April Showers

I have been woefully delinquent writing this month. Here it is the end of April and I am just sitting down to write.  This will be a summary of our month.

1.  Sallie and Robert both had great trips to Nepal and Jordan.  I asked them to write so I could put their stories in my blog..but well, here I am. Just mom..filling everyone in. I cannot do justice to their weeks away, so maybe I will pay them to write. :)

We had a family dinner for Sallie's birthday when she got back.

2. Sallie turned 18 in Nepal!

New friends in the Compound.

3. This month I have made friends with more of my neighbors.  Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine are some of their home countries. So fun getting to know them better. Funny thing is...they see me swimming laps often and some are interested in swim lessons for either themselves or their kids. I never thought those swim lessons that I taught 25!!! years ago would lead to new friendships halfway around the world!!

4. More news of the day..RAIN RAIN RAIN.  What in the world? The rainiest desert this month! Oh and Earthquake, Earthquake, too!  Mike was on the 21st floor for the first one.  He said it was not fun. There was a guy from California in the room who figured it out first.  As Mike tramped down the 21 floors he kept thinking of Sallie in Nepal. Robert in Jordan. Me not answering my phone. He did not like the feeling at all. I, by the way, was swimming laps..blissfully ignorant that there had even been an earthquake!  The second one was also only felt by Mike.

Chilis for lunch after Church

The teens at Chilis.

5. More friendships forming this month.  As we settle into life in Doha, we are slowly feeling more connected to the friends we have made. It really does take nearly a year to transition to new places. Finally this is feeling more like home.





6..We made our first trip to the beach. The day was filled with wakeboarding, boat rides, sand castles, food and fun for all.  It was especially nice to get away from the city and spend time with some of these new friends. It was about an hour drive to the spot but it was fun.

And coming next month?? Mike and I go to Jordan to celebrate our upcoming 30th anniversary. Robert has a friend coming from Abu Dhabi. Sallie wraps up her senior year. Prom. And then in June? Graduation!!