Overwhelmed

Cousins Catching Up 

As the first day of summer rolled to an end yesterday, I told myself I needed to blog!  But here it is, the next morning, and I am just sitting down.  Normally, I would be upstairs waking Robert..BUT Thursday was his last day of school! Finally!   His buddies have all been out for at least a week, some of them for two weeks. We plodded along though and now we are finished. I intentionally said "we" here as I think I may be more excited than Robert. :)  A break from the drive to and from and to and from will be nice.

Although school just finished we actually started our summer holidays a couple of weeks ago ourselves.  We went to Abu Dhabi one more time to say good bye to good friends-the Heaths, the Eichhorsts,and the Pages.  We decided missing one school day so close to the end was not too major. (As it turned out, there was no school that Thursday.) The weekend was filled with lots of hellos and goodbyes... Good byes to two of our favorite Canadian families still there, and the Joe and Jean Page who are returning to the US after umpteen years serving faithfully and whole heartedly in the Middle East.  Hellos to Russell, who just returned from his trip to Texas, and to Martin, my nephew!!! He is in Dubai until sometime this fall.  It was great to see him. I'm ashamed to say it had been 5 years!  (and longer since I've seen my niece...but this summer I will take care of that!)  

Good bye luncheion for the Heaths. Lots of old friends reunited. We flew in from Doha. The Kenneys flew in from Oman and the Pages were back from Arizona to say good bye to Abu Dhabi. 

Because I have been writing this for many years..going on seven, to be exact, I know sometimes I repeat myself.( The years combined with my age, probably)  But, anyway, this expat life is rewarding and challenging.  The challenges involve living so far from family, especially when the kids return to the home country, operating under different rules and customs, the details of the here and the there, and so on...and over it all, the challenge of saying goodbye after goodbye. As I looked around that luncheon group in Abu Dhabi, I was overwhelmed with the feelings of  what those people came to mean to us in the 5 years we were there. This was the group who was there for my dad's death so soon after our arrival. My mom's death, 3 months later, Mike's trials at work and job searches and finds, Russell's sudden exit from Afghanistan... and so much more.  There were some folks absent but be sure they were talked about and missed.  It was a sweet time of laughter, memories and tears. 

As we begin our third summer in Doha.  We see the friendships developing, the shared experiences, both good and bad, being carried and celebrated with our newer friends here.  We feel the support so needed when you are accosted by the challenges and the tough times, and the differences. We are reminded again that wherever we go He is here.  Bringing His family together to support each other and then moving them on to what is next for them. For us. Yes, it is rich. 

And reading these words,  I am overwhelmed again.  To be blessed like we were in Abu Dhabi. To find that again right here in Doha...  and to know, that in less than two weeks we will be in the US with the same thing all around us.  Family and friends who help carry the burdens, celebrate the joys, and share the journey.

Rewarding and challenging. Life. 

Here's to summertime! 

    

  

 

Last day as a high school Sophomore!