Surviving...

So here are the things that I have managed to accomplish so far:

1. I have made it to several grocery stores and malls (there are a ton of malls!)with both kids which is a huge undertaking for me!

2. With the help of the other ExxonMobil wives I have found a babysitter who lives next door and a part-time maid.  I never had a babysitter in the almost 5 years that we lived in Texas.

3. Tommy and I were able to attend a Dinner with other ExxonMobil employees and their spouses.  I met a lot of wonderful women who have taken me under their wings and helped me to adjust to life here.

4.  The girls and I took a trip to the beach with a friend and had a wonderful time playing in the sand and water.

5.  I have gotten most of the girls clothes out of the suitcases and in to the closets (even though I'll have to pack them up again in about a month or so)

6. I have ordered lots and lots of takeout! I only have three pots for the time being and no storage containers so I can only cook once every few days.  The food is pretty good here!

We are supposed to receive our air shipment in the next few days so at least then the girls will have some toys and I will have more pots and utensils. It really is difficult to cook anything when you only have three pots. Also we'll be able to start sleeping in the master bedroom since the sheets and comforter are in the air shipment.

The house is coming along but we still desperately need rugs to absorb some of the echo. Oh yeah and furniture would be nice too considering poor Keira is sleeping in her pack-n-play in an empty room. 

Here are some of the pictures Tommy has taken so far...

 

Love you all!!

Pictures from the plane

Here are the few pictures we took of the flight over here.  As you will notice I have a glass of champagne in almost every shot!!!

This is in the Lounge before we got on the plane

Had Keira in the car seat initially but it didn't last long 

This is what she looked like after screaming for 10 minutes before and during takeoff 

Abu Dhabi so far...

So we've been here for a little less than a week and yet it seems like it's been a month!  The flight over here had it's good points and bad points.  The good was the free and endless champagne, the movies and the decent food and the bad was my screaming children and the HORRIBLE turbulence in the middle of the night, both of which kept me from sleeping.  Fortunately we survived the flight though we were exhausted!!


The first night we all managed to sleep.  The next night Keira only slept from midnight to 4am so I got no sleep that night so we all took naps the next day.  Keira's jet lag continues but is slowly getting better.  I'm hoping that she will be totally adjusted to the time by the end of the week


Tommy did a great job getting us set up here as far as the kitchen appliances and the minimal furniture he purchase to hold us over till we receive our stuff in a few months.  He is trying so hard to make this as easy as possible on me and the girls but I'm probably not making it easy on him.


The house is in a great location and will be very nice if I can ever get it cleaned up from all of the work that was done before we got here.  Also once our furniture gets here it might feel more like home but as for now it's dirty and echoes A LOT because of the marble and tile floors.  When the girls are playing the entire house echoes with their screams and it's deafening!!!! 


I feel quite uncomfortable when we leave the house because I never feel like I'm dressed appropriately and I swear everyone is staring at me.  It's amazing how much I've taken the freedoms of the States for granted.  Tommy neglected to tell me how many women actually wear the full coverings either with only their eyes showing or mesh over their entire face.  I hate to say this but it freaks me out a bit and I don't know if I'll ever get used to it. 


For those of you in Texas, if you think the driving is bad there, you really should see it here!  People regularly cut you off at high speeds, turn from non-turning lanes and double park like crazy!!!  I'll have to post a picture of the parking lots here.  They pretty much park wherever they want and if they block you in they leave their cell phone numbers on their dashboard so you can call them to tell them to move.  People drive at ridiculously high speeds and they don't use car seats for kids so you'll see someone holding a newborn in their arms while sitting in the front seat!  It gets a little scary when you are new to driving in the area.


Anyway, I miss all of you and I miss my home a ton!  I have a little freak out almost everyday and some days I feel like the walls are closing in on me but I try to hold on to the little victories like finding my way to the grocery store without getting into an accident or even being honked at more than once (they honk at everyone all of the time). I'm just hoping things get better sooner rather than later!