December 26-January 3, 2012 - Trip Home to the US

We flew from Dammam to Dubai on Saudi Arabian Airlines.  Jordan still has her abaya on, after wearing it through the airport.

I liked the flight attendants' uniforms.

This is the Dubai airport... it's so pretty.  (I don't know why Jordan is still wearing her abaya... she says she's cold!)

Now we're flying on Delta (using Bruce's benefits) from Dubai to Atlanta in Business Elite class!  Hello, lay-flat seats!

My favorite part is the pre-departure champagne.  It's embarrassing, though, as all the poor, coach passengers have to walk by you with jealousy.

While we're flying we can play games, watch movies, or watch the moving map and see where we are.  Here, we're just heading to Canada.

We can even see in which direction Mecca is in case we need to face it to pray.

We didn't check any luggage, so we arrived with everything, and took a taxi to our house.  There were a few difficulties when we arrived.  First, the thermostat in the living room was not working, so the house was very cold!  Second, the power in the garage was not working, so we had to flip the breaker switch before we could open the garage doors.  Third, we needed to empty our PO box because we knew there were a few Christmas packages piling up there, but when I tried to use the van, we couldn't find the key.  I'd left it at the airport in October, and our friends, Lana & Philip Steidinger, had driven it back home for us.  I looked everywhere I could think to look for the key, but couldn't find it.  The front van tires were VERY bald, but I had decided to wait until the summer to replace them.  The fourth difficulty was when we tried to start Bruce's truck instead, and the battery was dead because the power was off in the garage and the charger didn't have any power.  Although it was very cold, and a 30-minute drive to the post office on the golf cart, we decided the golf cart was our only choice.  But the fifth difficulty was that we'd forgotten the golf cart had a leaky tire and now it was completely flat.  We filled up the tire and put on our winter coats and gloves and headed for the post office.  I wish I'd had my camera, because the sixth difficulty was when we received a large box of mail and five medium to large boxes that we had to strap on to the back of the golf cart!  Jordan and I were laughing so hard when we drove to the library with all of our boxes strapped on!  When we finally got to the tire shop, we had to leave all of our mail on the golf cart and hope they didn't mind.  By the time we got back home, we were frozen!  Lana called me later that day and told me where she had hidden our van key... right under the driver's seat... now why didn't I think of looking there??

The house seemed especially lonely without Shadow this time.  Being jet-lagged, we were all in bed by 7pm.  The first thing we cooked for breakfast the next morning (and every morning) was real pork bacon!  Pork is illegal in Saudi.  So we enjoyed it every day.

I literally spent each day shopping.  There were so many things that we needed in Saudi and haven't figured out yet where to find them.  We knew we could each check two boxes on our flight back, so I shopped and shopped and shopped!  The bald van tires held out very well!  I think they'll last until summer for me.

Bruce and I were happy to see our friends from our old Homebuilder's group at church.  We had dinner one night at a Mexican restaurant with Anne & Jeff Lange, and Meghan & Dave Lowry.

After a few days at home, my mom was able to fly in from Little Rock, Arkansas.  It was the first time she's been able to visit for a couple of years.  Her husband passed away this summer just as we were leaving for Saudi, so I've been really sad about being so far away when I wanted to be there for her.  We really enjoyed our time together.

Grandma is handing out gifts to everyone.

We're ready to go shopping!

We all enjoyed being back at home in our old school room.

Reese was happy to get a new hat and gloves in the mail from Aunt Marie...

Brooke was happy to get new sweat pants in the mail from Aunt Marie...

...and we bought her new glasses too!  She lost her old pair at the pool in Saudi.

Bruce was happy to see some of his friends from Delta - Rick & Jenna, and Tony too.  He also did a lot of little jobs around the house.  Here, he and Jordan are cleaning the gutters.

Brooke was so disappointed to miss the snow this year, that in spite of her two casts, she came up with the great idea to have Holly pull her on a sled behind her golf cart.  That shouldn't be dangerous, right?

We sure missed the Georgia woods!

Holly is driving her golf cart.

Here are Hope, Reese, and Howie on our gravel road.

Reese and Hope.

Every New Year's Eve we have a traditional family movie night.  Everyone gets to pick a movie and we watch five movies until the new year rolls in.  Here we are at midnight with our noise-makers.  We could hear the Turners' fireworks from our deck.  Happy New Year! (Don't worry... the kids have sparkling grape juice.)

  

On New Year's Day, we were happy to get a chance to visit our church before we left again.  Even my mom got to come with us.

The next day, when we were driving to our friend's, the Newman's, I hit the curb, and my bald tire gave up it's life... not to mention the rim as well!  Since the rim was dust and I was almost at their house, I just drove it slowly the rest of the way.  Doug and Brian Newman put my spare tire on, and Denise Newman drove with me to the dealer to get a new rim and two tires.

We were all so happy to spend time with our friends.  Here is Brooke with her buddy, Caitlin.

Here is Caitlin's sweet family.

In the winter, Brooke likes to fill buckets and bowls with water and leave them out all night to freeze.  Here is the ice she made.

On our last day in Georgia, we went to the dentist, orthodontist, doctor, car dealer, and got haircuts.  Well... I guess we're ready to go back.  We'll miss everyone.  We'll be back in the summer.

- Pattie -

December 24-25 - Christmas

We didn't bring many clothes to Saudi with us, so this was the best we could do for our Christmas Eve Service.

 I hoped my pink shirt would look a little red.

This is the Christmas Eve service.

There were so many nationalities here and it was fun looking at all the pretty clothes.

This is one of the few restaurants on camp... called the Tandoori House.

When we got home, Reese put out some cookies for Santa and some carrots and water for the reindeer.

Christmas morning is finally here!  Shadow can't think of anything else until he gets that new toy in his mouth!

Jordan got a stool that matches her vanity table.

Reese got stickers with a girl wearing an abaya... she's not impressed.

Brooke got beads to hang over her bedroom door.

Jordan has always wanted a swim T-shirt.

Bruce got some white chocolate.

Reese got a stuffed leopard.

Bruce bought me some glasses.

Jordan gave Brooke a wall hanging for her photos.

Brooke got some mirrors for her room.

Bruce got a comfortable chair to use at his computer desk.

After we finished opening our presents, Brooke had to go to the doctor to get her wrists checked by the orthopedic doctor.

Here are the receptionists.

Just your typical waiting room (and women with their faces covered.)

When they heard that Brooke might have sand in her casts, they cut 'em off!

...and let her wash her arms... ahhhhh.

...and put new casts on... just like that.

To celebrate Christmas, they gave her red and green tape to cover them.

This is the only gas station on camp.

We can fill up our tank for about $5.00!  And then we always tip the guy who pumps the gas because he has a stinky job in the hot sun!

We had Christmas dinner with Brooke's friends (Rylynn & Morgan) and we got to know their parents and had a very nice time.

Everything was delicious.

Rylynn's family found these hedgehogs at the golf course on camp and now they are their pets!  Reese loved them.  Of course, she wants to go and find her own!

After dinner we went to the Wilkey's house around the corner and visited them before we fly to the states.  They had this room added on in their backyard.  A lot of expats do that to add space to these small townhouses.  If they live in the house for five years, they won't have to pay to have it removed when they move out.

We're leaving for the states TOMORROW!  Hello, Wal-Mart & Target!!  I sure miss being able to buy things when I need them!  And hello, After-Christmas sales!

- Pattie -