Month: June 2011

I know a lot of people would take this time to reflect on the past year, cherishing all those baby moments that flitted by too quickly; a sentimental love letter to their only daughter. But since one year ago today my girlie barreled out covered in meconium and promptly bit the doctor, and that was only the first sign of things to come, it only seems fitting that she woke up this morning crying and crabby, rubbed her frosting covered fingers in her eyes because she couldn’t keep them open, and  she’s currently standing in her crib, grinning at me while she’s supposed to be napping.

Fortunately, we were able to celebrate her birthday with her last night since she was up past midnight, so today I’ll just say, “I’m glad we made it.”

Happy one year to me!

Today we had to go out to the police station to officially change over the registration of the Jeep to us. Since you can only have one car registered per person and the Montero is registered to Josh, I had to go along to sign the paperwork. We weren’t sure if we needed to have the Jeep present and we can’t put the baby’s carseat in the Jeep, so we had to caravan. A regular traveling circus. Technically I guess we could put the baby in it, but there’s something that felt really wrong about trying to install her rearfacing when there’s no back of the car behind her or a roof over her head. And then of course, no sides either . . . now remind me why I let my boy children ride in this car? It’s practically a motorcycle with no helmet.

Anyway, so back to driving. I was following Josh and Caleb and had the rest of the kids with me. I didn’t actually know where we were going, just that we were headed toward the airport (about 15 minutes away) and getting off the freeway at that exit. After exiting, we get to this huge roundabout with three potential offshoots. Josh enters the roundabout, but before I can get behind him, several trucks get inbetween us. I tell the kids to keep their eye on the Jeep so I know which road to take, but we end up losing him. I’m good though, because I know he doesn’t take the first road, the second one has 3 cars heading uphill and he’s not one of them, so I take the third option. I can’t see his car because there’s a bend in the road, but where else would he go?

Just as we’re exiting the roundabout, Carter looks back and yells, “Mom! Dad went back the way we came from!” Good grief. Like I’m supposed to be able to figure that one out. No big deal, I’ll just make a U-turn . . . except we’re on a divided highway with no way to turn around, cross over or do anything but drive straight. For miles and miles. Josh calls (thank God for cell phones) and we speak sweetly to each other and agree that it’s wonderful that I’m driving the wrong direction and how much fun this all is. Except not.

Eventually (5 miles later), I get to another huge roundabout, circle all the way around and then drive all the way back. Then we meet up with Josh (who was parked on the side of the road waiting for us) and then finally get to the police station where we meet the guy who we’re buying the car from. I don’t like driving without directions, but there really isn’t a good way to give directions here: “Go to the third patch of sand that is next to the white building that is next to the 100 other white buildings and then look for driveway that is next to more sand.”

It almost got really ugly when they needed my passport and my Oman visa number and I didn’t have my passport (since we now have residence cards, I don’t carry it with me), but Josh was able to call the embassy and have someone look up the number and then he worked it out by speaking Arabic. Crisis averted.

Then because we were so close to the big mall out that way, we decided to head there for dinner and a little shopping. Carter rode in the back of the Jeep so that he could watch and make sure I didn’t get left behind. He turned himself completely around and wouldn’t take his eyes off my car the entire drive. He was right to be concerned since I didn’t know how to get to the mall either.

After a few hours and a great dinner at the Noodle House, we headed back to Muscat. As we were exiting the parking garage I made sure to stick close to the Jeep so I could follow Josh to the freeway. It’s a good thing I did because if I had been left on my own, my natural directional instinct would have sent me in the exact opposite direction of home. I’m glad at least one of us knows where we’re going.

The last few days have been crazy busy. A new FAO family arrived in town with 4 kids around the ages of ours and we’ve been having fun showing them around town and getting to know them. I’ve been feeling like we just moved here ourselves, but I realized that’s because I’ve also been busy unpacking and organizing the stuff that came from Egypt. Tomorrow we turn in all the things we’ve been borrowing from the embassy so I’m trying to track down all those items. Somehow we are down two dinner plates. How does that happen? I haven’t even counted the spoons yet. Those always seem to disappear.

As a break to get out of the house, we took the boys to an indoor play place today. Lots of slides, climbing walls, tunnels, rope ladders and gym mats so they could run, climb, play and be active. The best part was that all the equipment was grown-up friendly too.

We met several friends there and had the place to ourselves.

Camille had fun too. I have to admit though, I have no idea whose shoes she’s playing with. I didn’t even think about it until I tonight when was looking through these pictures. Mother of the Year, for sure.

This slide does not look steep from this angle, but it really was a straight drop down. My favorite slide was a steep fast drop, right into a ball pit. You’d be flying so fast that you’d get buried in the balls at the bottom.

And unlike a McDonald’s playland, this place was clean — no worries of finding anything gross in the ball pit.

I shouldn’t even share this video, because it doesn’t begin to capture the actual fall involved in going down this slide, but it’s proof that I did it, so here it is. It is a vertical drop at the top and you just have to push off and hope you don’t hurt yourself. Carter wouldn’t go on it and Caleb wasn’t old enough to do it, so that should gain me some points in the daredevil category. They make everyone wear long sleeves to play because they don’t want anyone getting friction burns.

We were flying so fast down this thing that I thought we were going to slam into the wall at the end. Thankfully they have burlap pads at the base so you slow down pretty quickly. Caleb is already talking about going back there for his birthday next month. It would be a great place for a party.

Most of today’s photos are brought to you by our guest photographer, Caleb.

I’ve been looking for Moroccan-style lanterns for a while now and a friend told me that I needed to go check out a store called Raj’s Relics.

She was right. I saw so many things I wanted. It didn’t help that they were closing that particular location so everything was half off.

This was a large armoire that Celeb thought was photo-worthy. I bet he thought it would make a fun play jail. You can see how big it is in the background of the first photo. Really amazing, but we have plenty of embassy provided furniture right now. Maybe once we find out where we’re headed next, then we can get a unique piece for our next house.

I see lanterns! I love these, but because our house is cement block, we don’t have a good way to hang them from the ceiling or wall at the moment. In the background is this gorgeous cabinet made from an old door. Loved it. Can’t buy it.

To give you an idea of the size of the lantern. The part Camille is touching opens up and there is a place to put a candle inside. Eventually I’m going to have Josh wire it so it’s a lamp, but for now I’m content to let the sun illuminate it.

Pretty, huh?  

It feels like it’s been an eternity since then, but Wendy’s wedding was only 4 months ago. She just sent me a few pictures from that day. I wish we were closer so I could look through the entire album.

 

Wendy was SO beautiful (she always is though) and she designed her own dress which looked elegant and amazing. That gorgeous diamond and pearl necklace she’s wearing was made by the iSanctuary girls. Just kidding. It was a gift from some friends. I totally need to get some friends like that.

 

 

The boys were adorable in their suits. Calvin is channeling Josh’s haircut from 1987 — thankfully since then he has grown out his bad haircut from Egypt and has that stylin’ hair in the face look going on. I can never see his eyeballs, but at least he looks cool.