Is this for Real?

I guess it's normal that the longer we are here the more "normal" everything feels. Obviously that is one way to actually stay in a place different from your home country...you adjust and get used to it. Then there are the times when something comes at you and you remember..wow. This is different. Like the lunch with our new Lebanese Palestinian friend that I wrote about in my last blog...or like what we experienced this week....I told Mike it kind of felt like and out of body experience. You know, in your head you're asking yourself..wow, am i really sitting here having this conversation...

Robert was not feeling well this week. In fact, for a couple of weeks he has had this pain in his right side...waking him up at weird times from sound sleep or just popping up during the day... So, after some middle of the night talks with Marsha and my sister I took him to the doctor. :) (It's nice...a)to have wonderful medical friends and family..and b) that they are awake when all your neighbor medical friends are snoozing....:)) So, to the doctor we went.( I don't want to go into all the details...suffice it to say, haven't found appendicitis, place was very clean and we are glad to have a doctor's office we can trust. :))

But, here is what happened...the doctor who did the ultrasound spoke English perfectly..thank You, Jesus. But he was obviously Arab..."So, where are you from?" "Iraq" oh boy. what do i say now..."That's nice" great comeback, huh. "No, it is not nice. I am a refugee from my country. It is never nice to have to be a refugee. They tell me leave or die. They tell me leave or they kill my family..." Ummm... so I am standing there..my little blond boy is on the table and I am thinking Oh man..WHO is THEY???? Does this guy hate me? "I'm so sorry." How long have you been here. ?" Since March. Oh. "I'm so sorry." So is the family here? No. They all live in Jordan. Can't get visas to bring them to UAE. As you can see it is difficult here to know how to navigate certain waters...some hate us, some love us and you really don't know who's who... As we finished up I sat at his desk. I thought we were done..but no, he looked at me and said.."Mistakes are made...." ok, i can take this..."But Saddam Hussein, he hated all Shiites. I am a Shiite. For 22 years I was forbidden to leave my country. No explanation..just not allowed to leave. He was evil. When the troops came into Baghdad, I went to one of the American soldiers and kissed him. " With tears in his eyes he looked at me..and said. "Be nice to Iraqis" And, with tears in mine..."I will." As we left he said "God bless you." and for that I had an answer..."Yes, God bless you as well."

So, with that I could end my blog..but I can't because yesterday Mike and I ate lunch..a 3 hour lunch with 10 Iraqis. It was so fun. Mike's coworker and his wife invited us. and his brother was there with his wife, and his cousin and his wife, and some kids and his oldest daughter...and it was amazing. They were there when the tanks rolled into Baghdad. They were holed up in Falujah..because his father was a retired general and saw the writing on the wall so to speak...and for nine months they prepared a safe house. So once again, Mike and I are not saying a whole lot...love us or hate us? This guy is a wonderful storyteller and said how it wasn't blood in the streets...etc. etc...and how all his Iranian friends said.. We are so happy for you, Saddam is gone. Now if only they would keep coming and do the same for our country. " (uh, no, that ain't gonna happen....) So we sat for 3 hours with stories...and real life...and wondering is this for real? We talked about education...they are way more educated than we are...eek. Talked about family...and sons in college..his is in Cyprus because the UAE won't let Iraqis between 18 and 30 into this country. His daughter is going to Dental school in Falujah( imagine your 20 year old daughter in college in Falujah...whew.)She is just here until Oct. and lives with an aunt and uncle in Iraq,. We laughed about the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding...I told him that he reminded me of the dad...but for him everything is from Iraq...:) He laughed and said but yes, it's true. :) Several times he even used the words...you know where this word comes from? ..the Arabic...dah dah dah. :) What an amazing afternoon.

So we have new friends...and I just wanted to tell you about it.

Will keep you posted on Robert. Still don't know why he is having that pain...

Love you. Mattie

Birthdays and Birthplaces

Mike turned 49 yesterday. It was a far cry from last year's birthday celebration. Last year I made tacos and a cake and Mike's friend Dennis came over. This year his office had a surprise party at lunch for him...getting permission for Sallie, Robert and me to come on the job site....and then we had dinner at Chilis with the Kenneys while later the Heaths and the Lavallees showed up to surprise him during dessert! He had tons of birthday wishes on facebook and several phone messages as well. It was a special day. I tried to bake a cake but my oven broke in the morning...so no cake from me, but the office had 3 delicious cakes for him. :) I think in some ways Mike would say the year flew by and in other ways....well...maybe not so much. It was fun to go to the jobsite though...and meet his coworkers..from all over the world. And just to be on one of the biggest projects in the world. It's not something I've ever done before...so it was really neat. I kept trying to tell Sallie and Robert that this is not an everyday occurence but they rolled their eyes at me...Mom, we see cranes and trucks and big ol buildings every day......:) Jaded, and so young....(OK, so there is a huge building...the second largest project... going up practically in our apt. that they see every day...but still.....)

And then today we went to lunch, as usual, after church. Ryan is joining us these days because youth group has not started yet. I was glad he was there today...We were joined today by the Johnsons...remember Pam? She and her son Justin helped pack up my mom's house. Well, they are back from cruising the Mediterranean..sigh...and then the Kenneys were there with us, the Stewarts..and two of their friends...Robby and Moses. Moses is from Kenya. He works as a Security guard. Robby(spelling?) is from Beirut. But he was born in Nazareth. His parents fled Israel in 1948. He's a Palestinian Christian. Lived thru the massacres in Beirut in the 80's and still hopes one day... Well, you get it. As we heard his story...so many of his family killed, aunts, uncles, cousins...I found myself trying not to cry and at the same time asking myself if this was real? Like I said, I'm glad Ryan got to hear him and I was glad that this summer I read a book called Esters Child by Jean Sasson. I could at least ask some questions that made sense. This book is about the complicated issues...that surround that region beginning with the holocaust. I highly recommend it, if you get the chance. Anyway, we all came away..humbled and even sad. So much we don't understand. So much pain...and suffering. And courage. And hope. It was a good lunch. Mike, Ryan and I smiled while we were driving away... We were appreciating the opportunity to have lunch with guys like Moses and Robby...
God is good...all the time.
Thought you'd like hearing about our lunch. and Mike's birthday. Thanks for your messages and phone calls.
We love you.

Mixed Up Meals and Milestones

So been thinking a lot lately...about being here one year. The heat doesn't seem to knock us out as much. Yeah, it's hot...but it will pass and then it will be nice. The parking isn't so bad. I think a lot of people are gone for the summer so it is a bit easier to find places. We aren't shopping every night...we have internet and phone and television. We have friends. WE aren't the new people... Even work is better in that Mike knows how to navigate the mine fields a bit better and is more prepared for the bizarre thought processes. Although he did say again to me..."I really don't know how anything gets finished...." :)
Robert and Sallie have had fun reconnecting with their buddies. We've been swimming a lot, and went to this Summer in Abu Dhabi fair set up inside the exhibition center. ( picture) The pools here are chilled in the summer to keep them from hot tub temperatures. :) It will be a few months before we hit the beach...maybe October... We did hear that a Taco Bell is opening at one of the malls here...happy kids at our place. :)
Ryan starts school next Tues. He has a pretty easy year. I think he is looking forward to all of the rest of the kids coming back from their summer trips. Some of his friends are here but only a few.
And Mike and me? We have enjoyed catching up with everyone as well. And just knowing our way around...It is much better. Had dinner at Fuddruckers with the Kenneys last week....Kyra ordered hot dog with chili on top of it and milkshake with no whip cream or cherry.... She got a hot dog, no chili but shake had both whip cream and cherry. :)
Yep. We're Back......:)
oh and jetlag is done...hallelujah.
Mattie

Final Thoughts

The summer flew by. I knew that it would...but wow! Sallie and I were discussing our highs and lows of the summer. Obviously, being with all of our friends and family was a high but we don't count that cuz it's a no brainer...likewise saying goodbye is the low so we don't count that either. So my highs? Going to Kansas and seeing all the family, going to El Paso and being with Adrian and Diana, and going to Austin with Russell, Mike, Ryan and Phil...getting to visit with Kim and see my niece Tiffyn.

Now all that being said....there were so many wonderful memories made this summer..... Watching Wendy get married, and being with Bonnie thru the pre -wedding planning, praying with so many of my friends and being prayed for, tears and laughter and lunches and dinners, worshipping at Bent Tree again...our church home for so many years, driving without honking, grassy front yards...with big live oaks, being neighbors with Mandy again if only for a couple of weeks. Parking with easy access to the store...shoot, parking. was great! Watching Mike enjoy all his buddies, and Sallie and Robert getting such good time with all their friends, and Ryan with his friends. Yes, friends were the best part of the summer. No doubt about it. The cooler weather....hard to believe but truly did feel good to us. :) I could write forever....about how tired we were upon arrival and how our time there slowly refreshed us....how seeing everyone meant so much to us, how the hugs and smile and great questions and prayers just filled us up. It was a great summer.

Now we are back. In full swing. Well, not really...but we ARE back. :) And we are glad to be here. The Kenneys picked us up at the airport and it was so good to see them. The trip was grueling but not moreso than usual. I laughed on Wed. afternoon when Sallie woke up as a meal was being served...I asked her if she wanted a coke with it and she looked at me and said "nooo, it doesn't sound good with breakfast..." Poor girl..it was dinner they were serving.

Already have hunted for parking spaces and been honked at....but have slept thru the call to prayer both mornings...good thing there. And life goes on.

So, thank you for making us feel special by showering us with love and encouragement during our visit. Thanks for your prayers. For your friendship. For your love. We felt it. and we needed it..... Please come and see us. :) United is having cheap fares right now to Dubai. Just a thought....