Goodbye Doha

In the great brown desert

There were

Shisha Users and

White land cruisers

Swaying palm trees 

And Bright blue seas

Camel hair and 

Call to Prayer

In the great brown desert where the road construction never ends

There were mosques and thobes and 

Pakistani robes

Shoes at the door and marble on the floor

The early morning sun and Kareem Ramadan

Sand dune hills and dune bashing spills

Huge yellow bear,

Raging sandstorm air

Malls everywhere

Goodbye shisha users 

Goodbye land cruisers

Goodbye swaying palm trees and bright blue seas

Goodbye camel hair

Good bye call to prayer

Goodbye mosques, and thobes,

And Pakistani robes

Goodbye shoes on marble floors and 

Early Ramadan sun

Goodbye dune hills and dune bashing spills

Yellow bear

And sandy air

Goodbye malls everywhere

Goodbye road construction that never ends

And good bye to precious, amazing friends...until we meet again.

Graduation Celebration

Jen Van Belle joined us for Robert's ceremony. So fun to have her come!

                                            Congratulations, Class of 2016.  Job well done!

Lori, Robert's other mom for 4 months while we lived in their home this spring. Couldn't ask for more generous friends.

 From Thursday night until Saturday night Robert and his friends celebrated the end of high school.  Youth Group honored the seniors with games,  shaving cream and eggs. The traditional GYU send off.  Early Friday the youth leaders kidnapped the seniors for breakfast before church.  During church the seniors were recognized,  prayed for, and each given a gift. Straight from church we headed to lunch and then over to the Ritz Carlton for Robert's  actual graduation.  Saturday was a joint party for several of the seniors from youth group.  Sallie and I worked on gathering things for Robert's display and Sallie finished the video for Robert's story...presented to the song Ends of the Earth.by Lord Huron. (Each graduate prepares a short clip to show the guests.) The evening ended with prayer and cake.   And lots of hugs and smiles.

I think we all sort of experienced  adrenalin drop after that.  Sunday we tried to have a fancy dinner combining birthdays(Sallie's  21st,, Robert's  18th) and our 33 rd anniversary(May 28) before Mike left for Texas on Monday. The restaurant was closed but we grabbed lunch nearby anyway and still enjoyed our day.  With Mike gone the kids and I are preparing for their trip to Berlin to visit some friends and then our final clearing out from Doha on June 8.  Pretty much a roller coaster of emotions these days. No doubt about that.   Underneath it all is thankfulness for a great Senior year for Robert and wonderful memories and amazing friendships that we take with us from 9 years in this Sandy Land.

Adrian, Corbin, Alice, Maya, Jaeden and Robert