Holy Moly ---Crazy, Crazy!!!! It has been one T-totally Crazy month!
However, I can JOYFULLY report that I am writing this blog from our very own new house!! HIP HIP HOORAY TO NO MORE HOTEL STAY!!!! lol
Though it has been chaotic, exhausting, strenuous and requires a line-backer's stamina to brave the malls, LuLu's and the Carrefour's....the DAVIDSONS have pushed through and are IN THE ZONE!!!!
We are "camping" on the floor due to furniture not being delivered for 10 days AFTER the "5 day deadline to GET ON OUTTA HERE" of the hotel.
Nevertheless, our faces are smiling because IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS that make life in the UAE good right now! :)
Here's just a few of our Little Things that are causing our hearts to be happy:
1. We got internet hookup earlier than expected!
2. WE ARE WATCHING BASEBALL!!!! (can't believe the boys survived a MONTH without it!)
3. We have a washing machine!!!! and have already done 7 loads. Washers here are SO SMALL a load can consist of about 3 pairs of jeans only! Shirts---oh, lets say, about 10. You might get a few pairs of socksin there too. I'm really NOT believing that I am JOYFULLY reporting that I have done laundry---but after a month of sink washing and paying for cleaners WE ARE ECSTATIC!!!!!!!!
4. We will have a DRYER soon! "Inshallhah" (beginning to despise that word--but this is a happy post so I will not go there). :) Side note for those of you who have no clue why this is a big deal: people don't buy dryers here! SHOCKING! Drying racks outside are the way to go. And yes, clothes really do dry in about 10 minutes. However, this family of 4 are (A.) tired of crunchy undies and (B.) tired of walking in a maze trying to dodge all of the drying racks! Though it cost us a small fortune (dryers cost $450 US where our washer was much less AND came with a FREE microwave) WE ARE HAPPY!!!!
5. Today was our 1st "chill" day!!! We sat around and relaxed. 3 of us even had a NAP!!!! This is a REALLY BIG DEAL!!! lol We haven't had a day like this since we've arrived. In fact, no one has had a nap since the first week due to jet lag. It is now 1 am Saturday morning and we just got in from the mall about an hour ago from dinner and searching for household items. As we were going through the mall we said "it's amazing what a chill day and sleep will do to your perspective and your tolerance level for people in the mall". (That thought worked until Greg was holding a cell phone and discussing phones with the service guy and a kid pushed up in between Greg and the sales man and jerked THE PHONE out of Greg's hand and started playing with it. Greg's jaw was on the ground. No one else was shocked by this behavior (other than the Davidsons). But again, we will not go there and discuss THAT part of life here b/c this is still a HAPPY post!!! :)
6. We have GREEN BEANS AND CORN!!! We have laughed b/c we haven't seen a green bean here yet!!! (in restaurants that is). These people LOVE their breads, carbs and "American" fast food. Though we don't have a can opener yet, it is on the IKEA list for tomorrow. yipee!!! We DO have pots and pans though!!!!! :)
7. We have a printer!!! This is a very big deal, especially for Amy! I no longer have to find the business center and pay for copies of my lesson plans (which, by the way, are 15 pages long!) And no, for the brainiacks who are reading this and probably going to post the question "why don't you do it at school" I don't have computers or printers or internet at my school!
8. We have a fun colored shower curtain that keeps water in the tub. I don't know if you remember Greg's fb post a week or so ago, but he mentioned that the showers in our 2 hotels have been quite disfunctional. The last one being the "favorite"----a piece of glass only shielding HALF of the tub. And I do believe I had some good practice for the next time I decide to become an Olympic Hurdle track star!!! My knee hit my nose as I tried to climb INTO the shower. And climbing out.....well, that wasn't very pretty....much less graceful.
9. We have a COUCH to sit on!!!! and HG's room feels "homiest" of all! His room has the most furniture in it so far and is almost complete!
10. We have dangly keys signifying we have a REAL house! We are done with the hotel keys that kept getting shut off every 4 days. :)
These are just a few of our LITTLE HAPPYS that are allowing our life to feel more normal and like we can really begin to enjoy our adventure. Tomorrow will bring new excitement as we go on a fun, full-day field trip with the leadership/administration of Greg's school, as well as a few busloads of other co-workers and their families. We are headed to Dubai for all day shopping, eating AMERICAN food and climbing Burj Khalifa---the tallest building in the world!!!!!
Oh----another HUGE HAPPY that cannot go without mentioning is Greg's school (and Hayden and Riley's). We couldn't have asked for anything better! And to think, this is what we were most concerned about before getting here!! haha The atmosphere is encouraging and the fellowship is refreshing to the soul. There is laughter and smiling faces. When we walk into that school, Amy feels the warm fuzzies that she needs by teacher people. The love of children is evident. The love for PEOPLE is obvious. The community and togetherness provides a place of belonging. There is love and laughter and people who love what they do! Each day, Amy flags down a taxi to take her to the school after a day at her own school just to be in "her happy place"!!!! We are so thankful for the opportunity to be at Manor Hall. We are grateful for the relationships that are being built with teachers, leadership and families at this school. Though Amy isn't a "real" part of this school..... it's truly a home for all 4 of us! It's funny, I've been involved in more "impromptu" parent-teacher "conferences" at the mall with Greg Davidson and his students in the past 2 weeks---at the mall!! It's a fun blessing to watch my hubby be a teacher and even do all those awkward moments (like I used to have in Walmart with student's mama's). More importantly, it's fun watching him minister to the lives of kids and their families and watch him do what he does best! The kids LOVE Mr. D and so do their parents. :) I'm just forever grateful that I get to be a part of all of this! :) They couldn't have picked anyone better for the job! He may not think he's got the hang of teaching English yet (he will breeze through it once he actually gets his textbooks) but I can surely testify that he has the touching lives part down pat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright, it's 2 am and I better get some sleep before our exciting adventure in a few hours!!! Thank you so much for lifting us up so faithfully in prayer. Thank you for helping us through the chaos and the tough days. We couldn't have done it without you! We love you all!!!!
However, I can JOYFULLY report that I am writing this blog from our very own new house!! HIP HIP HOORAY TO NO MORE HOTEL STAY!!!! lol
Though it has been chaotic, exhausting, strenuous and requires a line-backer's stamina to brave the malls, LuLu's and the Carrefour's....the DAVIDSONS have pushed through and are IN THE ZONE!!!!
Nevertheless, our faces are smiling because IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS that make life in the UAE good right now! :)
Here's just a few of our Little Things that are causing our hearts to be happy:
1. We got internet hookup earlier than expected!
2. WE ARE WATCHING BASEBALL!!!! (can't believe the boys survived a MONTH without it!)
3. We have a washing machine!!!! and have already done 7 loads. Washers here are SO SMALL a load can consist of about 3 pairs of jeans only! Shirts---oh, lets say, about 10. You might get a few pairs of socksin there too. I'm really NOT believing that I am JOYFULLY reporting that I have done laundry---but after a month of sink washing and paying for cleaners WE ARE ECSTATIC!!!!!!!!
(Please note that the drying rack on the left is blocking a door!!! This is a hallway and we have to zig-zag our way through the maze... ha! Just adding more fun to the adventure right??!!)
5. Today was our 1st "chill" day!!! We sat around and relaxed. 3 of us even had a NAP!!!! This is a REALLY BIG DEAL!!! lol We haven't had a day like this since we've arrived. In fact, no one has had a nap since the first week due to jet lag. It is now 1 am Saturday morning and we just got in from the mall about an hour ago from dinner and searching for household items. As we were going through the mall we said "it's amazing what a chill day and sleep will do to your perspective and your tolerance level for people in the mall". (That thought worked until Greg was holding a cell phone and discussing phones with the service guy and a kid pushed up in between Greg and the sales man and jerked THE PHONE out of Greg's hand and started playing with it. Greg's jaw was on the ground. No one else was shocked by this behavior (other than the Davidsons). But again, we will not go there and discuss THAT part of life here b/c this is still a HAPPY post!!! :)
6. We have GREEN BEANS AND CORN!!! We have laughed b/c we haven't seen a green bean here yet!!! (in restaurants that is). These people LOVE their breads, carbs and "American" fast food. Though we don't have a can opener yet, it is on the IKEA list for tomorrow. yipee!!! We DO have pots and pans though!!!!! :)
7. We have a printer!!! This is a very big deal, especially for Amy! I no longer have to find the business center and pay for copies of my lesson plans (which, by the way, are 15 pages long!) And no, for the brainiacks who are reading this and probably going to post the question "why don't you do it at school" I don't have computers or printers or internet at my school!
8. We have a fun colored shower curtain that keeps water in the tub. I don't know if you remember Greg's fb post a week or so ago, but he mentioned that the showers in our 2 hotels have been quite disfunctional. The last one being the "favorite"----a piece of glass only shielding HALF of the tub. And I do believe I had some good practice for the next time I decide to become an Olympic Hurdle track star!!! My knee hit my nose as I tried to climb INTO the shower. And climbing out.....well, that wasn't very pretty....much less graceful.
9. We have a COUCH to sit on!!!! and HG's room feels "homiest" of all! His room has the most furniture in it so far and is almost complete!
10. We have dangly keys signifying we have a REAL house! We are done with the hotel keys that kept getting shut off every 4 days. :)
These are just a few of our LITTLE HAPPYS that are allowing our life to feel more normal and like we can really begin to enjoy our adventure. Tomorrow will bring new excitement as we go on a fun, full-day field trip with the leadership/administration of Greg's school, as well as a few busloads of other co-workers and their families. We are headed to Dubai for all day shopping, eating AMERICAN food and climbing Burj Khalifa---the tallest building in the world!!!!!
Oh----another HUGE HAPPY that cannot go without mentioning is Greg's school (and Hayden and Riley's). We couldn't have asked for anything better! And to think, this is what we were most concerned about before getting here!! haha The atmosphere is encouraging and the fellowship is refreshing to the soul. There is laughter and smiling faces. When we walk into that school, Amy feels the warm fuzzies that she needs by teacher people. The love of children is evident. The love for PEOPLE is obvious. The community and togetherness provides a place of belonging. There is love and laughter and people who love what they do! Each day, Amy flags down a taxi to take her to the school after a day at her own school just to be in "her happy place"!!!! We are so thankful for the opportunity to be at Manor Hall. We are grateful for the relationships that are being built with teachers, leadership and families at this school. Though Amy isn't a "real" part of this school..... it's truly a home for all 4 of us! It's funny, I've been involved in more "impromptu" parent-teacher "conferences" at the mall with Greg Davidson and his students in the past 2 weeks---at the mall!! It's a fun blessing to watch my hubby be a teacher and even do all those awkward moments (like I used to have in Walmart with student's mama's). More importantly, it's fun watching him minister to the lives of kids and their families and watch him do what he does best! The kids LOVE Mr. D and so do their parents. :) I'm just forever grateful that I get to be a part of all of this! :) They couldn't have picked anyone better for the job! He may not think he's got the hang of teaching English yet (he will breeze through it once he actually gets his textbooks) but I can surely testify that he has the touching lives part down pat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alright, it's 2 am and I better get some sleep before our exciting adventure in a few hours!!! Thank you so much for lifting us up so faithfully in prayer. Thank you for helping us through the chaos and the tough days. We couldn't have done it without you! We love you all!!!!
Thanks for sharing:) Its so awesome for God to show up in the simple unassuming day to day things.
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