Time to Celebrate...

In a little more than a week, Ramadan begins. I've been watching the city get ready as the tents go up and ads in the paper appear getting everyone excited with impending Ramadan sales...sound familiar? Well, maybe not the tent part...sitting on the outside looking in, not eating all day does not sound like that would be an easy thing to do. So, my curiosity getting the best of me, I started asking questions. How can you do that? What about the kids and elderly people? Clearly my muslim friends have heard all this before and I hear excitement in their voices as it is explained to me. It is a religious experience spent with family and friends, enjoying meals together after sunset, praying together, and sharing spiritual reflection for one month. I hear pride in their voices too when I'm told it's their greatest religious observance practiced since their beginning. Ahhhhh...tradition. I am reminded of how we are bound by the traditions and customs of religion and history. History? Abu Dhabi celebrated it's 40th birthday last fall. I live in a country whose constitution is only 40 years old...amazing! I think about the newness of that melded with the Arab traditions of hundreds of years. From my apartment windows I watch building after building going up so quickly each one more sleek and modern than the last one. Being a country that works so hard at being innovative and competitive in this world of commerce and modern technology, old traditions still reign and the proof of that begins next Friday.

I will be in my home in Virginia when Ramadan begins and I will think about my friends who will be observing. I will wish them well and be excited for them in this all important and religious time in their world. I will think of the families together, businesses slowing down, the daily call to prayer, and the meaning of what Ramadan is to all of them. I'm sorry I'm going to miss it...

It's Susan's Fault!

I now have the attention of my mother and she is going to wonder what am I blaming Susan for halfway around the world..so to relieve her worries, the explanation is this...more than a few years ago my sister told me about a cute conversation she had with our niece about listening in on phone conversations...she was maybe 8 or 9 at the time and felt very strongly the only way to find anything out was to help herself to her mother's or her grandmother's phone calls when she could get away with it. It was a very serious conversation on her part and I'm sure at one time or another we've all been there...sorry mom! Listening in on other conversations on the surface can be and is considered quite rude...however, stay with me here...I have to admit that if I had not overheard certain conversations throughout the years and acted on them, I wouldn't be writing about the small world experiences that I've had today. Susan will be happy to hear that in a way I have taken her advice and thanks to her, appropriately, I am not shy anymore about tuning in or asking people too many questions because I believe we all are looking for the same thing...something in common and a friendly face in a place that's not so familiar...yet. The latest one happened not long ago in our sports complex where Matt and I go to torture ourselves in the gym on the weekends. I was with my friend and tennis mentor, Laurie that day and we sat down next to a very nice lady who was by herself at the time. We invited her to sit with us and we started talking. We found out that she is from Capetown, South Africa, but has lived in Abu Dhabi for the last 9 years and has family in the states...San Diego, Cumming, and Alpharetta Georgia!!! Here's the deal...Laurie lives in San Diego and I grew up in this area of Georgia and better yet...she knew where Hickory Flat is!!!! I know...you have to ask the "nosy" questions!!! This happens to me all the time...I'll never forget the time we took the boys to London...it was for Eric's 16th birthday in 1996 and we had just moved to Brussels. We didn't know anyone yet, so we drove over and spent a couple of days. He wanted to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe so we did. It was a beautiful day and we were seated outside...over to one side was a group of men and women with southern US accents and of course, we got a kick out of that. We asked one of the ladies to take a picture of the 5 of us and started in with the "nosy" questions. They were a team in town from Lockheed in Marietta, Georgia attending the air show and she had known and had worked with Matt's dad ( who passed away in 1982). We had a wonderful conversation and Matt heard some fun things about his dad...was quite a gift for him that day. In 1999, Eric ran into an old high school friend from Virginia in a  gondola on a ski trip in Austria. You never know where the statement "don't I know you from somewhere" is going to lead you! I have a new friend here named Maggie who is from Chicago and through another conversation (with our friend Deb), I found out that her son went to school  in New York with Caitlin, our future daughter in law. There are others, too many to mention and just as fun. My sister in law, Jennifer accuses me (with a smile) of talking to to anyone, anywhere...must be a family thing as I say the same thing about her husband, my brother, Tim. I look at it this way, I have had some pretty interesting conversatons just because I said hi to a stranger. I have spent many hours passing time talking with folks I'll never see again, but sitting in a hospital waiting room or an airport for hours can be quite lonely and getting to know someone just for a moment can be a wonderful thing. So, thanks Susan!!! I love those "nosy" questions!

The Wheels on the Bus

I just returned from a wonderful trip back to Paris and Brussels after a 13 year absence. The stark contrast between where I was then and where I am now for me is something to behold. Here I am way out of my box with all the new experiences of late. Going back was going into my comfort place...old and established. History around me that is somehow a bit romantic in a sense. First, though, I had to get there...
Leaving Abu Dhabi to go anywhere out of the region( for the most part) means leaving late at night. Seems there's no changing time to make life easier and it's really no big deal...we just do it...it is what it is. Matt dropped me off and I checked in with no trouble. I made my way to my gate to wait to be called for the first leg of this trip and had a seat. The place was buzzing with life...happy and as i found out, not so happy. I noticed a young woman crying across from where I was sitting and we locked eyes. It was a sad cry. I can't ignore her and tell her I was sorry patting my heart and offered her some water. She said no and with her eyes said she would be okay. Her family joined her treating her very kindly and then they left. I hope she's okay now. My itinerary had me flying into Doha with a layover of a couple of hours and then on to Paris. All of my flights were full and I made the best of it with my book and some hope that I could/would sleep on the planes. The flight to Doha is literally up and down...Matt told me the airport there was a small one so it would be easy to navigate. He got it half right! I would not call it a small airport, but I didn't have any trouble figuring it out and found myself on a bus being driven out to the plane with a virtual melting pot of cultures heading to places unknown...I loved it. Of course, I started watching and listening to what was going on around me at 1 o'clock in the morning and here are some of my thoughts and observations...
There are people everywhere. In all areas of the airport, in lines and in restaurants that are still open, I am struck at how well behaved the children are so late at night. There are people of all ages sleeping in awkward poses in seats in and around the various gates oblivious to what's going on around them. Announcements are made in lots of  different languages...very proper, clear, and polite. I made it down to where we were to board the bus to be taken out to the plane and wondered where everyone else was going? As we wait for the bus I see a group of men traveling together and wondered if they were going home from their jobs after a long separation from their families. I heard happy in their voices which is where that thought came from. I see a young couple in a corner talking and I couldn't help noticing the way he looked at her...ah...young love. He was gone...hook, line, and sinker. I remember that feeling! It's really dark out, but the darkness is dotted with the lights of the airplanes lined up on the tarmac getting prepared to leave. Some of them have lines of people climbing the metal steps to board. The airplanes themselves remind me of soldiers lined up ready to march away...lights blinking letting us know they are ready to go. I see many different colors of passports in the crowd and think about how busy life can be even in the quiet of the night. Even in this mishmash of languages around me for the moment, off in the distance I hear the familiar sounds of my own and somehow there's some comfort there.
I'm off to Paris to meet my close friend, Peggy and her daughter in law, Jenni. We have been talking about taking a trip like this for years and we are finally making it happen...even in my exitement of what's coming in the next few hours, I can't help but wonder what the bus in Paris has in store for me too?

All Things Familiar

I'm back!!

 I don't know why I stayed away so long...life gets in the way sometimes, doesn't it? A lot has happened since I wrote last...I returned to Abu Dhabi the end of January, February was spent concentrating on getting our apartment to the point of being called home.. as was March...so far. I accompanied Matt to Muscat, Oman for a magical overnight trip in one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. We were with our buddies, Mark and Deb who lived there almost 20 years ago. It was so fun to see this special place through their eyes as they were so excited to see their old home, the places where some of their family stories were made, and their own surprises as they found some of their old familiar haunts still around. We found their favorite Mexican restaurant..(I love this stuff). A year ago I would have never guessed that Matt and I would have been in Oman in a very good mexican restaurant with a waiter named Lawrence!

Where would we be if not for those wonderful life exeriences! I do love the surprise of the unexected ones, but those daily experiences that are part of life that go unnoticed until they are no longer there are just as important. There's a sense of familiarity that provides a level of comfort that helps us exist. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but lately I have been looking for those places here that fit into my needs of familiarity. Recently I had lunch in a restaurant not far from here that I have dubbed my "Spartans". Spartans is our hometown restaurant in Burke where we would go before and after ballgames or concerts, quick lunches, and/or was the fallback in case the kitchen at home was not in use on any particular evening. I have mentioned that Starbucks has invaded this part of the world and I find myself over there quite often when I'm feeling like I need a little bit of home. The people watching there is fabulous and I am beginning to recognize familiar faces and scenarios. When I was there the other day, I was watching a group of young arab moms and wondered what they were talking about. They were obviously having a good time and watching their watches as I imagined they probably had kids to pick up from some practice session of some sort...music or soccer? There were others like me, alone, reading the paper or on the phone enjoying their quiet. There was a group of men to my left having a business meeting...only in Italian and enjoying their coffee very much.  I noticed the Nine West shoe store was on my left and Guess Jeans was on my right. Ahead was Tiffany's and The Body Shop was there as well. The other day Matt and I were walking around and saw a family of 5 coming  our way. Dad, mom, and three boys...sound familiar? All the boys had a yellow shirt on and both parents were doing their best to keep up. We loved that one!

It's a good feeling for me to be able to recognize now the new familiarities in my life that makes life here more and more comfortable. I find now that the air is empty if I don't hear the call to prayer. If I don't see our young gentlemen who work the concierge desk, I miss the greeting that starts the day and if I walk passed them without acknowledging them, I hear about it. I can't tell you how comforting it is to look out my windows and down on the streets and finally know in any given direction what road I am looking at and where it goes! It feels good to be back here writing my thoughts down to share and hopefully give you a creative description of what everyday life is like in another part of our world that's not so different from ours. It's all finally familiar again and I finally feel like I am at home!

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!!!