hotel room.
-it's actually a bit chilly this morning ... I'm sure it'll warm up .. highs are in the 70s right now. it feels like easter.
-we all went to bed at around 1:30 a.m. and the kids and I woke up at 5 .. naps WILL happen today.
-we're watching the movie "Anastasia" in our hotel/temp housing room w/ Arabic subtitles
-the flight went AWESOME .. we had all kinds of aids just in case it went south .. but man, it couldn't have gone better. We didn't even use benadryl!
-Paige did her normal puke on the plane .. she waited until we were landing in Dubai this time ..and everything landed in the proper receptical.
-this hotel/temp housing place is soo great-- but they don't have cribs, so Max has officially graduated to a "big boy bed" .. he did fantastic sleeping on a mattress on the floor last night!
-there are several signs hanging on our door with the "do not disturb" sign ..and one of the signs says, "pick up my laundry" .. BEST.SIGN.EVER!!!
-the language barrier is interesting because there are SO many languages .. In the states, I feel like I can judge if a person speaks english by the way that they look .. here, there's just no telling.
-we went down for breakfast this morning, and there was an Emirate woman there .. she touched Brooke's blonde hair .. she LOVED watching the kids, but was definitely most interested in Max ... it wasn't creepy, it was sweet and endearing .. she wanted to show Max the cars in the street outside .. she didn't speak english.
-also on the agenda: APPLE STORE .. I need to get my phone figured out.
-tonight, we'll get to watch the New Years Eve fireworks from the roof of our temp home .. can't WAIT to see what the Burj Al Arab does.
-people smoke here .. like it's the 80s .. ashtrays with a book of matches on tables in restaurants .. and drinking alcohol is not common. Most restaurants don't serve alcohol at all, and you need to have a special license if you want to purchase it for your home. Not all liquor stores enforce the "special license" rule.
-hookah bars are common
-PDA is a "no no" .. holding hands is probably ok .. but that's the limit .. not that Mark and I are big on PDA, but we tend to give little kisses "hello" in public here and there .. gonna have to adjust a bit.
-people have asked if we're going to have to wear coverings .. and no, we don't .. the kids get away with anything, but it's courteous for me to keep my shoulders and knees covered .. no biggie, but I do love my tank tops in the summer .. hello cardigans
-it took 3 minvan taxi cabs to get us from the airport to the hotel. THREE. (we checked 15 bags, plus 7 carry-ons) and the kids were not in car seats .. Max sat in my lap ... SOOO OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE. We will need to figure out the car/carseat situation asap.
-Paige just made herself a burqa with her blankies ... love it!!
... sooo much more to come!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Waiting to Exhale ..
a note from the plane:
So .. we are 1 hour and 30 minutes into our first flight. Paige is watching a movie on the iPad, Brooke is watching a movie on the DVD player, Max is playing on his Leap Pad, and Mark is watching the in flight movie. So far, so very, very good. We brought Max’s carseat on the plane and he is doing AWESOME! Only 16 1/2 more hours to go. Ha!
Since I have a minute, I’m going to attempt to reflect on all of this. I honestly haven’t begun to feel anything yet. I do realize that it is SO nice to finally be on the plane. It is such a relief to be done with the “packing” phase of this move, but I haven’t “come down” yet. I’m still going 100 miles per hour in my mind. And I have no idea where it’s leading. I feel “on alert” or something .. waiting for the next turn in this crazy adventure. It’s very much like a roller coaster, as if we all haven’t heard that simile (I used, “like” .. so it’s a simile, right?) before .. but whatever .. it totally is.
I’ve told a few friends that I’m expecting a big “exhale” in February or so .. when everything sinks in and I can actually catch up with everything that has been going on. Exhales are good .. and healthy .. and scary.
So .. we are 1 hour and 30 minutes into our first flight. Paige is watching a movie on the iPad, Brooke is watching a movie on the DVD player, Max is playing on his Leap Pad, and Mark is watching the in flight movie. So far, so very, very good. We brought Max’s carseat on the plane and he is doing AWESOME! Only 16 1/2 more hours to go. Ha!
Since I have a minute, I’m going to attempt to reflect on all of this. I honestly haven’t begun to feel anything yet. I do realize that it is SO nice to finally be on the plane. It is such a relief to be done with the “packing” phase of this move, but I haven’t “come down” yet. I’m still going 100 miles per hour in my mind. And I have no idea where it’s leading. I feel “on alert” or something .. waiting for the next turn in this crazy adventure. It’s very much like a roller coaster, as if we all haven’t heard that simile (I used, “like” .. so it’s a simile, right?) before .. but whatever .. it totally is.
I’ve told a few friends that I’m expecting a big “exhale” in February or so .. when everything sinks in and I can actually catch up with everything that has been going on. Exhales are good .. and healthy .. and scary.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Our last night here ..
Well, here I sit .. in the laundromat of the hotel on our last night in Colorado. I'm probably going to be in here for another hour .. so I brought the ol' laptop and thought I'd blog it out.
I'm done being sad, as of right now .. I'm actually more ready to go than I've felt thus far .. and believe it or not, Mark and I are actually looking forward to 18 hours of in-flight time. (We'll see how that pans out 36 or so hours from now).
It's all very surreal .. and so exciting ..
When we arrive, we will be staying at Golden Tulip Suites. We will have a 2 bedroom suite until we find our house - hopefully it will only take 2-3 weeks to find our home. From the roof of our hotel, where the pool is, we will be able to see the Burj Al Arab and watch their fireworks for New Years Eve. It just feels right to bring in the new year with the whole family in our new home. (The kids will think it's 1 p.m., so why not let them live it up! I can't WAIT to celebrate with them!)
OH .. and Mark mentioned to me this afternoon that our stay at the Golden Tulip includes laundry service!! SOMEONE IS GOING TO DO MY LAUNDRY!! bliss. seriously.
9 more minutes on the washer, 35 on the dryer. :)
K, that's all I have for now .. thanks again for being a part of this!
I'm done being sad, as of right now .. I'm actually more ready to go than I've felt thus far .. and believe it or not, Mark and I are actually looking forward to 18 hours of in-flight time. (We'll see how that pans out 36 or so hours from now).
It's all very surreal .. and so exciting ..
When we arrive, we will be staying at Golden Tulip Suites. We will have a 2 bedroom suite until we find our house - hopefully it will only take 2-3 weeks to find our home. From the roof of our hotel, where the pool is, we will be able to see the Burj Al Arab and watch their fireworks for New Years Eve. It just feels right to bring in the new year with the whole family in our new home. (The kids will think it's 1 p.m., so why not let them live it up! I can't WAIT to celebrate with them!)
OH .. and Mark mentioned to me this afternoon that our stay at the Golden Tulip includes laundry service!! SOMEONE IS GOING TO DO MY LAUNDRY!! bliss. seriously.
9 more minutes on the washer, 35 on the dryer. :)
K, that's all I have for now .. thanks again for being a part of this!
Monday, December 26, 2011
short update ...
Today was "packing day" ... oh MAN were we BUSY! Right now it's 5:45 and I only have a few more things on my "to do" list. 12, yes TWELVE suitcases are packed, our dining room is filled with the "to be shipped" pile, and everything else is ready to be packed and stored.
BRING.ON.DUBAI.
bless you ALL .. thanks for checkin in on us!
BRING.ON.DUBAI.
bless you ALL .. thanks for checkin in on us!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
A Colorado Christmas
I'm up early. Max decided to charm us with is presence at 6 a.m. ... I expected the girls to be up sneaking around to see what Santa brought (like I did when I was little) but they are still asleep, so Max and I sit here, waiting for the excitement to begin.
It's our last Christmas in Colorado for a while .. I'm trying to let that sink it, but it just isn't sinking in. Everything still feels so surreal right now. I keep forgetting that our dog, Maggie isn't here anymore (my WONDERFUL sister is taking care of her while we are gone .. I owe her my life). This morning I was waiting for her to come down the stairs, but finally clued in that she's not here. It's those little things .. this process is so interesting to me .. when will this all sink in??
I guess today it doesn't have to. Today it's Christmas .. the cinnamon rolls are baking, egg casserole is ready to go in the oven, Max and I are snuggling on the couch watching cartoons, and today we are here --
oh .. and off we go ...
Merry Christmas!
It's our last Christmas in Colorado for a while .. I'm trying to let that sink it, but it just isn't sinking in. Everything still feels so surreal right now. I keep forgetting that our dog, Maggie isn't here anymore (my WONDERFUL sister is taking care of her while we are gone .. I owe her my life). This morning I was waiting for her to come down the stairs, but finally clued in that she's not here. It's those little things .. this process is so interesting to me .. when will this all sink in??
I guess today it doesn't have to. Today it's Christmas .. the cinnamon rolls are baking, egg casserole is ready to go in the oven, Max and I are snuggling on the couch watching cartoons, and today we are here --
oh .. and off we go ...
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Twenty Days 'til Dubai
Blog #1: December 9, 2011 - 20 days 'til departure.
I don't really even know what to write, but I know that I need to get some of these feelings down on paper. I'm finally hitting "freak out mode" I think.
Yesterday, while at Paige and Brooke's school, I was in the office and asked if we needed to turn in any paperwork for withdrawal, etc. Patty just kindly looked at me and said, "no, I think we have everything we need." Here entered the "lip quiver" and the well of emotion that had been hiding all of this time. It picked a very unexpected time to play "peek-a-boo" if ya know what I'm sayin'! I had no idea that I would pick that moment to get emotional. I guess I just need to expect the randomness of Emotion's timing. (I decided to make Emotion a proper noun out of respect).
So mini-break down over, headed over to Max's, "Mother's Day Out" program where I had to ask the same question... here entered Emotion, once again. Not so random. Still unexpected.
Then while running errands .. Christmas shopping, I check my iPhone and see an email from Mark. He had purchased our airline tickets. Now, you'd THINK that I'd continue the lip-quivering tear fest -- but I DIDN'T. I got SO excited!! Who knew?? It was definitely refreshing to feel excitement and not panic or sadness.
So who knows how I'm feeling about this whole thing? I really don't have a solid answer. What I do know is that I'm all over the place .. and I don't want to become "Spiritual Sally" here, but I do want to acknowledge that I'm so grateful that God has me in the palm of his hand. His steady, solid, loving hand. Aaaaah ..I just love the peace here.
20 days .. and counting.
I don't really even know what to write, but I know that I need to get some of these feelings down on paper. I'm finally hitting "freak out mode" I think.
Yesterday, while at Paige and Brooke's school, I was in the office and asked if we needed to turn in any paperwork for withdrawal, etc. Patty just kindly looked at me and said, "no, I think we have everything we need." Here entered the "lip quiver" and the well of emotion that had been hiding all of this time. It picked a very unexpected time to play "peek-a-boo" if ya know what I'm sayin'! I had no idea that I would pick that moment to get emotional. I guess I just need to expect the randomness of Emotion's timing. (I decided to make Emotion a proper noun out of respect).
So mini-break down over, headed over to Max's, "Mother's Day Out" program where I had to ask the same question... here entered Emotion, once again. Not so random. Still unexpected.
Then while running errands .. Christmas shopping, I check my iPhone and see an email from Mark. He had purchased our airline tickets. Now, you'd THINK that I'd continue the lip-quivering tear fest -- but I DIDN'T. I got SO excited!! Who knew?? It was definitely refreshing to feel excitement and not panic or sadness.
So who knows how I'm feeling about this whole thing? I really don't have a solid answer. What I do know is that I'm all over the place .. and I don't want to become "Spiritual Sally" here, but I do want to acknowledge that I'm so grateful that God has me in the palm of his hand. His steady, solid, loving hand. Aaaaah ..I just love the peace here.
20 days .. and counting.
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