Catching up ..

Well since the Spring Break posts .. we've had Easter,  the girls started swimming lessons, Max started going to "Nursery" 3 days a week, and we had a visit from my "BFF" Kelly!  This post will cover Easter and the kids' new adventures.  It'll likely take me a couple of days to get the Kelly trip posted in here .. we did a LOT while she was here. 

Here are the pictures of our first Easter in Dubai:  

 dying eggs .. :)

 sunrise service on the beach 

(It was actually on Easter Sunday, which was nice since church is usually on Friday .. Sunday was a holiday for school, but not all businesses) 

 The kiddos (Max in the foreground) played on the beach, found shells, crabs, starfish, etc.).  The part where all the kids are gathered is a bit of a deep hole .. guess who made his way into it??  :)

 Mark and the girls toward the end of service. 

 Hunting eggs!  

Because our sweet Max managed to get himself completely soaked during sunrise service at the beach, he hunted in his diaper. :) 

We had a fun day, but Easter was actually a REALLY hard day for me.  I think I really grasped the reality of HOMESICKNESS on Easter.  It is identical to grief for me .. I mean, I've lost both of my parents, so I know grief.  I am shocked by the similarities between the two.  On Easter, it was the grass that set me off... yes, the grass.  The only way I can explain it is by comparing it to losing my mom .. the little smells that I'd smell that would remind me of her would drive me to tears in places I wouldn't expect .. and especially on holidays.  On Easter it was exactly the same.  I missed the soft Colorado grass and I just lost it.  I just closed my eyes, held Mark's hand and let the tears flow .. annoyed that I was having to go through this process .. trying to give myself the grace to do it. 


When my mom died, a friend said these words to me, "The pain will always be there, but the times you feel it will be fewer and farther between." .. SOOO true!!  Easter was a hard day.  There's really nothin' more to it .. just a hard day .. they come and go .. blah.

I do want to mention that it was such a blessing to be in the UAE, a Muslim country, and celebrating Easter.  I am a firm believer that Jesus is who He said He was .. and I love that we all acknowledge it each time we right down today's date.  (Our calendar does, in fact, revolve around his birth).  I was struggling a bit with the reality of the Resurrection .. but after experiencing an Easter service with so many nationalities gathered, acknowledging what I was questioning .. I felt peace .. grace .. love .. God.  He is Risen, and He is so so good.




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The girls started swimming lessons last week .. Max was going to start, too .. but umm ... NO.  :)

I'm kinda "over" the "Mommy & Me" classes and he is "over" being held .. so until he is old enough to be in a class without me, he will join us at the pool when we go for fun and splash in the baby pool while the girls swim.  Maybe.  I mean, if he has to go with us he will.  :)  


Paige got in for her first lesson and well, the girl can swim.  She's a rock-star in the water and I love watching her swim .. I love watching her do anything she puts her mind to, because she works so hard!  She had never swam the length of the pool before her first lesson here and well .. by the end of the lesson, I think she had gone back and forth 10 times!  She's doing GREAT and she LOVES it. 


Brooke was put in a class for 4 year-old's and after 2 minutes of her being in that class, her instructor looked at me and said, "I don't want her in this class.  She's way too strong for this class."  I kinda chuckled, because HE assessed her before the classes began and didn't really take the time to really see how Brooke could swim .. It was one of those, "well, we'll just see how it goes" things for me and it cracked me up that I kind-of saw it coming.  Brooke is the kid that doesn't work super hard to be good athletically, but just is.  It comes very naturally to her.  When she finally realizes this truth about herself, it will be a wild ride, I'm sure.  Anyways .. she is being moved into a more advanced class. 

I'm so proud of my little swimmers!

I thought I had pictures, but I guess not!  sorry 'bout that! 
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Next big event:  Max started school!!  They call it "Nursery" out here for the little ones .. kinda like Mom's Day Out back in the USA .. so far, sooooooo good.  HE LOVES IT!! 

As soon as you say the word, "school" to Max, he grabs his Thomas backpack and gets on his way .. it's ADORABLE. 

He wears a uniform, just like the girls do.  For him, I like the idea of a uniform so that he's easy to spot when they go to the park, etc.  He goes from 8 to noon on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday .. last week was his first week, and he just LOVED it.  Today (Sunday) he's home sick .. gotta love those beginning-of-the-school-year germs .. he has a sore throat and fever.  Mark took him to the Dr. yesterday (which is another blog post .. but a great experience!) while I was with the girls at yet ANOTHER birthday party, and his strep culture was negative.  SO .. a very "normal" start to his new routine .. it feels SOOOO good to have him in "school." 

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I just got back from having coffee at the neighbor's house.  Brooke (neighbor) invited a bunch of us from Street 3 (our street) over.  It was SO NICE!! 

I'll explain this in my blog about Kelly's visit, but I really feel like having her here gave me a sense of pride in this new home, Dubai.  It kind of pushed me over a bit of a hump and gave me a fresh look at settling in.  I feel so much better .. really .. it gave me energy to do things like get to know my neighbors and getting out there to be social.  (Instead of dragging myself to do it!  ha!) 

So .. there's the update to the beginning of Kelly's visit .. next blog will be filled with "touristy" pictures of this city I can see myself calling "home" soon. 

...till next time.