Hammour fish

We have been experimenting all the many local restaurants here as I have no way of cooking anything yet.  Great food and every delight you can imagine.  Last night we head over to this really nice Lebanese place.  We walked past their selection of fresh fish (some still moving) and I decide I am having fish...Mmmmmmm.   The server comes out and I tell him I would like the fresh fish of the day and he states I must chose my delight.  I walk with him over to the "set-up" and choose the big fat one.  Sure, why not right?  Big and round fish are easier to flank and eat the meat.  He then points to a much smaller one and moves his eyebrows in an encouraging way.  Nope, I want the big one... the big one right there.

Dining is such an experience here.  The appetizers are endless, veggies, olives, round bread, flat bread and then the ones you order come out.  Then, the entree.  In my case the big fat fish comes out on a plate.  Cut right down the fat belly and served belly up, head and all.  oh.  Wow, that really is a big, fat fish and he is staring right at me.  Dave says, "Use your hand... but, only your right hand."  (this is a whole seperate blog post that will follow... but the left hand is used primarily to wipe somewhere and is NOT used to eat or shake hands ;)

Anyhow, back to the most delicious fish I have ever ordered.  Yum.  Big, meaty, white and fresh "Hamour Fish", oh how I love thee all 1/8th that I could finish.

The end of the meal arrives and the first bill arrives, it is not ours.  The second bill arrives and it is not ours.  The third and last bill arrives and it IS ours but, it is not "Just right".  Wow!  Apparently, that Hamour fish is quite expensive.  No wonder that guy pointed to a much smaller fish.  It all becomes clear once we head home and I decide to internet investigate that damn fish.  Wow... endangered, whouda thought?  Not me... not even a little, tiny thought.  Next time, I will ask.  Teehee (sheepishly)

The forever Flight

This flight was dreaded from the minute the Dubai idea was conceived.  I knew it was going to be hardest endeavor to which I have ever committed.  And it was every bit of the torture I accounted and lots that I couldn't have even imagined up.

The date for the flight was set for March 23 and I began training for the event right away.  I took all three kids to the mall many days during the week to fight the crowds and "ride" the escalator (yes, one escalator... recall we were in Tulare/Visalia staying at my Moms).  I thought we had this component figured out.
I worked on the details diligently.  They were as follows;  Drive to LAX area the day before in my mini Van, have the van picked up at the Embassy Suites, my Mom would be meeting us at the hotel later in the day to assist in the evening and with the airport drop-off, then head to the airport in the morning after a good nights sleep.  Well, the day before the LA trip my Mom comes down with a horrible case of Strep throat and can not go.  Lovely.  I wake up Tuesday morning with my very own sore throat,  packed up and left as planned. The show must go on.  My Aunt Sue met me in LA at Embassy Suites.  FYI:  there are two Embassy Suites in the LAX area within a mile.  They will not inform you of this when you checkin.  It can be a royal pain in the ass in the event you have someone meeting up ;)   Thank goodness she came out to help me with the kids.  I sure needed it when that tow truck flat bed showed up in the street out front the Hotel at 5pm to pick up my vehicle for Shipment.  Geez.  Can you just imagine me with my three kidlets running around the street at LA rush hour, yikes.
Me and the kids wake up, hit the breakfast bar, load up onto the Shuttle for Airport and are on our way by 8am.  I love curbside check.  Now, onto the beginning of things not going smooth.  We have four carry-ons.  Two normal size with wheels and two smaller ones bungied atop the wheelies.  Sienna is in charge of one (we had practiced this).  As we head to the first Escalator, I have one carry-on and Liam's hand, Sienna refuses to pull the carry-on (it is too heavy all of a sudden)  and Myles refuses to get on the Escalator, terrified.   Now we have a major traffic jam at the base of the LAX airport BEFORE security.   All this causes Liam to throw himself to the floor in a full tantrum meltdown.  I can feel myself sweating, the fever was not helpful either.  Did I mention we are in the First-class priority line?  Oh yeah, there was that too.   Thank God for the very helpful couple who volunteered by force to help me all the way through Security for the simple price of the, "20 question Game".  Starting with the obvious question, "Is there a Husband and why isn't he here to help?"  To which I answered, "I am sure he is out to dinner with friends right about now... VERY concerned ;)"  This flight actually went very smooth after the unexpected 3 hour delay.  What was supposed to be a relaxing dinner and playtime in Chicago O'Hare airport turned into a rushed frenzy to make it to our connecting flight with no dinner.  I fed them M-n-M's out of sheer desperation. 
Security was again in our details.  Ugh.  The Airline Etihad had sent me my own personal helper to get me through, thank goodness.   Of course, I get pulled aside for a detailed search.  Visualize me putting Liam on and off and in and out of my Ergo baby backpack three times (that was a God send by the way, I recommend everyone invest in that device).   We board right on schedule and dinner was served right after take-off.  I issue the kids the their soft blankets which were packed in one of the four pieces of luggage and I had wishfully hoped that they would peacefully go to sleep in their seats that fully reclined.  Not a chance. To abbreviate a VERY looooong 14 hours, the couple sitting behind me said it best, "Lacey, you could  have expended much less energy had you just stood beside the kids' seats for the entire 14 hours to cater to their needs."  Versus the 3 million up and downs from my own seat.  But, they were not crying, they were not screaming.  Thank God for small miracles, right?  

We are alive and we are home...

Just some thoughts written mid-flight

I mindfully set out to write diligently with a weekly update. Ambitious is an understatement. Sometimes my desire and the reality just does not meet up. It has been weeks and there is just no way I can afterthought “the Between” entirely. Here we are on the first leg of our first of two flights. I am desperately trying to think of how to summarize the hysteria of the last four weeks. Here is my best shot and a reason why I even bother. I heartfully care about everyone I keep in contact with and even many whom I can not. However, having three children is consumptive and sometimes at the end of the day, I just have no more of myself to give. I am saddened by this fact sometimes in the wee hours of the morning when I awake and remember that I missed a call to someone dear. At first thought, I worry that they may feel forgotten or unimportant. You are not and it‘s my hope that everyone knows my heart is full of love for each and every one of my dear friends and *family. My days and nights are also full. I do my best but, sometimes at the end of the day… there are just not enough hours or seconds. I hate the term “Busy”, it has become this simple and easy term most use nowadays to mean… big fat BLOW-OFF in a cowardly kind-of way. I try not to be that person. In our culture everyone makes time for what is most important to them. We can admit that, right?  We are only as busy as what is truly important to us. Facebook has become an amazing tool, email, text messaging and all those devices. There is no excuse and I try hard not to make them. It means a lot to me to keep in close (as close as I can manage) contact with those I cherish. Thank you to soooo many for your patience and tenacity.

On to a new subject… texting and cell phones with our teens. Geez, can they hold a real conversation? Nope, seems not. I can’t believe my eyes. Each ad every young person buried in their cell phones. Walking, texting, talking on the phone in the middle of a hugely crowded room, wow. It scares me to think that in twenty years these may be our leaders. Yikes. The video that went viral of that lady in the Mall texting herself right over the edge into the fountain. Ya, that makes total sense now that I have been surrounded by a bunch of teens. Seems to reason, that is the new norm. No true reality. Heads just buried in a little typing device completely oblivious that real life is going on all around them in flesh. Type, stare, send, completely detached from what is going on in their immediate surroundings. And to see their written text. Oh geez, it is like trying to read ancient Hyrogliphics. What a shame. The English language is being slaughtered in what appears to be cartoon chicken scratch. Ugh. Frustrating.

Maybe I am just over social. But, I simply think that the world around has every bit of education we all need to learn. We just need to connect, listen and be kind to one another.

I am sooooo behind here...gimme a bit I have material

So, here I am sitting in my empty home in Dubai, UAE.  I say home because it is.  I have all that truly matters, my kids and my Husband... together at last.  It isn't easy no doubt.  But, the time will come I think.   Who knows really.  I'm learning that everywhere in the World the big game is the same, "Hurry up and wait for bigger and better things."  It really is the journey that makes for tales.  And boy do I have a million.  I can't even fathom how I will catch myself up with my thoughts.
 We arrived safely, soundly andi nfectious as all great Families should.  Strep.  That is right, everyone and now Dave too shares in the misery.  Teehee.  He has really been missing out some things and we have issued a crash course in Family sharing ;)  We are currently sharing Antibiotic dosages.

Our furniture is "Scheduled" to arrive within the week.  I will not hold my breath as I could sufficate in the attempt.  I will however, cross my fingers that there is no hold up in Customs and we will have dishes, tables, couches and the rest of things I can't wait to be cleaning and vacuuming real soon.