Author: Robin Chartier

My bucket list military assignment has always been Germany. And once we visited, the desire became even stronger. We even picked it as our vacation spot 3 different times. If you ask Caleb where he wants to live in the world it’s 1) California or 2) Germany.

Well this morning, as we wait to hear the results of Josh’s interview, he received an email saying, “Hey, would you consider delaying your retirement to take [insert fancy job title] position in Stuttgart, Germany?” We’ve had this job at the top of our list the last 3 times we were due for an assignment change. You’ve got to be kidding me. I would love to live in a European city where I can hop on a train and visit another country for a weekend. Weekend ski/snowboard trips with the family. Biking and hiking in green mountains. Rain, actual weather other than hot and sandy . . . . #lifegoals.

But we’re passing. It doesn’t fit with our current life goals of freedom and self determination (within the bounds of God’s direction for our lives) and we’ve planned and prepared for this transition. Living in Germany would be fun, but it doesn’t get Josh any closer to his long term career goals. I told him I want piles of credit for being sensible and being willing to give up Europe to continue living in the Middle East. (Not to mention being willing to move anywhere in the world.) Oh well. It was fun to dream about for 2 minutes.

Auf Wiedersehen, Germany.

It’s fun to have visitors come and do all the exciting things that we never actually get to do because we’re busy with real life: work, school, church, sports and everything else that pops up in a normal week. And I admit there are things that tourists come from all over the world to experience that I hadn’t done until Carrie and Jack came to visit. Yay for getting to be a tourist without going to all the trouble of packing.

But we did have to clean — good thing I have a bunch of hard workers who spent several days spring cleaning every corner of our house in anticipation of our guests. I love how Camille has been taking her oversized t-shirts (hand me downs from teenage friends) and cinches the waist with a hair tie. I do not know where she gets her style from, but I have high hopes that she’ll keep me in fashion as I age.

Waiting to go to the airport to pick them up!

A big cousin slumber party. Two queen sized beds pushed together, every blanket and pillow in the house, and “5 levels of comfort” according to Caleb.

Carrie was a good sport and went to the gym with me on her vacation. And even when I didn’t go to the gym, she went running. #hardcore

Since the company Josh is interviewing with is based in Texas and we are something like 9 hours ahead (I can’t keep track because the difference changes based on Standard or Daylight Savings Time), it makes for some interesting timing when setting up phone calls.

Last night he had his 3rd interview with this company at 11:30 at night. We were about to go to sleep when his phone rang and he hopped out of bed and got to work. Good thing he’s used to being on call and available 24/7.

At the end of this week we should hear if he’s been selected as one of the final two candidates. He would then fly to Texas for in person interviews. No, we’re not moving to Texas (though I’d be willing). He’s interviewing for a position at their office in Abu Dhabi. (Yay!)

For 7 and 3/4 years my constant refrain has been, “My girlie does not sleep.” I mean she goes to sleep eventually, but it’s been years of hours of her lying awake, getting up repeatedly, and a general inability to go to sleep at night.

But for the past 3 weeks I’ve been witnessing a miracle. She goes upstairs to bed and a few minutes later when I come in to say goodnight she’s either already asleep or almost there. That has never happened before in the history of our lives. 

Or she crawls in my bed and snuggles up next to me and to watch a show but ends up deeply asleep before the first commercial break. That has never happened before in the history of our lives. It has been glorious.

Tonight Josh and I were out to dinner together and left bedtime instructions for her. Right at 8pm this video pops up on my phone: “Night-night Mom and Dad. I love you.”

30 minutes later we arrived home to find this.

She put herself to bed and fell asleep reading. I feel like I won the parent lottery.

What’s our secret?

Drugs.

Or if you prefer, herbs.

Josh found this product in a in WholeFoodsesque grocery store and in desperation, bought the entire display. I laughed when I saw all those boxes lined up, but it pretty much sums up the level of our desperation. It’s melatonin, chamomile, and magic all wrapped up in a chocolate M&M shaped pill and if I could nominate the inventors for a Nobel Peace Prize, I would. God bless and night-night.

I’ll miss this view. 

I pass the Grand Mosque every day as I drive to the gym and it’s always impressive. Gleaming white domes and towers rising up from sand colored surroundings. A sparkling jewel in the desert.

It’s modeled after the Taj Mahal, but I’ve had friends from Abu Dhabi go and visit the Taj Mahal and come back disappointed because it was smaller and less impressive than what we can see right down the street from our house. That is very much the Middle Eastern way though — let’s copy something, but do it bigger and better. Largest carpet, tallest building, biggest mosque, most expansive mall. The more impressive and over the top, the better.