Just catching up!

Been a while since a post so I'll try to catch up on what's going on here...of course once school started things have been getting busier, Will has had 2 projects already and we spend most nights doing homework:)

Getting adjusted is going pretty well. We don't have our car yet although we have purchased one...just waiting on the paperwork to get completed. You learn here (anywhere abroad, I think) that things get done much slower then US so you just accept it. Especially here, the saying is "Insha' Allah" which means God Willing. So, things get done if God is Willing:) Sometimes God is willing, sometimes I guess he is not.

Funny thing about our car- we ended up getting a Ford Edge from a guy that lived in Kansas City for 5 years. Small world...I'm a little nervous driving here but guess you just jump right in! One thing I've learned in my short life is that you can't let fear paralyze you:)

Yesterday I went for my Residence Visa so I can keep living here...they take blood to make sure you aren't HIV positive (they will deport you) and that I don't have TB and other diseases. They give you a chest xray and when you walk in the room you are asked if you are married or single; if you are married you get a form to state if you are pregnant or not. The assumption of course is that if you are single you don't need the form - because you could not be pregnant. Not sure the US would ever make that assumption:) So, I guess I can make my big announcement now - we are NOT having a baby!

Everything else is going well..we went to the Dubai Mall last weekend for some Lebanese food (best Hommos - that is how they spell hummus - I have EVER had) I've attached pictures of the dancing water fountain which is really cool and goes off every 30 minutes in the evenings. The Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world) is the backdrop. The boys loved it. It is so funny that every place we go to reminds us of Disney..

I also went to the Souks with some friends the other day. They would be like flea markets (the word souk means "market" in Arabic) in the US and sell everything from textiles and spices to gold. I'll attach some pics of those too. They are in Old Dubai so it isn't as clean but it is real life and very interesting. The boat ride to get there was ONE dirham which is equal to about 25 cents. I think probably because you might not make it across!

Hopefully I'll get better with writing...we have Halloween parties starting tomorrow and Chip and I are going with some friends to our first Brunch experience so I'll write soon about that. Brunch in Dubai is a big thing. Lots of restuarants have brunches on Friday from 12-5 and people just go eat and drink all day since the weekend starts on Thursday night....sounds fun to me.

Off to the pool....:)




If front of Burj Khalifa



The Souks

Funny name for diapers:)

School Starts!

Well, this week (on Sunday) the boys started school...Will is in 4th grade and Weston in Kindergarten. They are attending the American School of Dubai (ASD). Right now the school is about 20 minutes away from us but after the holidays they are opening up a brand new state of the art school just 5 minutes away from our new place. So far, they really like it. Will is getting adjusted to homework (so are we) last night we spent about 2 hours doing a project, math homework (they do on the internet) and PE homework. YES..PE homework!!!! I think once he gets adjusted to the workload he will be fine. He started soccer this week too so that is good - keeping him active...

The transportation to and from school is crazy. I have a taxi driver from Pakistan that has taken me under his wing and I call him when I need a ride and he comes. He has a family, including a five year old son, that he doesn't see back home. He works here and sends money. I've heard him talking on the phone to his wife and little boy and it is so sad. He kisses the phone and I think enjoys driving Weston around because it reminds him of his son. Pakistan is a four hour plane trip and it is very hard for them to save money to get back home.

He picks us up at 7:45am at the hotel, drives us to school. I run in and drop off boys and he waits..then drives me back to hotel or to the store. Then, he picks me up again in the afternoon and then drives me to school to get the boys and back again. It's an expensive day but we don't have a car yet. Hopefully we will have a car soon! Chip needs to write a letter that says he "allows" me to drive. Too funny, I'm sure he will frame that one!! I have also met a couple of friends here that have given me a lift here and there - and we have another Cerner family we will start carpooling with once we move to the Palm (fingers crossed- tomorrow!)

I've attached the boys in their school uniforms on the first day of school - just khacki shorts and polo type shirts. So easy, LOVE having uniforms.

Miss everyone in the states but things are good here. It is very exciting and everyone here I've met (Americans) love it and say it is a great place to raise a family. I feel very safe here and they adore kids. Oh, and they pump your gas at the station! You don't even get out of your car!!! Love it:)

Thanks to everyone for keeping in touch. By the way, thanks to all who took our poll on the price of a hot wheels car...they are about $7 here! (Yes, the same ones that are $1 at home) and LEGOS are really expensive...so we know what to pick up when we get home:)

Our "Staycation" to Atlantis Dubai

We've been in Dubai a week today and it feels like it has been much longer! We have been couped up in a hotel with no car and the kids aren't in school yet so we needed a break:) Off we went, about 2 miles up the road, to Atlantis Dubai. It was a last minute decision and I just called them and booked a room so we could go to the waterpark and get out of this hotel for a bit. It was a GREAT hotel! The kids had a ball..they had a kid's play place, waterpark, and of course a great beach. Any visitors that come we will certainly take you there. It is such a nice resort and only about 5 minutes from where our place will be on the Palm.

I've added some pics. Interesting thing about the water park..and pool..in one blink you would see a bikini clad European showing it all off and in the next blink a woman dressed in the water from head to toe. The great thing is that everyone can co-exist and it all seems very normal. Very "Disney" like - so clean, so nice, the people so friendly. I was at a mall the other day and as soon as I left the bathroom stall someone was behind me cleaning it up. Amazing- in a public mall restroom:)

Not that everyone is friendly...the cabs are absolutely nuts (and the drivers) but overall the people here are very helpful. I did just read in a book that I should not sit in the front of the cab as it would be considered an invitation. Hmmm....will definitely remember that one!

Will is going to play for a soccer team tomorrow morning so we will see how he likes the team, and on Sunday they start the first day of school. Weston was observed in his classroom last week and really liked it. The teacher was so nice, I think he will love it. Will had to take a 2 hour test and he passed so he'll be starting 4th grade for the second time this year! They both seem very excited about the school.

We are just ready to get settled in our place but had to get a bank account first so they could get paid. Logistics....

The boys were excited to find a living starfish!

From one of the many beautiful pools!

From our balcony looking out at Palm

We've Arrived!

The pool/bar area



Our beach!

 After some delay in writing I'm finally able to log on and write! LOTS has happened since my last post- we are settled in the hotel and have found a place to live. I have posted some pics here of the place- it is on The Palm (will add a link with info on blog) and we have a partial sea view...it's only about 1500 sq feet but has a great outdoor area with a pool, bar, restuarant and of course, the beach!  It was very appealing because it is fully furnished and has everything we need in it. I've attached some pics. The prices here have gone down considerably over the past 3 years ( just like the US) but they are still much higher than KC!

We are hoping to move in this weekend. The week in Dubai runs from Sunday-Thursday so that is when Chip works and the kids are in school. All the days are running together right now anyway as we try to get a bank account, a car, a place to live and all the other things that need to be done. The kids are going to their school tomorrow just for observation..so we'll see how that goes!

The view from our balcony - you can see the Burj Al Arab which is the only seven star hotel in the whole world