I love weekends. Don't we all? Time to relax and kick back with the family. We did the usual beach day, which is getting to be the norm for us. Then a friend of ours through Johns job invited us to come check out his place, in the Burj Khalifa! Even on the 76th floor you look up and it still looks like what is left could be the tallest building in the world. It is a work of art inside and out. Fresh flowers, sparkling floors. Spiral staircases with glass around it with a water feature.  So cool. And the view is amazing.  You can see all of DUbai from there. There is an indoor/outdoor pool where you swim under the wall and appear outside. Right beside that is the hot tub. We have officially swam in the highest pool in the world.

I met someone, yes, a new friend, Frances, I am not as anti social as I sometimes think I am. =) My baby doctor in Atlanta was also her doctor! When I told her (the doctor) I was moving to Dubai she told me she had a patient in labor across the street in labor right now that is planning a move to Dubai. After I moved here I got her information and we had a lunch date. Oh, and did I mention her daughter was born 10 days before Amalia? Lunch went well then this weekend we got the entire families together for lunch at a resort. Well let me tell you, John and her husband Michael had an immediate bromance from the "opening of the conversation". (Inside joke) See that? ...inside joke... That means we are friends, and I am funny, but none of you get it, but I amuse myself anyway.   She actually lives an hour and a half away in Abu Dhabi but enjoys visiting Dubai so she had another visit with me yesterday. Where we went for  lunch had great entertainment f...

My days are pretty quiet now with the boys in school, John at work, no delivery men, handy men or maintenance men around getting the house fixed up. They have great movies on tv here I watch one every couple days. Mostly I like to play with Amalia and of course blog. And then the boys get home from school and everything changes! It's really  handy having the beach a few feet away! I love being settled in with peace and quiet. I might say I want friends, but truth be told I am a bit of a hermit, I never like to leave the house. Especially not without John. I made a promise to myself to go check out the craft stores one day this week all on my own. I am trying to be brave. Because it is worth it. So once my shipment arrives in the next few days and I get my glue gun, paper cutter and all other types of craft supplies I will have a fun project to work on!

After 3 long months we finally have a permanent home! For anyone that knows me well you know that I am a home body. No where else I rather be. I don't even like staying in hotels for more than a couple days. I am so HAPPY! Not only do I have a home, but it is on the Palm Jumeirah! Ahhh! I remember so many years ago hearing about, and seeing pictures of an island shaped like a palm that was to be built in a city called "Dubai". Talk about surreal. Goodbye hotel! Woke up this first morning and walked out to this. Yes, that is my back porch! Made me smile even though I was blinded by sunlight at 6am since we did not have all our curtains up yet.   Here is my handy hubby getting curtains up. While we were busy organizing big brother Ethan made Amalia a tent. This picture is where my heart is.  This is how I will forever remember the night we moved in. Now that we have moved to the palm we have gotten fancy.  Breakfast is served!  ...

A couple days ago was John's birthday! Yay! I would like to be able to say I planned this fantastic day for him, but I can't. Thursday is our Friday, so it starts our weekend. I actually ventured out on my own on Wednesday to the Dubai mall to meet someone my doctor in Atlanta put me in contact with, she has a daughter 10 days older than Amalia and she just moved here as well. I got there early to find a special gift for John. Even though John is never a fan of gold I could not resist this gold theme we had going on. And he loved it! We did not have the romantic dinner we normally do. The day did not have the "birthday" feel. What were we doing? Shopping! Shopping for our new home. =) We are beyond excited about our move and have the keys but can't move until the furniture arrives. Pretty cool birthday weekend I'd say! And Amalia had a birthday gift up her sleeve. On the way to the mall she said "dada"! And then she would no...

Tomorrow our little angel will be 6 months old! What an amazing life she has lived so far. I am so happy for all my kids having such an adventurous life. She has been to 5 different countries and recently went camel riding, umm, hello! What a life. The only downfall is from here on out she won't be easily impressed! Saturday right before we went out Ethan calls me into the room. I am usually a bit cautious leaving Ethan with her because he is such a little dare devil. Walk into the room his eyes are beaming with pride and Amalia was standing on her own holding on to the ledge for the first time!! It was so sweet.    The boys were just as proud of her as I was.

We are getting to know the Middle East and it is truly spectacular. I miss home, I miss my comfort zone. But honestly, I love it here and would make this decision again a hundred times over. We met at Atlantis to go dune bashing. Amalia and I skipped the dune bashing but the 3 boys had fun! It was AMAZING! Camel riding, henna tattooing, good music, excellent food. Henna tattooing, great music, even better company. I love this city!