I started out this morning with the comment..Is it really February 1??? I can't believe it.( And then I realized that I sounded like my mom. OH boy. ) I haven't felt much like writing lately. Sallie is in the middle of exams. Ryan finished up his term at SHMS in Caux with finals and projects. He is in the middle of an intense search for an internship to complete his SHMS diploma. Before he returns to Texas he is visiting a friend's family in Prague. (This is also on our top ten places we'd like to visit. Don't know if it will happen but we hope so.) Then, only a few days after Russell solved some visa problems and returned to his office, he showed up back at our door. It was interesting when Russell came thru the door with one large suitcase and his "grab" back full of his essentials in case he had to leave quickly with only one bag. Not something any mom wants to hear when their son arrives unexpectedly at her door. Mike and I helped arrange places to stay for Russell and some coworkers and that has pretty much been our schedule for the last week. So Robert is sharing his room again. Mattress on the floor. Suitcase and back pack in the corner. He is a good sport and always likes it when either of his brothers are around.
Russell is playing the host for lunch time everyday. Making sure his friends eat at all of his and Ryan's favorite places. Mike and I try to join them when we can. A couple of nights ago one of the families who are helping house some of the guys served up great hamburgers for everyone. Another night we had them all over for Texas Chili. Although they are here unexpectedly we are enjoying getting to know everyone and thankful we can be here to help out.
Huh. So that is January. Wonder what February will be like.....
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Happy 2012
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| A walk in the park. |
Our Christmas holidays were filled with friends, family and lots of food. :) Ryan reconnected with many of his high school friends but also had plenty of time with all of us. He and Russell took an entire day to explore the Wadis in Oman with a tour guide and in the process saw most of the UAE. The boys said that most of the time was spent driving thru the emirates..with stops here and there to get out and see things. Ryan has those pictures so they won't be on the blog. They had fun together. Another fun event was the New Year's Eve concert the kids all went to...Coldplay. Crowded and crazy but fun. In between the big times were meals together, walks in the park, and hanging in the house. Sallie had her Christmas conference with the Youth for Christ Arabian Gulf. Desert Challenge is held in Dubai every year. This year she was on the worship team helping with the media. She ran the projector for the speakers and for the songs. She learned a lot..not just about running the stuff..but about working with people and changing things at the last minute. It tested her endurance..hanging in there with all the cues and never turning her brain off. :) As she jokingly says, "Kind of funny cuz the theme of the conference this year was ENDURE..." We didn't see a lot of Sallie as she was in and out with her friends. Her big brothers laughed as they were reminded of themselves at 16/17. Robert loved having his brothers home. It's pretty stinky when they leave though, although he does get his bedroom back. That's on the plus side. The maid/storage/junk room gets a bit cramped. But he's a good sport.
The boys have left now. House is empty of Christmas decorations. The New Year has begun. Thankful for 2011 and looking forward to God's plans for 2012. Thankful for His continued faithfulness in our lives and the blessings of our wonderful family and friends.
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| Coldplay bound |
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| One of our favorite places to relax. |
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| Lunch after church on Friday |
Tree Sightings
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| Tree at the Sheraton Hotel |
There was the International Carol Sing at church, the Kid's Choir at the Millenium Hotel, and new this year: a ladies Christmas Cookie Exchange at Pattie's house as well as a citywide Christmas celebration with several churches in Abu Dhabi.
6 churches from Abu Dhabi came together at the National Theater. St. Andrew's Church, the Arabic Evangelical Church, St. Georges Indian Orthodox Church, Mar Thoma Church and our church the Evangelical Church. Each church prepared something for the celebration..songs, drama, dance. The guest of honor was HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the minister of Education in the UAW. He spoke about tolerance and diversity. It was the first time ever for something like this in AD and I loved having our family be a part of it.
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| Nadia, Drew, Sallie, David and Robert |
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| Small group Christmas party at the Pages |
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| Cantina Laredo's Tree |
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