The Simple Life at Home

I just did a post yesterday outlining all the happy things that happened to me on Tuesday. I have to say, life is at a good place right now. It feels great to be able to say that.

One year ago next week, my children and I left everything and everyone we knew and loved and set out to join Hubby in our new life here in Doha, Qatar. It's been a year of tumultuous change. We have had to adjust to a new culture, a new climate, and a new home. We've gone from Hubby working long hours 5 days a week to working somewhat shorter hours 6 days a week. I've had to learn the currency and I'm still confused as to how much money I spend each week on groceries! My much-loved 8 week menu plan has been tossed out the window, as it's virtually impossible here to predict what items will be in the stores on any given day.

I've gone from a committed homeschooling stay-at-home mom, to being a mom with two kids enrolled in school who is actively seeking to rejoin the workforce. After 14 years of being at home, that's no small matter. I'm nervous and excited and scared all rolled up into a bundle of jangled nerves.

I've lost access to Target (:::sob:::), the library, rational grocery stores, decent customer service, and honestly, some of my sanity.

We've had to give up our friendships and then try to build new ones here in a land where most people come and go within 4-5 years at most. Many of the friends we've made within the last year have already moved during the course of our year here or will be leaving this summer.

And yet, now one year later, we have survived. I don't know that I would say we have thrived, but we haven't withered on the vine either. And for that, I give all the glory to God. He has helped me learn to be content in whatever circumstance I find myself. He has been teaching me patience, a trait which I am sadly lacking in and have been praying for as long as I can remember. He has comforted me when I was desolate. He has been the one I rejoice with when I'm happy.

He is my rock. I love him and am so grateful for the fact that he led me here to this wilderness to use it as a time of teaching and growth in my life. Everything that he removed from my life has been restored in some form or fashion. Well, except Target. But I can live with that!

So today I am grateful for a God who will do whatever he needs to do to make me more like him.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Having moved overseas, relocating our family to the Middle East, there have been lots of challenges. There are culture shock issues, language issues, etc. But none of that really matters to me right now.

But the worst part, by far, is not being able to be there for your friends when they need you. And I'm sick of it. I want to be able to hold people and pray with them and cry with them. There has been too much sadness that I haven't been able to offer comfort for.

In just the three short months since we moved, there has been crisis upon crisis in my social circle. You may remember that about a month ago, a dear friend of mine lost her husband in that plane crash in Honduras. Another friend of mine is facing some pretty serious medical issues. Another friend's daughter is having spinal surgery today to correct scoliosis. Another is still grieving the loss of her husband 20 months ago. Another friend lost her husband to heart disease last month.

Just now I've learned that a woman who was part of our small group lost her 19 year old son in a car crash last night. This is a woman who my husband and I counseled and ministered to during the breakup of her marriage last year. I feel a responsiblity to her. And here I am, a half a world away.

And it breaks my heart.

I know, without a doubt, that God put us here in Doha. But it is heartwrenching to know that your friends are suffering and you cannot be there with them to hold their hand and just sit in silence with them.

And so, to Marilyn, Mylinda, Kathy L., Jan, Barbara, and right now especially to you, Kathy C., I love you. And I miss you. And I'm praying for you. I'm praying that the God of all creation will be there to comfort you. And He's a far greater comforter than me.

Here's a lovely photo of the Corniche along Doha's bay. Now, mind you, I've never seen it like this really. Well, maybe on a Friday morning on the way to church. Maybe. Generally it's much, much more congested. The skyline is also different. This photo is from 2006 and I can see a tremendous amount of change just since that time.

That's Qatar though. Hurtling headlong into the future, but still trying to hold on to its traditions and heritage. Here are some interesting things about Qatar you may not know:

1) The Sheikh and Sheikha - They seem to be really wonderful people who are concerned with helping others and improving the lives of not on Qatari citizens, but others. For instance, did you know that they made a $100 million donation to New Orleans after Katrina? CNN recently did a great piece on the Emir's visit to New Orleans to see how his money was spent. The Sheikha is truly a revolutionary woman here in the Middle East - promoting women's rights and education in a way that's never been seen before.

Since taking power from his father in 1995, the Sheikh has moved Qatar forward in tremendous ways, most notably giving women the right to vote and hold office as well as establishing the first free press in the Arab world in the form of Al-Jazeera.

2) Doha 2016 - Doha is one of seven cities competing for the 2016 Summer Olympics. In this completely sports mad city, there are stadiums everywhere. Many of the facilities that would be needed for the Olympics are already in place as a result of Doha hosting the Asian Games in 2006.

3) Diplomacy - Qatar walks a very fine line, maintaining good relations with the West and also with other Middle Eastern nations that the West considers hostile. But recently it was in the news for the talks held here in Doha which lead to a compromise in Lebanon's months-long standoff which took that country to the brink of civil war. The Doha Talks are credited with saving Lebanon from entering another bloody era.

4) Population - This is one of the most dramatic changes, I would wager. The population of Qatar has almost doubled to 1.4 million people since 2004. That's just 4 short years, people. No wonder there is so much traffic!!! Most of this is from people like us - expatriate workers. Most workers, however, come from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia to work on all the construction projects and energy companies.

In fact, Qatar has the highest male to female ratio on the world. For each woman in Qatar, there are three men. Men account for 76% of the population. In fact, the first night we arrived in Doha, Emily had a total breakdown and most of the reasoning behind it was that she didn't see any women at all. It is very strange to look around and see such a predominance of men.

5) Economy - Qatar is poised to become the richest country in the world in the next year or two. It currently is second only to Luxembourg. It also has one of the fastest growing economies in the entire world, expected to double by 2012.

6) Peacefulness - According to the Global Peace Index, Qatar comes in at #33 out of 140 countries ranked. This means it is rated more peaceful than France (#36), the U.K. (#49), Jamaica (#96) and even the United States (#97).

Ok, so now having lived here in Doha for two months, I feel somewhat qualified to mention a few things that...well, they take a little getting used to. Nothing earth-shattering, just a little unusual for most Westerners.














Doha is a place of contradiction - trying to hold on to tradition while being inundated with peoples of different cultures. Tomorrow I'll hopefully post a bit about how Qatar is adapting to this quickly changing world around them.

So I've been dealing with some loneliness. Moving to the opposite side of the globe will do that to you.

I've been missing my friends back home. I've been lamenting the fact that I haven't made any real friends here - not the kind that you just pick up the phone and call to ask what they are doing. I've been feeling invisible because no body knows me.

Back "home" everybody knew me. They knew that I am great with kids and that I'm always in charge of the preschool area during our church's huge VBS. They knew that I'm a good cook and what I bring to a church potluck is almost always yummy. They knew that I ran the church bookstore. They knew that I led women's Bible studies. They knew that I have a heart for women who want to be godly wives and mothers. They knew that I can be a little sarcastic, but that I'm so tender-hearted, I'll cry if I hear good news from a friend.

They knew I was a good friend.

But, alas, when you move, nobody knows any of this. To them, you are just a new person. A blank slate. A question mark. Should they take the time to get to know you? Do they have room in their already busy lives to fit someone else in?

For the past couple of weeks, I've been in a pretty sad state. I've spent hours crying on my bed, and on Hubby's shoulders, about not having a friend.

It's been pretty pitiful around here, y'all.

But thankfully, God led me to bring along a book called "After the Boxes are Unpacked." Now, I had purchased this book way back before we ever thought of moving to Qatar. Before we thought of moving to Tennessee. It was purchased several years ago when I foolishly thought I could get Hubby to move to Colorado Springs.

It snowed in May while we were there. In May, people. That sealed the deal right there. Hubby is definitely a warm weather guy.

Anyhoo, I bought this book from the Focus on the Family headquarters and then set it aside, figuring I'd never actually get out of Miami. I'd forgotten about it until this huge bout of loneliness came over me.

It was such a blessing.

Through it I have been reminded that God is always with me and He is the BEST friend I could ask for.

I've come to recognize that this is a time for me to slow my life down (something I think just might have to do with the purpose statement of this blog above!!).

I realize that this solitary time in my life is a time for me to dig deeper into the Word and into God Himself.

I understand that sometimes God needs to strip away all the outer facade of who we are (you know, all that stuff I listed above) and re-make us into something new for His purposes.

I've got a little bit more to share about the book and about what's going on here, but I just wanted to encourage anyone who is feeling lonely, whether it's through a move or other circumstances, that God is with you. He wants to do something with and through you during this time.

He is not silent and He has not left you. Seek Him out and let Him be your friend and sustenance.

Do you remember that old rhyme,

No, seriously! One of the many steps of progress I've made in the last few days is that I finally figured out the stove. In fact, just tonight for dinner I used it to make Pepperidge Farm 5 Cheese Garlic Bread.

"5 Cheese Garlic Bread" in Qatar, Lori?" you may ask. That's right. Another step is that I visited Megamart, a local grocery store. Now, I've been to probably 10 different grocery stores since arriving here in Doha, but this? This was heaven. I found so many things that I haven't seen elsewhere. Things like Cool Whip, hot chocolate mix, cake frosting (don't forget that our entire family's birthdays fall in April!), mild flavor olive oil, pepper jack cheese and - most exciting of all - TALL. DRAWSTRING. GARBAGE BAGS. I know, I know. Tr to contain your excitement.

Then I drove the kiddos and I all the way out to the Villagio mall and then found the nearby Doha Zoo. Just for fun, I took a different way home and found my way just fine, thank you very much.

Tomorrow we will have our satellite service connected so we will have access to several American channels. Most exciting, of course, about this is that I will be able to watch "Lost" again. Oh, how I have missed you, Sawyer. Season 4 doesn't start here until May, so I'll be reminiscing about the good ol' days of Season 3 this month. Charlie was still alive, there wasn't any boat and the biggest worry was to trust Juliet or not.

Oh, and most importantly, I have learned that there is a fine line between your water being just a little on the cool side and "oh, my stinkin' heck, I just burned off a layer of skin!" That line would be just about the thickness of a layer of skin tissue. So that was a good lesson to learn. Those of you who were concerned about our safety here in Doha? The biggest threat to our safety is, apparently, me. What with slicing my thumb open and scalding myself every time I turn on the water or stove I may not have much feeling left in my hands by the time we are ready to move back to the U.S.

All this is to say is that we are settling into life quite nicely here in Doha. Tonight we went to get our photos taken for our residency permits. Hubby took us to an area that, well, let's just say it's probably not on any tour bus route. I was kind of skeptical, but actually we had a great time browsing the shops while waiting for the photos to be ready. We went into a bakery and picked out some yummy Arabic desserts and breads. We stopped by a paint shop to get a quote and look at colors for painting the interior of our new home. We visited a fruit and vegetable market and picked up some things at a great price. It was really nice.

Have you ever watched "Little House on the Prairie?" Of course you have! Or perhaps you've read the books to your children. When I read them to mine, what stuck out is how much work homemaking was back then.

That's where I am right now, internet.

Ok, honestly maybe I'm at the "Leave it to Beaver"stage, some 70 years further along. But definately it's far different from any home-making I've ever had to do. This is the fourth home that Hubby and I have lived in. First we lived in his tiny, 400 sq. ft. apartment which was pretty much set up already, bachelor pad that it was. Several months later, we moved into our first house. We were there for about 8 years before moving around the corner. Each time I had no problem transitioning smoothly. Things were basically the same.

This is a whole other story. Moving to Doha has been an adventure in more ways than one. Having left behind some of the things I took for granted, I am now looking at my home in a whole new way. There is no one place here for which I can get everything I need - no Target, no Wal-Mart. Each store has some things that it is better to shop for and others it's not going to have. The same with grocery stores - we've visited a million of them and still there are things I'm looking for, things that in the States would be no problem to find.To me it reminds me of the days when you had to go to many different stores (butcher, baker, candlestick maker) to get what a home needed.

I also, for the time being, do not have either a dryer or dishwasher. Dishes are being washed and dried by hand and clothes are being hung up to dry, necessitating a great deal more ironing.

While I will probably soon break down and buy one, if not both of these items, for the time being I'm am enjoying being more...connected, if you will, with my home. I'm spending much more time actually working at being a homemaker; making this a place of refuge and a haven for my family.

I know that many of you probably live every day (and have for years) without these little luxuries. I am in no way trying to complain. I guess what I'm trying to say is that, for the first time in a long time, I feel like I'm really "working" on my home. Not just maintaining, but actually working: to make it a better place, to make it comfortable and attractive, to make it the control center of our lives.
Proverbs 31: 10-31, NIV

(Now, where did those servant girls go???)

• New houses make lots of wierd noises. Especially at night.
• Hooray to Blogger for finally giving us the opportunity to schedule posts to be published at a later time/date!!! I've been dying for this!
• Grocery shopping here is a sport. A sport very much like roller derby. Shopping carts are 4 wheel drive - all four wheels move freely, making it very interesting. Add in the fact that it's a crowded as DisneyWorld on a summer day and you've got the makings of a stress-inducing trip like you've never seen. I always enjoyed grocery shopping in the States. I think those days are over.
• My mom got a bird. I know, I know. You don't care. But she tells me about the bird so much that it truly must be a matter of national concern that I'm missing out on over here. It's a white-faced cockatiel named Tater. But you probably already heard that on the nightly news.
• Who would have thought that my children's new favorite pasttime would be ice skating? In the desert? And yet it is.
• 'Member what I said about grocery shopping? Well, quadruple that and you have driving. I've made two quick trips so far with Hubby in the car. Today is my first attempt at a real errand. If you never hear from me again, you'll know we fell victim to a Doha roundabout. LOL!
• I actually LOVE our house. (Well, except for the wierd noises. Like right now it's very windy outside and every exterior door is bumping back and forth.) It's huge and has high hat lights everywhere and beautiful tray ceilings in every room and, did I mention it's huge?, and beautiful floors and granite countertops. Plus I hear birds chirping (though I imagine once it hits, oh, 110 degrees that will stop - LOL!) in the tree next to my bedroom window.
• Tonight Emily will go to the youth group of our new church. Tomorrow we go to the church itself. Please pray that both she and Daniel, and, oh, heck ME, will make friends quickly and easily.
• And finally, I promise you (no, I'm not running for President) that this blog is not going to turn into being all about life in the Middle East. I know it's consumed my life in the past couple of months, but I'm going to strive to still make it about what it was designed for - living a simple life at home.

Blessings and much love!!

That's Arabic for hello.

Yes, we made it safe and sound to Doha, Qatar - a world away from our life in Miami, but hopefully it will be a good life decision for our family.

So far, things are going well. Our furniture is due to be delivered tomorrow, so we will be able to move from our little apartment into our new home either then or the next day. Of course, the kids have been arguing over who gets which room. The third master room (with its own bath) is downstairs and no one wants to be down there alone. I settled it by giving Emily the additional upstairs bath and promising to put either a curtain or folding screen across the hall to her room and bathroom so she will have privacy.

People have been friendly. The kids went ice skating twice so far and have met other kids, while I met a mom and got to know her and got lots of advice. They seem to be settling down, but I'm sure once we get into the house and get a phone and our things and tv it will be much easier.

This Friday we'll go to church and I'm hoping that we will all make some new friends. Especially the kids. Hubby will take Emily to youth group on Thursday night, so hopefully she'll have a head start on us.

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to make the kids lunch. So far we've only eaten out, so this will be my first attempt at cooking here. Nothing fancy, just burgers. But it's intimidating nonetheless to go into the store and try to buy things that are completely unfamiliar and then try to work with them. Things that you thing are pretty basic end up having strange spices or something added so it's not really what you expect.

I'll post more, hopefully with pictures of our new home. God bless and thanks for the encouraging words!!

1. When you get on the plane and the air conditioning is not working, and they tell you that it will cool down quickly once we are in the air, that's a lie. I think it cooled down about the time we put on our seatbelts to land in London.
2. Travelling half-way across the world is not the best time to try store-brand feminine hygeine products. 'Nuff said.
3. When they tell you your flight will be the first to use it's brand-spanking new terminal, what the airline really means is that you are guinea pigs. We sat in the plane at the gate for 40 minutes because they couldn't get the jetway out to the plane.

That's our update from London!

Stay tuned for more later!

Well, we are just under 48 hours from our big move across the world. It was a very hard weekend, full of emotional goodbyes and hard, strenuous work.

To all of our beloved friends here in Miami, we will miss you more than you know. For all my complaining about this city, you have made it wonderful.

To my future friends in Qatar, I can't wait to meet you in real life and get to know you.

To all my visitors here at The Simple Life at Home, thank you for your encouragement and kind words. They have helped more than you know.

I will probably not be posting for a week or so until we can get there and begin to get settled. If I could ask for prayers one more time?

*~* That our trip will be comfortable, on time and safe. We have a long journey of 22 hours ahead of us.

*~* That our little puppy, Snow, will arrive safely and in good health. Ok, she's 7, not actually a puppy, but she's our little puppy

~*~ That our belongings would arrive soon. Apparently the boat did not reach port on March 21 as scheduled and is not scheduled to arrive until April 1. This means we will be there for almost two weeks with no furniture.

~*~ For a smooth transition for all of us, but particularly my children. That they would make friends quickly and easily and settle into live in Doha.

Thanks again! Be back as soon as I can!

Remember my rant from yesterday? About how awful British Airways is?

Well, today I finally got to speak to the actual booking agent. And I was mad, really mad. I was ready to lay into him with a huge spiel about their horrible customer service.

But he was Jamaican.

Now, living in Miami, I have lots of Jamaican friends. They are truly some of the nicest people on the planet. Their laid-back attitude, their easy-going laugh, and their general good-nature make it impossible to stay mad for long.

This guy was no exception.

The fact that he gave me some good news didn't hurt. Once I explained to him that the health certificate he had in his possession did include her vaccination records (a fact which he overlooked, since he hadn't, you know, read it!), he told me that all I was missing was the import permit from Qatar. Hopefully that will come on Sunday or Monday.

He also told me that the person I spoke to yesterday was wrong and that there is no additional fee to have the dog stay over in London. Well, there is, but it was included in the original estimate of $1150 (did I mention it's going to cost $1150?!!!!). So hopefully there will not be any additional fees that pop up last minute.

Sadly, she will indeed not make it to Doha on the same flight. They are sticking by their 4 hour rule hard and fast. But at least she'll get there. That's what matters, I guess.

In Jamaica, at least.

I am officially at the end of my rope.

Having been forced to fly on British Airways by my husband's company, even though I knew that taking our dog with them would end in problems, I am now ready to walk to Qatar rather than deal with them any further.

Yes, that would mean walking through the Atlantic Ocean. And Northern Africa. But it might be worth it.

For one month I have been trying to get information and to make the booking for our dog's transport. I have spent hours and hours on the phone, trying to get someone to talk to me. I have left message after message, been put through to voice mail after voice mail, spent endless time on hold waiting for someone to pick up in vain. I have dialed that number no less than 100 times.

On those rare few occasions when I did manage to speak with a live person, I got conflicting and incomplete information. Yes, you need this paper. No, you don't need that. But you do need this. Well, I can give you information, but I can't actually make the booking - only one person (the one who never calls back) can do that.

Finally yesterday I thought we were done. I had emailed the duty manager (still never having spoken to the person who can do the bookings) all the details of our crate size and weight and attached the International Health Certificate as he had asked for.

At the end of the day today he called me and asked where the vet certificate was. You know, the vet certificate that no one ever mentioned.

Apparently the International Health Certificate (the only thing he ever mentioned) isn't all we need. We also need a signed certificate from the vet about her vaccine record, heartworm test, etc. So this means ANOTHER trip to the vet (our 4th in 3 weeks).

Plus he informed me that I need to have her re-checked for ticks and worms within 24 hours of the flight. Which would be fine, but our flight is at 6 pm. Which means the exam would have to be the morning we fly. The day after I turn in my car to the dealership.

I guess I'll walk there.

On top of all this, he gave me an estimate of how much we are looking at for transporting her. Are you sitting down?

$1150.00

That's one thousand and fifty dollars. American.

I mean, if we were talking pesos or something...

Then he tells me today, that because our layover is 15 minutes - 15 minutes!!!!- short of 4 hours, she will probably be held over in London until the next day. For a fee, of course.

I could have flown on another airline which would have allowed the dog to go as baggage, rather than cargo, and would have cost me about $400. Without all the headaches. I'm so disgusted with British Airways, and with my husband's company for forcing us to fly them. This has been, by far, the worst part of the entire move. Nothing, not the thought moving to a foreign country and culture, not the packing and moving, not living in an empty house, and maybe not even being separated from my husband, has caused me the heartache and grief that this has.

I'm terrified that a) she won't get on the flight because I can't get all the remaining paperwork, b) the import permit won't come in on time from Qatar, and c) what I will tell my son if this happens.

Sorry to vent. I guess I just needed to sort this all out and let it out, you know? Thanks for listening.

And if you happen to be the CEO of British Airways, call me. We need to talk.

I know I've been a little quiet lately. Just a result of drawing nearer to our move date.

Today my kids and I were blessed to have a friend take them to the zoo with her kids. Not only do my kids need to get out of the house, but it's giving me a chance to get things done. Of course, here I sit blogging, so you can tell how that's going. LOL!!

No, seriously, I've spent the morning packing EVERYTHING trying to make sure we have enough room in our suitcases to take everything we are planning on taking. So far, it looks like we are ok. I think I'll need to pick up one more carry-on suitcase as we seem to be short one, but other than that, it's looking good.

Hubby wants me to pack a change of clothes and pj's and all other necessities in one bag, so that night we can just worry about finding the one bag (we arrive at 10 at night, then have to get through customs and luggage lines). It's a good idea, but I think it's probably better to have each of us pack those items in our own carry-ons. That way just in case our luggage mysteriously doesn't arrive with us, we'll have what we need for that night and the next day anyways.

Then this afternoon, I'm off to get my hair cut and highlighted. As I mentioned, Hubby likes it this way. Plus I could definitely use a little pick-me-up. With just two weeks to go, I'm getting more and more anxious to see him.

The first couple of weeks were horrible - missing him was like an omnipresent cloud hanging over me. Then we kind of settled into a groove. The last week or two it's gotten difficult again, knowing that we are so close to seeing each other. Each time we are scheduled to talk, I feel like a giddy schoolgirl with a crush, just all tingly inside.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, you know.

I'll be back in full force soon, I promise. Thanks for hanging in there with me!!

I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Psalm 119:32

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

For years, actually since the night Hubby proposed to me, I have had to accept that someday God would lead us to live in the Middle East. It was always there, hanging over me. After our first trip to visit Hubby's family, we got on the plane and he declared that he could "never live there again." Not because of his family, of course, but because of the way of life. So I relaxed a little, thinking I had living in American for life in the bag.

Over the years, his family would mention what a great opportunity it would be for him to look for a job in the Middle East. Whenever it came up, I got a knot in my stomach and instantly shot down the idea. It was a source of tension.

But last summer when his friend approached him about a job, I didn't have that same reaction. Instead, I was calm. I encouraged him to find out more about the job and I began to do my own research.

In my mind, this was truly an act of God. For Him to ease my mind about such a huge change is truly a miracle. I've had a sense of peace about it throughout. The hardest thing was telling my parents. My mom and I are exceptionally close and I knew that this would be very hard on her. But I have to give them credit - after the initial shock wore off, they have been very receptive and encouraging. That could just be an act though - LOL!!!

The verse above speaks to exactly how I feel. I am convinced that this move is exactly what God is calling us to do and, instead of being paralyzed by fear or panic, my heart is free and soaring. God has done so many things to smooth the way that I'm certain we are following His will. Those things are what I am so thankful for today.

• As mentioned above, my parents reaction has been better than I could have ever imagined.
• God has supported me and I've drawn closer to him during this time apart from Hubby.
• He has surrounded us with wonderful friends who have been so helpful and supportive during this time.
• He has provided us with a lovely home in Doha, which we are all excited about.
• There is a church which Hubby has found that he thinks we will love - this is an extra blessing and source of encouragement for me.
• All of our properties now have renters.
• I think things are going to work with regards to bringing our little dog, Snow. This is especially important to my son, who loves her to the ends of the earth.
• My children's reactions in general have been great. Emily, while not thrilled about the move (she is a 12 year old girl after all!), is ok with it. Daniel is looking forward to his new life. We are all excited about beginning a new life.
• This past Sunday we had a special speaker at our church. He was an American former pastor in Iran and now works with Iranian refugees around the world. His message was so encouraging to me that I will be able to make a difference just by being myself and letting the light of God shine through me. This is something I had been struggling with, knowing I cannot be as open as I might normally be there with regards to my faith. It was a great encouragement.

Most of the people we tell about our impending move express shock and concern for our safety. They can't believe we would move our children to what they consider to be an unsafe place, even though it truly is a very safe place. I just laugh and know that we are in God's will. He has set my heart free. When you are in God's will, there's no better place to be!!

For more Thankful Thursday participants, be sure to visit Iris at Sting My Heart!

Edited to add: Sorry, I realize I didn't give my children's ages, which is probably important!! They will turn 13 (girl) and 11 (boy) next month. Thanks!

Hallelujah!!! This is just what I needed - a Works-For-Me-Wednesday Backwards Edition. The chance to beg the internet for help on whatever topic comes to mind. Need to know how to remove exploded eggs from the inside of your microwave? Wondering how to get Sharpie marks off your brand new suede couch? This is the place to find out. God bless Shannon!!!!


My request for help this time around is actually for my kids. You see, three weeks from now we will be moving from this:

to this:

Yes, that's right. We are picking up and moving to Qatar, a tiny peninsula in the Persian Gulf. It's safe and there are large populations of westerners there.

But my children have been born and raised in the same neighborhood and church their entire lives. They are nervous, as am I, about starting all over making friends and settling in. So what I'm looking for are concrete ways to help ease their anxieties about leaving all that they know as well as ways to help them settle into their new home and make friends quickly.

Now, you don't need to have moved to the other side of the world to help. Anyone who has successfully moved far enough away from home (with kids) to be completely starting over is definitely qualified to help.

Thanks in advance!!!

As I was driving through the grocery store parking lot (the bane of my existence) today, I passed my favorite Chinese restaraunt and started thinking about how I would really, really like some Honey Garlic Chicken.

That got me thinking that Honey Garlic Chicken probably won't be readily available in Doha. Not that they don't have Chinese restaraunts, just that they probably don't serve the Americanized Chinese food we get here. It's probably, you know, authentic Chinese.

So then I started thinking about things I want to do before leaving Miami. Here's my list so far.

1. Yeah. Honey Garlic Chicken.
2. Lay out in the backyard and take a nap. Our house in Doha will have pavers throughout the yard - not grass. Not so comfy for nap-taking.
3. Watch a sunrise on the beach. I could probably do this in Doha, but here I know where to go.
4. Go to the movies. In the Middle East, many theaters sell assigned seats and people talk throughout. Not my idea of ideal movie-watching conditions.
5. Go hang out in a bookstore and just browse. There are bookstores there, but I don't know how conducive to "hanging out" they are.
6. Drive down to the Keys with the kids and wade out hundreds of feet into the water and still be only knee deep.

That's what I've got so far. Just small experiences that I might miss in our new life.