New Year's Resolutions...

It's that time of year again...Time to wind down and think about the year that has passed in the blink of an eye once again and how we will remember it. I have spent some time these past couple of days thinking about what we were doing at this time last year. We were preparing to head up to New York City to fulfill a lifelong dream of watching that crystal ball drop.We went with our buddies, Roy and Debbie, and we had a fabulous time. Knowing we had prepared ourselves for constant big city motion, endless noise of celebration, and crowds of people at all hours of the day and night, I wouldn't have expected to use the word "peaceful" to describe our experience there, but that was exactly what it was. Countless people were out in the city at all hours for those few days. But when midnight arrived on December 31st we found ourselves on the roof of our hotel way above it all. Let me tell you...this is the way to do it and I would do it again in a heartbeat. Standing on that roof in between the buildings surrounding our hotel with a birdseye view of people below us and the confetti falling above us was amazing and I will never forget it. My unexpected surprise was how quiet it became in the midst of all that excitement and I will never forget those first few minutes of 2011...I spent it being quiet in the middle of one the biggest parties in the world. Fast forward to last week where I found myself sitting with my friend Katy in her fabulous kitchen having tea, her fudge :-), and just having a good chat when she reminded me of a sermon she heard one Sunday morning during a Christmas season several years ago when our kids were little. The point of it was that we seem to be so consumed with all that we do during our Christmas season each year, that at this time of year we should sometimes remember to just "be still". Those two words and that message has stayed with her all these years and that day last week I heard them too. Just be still...what a concept! Experience the quiet in your life...I wonder if that's possible? I like the idea of beginning and ending another year being still. Our lives are so busy on so many levels and I think sometimes that we forget that being still for a moment just might put things back where they belong. I know what that means for me and I'm betting you have your own definition of "where things belong" too. I like the idea of experiencing more quiet in my life...it certainly doesn't mean not participating in life...just putting some of that "quiet time" at the top of my priority list. I have thought about a few things I'd like to concentrate on in the new year...things like reading more books written by authors that are not so well known, writing more, doing better at keeping in touch with my friends, staying out of my boys lives...wait...scratch that last one...I don't think that's possible and could possibly be a future blog :-)! I want to set reasonable goals and reach them...not just think about reaching them. But most importantly, I will challenge myself to find the quiet in each day and the chance to be still. That will be my most important goal and I like the way that sounds. Happy New Year everyone!

Happy Birthday Timmy!

Tomorrow we celebrate another birthday in our house...he'll be 29 years young. I say young because the word "old" does not and will never apply to this middle child of ours. To say we are proud of him is an understatement of huge proportions. It's easy to say that about all three of our sons. I'd like to think that I can remember every minute from the time they were born to right now ( well, most of it :)..and they have no idea how just their very existence defines time for their dad and me. I don't think any of us can realize the swift passage of time until we experience children...the birthdays, the holidays, the ages in which they experience their highs and their lows. The loss of teeth, the first day of school, the first recital...all time defining. I remember the first time I related an event to either before the birth of one of the boys or afterwards...with each child a new chapter is written in this endless book of the joys of family. Boy, that's rather profound, isnt' it??? What's really profound in my mind is this young man who was seven just yesterday is living his adult life now as only he can...a life in music with his fiancee, Caitlin. It's obvious that everyday is an adventure for him and them and it is a privilege to be on the outside watching them grow into what their world is going to be. I talked to Caitlin the other day and she told me about her schedule this week and after I heard it all I just wanted to go to bed! How do they do it...a question we all have asked ourselves through time. Of course, there are times when I see a mom in the mall with three kids and think the same thing and then I remember...

We have referred to this day as "Timmy's Eve" for many years...don't know how that started...it's just one of those things. Yes, I have done my share of reflecting today in anticipation of tomorrow...again for the 29th time...as I do every September 4th and October 24th as well. December 9th was a great day to celebrate 29 years ago and will always be...Happy Birthday, Timmy! Thank you for being all that you are, for giving us reasons to be happy, and for teaching us how to love all over again.

Grateful...

It's Wednesday morning at my house...the day before Thanksgiving. All of us have turkey on our minds and are thinking about that last minute shopping trip to get what we forgot to buy yesterday!!! Time to set the table, count the napkins (because I never have enough for some reason :-)...those of you who know me and the napkin story will have a quiet chuckle with that one. The anticipation of being with family is great, and of course, the football games on television or in our own backyards. Clearly, this year will be different...I don't have a table...yet! I don't have internet so there won't be any football, and with good luck on my side, I will figure out how to read the manual and learn how to work the oven as I haven't done that yet...there is turkey, so things are good. We will be sharing the day with our new "family" here in Abu Dhabi and it will be a wonderful day...
Being in this new adventure of ours for about 3 months now, I have happily added more to my list of who and what to be grateful for...Of course my family, those of you given and those of you chosen, my home, my husband's job that enables us to have the life we have, our servicemen and women all over the world preserving and protecting what's most precious to us, the freedoms we tend to take for granted until they are threatened. The list goes on and on, but also on my mind are the things and events that presently surround me on a day to day basis. I am grateful for my security guards downstairs who smile and laugh with me ( and most likely at me for their obvious reasons and it's OK) when I walk through the door many times each day. BTW, they delivered Patchi chocolates last night as a welcome gift to us for moving into Etihad Towers. Now, who doesn't love a security guard that hand delivers chocolates!!! I am grateful for the patience of the taxi drivers when I need to go somewhere and I can't seem to communicate the correct way to get to wherever I'm going and yet they get me there. I am so appreciative of the person in Lulu's (my grocery store) the other day who answered my question before I even asked it only because they knew the look and have been there before. I am grateful for roundabouts not under construction, the iced tea at our new found Mexican restaurant, and did I mention before that the Krispie Kreme donut store makes their donuts on site and there is a "hot to go" sign and they are so good!!! And to my Terri..am beyond grateful for you, but especially today for introducing me to Susan :-).
 I am grateful for the little surprises that happen almost daily that keeps life so interesting here. It challenges me to think outside my box and experience "new" all over again. I so appreciate the opportunity to work again in the field that I love. I missed it terribly and found it again here halfway around the world. And, I am eternally grateful for my new friends here with me in Abu Dhabi. I believe there is a reason why we are here together and it is an honor to be here with you. It goes without saying that I will miss my boys and Caitlin most of all, but am content knowing they will be with their friends and new family this holiday season...another right of passage...another experience, believe it or not, to be grateful for.

From the Mauthe Family to all of you...Happy Thanksgiving! Wish me luck with the oven!!! 

Views from the 52nd Floor

I admit I am getting very little accomplished in my apartment at the moment. Last night was our first night here and I can't stop staring out the windows. The place is a wreck with stuff everywhere and sadly (not really :-) I have realized from experience that it's not going anywhere and that I will eventually get around to it. Daily I watch the boaters on the water in their ski boats and on their jet skis buzzing around the gulf. The water is a beautiful two toned aqua blue. Somebody has a yacht parked in their private spot in the marina and the rooftop of the Emirates Palace Hotel shines both in the day and at night below my living room window. The Presidential Palace on this end of the island is off to the left and apparently they need another one as there is yet another palace being built over to the right not a mile away. I count 15 cranes and they are in constant motion. There are several small islands that surround the area...some with buildings on them and some that are just sand. There are 2 more hotels being built out the windows of what will be our guest room. All the workers are in green shirts and they look like an army of ants moving around and constantly working both day and night. Outside our bedroom window is the view of the Cornishe...the main road that follows the shoreline on the outskirts of the city. Rooftops of other buildings are very interesting as I see swimming pools and restaurants instead of air conditioner and utility areas on some of them. I have a straight shot to the mall as the crow flies...that said I have not seen any crows or any birds at this level yet...only helicopter. We just happened to be looking out our living room windows the other day and a helicopter flew by at eye level. Yes, I  waved and was totally blown away at what we had just seen. I could stare out the windows for hours watching the tug boats bring in the supply ships or the cars traveling up the road and into town. Sunsets every evening happen quickly and will definitely be a time of day where you will find me in front of a window. As the sun goes down, the lights come up and it's a whole different world full of motion and color. Night time wakes up and the observations start all over again...

I have got to get busy!!!! 

Some Observations...

There is a big holiday going on right now called Eid Al-Adhr. There are throngs of  happy people everywhere...it's a time for family, traditions, and celebration in the Muslim world and it's been very interesting watching it all. Our hotel went from being this rather quiet resort to a total buzz at all hours of the day and night in no time. Seems like the majority of our newest visitors are families on vacation and not just here for the holiday...apparently it's tourst season as well. We are hearing a lot of Russian being spoken around the area these days along with the other many different other languages in the air...at least those I recognize.
I have always been curious about foreign languages and have enjoyed what little I can still speak other than English and well...southern :-). However, in my observations the last couple of days with all the families here filling the lobby, restaurants, pool, and beach areas, I have picked up on some very familiar voice tones. I do believe there are endless ways to tell a 3 year old not to throw his sister's toys in the pool after the mother has fished them out 25 times. I do believe there are endless ways to tell a 4 year old not to take off his bathing suit in the lobby of the hotel. And, I do believe food fights between siblings exist everywhere...the rules are the same no matter what part of the world you call home and not a word has to be spoken. The expressions on some of the faces of the moms and dads are crystal clear in any language after a day at the beach and the language of that cry we all know from the overtired little one who has been on that beach and ocean high for just a little too long needs no words at all. This afternoon I listened and watched a mom sing to her children in the elevator to quiet them down as they headed back to their room for a rest (I hope) for all of them and I was quite amused watching a group of kids talking a mile a minute about where they've been that day and what the plan is for that night. We really don't need to understand the words to get what's going on...it's all universal. Hearing with our eyes sometimes explains everything...

Eid Mubarak Everyone!

Pictures!

The first three pictures were taken from our balcony of the hotel room we are living in at the moment. We've been very comfortable here and the views are beautiful. We did find out today that we can move into our apartment on November 12th and we are looking forward to finally being in our own place. That said, I can honestly say that we have never been treated this well in a hotel...ever. They mean it when they say their customer service is priority one and that philosophy seems to be city wide. Always polite and efficient, it's been a great experience. It's definitely tourist season...the hotel is hopping! The weather is perfect (my apologizes to those who just experienced snow)...warm in the day and so comfortably cool at night.

I went to the mall yesterday and remembered to take my camera this time. The last three photos are quite self explanatory (food!) and are very typical of what I've found in the malls over here. Walking around in these shopping areas I've realized, whether it's on purpose or not, a lot of the same kind stores are grouped together...sporting goods in one area, women's clothing in another, and banks and phone stores in another..not spread out like ours are.. Prayer rooms are as common as our sitting areas in our malls...and yes, Starbucks is everywhere! There are the typical fast food chains, but there are some surprises too. I never expected to see Claire's, Ace Hardware, or Edible Arrangements here. Ahhhh. the comforts of home! Guess what the last picture is??? :-)...

Until next time...

.

It's A Small World

Maybe it's just my way of thinking about things these days, but it seems to me that my perspective on the size of our world is getting smaller the more I travel. Apparently distance is relative and is defined by hours and not by miles. I am back in the hotel in Abu Dhabi for a few more weeks before we head back home for Xmas and as usual I have been thinking about where I've been in the last few weeks. I flew back to Virginia and did a small pack out which turned out to be a little more taxing than I thought it would be. It's a lot easier to have the movers come in and pack up the whole house...just sayin! We sent over very little this time and I had to really think about it as I selected those things I did send over...a different experience for me! I flew to the Atlanta area for a week and then headed for Cleveland to see Tim and Caitlin. I had two full days of  fabulous newly composed music, food everywhere, interesting conversations with lots of their friends who live their lives in music, and rain (which I loved), I headed back to Virginia to turn around and head back to Abu Dhabi. Did you know that it only takes 20 minutes to fly from Cleveland to Detroit? Apparently you can't get back to DC without going through Detroit which has been the case for me more than once. It only takes an hour and twenty minutes to fly from Atlanta to DC, five hours to get from Atlanta to LA, and only 14 hours to get from DC to Abu Dhabi. Now, I know in the age in which we live for some people this is no big deal. But, we watch the news every day and the places that are talked about seem so far away...a world away, in fact. Or... maybe we are all closer than we seem....
This time I went through Amsterdam. I had a couple of hours there before the final leg of my trip so I walked around and kind of took it all in. I watched the sun come up and that was pretty cool. I did notice that even though it was so early in the morning, the place was buzzing...there was a lot of life going on and the people watching was fun. Yes, there were lots of tulip stands and blue delft everywhere and I loved it. I found a place to sit and caught up on some email. There were others doing the same thing, but from other parts of the world from the different languages and quiet conversations going on around me. I imagined the mom talking to her very tired daughter about keeping up with her own things...only in Russian. There was a young African couple beside me discussing music (I think) as they constantly referred to their plugged in Ipods with their heads moving to a beat. I did see a big group of American teenage boys in the area which was obviously some sort of tour or sports team and I have to admit there was some sort of nice familiarity to that scene. I laughed slightly to myself with that one remembering my chaperoning years with my own kids. For all of them I hoped wherever they had been that their trip was a good one and I realized then maybe we all aren't so different or really so far away from each other.  
It's only six hours to Abu Dhabi from Amsterdam...Again, I watched the flight tracker on the plane and marveled at all the places I was flying over...all those places we hear about that are so far away and it only took six hours.
Perspective is an interesting concept, isn't it?

Airplanes

I've spent a lot of time on airplanes recently...some of them on the larger side and a couple of them not so large. That's okay. Airplanes are a comfort thing for for me in a strange sort of way. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my dad was a pilot and so was my husband for many years. My earliest recollection was my mother taking my sister and I down by Lockheed on Hwy 41 and watching Dad do touch and go's. We learned what airplanes were flying overhead by listening to them and identifying their individual sounds. Fast forward to our years in the Navy and the P-3 Orion picked up where the C-5 left off. For the longest time it was what I related to and therefore was my comfort zone. So, where am I going with this? If this is a comfort zone for me, then why can't I understand it...because I just don't get it. Have you ever been on an airplane and really thought about how it can do that? How does it stay in the air like that without anything holding it up!? I can see my "physics major" husband rolling his eyes right now...and my dad would too if he were here. And yes, I've heard it explained a million times. Truth be told...it doesn't matter. I get a great deal of perspective when I'm flying somewhere especially when I look out the window and watch the world go by and I don't have to understand it. Everything does look quieter and calmer from up there even though I know better and physics has nothing to do with it...I get to do it again next week for the long haul back to Abu Dhabi. After all these years, it still amazes me.

Friends and Family

Let's talk about reconnecting...this has been a week of seeing family and old friends for no other reason than to just be together and well...reconnect. Monday night was all about revisiting my oldest friendships and catching up with them and their busy lives. Say what you will about Facebook, but I reconnected with a former 5th grade teacher of ours through Facebook not long ago and there she was in the restaurant that night with her grandson as we all walked in the door. It was such an honor to see her again and no, I will not say how long ago that was when we experienced that 5th grade year. She has been an inspiration to all of us through the years and we loved seeing her again. Wednesday night was family. We all congregated down into Decatur's Brickstore Pub once again to enjoy the many ages that create our family. The oldest was 82 and the youngest twins were 3 and all the rest of us were in-between. We can't get together enough as far as I am concerned. I find my family very interesting and very courageous. We are risk takers and business creators. We are mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, and cousins of all ages. We are kitchen managers, students, and paper salesmen. But most of all, we are a family who supports each other unconditionally...as it should be. Events such as these remind me of the importance of keeping connected. I do define myself by where I come from..talk about a conversation starter...when was the last time you asked that question to yourself. I bet depending on what age you are now will determine your answer and you might surprise yourself! Reconnecting reminds us of where we've been and to whom we are accountable to. Reconnecting helps us move forward by reminding us of who got us there in the first place. Reconnecting improves emotional strength so we can help those of us who can't be strong right now, but who most assuredly will be again one day...I promise. Happy Birthday, Andy! Today was a great day!!! Let's do it again tomorrow. I love you!!

Change and Donuts

I think I'm a bit obsessed with change. Some people have a hard time with it. I seem to thrive on it. It may sound silly but I am constantly amazed year after year at the change of seasons even though the same seasons happen every year. Time changes, weather changes, age changes, people change...what's that old saying? The more things change, the more they stay the same! I think most of us believe that. I think about this latest adventure for Matt and me. There's nothing really "the same" about this one at all. Because it's all so new, I find myself looking for places or things that might feel familiar knowing it will feed my confidence and help me feel safe (metaphorically) in discovering the newness of it and be more accepting of all the changes. It's a creature comfort thing in the midst of the unfamiliar and of course I never know what I'm going to find. With this in mind, not long ago a friend of mine and I went out check out yet another mall in the city and guess what I found...a Krispie Kreme donut store! I did not see an Arabic "hot to go" sign, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there, but can I tell you how confident I felt after seeing that place??!! It's the little things... Abu Dhabi is such a mixture of old world meeting the new world. Each one compliments the other and "change" threads itself into everyday life here very quickly. The unpaved side roads right next to huge lighted boulevards, the small family businesses right next to huge highrise buildings, the art of such an old and historic language used in creating their very contemporary world...all visible change and all visibly fascinating. Change is good...

There's a first time for everything, isn't there...

It's amazing how quickly things can get back to how they used to be in the blink if an eye! This time yesterday I was on an airplane flying halfway around the world and today I am washing clothes, checking the mail, outside playing with the grand dogs, and thinking about what to do for supper. There's a lot to be said for touching base for a while and thinking about where we've been the last few weeks... I do know I won't ever question whether or not it's necessary to explain how to use a seatbelt in an airplane ever again...apparently it isn't a "no brainer" after all. I had the pleasure of sitting next to a fascinating young lady from Nepal on the first leg of my trip. Beautifully dressed and scared to death, she was leaving her country for the first time ever to go be with her husband at the ripe old age of 28. She was very tired and very hesitant to talk. She did share with me that she thought her luggage had been taken never to be seen again and I somehow managed to make her day when I finally got it across to her that it would meet her there when she reached her final destination which was Lisbon. And yes, she was the one who could not figure out how to unlatch the seatbelt. She has been on my mind all day and I hope her reunion with her husband was a magic moment for her in the midst of all that anxiety. I should have told her that I admired her for her courage and the next time I get nervous about doing something on my own, I will think of her... I'm thinking meatloaf and mashed potatoes for dinner... Until next time...

It's not about the money...

I woke up thinking about Leslie this morning...I hope I am spelling his name correctly and if not, I apologize. To explain this, I need to go back to our previous moves overseas. Not that there have been that many (this is number 3 for us), but each time almost the minute we got off the airplane we are told about a local person who we MUST meet and buy from and always there is a story...

Iceland was the land of wool and sheepskins and if I remember correctly we are still using the blankets we bought the first week we arrived there 28 years ago. Belgium introduced us to Martin the benchmaker. We came home with three of those pieces of art (according to me), and I can honestly say I was not the first one to buy within the first week we were there in 1996 (you know who you are :-). Again...the benches have stories...

Now we come to Leslie...he owns a carpet store and has been here in Abu Dhabi for over 20 years. Everyone here knows Leslie and Leslie remembers everyone he meets. I met him the first full day I was here and am fascinated by him and his stories. He is closing his store to go home and everyone here is sad to see him go. There is no such thing as just buying a carpet from him. There's coffee or tea and lots of laughing and good conversation. His life has been his relationships with his clients and everyone who walks in his store is just a friend he hasn't met yet. I wish he would write a book...call it the Rug Store knowing his stories are not about his carpets, but about his friends and all the people he has encountered throughout the years. I've only known him for a couple of weeks and I miss him already...

To quote Leslie..."it's not about the money"...We will miss you, Leslie. Thank you for being so kind.

Pictures!!!

The top picture is obviously a rug store...I find them all very unique. We were in this one today and am in carpet overload right now.
The second picture is a view of the inside of our apartment. It looks bigger than it is, but I wanted a good shot of the windows all the way across and this the best I have at the moment.
The third picture is the tower complex...ours is on the left...
And the last one is of Dubai taken yesterday morning...looks like it could be southern California!

More to come...

24 Days Later...

I really don't know how I literally got here...actually my friend Jennifer here in Abu Dhabi gave me a few tips and here I am and very happy about it too! I really hope I will be able to get here again and in the meantime, I get to play catch up! In a nutshell...

The flight over was great! I slept most of the way which at the time felt wonderful! Of course having not a good idea of time difference yet, we landed soon after finishing breakfast only to watch the sun set as we left the airport and you guessed it...there was no sleep that night. Knowing Terri (my angel friend here) was picking me up the next day at 9am, I just stuck with it and crashed about noon. I only napped for two hours that day and as the days went by, it didn't take too long to adjust. There have been some hard days that were a little unexpected, but it all evened out. We found an apartment in Etihad Towers. We decided on a 3 bedroom place in Tower 5 overlooking the gulf...truly a view difficult to describe. The water is beautiful...all the time. Did I mention we are on the 52nd floor???

Days are spent out with new and wonderful friends rapidly becoming family. This is one part of this whole adventure that I was really excited about. The group of people here from BAH is amazing and we all have enjoyed each other's company tremendously. We are all ages and fun...most of us are experieincing the same aches and pains with good doses of senses of humor and that's what it takes to accept the different way of life we all are living right now.

We've spent most of our time within the city limits of Abu Dhabi. We have traveled over to Dubai a couple of times marveling at the desert, saw some camels wandering around,  and admiring the new and very comtempory buildings that make up this city like I have never seen (except in the Jetson cartoons)!.
I should talk about the food, but even mentioning it brings on 5 more pounds to add to the rest of the weight gained just by thinking we have to sample everything. Seriously, we have not had a bad meal yet and I don't expect to ever have a bad meal. Customer service is definitely a priority here and certainly helps the adjustment. We are living in the Khalidiya Palace Hotel right now and will be here till the first part of November. Hotel living here is not hotel living at home and will not be a hardship at all. I can say, though. that I really don't like not knowing how to get around and depending on my friends so much, but I know that will end. I look forward to walking out my own front door one day soon and getting in my own car and going somewhere without questioning how to get there. I keep telling myself I know more today than I did yesterday and will know more tomorrow. Sometimes I just want to go to bed!!!
Okay...that's it for right now. There is so much to talk about and I will eventually cover it all. My next project is to figure out how to load pictures. I envy the DNA of our children's generation. They just automatically know how to do this stuff...I should be so lucky!
Until the next time...  

Here We Go Again!

Since that fateful day in March when the question was asked "what would you think about going to Abu Dhabi?...life definitely took a sharp turn in a completely different direction for us and we are headed for new adventures once again. Saturday's the big day. I've told my closest friends they can't take us to the airport...I think Oprah coined the phrase "the ugly cry" will happen if you know what I mean. Seriously, we are really moving...again? And without the men/children? Really? And...at the beginning of football season?
All this is new and exciting to say the least. It will be interesting keeping up with this as I hope to record and share our travels and experiences for the next couple of years. Stay tuned, y'all! This is going to be fun!