First Few Days of American Life.

Sorry I have been off the grid the past few days. Adjusting has been, well, quite an adjustment. I have had a terrible time of adjusting my sleep schedule and up until this morning was getting no more than 5 hours of sleep per night (and that was the long night) since I got here. I kept waking up between 3 and 4 every morning. Unfortunately, today I would have been able to keep sleeping, but Kaden decided to wake up screaming bloody murder at 6 AM so I had to get up too.
Yesterday Kaden and I got to ride with Flower (she has her learner's permit) to her school (yes, on a Sunday) to drop her off for play practice (at 10, which lasted until 9 at night... on a school night). Then we went shopping and Kaden was such a good boy that I got mini pizzas for us for lunch (which he LOVED). We got back and after Kaden had his yummy lunch, he got to go to the park with Uncle Deven and Aubrey. He had a great time and then while he napped, I got to go to Kyle and Melissa's for a barbecue. They're new house is so huge and so nice and it was wonderful getting to see and hang out with them. And Max (their pit bull) only jumped on me twice, hehe. I can't WAIT for Stu to come home and have playdates with them often. There was super yummy food and we watched the Dolphins lose, much to Kyle's dismay. :) It was great to chat for so long and catch up with everything that has been going on in their lives since we've been gone.

I came back while Kaden was just up from nap and enjoying some lasagna and garlic bread for dinner and then we tried to watch Cars but our DVD skips on their player, which sucked. We made it to bed around 10.

Today I have that second interview at Idaho State University, which is the job I am hoping to get. And I also have another interview at the Department of Corrections. That job is M-F 8-5, so it would but a big strain on working out a school schedule, so that one does not sound as good for me right now. Same job description at both though, so that part wouldn't really change.

I do hope to have a job soon though to have a bit more structure in my life. I feel sort of disjointed having so much free time and unscheduled time. It's weird. Maybe a job will make living in America again feel more permanent. So far, it's kind of this odd vacation I feel like I've been on.

I miss Stu like crazy. I keep trying to rationalize ways he can come home early, but he thinks we should just have him finish out the contract and then come home (which DOES make the most rational sense, but I'm ruled by my emotions a lot lately) (And no, I'm not pregnant. Stupid ovulation schedule.).

Anyway, so here's hoping I get that job and that things go smoothly (and quickly) with regard to the upcoming holidays and Stu's coming home.

On a terrible note, my friend Joslyn's mom contracted swine flu and got pneumonia as a result. She then had a heart attack the other night and was put in a hypothermic coma to protect her and the doctors have been trying to draw her out of it for a few days now, to no avail as of yet. Jo said yesterday that they are preparing them for the worst and that they are to make plans to say goodbye. I have been wishing (I'm not a reliable "pray"-er and I think I'd just screw it up) my hardest for the best for her, so any good thoughts, prayers, etc. could do nothing but help. They have been through so much in the past few years, the last thing they need is to lose her Mom. Ann is a wonderful woman.


Here are some pics of our first few days here:

Me, 3:30 in the morning, the night we got here after WAAAAY too many hours of no sleep.

My first time driving in WAAAAY too long! :)


Kaden's super cool new Cars room.

Kaden all bundled up and ready to play outside!

Aunt Marcia rocks!

Hell On Earth (Er, Hell In The Air)

So, I’ve kind of been putting off writing this blog, both because I’m still drunk feeling from so much sleep deprivation, but also because I’d really rather not even think about my trip and maybe the memory of it will fade and it will never really have happened. Yeah, it was pretty much that bad. I was really hoping to be pleasantly surprised, but it was even worse than I anticipated.

We started off the day easily enough, getting up at 6:30 and having a simple breakfast before heading off to the airport. It was really hard for me to leave Stu. As excited as I was to be going home, I was equally as upset (or more so) that I was leaving my husband and my best friend on the other side of the world. Because we’ve been living overseas for so long, with few friends and no family, Stu and I really learned how to become a well-oiled working unit. We are best friends as well as partners and I can’t remember the last decision I made that I didn’t talk about with Stu first. So just the thought of not having him by my side was pretty emotional for me.

We got checked in and Stu left us as far as he could go, which was the entrance to immigration. I was crying before I even got to the counter and the Emirati guy looked me over then looked at Stu and he said, “That is his father?” And I said yes and he told me, “It is even harder for him, you know, to watch you leave, he just has to hold it inside because this is what a man must do.” Which of course, didn’t help, and I sobbed my way through the terminal (quietly, lest I draw even more attention to the lone white girl) and then proceeded to walk laps around terminal 1 (for those who have been Abu Dhabi airport, there is a huge circle which each of the gates connect to). After 2 hours and 46 laps, it was time to board.

Kaden flat out refused to wear his seatbelt and screamed at a pitch dogs probably can’t even hear, as I held him down and tried to keep him from arching his back and flopping himself out of the seat. Needless to say, it was not a happy take-off for me or any of our fellow passengers. My child.

He got a kick out of the entertainment system again for about an hour and then was crabby because it was nearing nap time. I’m going to pause right here and say to those of you who suggested Benadryl, you suck. I gave him some and an hour later, not only was he NOT sleeping, he was like a monkey on crack, bouncing around in his seat and freaking out. This went on for the remainder of the plane ride. We went for about 50 “walks” (our flight was 16 hours) to the bathroom and to say hello to his favorite flight attendant (a fugly looking French gal who appeared to be on her 5th 16-hour flight in a row, poor girl). I will spare you the gory details, but let’s just say Kaden was NOT on his best behavior as he promised to be and neither he nor Mommy got any sleep at all until he finally fell asleep AFTER the captain came on to tell us we would soon be landing. He slept for an hour total. Ugh.

Chicago. Let me preempt this by saying what a great airport Chicago O’Hare is. Not only were the people refreshingly polite and helpful (one of the ground staff helped me get all my carry-on luggage situated on me and then handed Kaden to me because my gate-checked stroller had to go through the baggage claim (fuckers). So I hauled my now-drowsy lead baby to customs, which went surprisingly fast. Unlike Raleigh where they only had two kiosks open to deal with a flight of several hundred people, Chicago was well-staffed and we got through pretty quickly. I was directed to a line that was diplomats or active military and then a nice Marine allowed me to go ahead of him because I was a pack-mule. The guy at customs welcomed me “home” (thank you!!! :) ) and then asked about what myself and husband did in Abu Dhabi. It took literally 15 seconds (while I watched a group of 10 Pakistanis get lead into a separate screening room, then later saw them leave said room and enter their new terminal some 3 hours later) and then I was off to claim my baggage.

I’m not going to lie, this part sucked. They had told me there would be porters who work for tips but I couldn’t a-one, so I kept dragging Kaden and our over-packed carry-ons around hauling bags out of the carousel and onto a cart. I pushed both the cart (loaded down with 200 pounds worth of crap) and the stroller to where I needed to get my boarding pass for my next flight. Etihad had checked my bags on to Boise, so I just had to drop them off there, which was nice.

Then started to process called keeping-a-sleep-deprived-monkey-on-crack-happy-for-the-next-4-hours. I sat down a grand total of maybe a half hour in 4 hours waiting for our next flight because every time I stopped walking the stroller around Kaden would start to cry or whine and I was just so exhausted I was far happier to walk my feet raw than to deal with a stressed-out crying 2-year-old.

We boarded the next plane and got all seated and ready to go on the flight to Boise. Kaden fell asleep as soon as his seatbelt was on and everything appeared to be looking up. Wrong. Our plane broke. The captain came on and said there was a reading in the cockpit that said there was hot air leaking into places it shouldn’t be and that the mechanics were going to run tests to see if the problem was a computer problem or if the problem actually existed. After about 45 minutes of aiting on the plane he came back on to tell us that the computer was right, there was hot air leaking into the wing and it was a fire hazard and that he didn’t want to add more excitement to our lives, so this plane was unflyable and had to be towed to the airplane-fixing shop. We got off the plane again and waited around for them to see if they could get us another plane. An hour later the pilot was standing a few feet in front of me (Kaden had just earned his wings and was hamming it up to the pilot) when he got a text that made him say “shit” (obvious follow-up question from me: “What?”) . “Well, we’ve got another plane, but it doesn’t land here until 11:45, which means we wouldn’t land in Boise until well after 2 AM.” (“Shit”, indeed.)

A bit later it was confimed that we could have that plane, but that it was hurrying up and would land at 10:45 instead. It landed at 11:15 and we were all boarded and ready to take off by 11:30 (we’d already had practice so we were pretty good at it the second time around). It’s funny the camaraderie that takes place under stress. You feel like you get to know people when you go through crises with them (however minor). My seat buddy was an elder Mormon man (naturally) from Boise who was an eager listener and questioner when it came to the Middle East. We talked forever and he even offered to have his wife drop us off at home when she came to get him (as we found out they live a mere couple of blocks from Marcia and Deven). A very nice man, which came in handy when my son, now definitely NOT sleeping, entered the second plane and again refused to buckle up, flinging his body around and screaming at the top of his lungs. Luckily, though, after 8 hours in the airport, following such a long flight, his resolve was not as strong as mine and he gave up and collapsed asleep against my lap for about an hour. He woke up and was in a pretty good for the rest of the 4 hour flight and even got to watch the lights of Boise on our approach.

I tried to cut out the meat, so it really sounds like a decent and short enough trip, but I’m still trying to recover. Heh. We got to the airport and Marcia and Deven were waiting for us and even Joslyn got her pregnant body up and to the airport at 2 in the morning to welcome us home. :) It was so nice to see happy, familiar faces after such a long time of no sleep. We got our bags and barely all fit in the car (the stroller was practically on Marcia’s lap) and got home, where it was DEAD SILENT outside, which was an eerie thing after so long of constant noise. Kaden got to meet his new bedroom which Marcia had completely done in Cars stuff! The bedspread, curtains, even the walls are all Cars themed. It is soooo cool and Kaden just loved it.

He looked slightly terrified when I put him to bed in his new scary room, then he asked for his Daddy, which nearly made me collapse on the floor and cry that I wanted his Daddy too, but I held it together long enough to put him to bed. After calling Stu and leaving like 3 voicemails (the Vonage was down, of course, so I couldn’t actually hear him) I finally made it to bed by about 4:45 AM.

Unfortunately I had an interview scheduled for 10 AM the next day (today) so I only got about 3 hours of sleep when Kaden woke up crying at about 8 AM. He was in a strange place and completely exhausted, poor kid. But he got some breakfast and chatted with Aunt Marcia while I got ready (“ready” used lightly, I threw my hair in a bun, put on wrinkly clothes and smeared a ton of concealer under my puffy, bloodshot eyes before heading downstairs for my own cereal.

Marcia offered her car but I got her to drive me to my interview (hey, I haven’t really driven in a year and a half and I didn’t know where I was going, it felt intimidating) with Kaden in tow. They occupied themselves while I interviewed by heading to Winco for a few supplies and then Starbucks where Kaden got his own water with a straw.

My interview went very well. They seemed pretty impressed with me (especially the part about me being there some 8 hours after my plane landed and almost no sleep) and liked my answers to their questions. But of course you only ever know your own take on things, so we will just have to wait and see how it went.

Kaden and I went back down for nap at about 1 (2 for me because I was IMing with Stu, hehe) and became dead to the world. I had asked Deven to not let me sleep past 4 so I can try to get our schedules back on track but Marcia came in at 5:30 and said Deven had tried to wake me up but I wouldn’t hear of it. I had even missed two calls and 3 texts with my volume on my phone on full and I still slept like a rock.

Sarah and Ella came over in the evening to say hello and bring Kaden a present, but I felt like I’d been hit by a Mack truck by then. I hope tonight’s sleep goes well and tomorrow we’re feeling better. Kaden is already in bed and I am heading there too now.

Farewell Abu Dhabi!

It’s finally here. Today is my last day as a resident in the United Arab Emirates. And I am up, greeting the day (after about 5 hours of sleep), while my boys are sleeping peacefully. :)

I’m not sure what to do today. Last night we talked about going to the beach for the last time, but then I thought of all the sandy clothes I’d have to hurry-wash (no such thing in my 5-hour-per-cycle washer/dryer). Plus, who wants to travel with sunburn? So, Kaden needs shoes that are not sandals and his sandals that he has now smell like stinky feet because he always sweats in them, so new shoes are in order. So are some Goldfish crackers to help keep Kaden happy on our trip.

But now I am feeling slightly panicky, like I’m forgetting to pack or do something. Last night we were watching The Amazing Race on AFN (LOVE that show, if anyone wants to do it with me, I am so there!) and they were in Dubai. It was cool knowing how to get to all the places they needed to find while they got lost and stressed and didn’t understand the taxi drivers, but it also reminded me that we never went to Wadi Wadi or Altantis like we talked about going. Crap. Now I’m out of chances to do it. Stu asked me last night if there was anywhere I wanted to go today or anything special I wanted to do, but I got sad thinking about it and he said, “We can’t go everywhere.” True dat.

So instead, I think we’ll enjoy our day as a family because we’re going to be without Daddy for a few months (see how if I say it like that it doesn’t seem too long? Don’t be fooled, I’m scared shitless and I have NO idea how I am going to survive a week, let alone 3 months without my Stuie).

Poor Stu just doesn’t understand the concept of my being sad about leaving. He told me can’t empathize because, “I hate this fucking place”. He reminded me that it is happy that I am leaving and I’ve already been excited about the things I’ll be able to do once I get back (stay tuned for my short list), but even still, apart from feeling almost paralyzed with the fear of travelling alone with Kaden for so many hours… I know I did it once, but I’m still traumatized by it and I’m terrified to do it again. I still feel like it sucks that I’m leaving. I’m going to miss my girls like crazy. I anticipated those get-togethers for the entire month leading up to each them. But I will have my own friends back and will surely make new friends eventually.

So, to end this on a positive note, here is my list of 10 things I want to do when I get home:

1. Eat a pizza that has REAL sausage on it, dipped in Catalina dressing (my tummy is growling just imagining it)

2. Text my new number to everyone I’ve ever met and enjoy a solid week of unadulterated texting fun!

3. Go to Walmart and buy everything I need in ONE place, for HALF the price it is here, INCLUDING pork sausage and pork chops and bacon and…

4. Take Kaden for a walk around the neighborhood without being leered at, propositioned for sex, or getting heat stroke.

5. Walk up to anyone, anywhere, and know that they will both speak English, and understand my own English.

6. Get a house, set up utilities, chat with my neighbors, and acquire appliances and NOT HAVE TO CONTACT MY EMPLOYER TO DO SO.

7. Feel politically incorrect about making generalizations about certain groups of people again. (i.e. Filipinos like to sing American songs in high-pitched, off-key voices, Emirati women KNOW they’re better than you are, regardless of who you are, and Emirati men wear dishdashas while they drive around in their white SUVs that still have plastic on the seats, Pakistani and Indian men do not understand why eye-raping a pretty (or painfully ugly) girl is inappropriate.)

8. One word: Drive-thrus

9. Eat quality Mexican food

10. Finally have my friends and family back within visiting distance!

Kaden at the airport, ready to head to Abu Dhabi.

Kaden the first night we were here. (on the roof)

My boy now!

Welcome Baby Felix!

Congratulations to Charmaine and Chi Wai on their brand new baby Felix Gar Ming Alfred Choy! He was born at 2:50 AM (Abu Dhabi time) and weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces. Mom and baby are both reportedly doing great. :)

Girls' Goodbye.

Yesterday we had a little get-together at Kundi's as both an opportunity for me to say goodbye as well as a chance for Kundi to see the girls again as she was in Zimbabwe for a few weeks to mourn her mother's passing and missed our monthly get-together.

It was billed as a pot-luck and once again we shone. :) Asma'a came once again, with her beautiful 7-month-old daughter Misk in tow. Misk is so stinking cute. I wanted to kidnap her to America with me with her full-head of curls and olive skin. It made me want to have another baby so bad! Sweet girl.

Anyway, in addition to the food, the always-thoughtful ladies also got me some going away presents! I didn't expect anything like that and it was all so thoughtful. Lindsay knew I needed stitch markers, so now I have them :) as well as new knitting needles that have interchangeable points so you can swap them out for the correct size you need. How cool! She also threw in a stitch counter and they all signed a card for me, which was included with the gift from Hala that was a beautiful book of Abu Dhabi photos. I looked through it there and back home with Stu and we kept saying how we'd been everywhere in it and how wonderful it will be to have a visual aid to tell our stories of our adventures once we go home. Such thoughtful women, they will truly be missed.

We took some fun photos too which I'll have to get from Hala and post on here.

Reality Is Setting In.

We just got back from dinner with "the boys": Matt, Mike, Dan (and Brigitte), and Steve at the Lebanese Flower. I was looking forward to this dinner as a chance to say goodbye to the food as well as the people, but I didn't expect to feel quite as sad as I did.

The actually hanging out was great. Kaden was kind of a shit, but we DID hang out for 2 hours, so who can blame a two-year-old for hitting his threshold? Lol. We got to laugh and joke and share stories as we always do, but the goodbye part sucked.

I hugged Dan first and was feeling pretty good about saying goodbye... but by the time I got to Matt, I almost lost it (but kept myself in check because he asked earlier in the night if I was going to cry). He was wearing a blue shirt tonight and it reminded me of walking through the mass of people coming out of Abu Dhabi International Airport on my first night here. After a solid day of flying with a 7-month-old, with as many issues as we had, I was just about at my wit's end when out of the crowd of veils and dark skin, came a well-over-six-foot-tall white boy. :) I knew Matt was himself the minute I saw him and hugging him tonight reminded me of that first night, hugging him as he "saved me" from the strange new world I'd just stepped into. (He made me feel even more at home as he blasted Christina Aguilera's "Dirty" on the radio as we flew at deadly speeds back to his apartment before Stu's flight arrived.)

I'm definitely going to miss Mike's infectious happiness and the all-around good-hearted nature of these boys. And Mike is right, "This sucks."

Welcome Baby Adelyn!

Miss Christy finally had her beautiful baby girl at 9:17 PM on October 14th. She was 8 pounds and she is absolutely beautiful! My Mom was there for the birth and said Christy was trooper and she did amazingly well. Congrats Christy and Kyle!

Here are some pics of the new addition to the family and her amazing Mommy! :)