Our internet has been very slow...so I ask John to call and ask when or if it is ever going to be fixed. I am sure that it has something to do with the fact that it was Game Day and everyone was watching their Slingboxes. Nonetheless, it had been a trying day and I wanted some answers. John, knowing better than to disagree with me as he knew about my day, picked up the phone and told them that our internet was slow and then he said, "ok," hung up and gave me a shrug. Um, not exactly what I had in mind, but unless I wanted to call myself, I wasn't going to complain.
Ten minutes later the doorbell rings. It's an "internet repairman" come to fix our internet. Well, the internet works...it's just slow. Debating whether to spend 15 minutes explaining to him that it isn't broken, just slow, I decided against it to see what kind of magic he could work...lol
He comes in....looks at the tv....asks a question that John answers....he looks at the wall...he looks at the tv...he goes to the panic room and looks at the connections...he then resets our wireless router (interrupting what we were watching)...and then the rest of the conversation...
HIM: Fixed.
ME: Did you just reset our wireless router?
HIM: Fixed
ME: It wasn't broken...it's just REALLY slow and it has been for a week or so.
HIM: Yes. Fixed.
ME: Um, thanks?
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Conversations with a Plumber...of some sort...that doesn't speak English...
This is how the conversation went when the "plumber" showed up to turn the thermostat on our hot water heater up...apparently the hot water heater is above the second floor somewhere....
Me: Hello...how are you?
Him: Fix water heater.
Me: (trying to debate whether I should explain to him it isn't broken just that it needs to be hotter...I decide against it)...Yes. Where is it? How will you get to it?
Him: No
Me: How will you get to it???
Him: ***gives puzzled look then says a word I am unfamiliar with***
Me: Do you have to go through a room to get to the hot water heater???
Him: **puzzled look**
Me: How do you get to it?
Him: undecipherable word...thankfully a small cherry picker comes around the corner and he then points to the cherry picker.
Me: Ohhhhh...ok
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: What?
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: I don't know what you mean?
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: Yes.
Him: Who?
Me: I don't know.
He then proceeds to do his work and I go inside. Once he is finished he comes inside and tests all the water.
Him: New
Me: What?
Him: New
Me: Oh, thank you very much.
Ugh.
Me: Hello...how are you?
Him: Fix water heater.
Me: (trying to debate whether I should explain to him it isn't broken just that it needs to be hotter...I decide against it)...Yes. Where is it? How will you get to it?
Him: No
Me: How will you get to it???
Him: ***gives puzzled look then says a word I am unfamiliar with***
Me: Do you have to go through a room to get to the hot water heater???
Him: **puzzled look**
Me: How do you get to it?
Him: undecipherable word...thankfully a small cherry picker comes around the corner and he then points to the cherry picker.
Me: Ohhhhh...ok
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: What?
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: I don't know what you mean?
Him: Housekeeping?
Me: Yes.
Him: Who?
Me: I don't know.
He then proceeds to do his work and I go inside. Once he is finished he comes inside and tests all the water.
Him: New
Me: What?
Him: New
Me: Oh, thank you very much.
Ugh.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Things that make you say, "hmmmmm"
We have learned some things and made some changes to help Madeline and all of us get healthier. I wanted to share some of the basic things we have learned and changed in hopes that this information might help someone else.
Dehydration is responsible for 60 to 80% of the health issues people have today. We started drinking a glass of water before every meal. The rule of thumb should be that you should drink at least half of your body weight (in ounces) every single day. It is hard, but it works. My heartburn is virtually gone.
Refined salt can make you sick - arthritis, peptic ulcers, asthma...Unrefined salt can lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, cancer. We started using Himalayan unrefined sea salt. We drink a big glass of water first then we take about a half of a teaspoon of salt and wash it down with a few sips of water. Again, this coupled with the increased water intake has virtually cured my excessive heartburn.
The high amounts of sugar consumed today is toxic and creates high oxidative stress. The diet sweetener, aspartame, makes you gain weight, produces methyl alcohol, & a host of health problems. 75% of complaints to the FDA are concerning aspartame. The Gulf War Syndrome is thought to have been caused by our soldiers drinking diet sodas containing aspartame that had been sitting out in the sun. We are trying to eat better....we are slowly taking refined sugar and processed foods out of our diets...but we are taking baby steps here. It won't happen overnight, but every small step we make is a step towards better health.
1Tbsp of raw honey before bed helps the liver detoxify while you sleep. We have been taking the teaspoon right before bedtime with a big glass of water.
Dehydration is responsible for 60 to 80% of the health issues people have today. We started drinking a glass of water before every meal. The rule of thumb should be that you should drink at least half of your body weight (in ounces) every single day. It is hard, but it works. My heartburn is virtually gone.
Refined salt can make you sick - arthritis, peptic ulcers, asthma...Unrefined salt can lower blood pressure, prevent diabetes, cancer. We started using Himalayan unrefined sea salt. We drink a big glass of water first then we take about a half of a teaspoon of salt and wash it down with a few sips of water. Again, this coupled with the increased water intake has virtually cured my excessive heartburn.
The high amounts of sugar consumed today is toxic and creates high oxidative stress. The diet sweetener, aspartame, makes you gain weight, produces methyl alcohol, & a host of health problems. 75% of complaints to the FDA are concerning aspartame. The Gulf War Syndrome is thought to have been caused by our soldiers drinking diet sodas containing aspartame that had been sitting out in the sun. We are trying to eat better....we are slowly taking refined sugar and processed foods out of our diets...but we are taking baby steps here. It won't happen overnight, but every small step we make is a step towards better health.
1Tbsp of raw honey before bed helps the liver detoxify while you sleep. We have been taking the teaspoon right before bedtime with a big glass of water.
Low protein diets increase the toxicity of xenobiotics (toxins). Proteins provides the amino acids which are the building blocks for body growth and repair. Different body types need different protein sources. We are in the process of determining our metabolic type to try and help Madeline determine which proteins are better for her. She has hypoglycemia and ate mostly empty carbs so we have been experimenting with different foods to help keep her from crashing in between meals. So far we have found that Babybel cheese seems to work very well...they are like little protein pucks!
Coconut oil has gotten a bad rap as a saturated fat. Saturated fats do not increase cholesterol, but polyunsaturated fats do. Coconut oil promotes a decrease of white fat stores, improves brain function and improves immune system functioning, We have been cooking and frying using coconut oil for a few weeks now and it is fabulous. Eating foods fried in coconut oil makes them far less heavy. We really enjoy this change. I think it is more readily available here than the U.S., but I did buy it in the the States before...I think GNC is where I bought it.
New airport scanners emit cell destroying radiation. They never were subjected to any critical evaluation as is medical equipment. We will be opting out of scanners from here on out...what's a little pat down compared to the increased risk of cancer, infertility, etc. that the scanners have. We also will not be doing any more vaccinations. I have done more and more research on this and am convinced that they do more harm than good. Laugh if you want, but first do your homework...read BOTH sides and make an informed decision for yourself. Five years of having an annual flu vaccination increases your risk of Alzheimer's by 10-fold.
These are just a few of the changes we are making. They are easy and so far we have seen a marked difference in the way wee feel. We are also using different energy treatments such as a laser, cell stimulators, frequencies, etc. to try and help Maddie's body heal itself. Because of her diet being so poor for so long (as most teenagers diets are), when she was exposed to a virus like Epstein-Barr her body just didn't have the reserves to fight it off. She was hit hard and it has been a long 10 weeks of illness and fatigue. We are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. What we have learned is that you have to take ownership of your own health. You have to do your research and make a conscious decision to eat better.
Take this with a grain of salt (unrefined, of course) and do your own research. Hopefully this might be able to help someone else who finds themselve in a pit like we were.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Postcards from the Edge...
I haven't updated our blog in months! Not much to tell...not much to do here in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. We live on a compound that is literally a master planned resort. Unfortunately there is little contact or integration in to the local culture. We are just like one big American neighborhood set in the middle of Saudi Arabia....except our neighborhood is guarded with machine guns and the Saudi National Guard...they are disguised for the most part.It's kind of sad how little contact we have with other cultures. Madeline has more contact with different nationalities as there are lots of different countries represented at her school.
Madeline goes to the International School here in Jubail. Americans seem to be the minority there. The majority of the Americans that attend school there are the CPChem kids. Half of the school (and our compound) is French. Total, a French company, is building a plant here so there is a large group of French people. Maddie has friends from Asia, South Africa, New Zealand, Venezuela, Canada, etc. We really like the school here...and she has some awesome teachers! The teachers really seem to want to be here (unlike the Bahrain School) and many of them are from Canada. Unfortunately this is the last year Madeline can attend...they do have a tenth grade, but it only has a few kids and it gets harder and harder to get a kid into boarding school the older they are...for whatever reason. She is in choir and theater and loves them both...she also has Rock Band as an after school activity two days a week. She wants to play soccer too....she was too sick during volleyball season so she had to miss that.
Janie is still home schooling. Those of you that know Janie know my challenge with this...lol. She is finishing up three classes in the next week or so. We have had some internet challenges, but she shall overcome! She taught two cheerleading clinics in October that were very successful. The first clinic we had 15 girls and it was so successful that the teacher/sponsor asked if she would do another one. The second clinic she had 30 little girls. It was so much fun! She starts teaching a cheerleading class after school the first week of December. Some of the little girls that joined have never even heard of cheerleading. They are so excited and full of energy! I am excited that Janie will have something do to outside of this compound even if it is only once or twice a week.
John is working all the time. He is in Italy on business right now. They are having some difficulty getting the (Italian made) equipment started....the plant can't start until his compressors do soooooooo....Hopefully the plant will be up and running by the end of the year so that he won't have to work 14-16 hour days anymore. He loves his job so that is good.
We are planning on going to Istanbul, Turkey for Christmas vacation. Alison is coming to visit for a couple of weeks, but we have to take a vacation somewhere because it isn't very fun to be here on this compound for more than a week. I miss Alison desperately and I cannot wait to see her!!!
We are planning on coming home July 1st. I am counting the days. Madeline is trying to decide where she wants to go to school next year. She is leaning towards a boarding school in Dobbs Ferry, New York. It makes me sick that I won't be with her every day, but it is what it is. We are praying about it and I know that God will reveal his plan for her and us.
Madeline goes to the International School here in Jubail. Americans seem to be the minority there. The majority of the Americans that attend school there are the CPChem kids. Half of the school (and our compound) is French. Total, a French company, is building a plant here so there is a large group of French people. Maddie has friends from Asia, South Africa, New Zealand, Venezuela, Canada, etc. We really like the school here...and she has some awesome teachers! The teachers really seem to want to be here (unlike the Bahrain School) and many of them are from Canada. Unfortunately this is the last year Madeline can attend...they do have a tenth grade, but it only has a few kids and it gets harder and harder to get a kid into boarding school the older they are...for whatever reason. She is in choir and theater and loves them both...she also has Rock Band as an after school activity two days a week. She wants to play soccer too....she was too sick during volleyball season so she had to miss that.
Janie is still home schooling. Those of you that know Janie know my challenge with this...lol. She is finishing up three classes in the next week or so. We have had some internet challenges, but she shall overcome! She taught two cheerleading clinics in October that were very successful. The first clinic we had 15 girls and it was so successful that the teacher/sponsor asked if she would do another one. The second clinic she had 30 little girls. It was so much fun! She starts teaching a cheerleading class after school the first week of December. Some of the little girls that joined have never even heard of cheerleading. They are so excited and full of energy! I am excited that Janie will have something do to outside of this compound even if it is only once or twice a week.
John is working all the time. He is in Italy on business right now. They are having some difficulty getting the (Italian made) equipment started....the plant can't start until his compressors do soooooooo....Hopefully the plant will be up and running by the end of the year so that he won't have to work 14-16 hour days anymore. He loves his job so that is good.
We are planning on going to Istanbul, Turkey for Christmas vacation. Alison is coming to visit for a couple of weeks, but we have to take a vacation somewhere because it isn't very fun to be here on this compound for more than a week. I miss Alison desperately and I cannot wait to see her!!!
We are planning on coming home July 1st. I am counting the days. Madeline is trying to decide where she wants to go to school next year. She is leaning towards a boarding school in Dobbs Ferry, New York. It makes me sick that I won't be with her every day, but it is what it is. We are praying about it and I know that God will reveal his plan for her and us.
God is Faithful
Many of you know that Madeline has been sick since we moved here over two months ago. We spent four days in the hospital running tests and trying to find a diagnosis. We spent days and days making the three hour round trip to the hospital in Khobar to run even more tests. After what seemed like hundreds of blood tests, a 48hr fast, an ultrasound, and various other tests we were at a loss. Every doctor that we saw ran their tests and then passed us to a new doctor. Because we were so tired and defeated at the lack of a medical diagnosis, we stopped going to the doctors. Madeline began to sleep even more than she already was...she would sleep all night, go to school, come home and go right back to sleep after a snack. She had no energy and didn't go with us much when we left the compound to shop or eat out. Her appetite dwindled to nothing and she subsisted on Goldfish crackers (which are $18 a box here).
After two months of my best friend and nurse practitioner, Amy P, and me trying to research and diagnose Madeline, I heard of an expat wife here on the compound that just got her PhD in Natural Medicine that might be able to help us. I sent the lady an email briefly outlining our situation and she agreed to try and help us. Let me tell you...My God is GREAT! I will spare you all the details...mostly because I am not interested in hearing from the nay-sayers and unbelievers, but what I KNOW is that this woman has helped us immensely! Because Quantum Medicine, much like Newtonian Medicine, is an art she could only give me probabilities and help me troubleshoot. Her equipment suspected the Epstein-Barr virus. Amy P. had suspected that Madeline might have mono or something like mono....and it didn't dawn on me until after she was diagnosed and I was talking to my friend that Madeline had been exposed to that in Sweeny the last few weeks we were there. I remember her telling me that one of her friends at school had mono. Madeline has had to change her diet to help boost her immune system, had to take some nasty tasting lipospheric vitamin C, and she has had three treatments using energy/frequencies and she is doing so much better! She went from being sick and sleeping all day to sleeping 12 hours at night. She is not too happy about having to eat healthier, but she is coming to terms with it. This woman wrote her thesis on using Quantum Medicine to treat and even heal autism as she has successfully used it to treat and heal her own autistic son. The paper is an amazingly interesting read and I feel like God brought her to me because I have a very good friend and a sister that could both use this information.
While I was there talking to her about Madeline, I mentioned that I had had knee surgery and that my knee had never been the same and was killing me as was my plantars fasciitis. She treated me for both using a laser and a cell stimulator and I can honestly say that for the first time since my surgery in 2005, I have had no pain in my knee or my heel. I can walk for hours without pain. It is basically a miracle. In the middle of all this, John somehow injured his lower back so badly that he couldn't move. He actually stayed home for TWO days from work because he could not move. He was so desperate that he went and got a two hour massage from a little philippino man. The massage helped for a few hours, but the next morning it was having spasms again so badly that I had to help him put his socks and shoes on. I went down to my friends villa and got her laser and put it on John's back for 45 minutes and he could move again.
As a bonus, this friend that is helping us is also a very strong Christian. She "witnessed" to me at a time when I needed it. Living here has been a very draining and depressing for me. I have been trying to do bible studies on my own and I have been praying, but I still just felt spent and depleted. She reminded me of some very important things that I had forgotten about and helped me put some of my anger about my situation to rest. She is such an amazing woman and I KNOW that God brought me here for a reason!
The other day as I was riding in to Khobar to go to the craft store I was listening to praise music and looking out the window watching this barren desert go by....it was then that I had an epiphany...something that I already knew, but that God had to remind me about. God made us...all of us...Americans, Arabs, Indians, etc. and he loves us ALL. He LOVES US ALL...even the muslims. I was sent here to this place for a reason...I may never know what that is, but I need to bloom where I am planted. Even though I can't evangelize in this country because it is against the law, I CAN show Christ's love through my actions. I can show the JOY in my heart...and the muslims that I DO get to come in to contact with...I won't waste it! God created this desert and the muslims and He loves them just like he loves me.
After two months of my best friend and nurse practitioner, Amy P, and me trying to research and diagnose Madeline, I heard of an expat wife here on the compound that just got her PhD in Natural Medicine that might be able to help us. I sent the lady an email briefly outlining our situation and she agreed to try and help us. Let me tell you...My God is GREAT! I will spare you all the details...mostly because I am not interested in hearing from the nay-sayers and unbelievers, but what I KNOW is that this woman has helped us immensely! Because Quantum Medicine, much like Newtonian Medicine, is an art she could only give me probabilities and help me troubleshoot. Her equipment suspected the Epstein-Barr virus. Amy P. had suspected that Madeline might have mono or something like mono....and it didn't dawn on me until after she was diagnosed and I was talking to my friend that Madeline had been exposed to that in Sweeny the last few weeks we were there. I remember her telling me that one of her friends at school had mono. Madeline has had to change her diet to help boost her immune system, had to take some nasty tasting lipospheric vitamin C, and she has had three treatments using energy/frequencies and she is doing so much better! She went from being sick and sleeping all day to sleeping 12 hours at night. She is not too happy about having to eat healthier, but she is coming to terms with it. This woman wrote her thesis on using Quantum Medicine to treat and even heal autism as she has successfully used it to treat and heal her own autistic son. The paper is an amazingly interesting read and I feel like God brought her to me because I have a very good friend and a sister that could both use this information.
While I was there talking to her about Madeline, I mentioned that I had had knee surgery and that my knee had never been the same and was killing me as was my plantars fasciitis. She treated me for both using a laser and a cell stimulator and I can honestly say that for the first time since my surgery in 2005, I have had no pain in my knee or my heel. I can walk for hours without pain. It is basically a miracle. In the middle of all this, John somehow injured his lower back so badly that he couldn't move. He actually stayed home for TWO days from work because he could not move. He was so desperate that he went and got a two hour massage from a little philippino man. The massage helped for a few hours, but the next morning it was having spasms again so badly that I had to help him put his socks and shoes on. I went down to my friends villa and got her laser and put it on John's back for 45 minutes and he could move again.
As a bonus, this friend that is helping us is also a very strong Christian. She "witnessed" to me at a time when I needed it. Living here has been a very draining and depressing for me. I have been trying to do bible studies on my own and I have been praying, but I still just felt spent and depleted. She reminded me of some very important things that I had forgotten about and helped me put some of my anger about my situation to rest. She is such an amazing woman and I KNOW that God brought me here for a reason!
The other day as I was riding in to Khobar to go to the craft store I was listening to praise music and looking out the window watching this barren desert go by....it was then that I had an epiphany...something that I already knew, but that God had to remind me about. God made us...all of us...Americans, Arabs, Indians, etc. and he loves us ALL. He LOVES US ALL...even the muslims. I was sent here to this place for a reason...I may never know what that is, but I need to bloom where I am planted. Even though I can't evangelize in this country because it is against the law, I CAN show Christ's love through my actions. I can show the JOY in my heart...and the muslims that I DO get to come in to contact with...I won't waste it! God created this desert and the muslims and He loves them just like he loves me.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
We've Moved...Again
Well...we've made it to Saudi Arabia...with all but two pieces of luggage. My laptop and a big duffle bag full of goodies didn't make it. I know...I know...don't ever check your laptop! Don't judge me! We had 10 bags, 3 carry-ons, two purses, a tennis racket and my pillow and they offered to check an extra for free (how considerate of them since I had just paid SEVEN HUNDRED dollars for extra bags) so I checked my laptop...it was heavy! It weighs a bazillion pounds. Live and learn. Don't check your laptop because someone will steal it...and the $400 Rosetta Stone software that was with it! I checked the tracer online today and it says that they delivered my duffle bag to me three days ago...ummmm, they haven't.
I am sitting here surrounded by complete disorganization and chaos drinking my coffee and it is 7:00a.m. I have been awake for three hours. I am afraid this move has caused the girls and me severe jetlag. I actually went to bed at 10pm and slept all night, but I awoke every hour on the hour. It was not the most peaceful nights sleep. I think I managed to get a few more hours of sleep than the night before. The girls have been up off and on all night. They are not adjusting well....but then they slept all day and stayed up all night at home in Texas.
I attempted to clean and organize yesterday...I was unsuccessful. I unpacked our pictures, did some laundry, cleaned the kitchen and had to take a nap...five hours later john was home from work and it was time for me to cook dinner. There are literally no drawers or closets in this whole villa. There is no place to put our clothing or anything else. We didn't bring any of our furniture to Bahrain with us because we were planning on getting a furnished villa...since we were able to choose our own furniture, we got what we needed. Here it is furnished with the basics sooooo we will have to buy stuff. We really don't want to do that as we have a house FULL of furniture at home. Ugh. I wanted to buy stuff while we lived here, but unique antique pieces...not cheap necessary bookshelves and dressers...we literally have enough dressers back in Texas for 2 or 3 families.
We are going on our fourth day here and we haven't done much. I am getting ready to call the school to see if I can get Madeline in this week. I sent an email but haven't heard back. Janie is enrolled at the University of Texas HS so she will start her stuff soon....hopefully....lol. Most of the compound is still in the States or vacationing so it is very quiet here. John is working days, but he switches to graveyards on Monday night...BOOOO...it is just for 6 days and then he won't have to do it again, but I am not looking forward to it.
We are starting the search for our Christmas Break vacation. None of us wants to go to the beach so we are looking at other options. So far it is between taking the train and visiting Eastern Europe or taking the train and visiting and skiing in Switzerland, Austria, and possibly Germany. We plan on visiting potential boarding schools for Madeline...one is outside of Geneva and one is in Germany. She is leaning toward a school in New York on the Hudson River, but who knows. The one in New York has a great arts program with an emphasis on film, drama, Broadway trips, etc. I think that is what she is excited about. We go to New York all the time so I am trying to talk her in to something more exotic like Switzerland. Anyone can go to New York, but not everyone gets the opportunity to live in Switzerland. Who knows.....
We dropped Alison off at college the weekend before we left. *sigh* I miss her a lot. She and Myriah have an apartment together this year rather than the dorm. It isn't the best place in the world, but it is big and very close to campus. We are looking to sell our house in Sweeny and buy a house in College Station. Janie plans on going to Texas A&M next year so it will be better to move our home base to there for now. It will be cheaper for us in the long run too. So if you know of anyone that wants to buy a house in Sweeny let me know. It is a 4-2-2 detached. It's about 1900SF...it has new tile floors everywhere but the bedrooms, a brand new outside AC unit, and new bathtubs and surrounds. We will take $120,000 as is, by owner.
We are going shopping tonight...I hate shopping...so we are going back to Khobar. I will try and a few pictures to post of our new country.
I miss all my friends and family. *sniff* Hope everyone is well....
I am sitting here surrounded by complete disorganization and chaos drinking my coffee and it is 7:00a.m. I have been awake for three hours. I am afraid this move has caused the girls and me severe jetlag. I actually went to bed at 10pm and slept all night, but I awoke every hour on the hour. It was not the most peaceful nights sleep. I think I managed to get a few more hours of sleep than the night before. The girls have been up off and on all night. They are not adjusting well....but then they slept all day and stayed up all night at home in Texas.
I attempted to clean and organize yesterday...I was unsuccessful. I unpacked our pictures, did some laundry, cleaned the kitchen and had to take a nap...five hours later john was home from work and it was time for me to cook dinner. There are literally no drawers or closets in this whole villa. There is no place to put our clothing or anything else. We didn't bring any of our furniture to Bahrain with us because we were planning on getting a furnished villa...since we were able to choose our own furniture, we got what we needed. Here it is furnished with the basics sooooo we will have to buy stuff. We really don't want to do that as we have a house FULL of furniture at home. Ugh. I wanted to buy stuff while we lived here, but unique antique pieces...not cheap necessary bookshelves and dressers...we literally have enough dressers back in Texas for 2 or 3 families.
We are going on our fourth day here and we haven't done much. I am getting ready to call the school to see if I can get Madeline in this week. I sent an email but haven't heard back. Janie is enrolled at the University of Texas HS so she will start her stuff soon....hopefully....lol. Most of the compound is still in the States or vacationing so it is very quiet here. John is working days, but he switches to graveyards on Monday night...BOOOO...it is just for 6 days and then he won't have to do it again, but I am not looking forward to it.
We are starting the search for our Christmas Break vacation. None of us wants to go to the beach so we are looking at other options. So far it is between taking the train and visiting Eastern Europe or taking the train and visiting and skiing in Switzerland, Austria, and possibly Germany. We plan on visiting potential boarding schools for Madeline...one is outside of Geneva and one is in Germany. She is leaning toward a school in New York on the Hudson River, but who knows. The one in New York has a great arts program with an emphasis on film, drama, Broadway trips, etc. I think that is what she is excited about. We go to New York all the time so I am trying to talk her in to something more exotic like Switzerland. Anyone can go to New York, but not everyone gets the opportunity to live in Switzerland. Who knows.....
We dropped Alison off at college the weekend before we left. *sigh* I miss her a lot. She and Myriah have an apartment together this year rather than the dorm. It isn't the best place in the world, but it is big and very close to campus. We are looking to sell our house in Sweeny and buy a house in College Station. Janie plans on going to Texas A&M next year so it will be better to move our home base to there for now. It will be cheaper for us in the long run too. So if you know of anyone that wants to buy a house in Sweeny let me know. It is a 4-2-2 detached. It's about 1900SF...it has new tile floors everywhere but the bedrooms, a brand new outside AC unit, and new bathtubs and surrounds. We will take $120,000 as is, by owner.
We are going shopping tonight...I hate shopping...so we are going back to Khobar. I will try and a few pictures to post of our new country.
I miss all my friends and family. *sniff* Hope everyone is well....
Friday, July 8, 2011
Summer Stuff!
It has been a long time since I have updated the blog! We have had a very busy June. John got to come home for a month on June 1st. We were all so excited for him to be home. He is the funniest man on earth and we laughed from the minute he walked off the plane until he left. We miss him so much already!
We started the month in Louisiana to visit my family. My mom had a heart attack at the end of May so we wanted to go and spend some time with her and help my sister take care of my parents. Alison went right away to help out with my nieces and nephew so my sister could take care of my parents (my dad has been sick since October) and as soon as John got home we left for La. We spent a week there and then we flew to New York for a quick family vacation that we had already planned before my mom's heart attack. We spent 4 days in NYC shopping, eating, walking, going to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at The Met, and checking out Wicked on Broadway. It was a fabulous week filled with tons of shopping and we walked about 30 miles. The weather was fabulous! It was 60 degrees and cool at night and 75 and breezy in the daytime. Loved it!
We started the month in Louisiana to visit my family. My mom had a heart attack at the end of May so we wanted to go and spend some time with her and help my sister take care of my parents. Alison went right away to help out with my nieces and nephew so my sister could take care of my parents (my dad has been sick since October) and as soon as John got home we left for La. We spent a week there and then we flew to New York for a quick family vacation that we had already planned before my mom's heart attack. We spent 4 days in NYC shopping, eating, walking, going to the Alexander McQueen exhibit at The Met, and checking out Wicked on Broadway. It was a fabulous week filled with tons of shopping and we walked about 30 miles. The weather was fabulous! It was 60 degrees and cool at night and 75 and breezy in the daytime. Loved it!
We came back to New Orleans in time for me to take my mother in for her second procedure. She had to get another stent put in...she had 100% blockage in one side and 80% in the other...they fixed the 100% blockage the night she was brought in to the hospital by ambulance. Well....I brought my mom in but she refused the procedure...she didn't like doing it in the out patient facility and then they were going to make her spend the night. It was creepy. Good thing she decided to postphone it and do it at the hospital because she ended up having complications and another heart attack. She is much better now. She is very tired. They have her on a ton of medicines and the beta blockers make her exhausted. Hopefully she will start PT soon and it will help her feel even better. We are planning to go back for my nephew's birthday in a few weeks and I will get to spend some time with my parents then.
We have been spending the last couple of weeks getting ready for a garage sale...I told Alison that she could have the money from the garage sale to help furnish her apartment if she did it for me...I HATE them! She agree but I am not sure she is aware of the amount of work she has agreed to! Somehow I seem to still be purchasing furniture for the apartment even before the garage sale though...hmmmmm??? We are selling a LOT of stuff. We are trying to pare it down and stage the house so that when we leave we can sell it. We are planning on selling the house in Sweeny and buying one in College Station for the girls to live in next year. Janie is planning on going to A&M and living with Alison next year...WHOOP! So if anyone wants to buy a house in Sweeny...let me know!
We have about six weeks left in the States before we head out for Saudi Arabia. We are getting excited because we miss John so much. I will miss Alison, but she has made a great life for herself in College Station. She is moving in to an apartment in August and is planning on going through rush so she will be busy. That three months before she sees us again will fly by! I will miss my family too, but I know that it is the right thing for us to do. I can't imagine living my life seeing John only once every three months....I just can't do it...for whatever reason God wants us in the Middle East and we will go until he brings us home...again....he he
Although we LOVE being home, we are kind of excited to get back to Saudi. Madeline will be going to the International School in Jubail for a year and Janie will finish her senior year of high school and her freshman year of college concurrently at the University of Texas HS. People keep asking me if I like being home or if I like living in the Middle East and what I have come to realize through all of these adventures is that I LOVE MY LIFE. I love it here in the States and I love it in the Middle East...as long as I am with my family I am happy. I have absolutely been blessed with the three best children and God couldn't have picked a better husband for me than what he gave me. I would be happy anywhere they are...even though they are slowly leaving the nest!
I hope to be able to see everyone before we leave! Let's do lunch!
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