Sisters?

Russell's here! The Fords are here! On the 23rd we picked up Russell in Dubai and then last Thursday morning...at 2:35 am. we picked up Pat, Darren, Austin, Jared and Jason at the airport here in Abu Dhabi. It has been non stop chatter and laughter since everyone got here. It also feels a bit surreal to sit in our dining room with our one window, tiny view of the Arabian Gulf...and play spades. Felt normal when we women beat the guys though.....:) Stomped 'em is more like it..... ( I can say that cuz this is MY blog.):)

Yesterday the teenagers...Russell, Ryan, Austin, and Jared headed to Dubai with our church for a weekend retreat called Desert Challenge. It is sponsored by Youth For Christ. I hope they all have fun. Supposed to be a pretty big deal with kids coming in from all over the Gulf Coast...the Arabian Gulf Coast. We toured Emirates Palace and then ate at the new Papa Johns pizza place...topped it off with a blizzard from the new Dairy Queen. :) The Fords are really enjoying our food choices here. :) It's always nice to have treats from the west.

My mother's heart is full up with my boy here. Russell looks great. He was so good about playing the pack mule and hauling all of the stuff from home for Christmas. Robert got a Wii and Russell hauled it in his backpack...along with Ryan's xbox360 and the acoustic guitar(Russell checked that in baggage but still had a load to deal with....). He also brought surprises from friends and they all made the day so very special. A couple of cards brought tears to my eyes...Christmas in the "Hood" was always a special time. But overall we feel so blessed with having him here and knowing how well he is doing. He and Ryan are having fun hanging out and it is especially fun with the Fords here.....

Pat and I had quite a deja vu experience at our little grocer's on Friday...We walked in to buy bread and my friend behind the counter asks..."Sisters??? :) Look same..." We smiled.

Happy New Year everyone.
Mattie

My Friend Kim

Many people close to me know my story...my growing up years in Latin America, becoming a Christian in Aruba, growing in my faith at the University of Texas thru Campus Crusade, meeting Mike on a summer project in Galveston, and so on. Some of these same people know about the friendship with a girl in my college dorm.... She was tough as nails when she moved into our dorm. A partier and a loner at the same time. As the fall semester went into full swing I found her watching me...when I worked the front desk, at breakfast, sitting in the lobby...She intimidated me. Then one nite, during my shift at the front desk, she cornered me. She seemed so tough to me...like she had it all together. Hey, what's up?... Nothing. How are you? ...Can I talk to you a second? ... For the life of me, I couldn't figure out what she would want to say to me.... "Why are you smiling all the time?" I was floored.
And so began my friendship with Kim.
Several weeks later, in October, Kim accepted Christ. She asked me to disciple her and for the next 3 years we spent many, many hours together.... Lots of hard times, we were both growing up, and lots of wonderful times...
As the years passed we didn't get to see each other like we would have wanted but we still were in each others' weddings and celebrated the births of our various children and encouraged each other in the tough times and laughed together in the good ones.
But today is kind of hard for me....I can't be with her...and I so want to be. Her sweet husband Carl passed away in his sleep this morning... I received the email when I woke up. She has family with her and great friends.... I know Kim. She'll stay strong and be there for her twin girls..Brooke and Anna...and she'll find strength and hope in her Saviour. She'll cry when she needs to and she'll find things to smile about and she will cling to Jesus.
It is my privilege to call her friend and sister. She taught me so much about faith thru our years together, and she still is.
But if you wouldn't mind...as you read this blog....please pray for her and for her girls...
Kim and Brooke and Anna.

We'd appreciate it..
Love, Mattie

We spent

It Still Feels Like Christmastime to Me

Wednesday nite the church had their International Carol Sing. 12 different groups got up to sing carols from their homeland. Well, technically..just one carol each(except the westerners were the only ones who kept it to just one song. :)) It was quite an evening with people from Korea, China, Australia, Indonesia, Germany, India, the Phillippines, Canada, the US, Latin America, and a couple of special songs. Mike and I sang with the US group and I also got to sing with the folks from Latin America. We sang Feliz Navidad. :) I kept teasing Jean Page about how many groups sang more than one song...we both decided that the truth was...the westerners were probably the only folks who thought it was too long anyway. :) Anyway, it was a fun evening.

Here are some pictures from our last few days. The trip to the Al Ain, the oasis city, picnic in the park with our new muslim homeschooling friends, the international carol sing...Korea and Latin America, and last but not least...that's me in the hot dog hat at the Ladies Garden Party last week. The two other ladies are also Marthas...Martha, Mattie and Marty. :)

Here are some words from one of the carols we sand at church....Sallie and I had fun singing together...

We know it won't snow in Abu Dhabi,

But we still decorate our Christmas tree,

And you can still feel the magic

From the sand dunes to the sea,

And it still feels like Christmastime to me. ...

The camels standing in the shade,

the traffic shimmers in the haze,

But it still feels like Christmas time to me.

Almost

Merry Christmas.

The Hildebrands

The Office... Party

Last nite we had the Hill End of the Year-Christmas- Holiday Party. It was in a hotel in Dubai. We decided to be brave and drive ourselves instead of taking the company bus from Abu Dhabi. I say 'brave' because driving in Dubai is always an experience, especially when you don't know where you are going. Roads are always changing from the construction and maps are never up to date. Anyway, we got lost. An hour later managed to get to the hotel.
We changed and went down to the foyer/lobby. As we stood outside the closed doors of the ballrom, it felt like the countless office parties we have attended over the years. Drinks being served as people mingled and pretended to be comfortable around 300 strangers. Hoping against hope that someone would stand and talk with us until the doors opened for dinner. It was just like home. Well, almost. Other than the fact that in that room many of the women were covered...and there were people from all over the world standing there waiting to eat. Then the doors opened...it was a blast from the 70s. Lites flashing, 3 filipina women singing on stage...That's the way, uh huh, uh huh I like it....uh huh, uh huh. And more songs from the 70s.
It was Dreamgirls Filipina style. :)
A lovely lady from Pakistan sat next to me. I met her at Lulu Island the first month we were here. We visited all evening. I hope I see her again. Her name is Ferida. The highlight of the evening was this Male dancer from Egypt. He danced something like a Whirling Dervish Turkish dance but not the same....He wore this costume of multilayerd skirts...that he controlled in patterns as he spun in circles...fast...for over 30 minutes....I am not kidding. It was amazing and beautiful. I honestly can't do it justice but didn't have the camera...it figures. After he danced the Supremes came out again and a few couples danced. Then came the belly dancer. We left. :)

As far as office parties go, we had fun. Certainly not run of the mill. We are glad we went.

Today was a ladies luncheon for church. We wore hats. I wore Marganne's hot dog hat and was a big hit. Naturally, I told everyone it was a Turkey frank...trying to be culturally sensitve here. Made a new friend from Texas....Carrollton, Texas. Graduated from RLTurner. Attended TWU. Four kids... Only thing is...she's 12 years younger. :) Oh well. We were on a roll until that part. It was fun visiting with her.

Time for bed. It's been quite a weekend.
Love, Mattie

Tea for 6

I just finished cleaning up from my holiday tea. 4 ladies came from the building. So with Jean and me there were 6 of us. Tanja from Serbia, Teija from Finland, Junko - Japan and Alice from Iran/London. They arrived at 11 and left at 1:30. Each lady brought something to share and we laughed and talked the whole time. We talked about Christmas traditions, our home countries, our children, and lots more. It was so fun. The ladies have asked me to teach them English so after the holiday rush we are going to get together and start lessons. All of us moved into this building in Aug. of this year. Fun, huh? Anyway, during the tea memories of the 'hood' would pop in my head..... Now my 'hood' is a pink skyscraper in downtown Abu Dhabi. Huh. Can't always get my head around that. Thanks for praying for the Tea and all. It was a great time.

We finished our second Arabic lesson. Dhabi, by the way, is pronounced Thabi...that is one of the easy letters we learned. We have now covered the Arabic alphabet...covering it and saying it correctly are two very different things...and then there's remembering the letters...hah. I love the lessons though.

One last thing. An interesting note....Remember the people who fired Mike from the project he was on? Well, they fired their second project director about 6 weeks ago...they now want Mike back. Wow. At this point he's not going. He can't imagine voluntarily returning to that place.
Kind makes our head spin, living here. You just never know.

Sallie's Christmas production was last nite at the church. It was very nice. The lady who teaches these kids really pours into them. They did a good job. On Sat. nite the kids from church will sing at a hotel in the area for their Christmas tree lighting. I should have everyone over after to help eat all the food we have leftover from the tea. :) We'll see. I'm beat.

Thanks for praying!
Love ya!
Mattie

A New Car

Well, victory oh victory. Sunday we finalized the details on our new car and Mike drove it off the lot. I emphasize Mike here as I don't know if I will ever drive that honkin' big thing. It is a 2008 Ford Expedition. Ok, to be fair to Mike he didn't really push the big car, I did. In hopes that many of our wonderful friends and family will be coming to see us...I kept saying we need something to fit in. So we now have something. Problem is we have nowhere to park it. :) Literally. As it is I park in front of construction No Parking zones all the time. As does the rest of the world here...oh well. We pray every nite for a spot. Some people just flat out pull up on the sidewalks. No kidding. It's amazing. I may have already told you about the parking but NOW we have a big car and that demands further discussion. :) It only took 8 weeks or so to buy this car. And by golly we are going to enjoy it. You bet we are. :) We need to buy a little car for me but we are just too tired to start this process again.

So, make this purchase worthwhile and come and see us!!!

It's beginning to feel ...not at all like Christmas...!

Saturday...the day to try and get everything done before 1pm because then everything is closed until 5 or so and then we are too tired to get the rest of it done. Whatever "it" happens to be for that paritcular Sat. Today the errands included....find or fix Ryan's phone, go to Aramex and pick up our first package, and pick up our new car. Yes sirree. No problem. Hah. We ask Sallie for the phone because she had it last(long story) but oops...it is in her purse which she left at the Pages....ok, so, now we have to go to their house...a bit a 15 minute drive get the phone and THEN we can fix it...but wait. When we get in the car...oops. No gas. So, now we get gas, pick up the phone but technically have not started on our errands yet. :)
We arrive at Aramex. Excited to get our first package. We are next in line. Two people behind us. Clerk asks all of us to please sit down...We, like dumb sheep without a shepherd ..all sit down. Ahh yes, you guessed it...New clerk comes in and takes the guy who just walked in off the street. But it gets better. Mike and I, at the counter now with the first clerk, are still waiting because the new guy keeps butting in on our clerk's computer...Meanwhile, out in the car, Ryan...

I told my mother that I needed to write this portion of her blog. She just wouldn't give justice to the pain and humiliation that I suffered in our Honda Accord outside.
"We will only be a minute, you can stay in the car." Good one.
I sank down in the back seat, and turned on my ipod. After the first few songs I realized how truly hot it was inside the car. It was an inferno. As the sweat dripped down my forehead I decided to unlock the car and get out.
BEE BEE BEE BEE HONK HONK HONK BEE BEE HONK. ALARRRMMMM.
How embarrassing. I am now locked inside of Hade's chariot and the alarm is going off. Why did they have to lock the car in the first place? I thought. You'd think after 16 years of living in a world of automobiles I could figure out how to get out of the car without letting the entire city know.
Eventually it shut off, and I sank back into the seat of the Honda Oven. I wait a few more seconds in the blistering heat. And I try again, this time pressing the button in front so the car unlocks, then getting out.
BEEE BEE BEE BEE HONK HONK HONK BEE BEE HONK. ALARRRMMMM.
It simply CAN'T be this difficult. I was at a loss. At this point 3 guys standing outside of the car had officially gotten annoyed at the complete lack of basic knowledge that I had demonstrated by my actions. They came up to the car, knocked on the window, and started speaking whatever language they spoke.
I played the "I'm asleep" card, appearing startled by their intrusion to the 400 degree privacy that I dwelt in, I jerked my head up and simply mouthed the words "I don'tknow what happened." Ha Ha. Yeah Right.
The minutes ticked by, I officially surrendered to the vehicle...and just sat in the backseat. Hoping my parents would come soon. Finally after 30 minutes of hell, my parents showed up. I needed out of the car.

I laughed so hard when Ryan told us. We both heard the alarm and wondered whose car kept going off? Would they please take care of it??? With package in hand and fainting son we headed to the phone store. Ryan was actually with us so he could pick out a new phone...Oops..they are going to fix the old one. Ryan didn't even need to come. :) Oh boy.

I know this is getting long...but to finish off the day. We still have no car. It's not ready yet. And I was so excited to go to Emirates Palace tonite...to see the Christmas tree lighting. Oops. They aren't lighting the tree. Who knows why?
Oh my, What a day. If you could just have seen Ryan's face. I am still laughing.

Thanks to Ryan

When Ryan heard my blog was in crisis he sat down and figured out the problem. It actually turned out NOT to be me causing the problems....So, now you have everything on the right page except for the one time I published on Sallie's. :)

National Day is over. I am so glad we do not live on a main street downtown but on a secondary one. My friend Debbie had loud noise from the cars going by her building until like 3am for 3 nties in a row. Ryan heard from school that 20 people died in car accidents.... With all the blog problems I can't remember if I've said this before but you have never seen anything like this. We are very thankful for the relative return to "normal".

Today we start Arabic lessons. Jean Page and her 3 kids will be joining us. We met the Pages in the summer at the Hone's house. It has been so nice to get to know them better and to have someone here who we feel a connection with from Texas. Although they are rather strong Aggies fans...but nobody is perfect. :) When UT lost to A&M it was a sad day over here. Sallie made a bet with Mr. Page and now she has to wear and Aggie tshirt. I watched it from the airport in Chicago...on my way back to Abu Dhabi. So sad.

I was invited to attend a birthday luncheon for my friend Nadia the other day. We went to a new place...the ShangriLa hotel. It was an amazing brunch. In honor of National Day everything was decorated in flag colors...red, black, white, green. These folks are really really proud to be Emirati.

Sure hope all the kinks are out of this thing.

Love you all,

Mattie

Let me Clarify

There are two blogs that I have written that for some reason...."probably" operator error... are not coming up on the web. So, one of them is on Sallie's blog...sandymound.blogspot.com and the other is on my blog site but in the archives section. So please go there to read the latest news from Sandyland. When Sallie wakes up this morning I will try again with some pictures from National Day activities from last nite. Oh my. It was something.
Please comment if you are able to find the hidden blogs. :)
Mattie