Zoo Time!

It's been a crazy month for us but if I can look back into the archives of things I've missed since we arrived in the States, one of the biggest things was a day trip out to the Nashville Zoo!

My parents took us to the zoo one Sunday afternoon. Though we have a little zoo in Abu Dhabi, this was Grace's first trip to an official zoo- you know, one that follows rules and regulations.

The Nashville Zoo is the most beautiful zoo I have ever been in. It has this gorgeous park like environment and there are flowers and trees every where!

While the grounds were impressive and the exhibits really well kept, there weren't a ton of animals. I imagine that another 10 to 15 animal exhibits would make it a little more of a half day adventure than just a 2 hour one.

My mom took Grace on the little train there and she was just overjoyed to take a ride!

My dad, Ian, Sophia, and I hung out on a bench for awhile.

And then we were rewarded with this ecstatic 2 year old!

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Zoo Time!

Desert...Two Ways

Being surrounded by the sea on one side and desert on the other means that we get to have some unique experiences quite often.

This past week was no exception.

First of all, we were finally able to go on my birthday "adventure." Yes, my birthday was almost a month and a half a go, but I was not able to arrange babysitting until this past week. I had asked Ian for an adventure instead of a present this year, and I was excited to see what he was surprising me with.

Mostly because that would be one of the first surprises that he really pulled off! Not because he is bad at surprises, but because I am horrible at not guessing.

We started the day by dropping the girls at two different houses, then hitting the road. The only clue I had was that it was going to be outside (so I could dress appropriately for the weather...and sand.)

As soon as we were driving, Ian told me that we were going.....Dune bashing!

I was so excited. This would be something new for me and a little out of my comfort zone. I don't even like go-karting because it feels to me like the car is unstable and unpredictable.

We had a great time. We paid to use the ATV's for one hour and popped on some helmets and off we went! The place we went to was familiar to us because we used to drive by it all the time, looking longingly at the mountain of sand and wishing we could play on it!

I started off slowly but got the hang of it and was able to keep up with Ian. We raced over dunes and along their steep ridges. It felt like we were playing hide and seek, because if you lost sight of each other you would drive to the top of a dune and look out across the desert to see if you cuold spot them on a peak or valley, then you would race off in that direction!

We also drove up to the top of a VERY tall dune, but didn't play on it at all since it was so steep and we didn't want to get stuck. Or, you know, hurt.

I only got stuck once, which I was pretty proud of. I had been following Ian but veered to the left to go up and over a dune, but when I approached the crest I let up on the gas and the ATV stalled out and got stuck in the sand. I had to reverse it all the way down the dune, pick up speed, and try again.

We ended up spending more time driving there and back, but it was great to have uninterrupted time with Ian. We were even able to stop in to a Chili's for Chips, Salsa, and Diet Coke's with ice (oh how I miss ice in a drink!)

 Our second desert adventure happened a week prior, when my women's Bible study joined up with our sister small group for a desert camping trip. Now, I had no intention of going camping again with babies, but we did decide to go out for the afternoon and evening.

We met up with our group at 2:30 and hit the road by 3. Ian and I didn't realize how far out the camping site was and we were quickly in trouble when we realized we were out of gas. Ian knew where a nearby gas station was though so we broke off from the group and headed there. It was the right thing to do, so that we wouldn't run out of gas, but because of some issues at the campsite, we couldn't be met by someone to lead us out there until after 5! That ended up being a long time in the car for  Grace and Sophia, but as soon as we stepped out of the car they perked right up!

We grilled dinner, climbed up dunes, and slid back down them. We got caught up on each other's happenings and met some new friends.

Proof that I was actually there.

And as the sun sank down below the horizon, the 12 kids gathered around the fire to roast marshmallows and sing camp songs. It was a great way to end a fun outing with our small groups!

 And yes. This happened. Boogie board to slide down a sand dune. Ian took Grace down it a couple of time and they had a blast.

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Desert...Two Ways

{The Beach} Time with Grace

A normal Wednesday morning that becomes a special day. Ian is working from home and Sophia is sleeping better and taking a bottle, permitting me a window of freedom. I hustle around the house, gathering the necessary items. I feed Sophia, change into my bathing suit, and shepherd Grace out the door to the promise of water and sand.

"This Little Light of Mine" plays on repeat during our twenty minute drive. Grace sits peacefully, without the constant requests for food, water, toys, and her paci.

The water laps at our feet and the sun burns brightly. The wind whips two wisps of hair into her eyes and she turns to me. "Eyes!"

Toes sink into the sand and play begins. A sacred dance of stepping into the water and back out, with laughter as our melody.

Sand is thrown into the water and it's okay. I've left the word "No," at the threshold of emergencies for the day.

Birds are chased. Castles are built. Stories are told. Songs are sung.

No TV.
No computers.
No iPhones.
No screens.

Not even my camera so that I can remain in the moment with her.

Focused, devoted play, and a daughter who appreciates every minute of it. I feel my heart in my throat and am hot with shame, she deserves so much more of time like this.

She dances to a rhythm that is all her own. Fingers pointed to the right and hips to the left. She jumps and catches just a tiny bit of air and laughs with glee.

The noun naming begins in her attempt to communicate with me.

Hat. Eyes. Toys. Water. Sun. Hot. Hair. Shirt. Friends. Play. Beach.

ILoveYou. All one word. Fast and without thinking, because it is exactly what she feels.

The sun reaches its apex and we sweat. Cookies are eaten and water is slurped down. Sticky hands grasp my face and she plants a kiss on my lips and runs away.

Our time winds down and she gathers her toys to me. Shows me the shells she has found. And also a bottle cap. Her treasures. We walk out of the sand to the car and shake and wipe until we are cleaner. She sits back into her car seat with a happy sigh and the cold air springs forth. She taps on the window at the shoreline.

"Beach."

That is the first time she has said beach. I smile and start the car. We sing veggie tales songs on the way home. She shouts "Hallelujah, Praise Ye the Lord."

And I second that. Praise the Lord for quiet, beautiful days like today. And for the loud, crazy, ugly days in between. And for my Gracie girl, all that she is and all that she is to be.

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{The Beach} Time with Grace

Winter Camping

This just about got lost in the recesses of my memory, but luckily, I was procrastinating doing the dishes by going through old photos tonight and I remembered. Back in December, just a few days before Christmas, we joined some new friends for some desert camping.

Now, you might ask yourself who goes camping, in December, with a one and a half year old?

Oh, and with a (then) 2 month old?

Oh yes. That would be us.

And it was Ian's first real camping experience (because that time we went camping when we were first married and it was so cold that we ended up sleeping in the car doesn't count.)

We loaded up and headed out to the sand dunes that are about half an hour away from our house. We unpacked, set up camp, and just hung out talking for most of the afternoon.

Sophia did alot of nothing, seeing as she was just 2 months old.

She got held by people and napped in our tent between feedings.

 After the heat of the day broke (it was still very hot at mid day, despite it being December!) we all explored the dunes around our campsite.

 Grace, as you can imagine, loved it.

 We taught her the proper way to slide down a dune...

 And then demonstrated what NOT to do....

 We grilled out and our South African friends knew how to grill out the right way- they brought steak! One by one the eight kids were tucked into bed and the adults sat up around the fire until our eyes could not stay open any longer.

It was COLD at night. The desert is a place of extremes and we were extremely cold that night. Since I couldn't really cover Sophia up, she ended up sleeping between us for the first time ever. She nursed all night long, whenever she got cold and needed a cuddle. Grace slept in her pack-n-play in our tent and woke up a few times confused at where she was and very cold.

Not much sleep happened that night, but in the morning, when we woke up, the view was fantastic...

 Danishes, eggs, and coffee were consumed while the kids played in the slightly damp sand.

 And then we loaded up and headed out. Actually, I put Sophia in the car while we started packing up and when I checked on her there was over 3 dozen flies in the car and crawling on her (winter is fly season here.) I had to drive back and forth on the access road for nearly an hour with the girls in the car to keep the flies out and to get them to nap. Finally our campsite was cleaned up and we headed out!

We had a great time but I'm not sure we'll do it again for awhile! We value our sleep a little too much!

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Winter Camping

Carols in the Desert

This past Friday, we loaded up the car just before sunset and drove out into the desert.

Along with 1,000 other people, we picnicked on sand dunes,

Watching the sun set below the horizon,

Sunk our toes deep into the cold, fine sand,

Snuggled together in camping chairs,

Marveled as the stars appeared overhead,

and sung out Christmas carols.

It was a truly magical evening, one that makes me glad I live in a place that is so different from my home, but so exotic in so many ways.

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Carols in the Desert

Sickie Sunday

We had a pretty low key weekend here in the Galloway house.

Friday (church day here in the Middle East,) I got both girls ready for church and go a meal in the crock pot but wasn't able to get myself completely ready by the time it was time to leave. I had myself a good cry and told Ian to take Grace and go without me. I think that might be the first time, ever, that I sent him to church without me!

The rest of Friday and Saturday were spent at home, playing with Grace, taking care of Sophia, and getting some laundry done.

Saturday night a friend of mine called me up to see if I would go with her shopping for some house decorations at a local souq (market.) I took he opportunity for a girls' night out and brought Sophia along with me so that I would not be rushed to get back. We had a great time and I go home with just enough time to get Sophia fed and asleep for the night before he big rival game between U of F (my team,) and UGA (Ian's team.)

The game started at 11:30 pm, our time, and by then I was starting to feel really horribly. My stomach was upset and I was fearing food poisoning from my Fettuccini Alfredo at dinner. I watched about 15 minutes of the game before throwing in the towel and collapsing in bed.

Good thing I didn't stay up to watch my team get beaten. That would have been depressing.

I woke up at 6 am very disoriented, because Ian had never brought Sophia to me to feed her in the night. I ran downstairs only to find Ian asleep on the couch and Sophia asleep in her pack n play. Poor baby wasn't feeling too great either and spent the majority of the day sleeping off whatever cold bug we had picked up.

And I did the same. My sweet husband even ran errands with Grace today so that I could have some quiet (my head was pounding,) and hopefully get some extra sleep. And he brought me back a frosty- what more could a girl ask for?

And, some closing random thoughts:

You know you are old when...

• You are afraid to do a somersault for your daughter. I was so worried about it hurting! Finally I did and Grace got such a kick out of it. I called Ian in to do one as well but he did his all cockeyed- over his shoulder like a ninja roll. So weird.

• Your daughter owns a pair of light up tennis shoes. That either means I'm old, or redneck. I'm not sure which one yet.

• You get excited about finding a free episode of Reading Rainbow from 1983 (seriously.)

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Sickie Sunday

Mimi Comes for a Visit

Ian's mom was able to come for a visit for three whole weeks. We had not seen her since we left the States in April of 2010, which means she had never even met Grace!

She arrived on a Thursday night and met her granddaughter for the first time....

 

And, just 28 hours later, her second granddaughter was born and she got to have a front row seat for her arrival....

Over the next three weeks she helped out by taking care of Grace, cooking meals, cleaning the house, doing laundry, and snuggling Sophia...

We tried to give her a glimpse of life on this side of the ocean by taking her to the beach...

Having her give Sophia her first bath....

Driving up the country's largest mountain...

Playing at parks....

Touring a fort/palace....

Going to the zoo...

Taking her downtown....

Touring the Grand Mosque....

Going back to the beach....

And going on playdates!

On her last day here we went to Dubai for the day, where we went to the top of the Burj Khalifa (world's tallest skyscraper, seen in the new Mission Impossible movie)

Viewed the fish, sharks, manta rays, and other creatures at the aquarium....

Had a nice dinner out....

And took in the beautiful fountain show!

It was a wonderful visit and we are so grateful that she was able to come out for so long. It was neat to see the bond that she and Grace formed and broke my heart when, today, Grace walked around asking for Mimi and holding out her "where" hands looking for her!

We already miss her but are looking forward to next summer when we will see her again!

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Mimi Comes for a Visit