A Plethora of Information

**Disclaimer- I have no idea why my posts keep looking different.  Some paragraphs are one font, some another.  Some paragraphs are single spaced, and others are double spaced.  I can't even figure out how to clear away all the empty space between paragraphs b/c it's not showing up that way when I'm typing it in the posts-- it won't let me edit it correctly.  Sorry about that!


WOW- I can't believe we've already been in the "Magic Kingdom" for almost 4 days now.  So much has happened that I've wanted to blog about, but our days and times are a little messed up due to jet lag so finding time to get on the internet has been trying.  Not to mention the fact that we're having difficulty with our internet connection, which has made it VERY difficult to do anything for a long period of time on the internet.  Apparently, our wireless router is too advanced for  I can't tell you how many blog posts I've started, but then are deleted after 20 minutes of working because I lost our connection.  So, please, bare with me on the posts.  Since there are so many things I want to share, I'll just give bits and pieces of a lot of information, versus focusing on particular activities and elaborating.  Here goes nothing.

- Jet Lag really isn't that fun.  At least, not with a 2 year old whose body doesn't understand what is happening, or being pregnant and having STRONG desires to eat at random times of the day.  Everyday we've been here we've taken a nap anywhere from 2-5 hours during the day, we go to sleep easy at night, but then wake up within 4 hours of going to bed.  However, with Gavin waking up multiple times during the night, it hasn't really allowed Brooks and I to get on any kind of schedule ourselves.  We've been tag teaming it most nights, taking turns going into Gavin's room.  We've been very strict about making him stay in his bed when he wakes up at night so that his body can begin understanding that it's night time and he should be asleep.  He's really cute and fun to listen to talk while he's in bed.  He's really goofy.

- Speaking of Gavin's sleeping.... we started him in a big boy bed from the moment we arrived in Saudi.  We sent a baby gate (to put at his bedroom door since we have stairs with no gates yet) and a bed rail (to put on one side of his bed) in our air shipment so they were here when we arrived.  We figured while we were tackling his change of sleeping pattern, we'd tackle the infamous transition to a big boy bed.  He has done AWESOME!  We're so thankful we've done it all at once.  The first night he got up numerous times, stood at the gate and called out for us.  We just kept going in there one at a time and putting him back in his bed.  I think a lot of his reasons that night for getting up, besides the fact that it was a new freedom he found, was that we were in a new place, that was really dark, and he wasn't quite sure of everything.  However, since that night, he hasn't gotten out of bed once, and if he calls us when he's waking up from having jet lag, he's still in his bed.  It's great- and kind of been easy.

- We've been invited to dinner every night by some friends and neighbors, which has been a HUGE blessing to not have to worry about cooking. I'm just not in that frame of mind yet.  I will tell you this, any concerns we had about not eating normal while here have been thrown out the window.  So far, we've eaten chicken and dumplings, red beans and rice, baked chicken with mushroom risotto, and plenty of cookies, brownies, and banana split cakes. YUM.  Brooks even cooked us pancakes yesterday morning in lieu of our usual Saturday morning traditions (even though yesterday was our Sunday morning), but still, we hadn't found pancake mix until we went to a store on Saturday.

- I understand the whole women shopping over here everyday.  Here's the deal- not every grocery store has everything what you need.  Sometimes they stock it, and sometimes they don't.. therefore, it causes you to go to a different store on a different day to go find the ingredient you were looking for.  We've been to two different grocery stores in two different days and still have a long list of items we are searching for.  Who knew you couldn't walk into a store and buy garlic powder or measuring cups/spoons.  I haven't found those 2 items yet & it's driving me crazy (not really, just not use to this yet).

- And on the note of grocery shopping.  First of all, the wheels on the grocery carts spin in all directions so when you turn a corner or are just walking straight it moves from one side to the other.  In the beginning, it was REALLY annoying, however, when I was in an aisle with 3 other Saudi men (Brooks was in front of me), I was able to slide over VERY easily to get out of there way.  I chuckled to myself thinking, how convenient that was to do.

- On another note, we get stared at everywhere we go.  It’s kinda creepy, but interesting at the same time.  Some of the people here are that intrigued with us they can’t help but watch us.  At a few stores, some of the workers have taken a liking to Gavin and follow us around showing him toys and attempting to entertain him.  Gavin just stares back at them.  I don’t say anything or acknowledge them since I don’t know if they’re Saudi’s are not (and since these are mostly men, I’m not suppose to talk to them).

- Ramadan has started over here, which has caused a majority of the stores around here to have limited hours and restaurants and food places are NOT opened at all during the day.  This might not seem like a big deal, but it causes us to get out early in the morning, rush to do our shopping, and then forces us to go home for lunch and not get to stay out.  However, the only really way it has affected us has been we don’t really have the ability to go to Khobar (a larger city an hour away) that has much more shopping options with larger selections, due to the inability to eat while over there and the hours stores are opened.  Generally, when people go to Khobar, they make it a day trip, since it takes an hour to get over there and you want to make the most of your time there.  I’m looking forward to going over there and seeing what those stores have to offer.

- It’s HOT over here!  You know how when you walk into a sauna and it takes your breath away the moment you are in one?  That’s exactly how it is when you walk outside here.  We’re adjusting and changing clothes through out the day and putting LOTS of deodorant on.

- We hung out at one of the pools yesterday for the afternoon (in an effort to keep Gavin awake throughout the day and not let him nap).  It was a lot of fun and many of our friends were there, too.  It was nice to relax and visit.  The great thing was that pool is air conditioned so it was nice and cool, which made it

- Brooks gave me my first injection last night.  I have to get one every week and this evening was our first experience.  I was incredibly nervous and even started crying before he even did anything.  I’ll be happy to report that I did NOT pass out-- thank you, thank you very much!  And Brooks did great with the ordeal!  He was very loving, comforting, and reassuring with the whole thing.  He encouraged me the whole time he was giving it (the medicine is really thick so it takes a while to get out of the syringe) and I felt like a big baby afterwards.  I told him I should have been encouraging him since he was the one who had to actually give the shot to me and he’s never done that before.  I love my man and what he is willing to do for me!

- Gavin has had to adjust to us having stairs everywhere in our home.  We’ve been diligently teaching him to hold on to the rails, walk slowly, watch where you are going, etc, etc.  However, as much as we teach him, he’s had a few stumbles.  We even have 2 small steps going into our living room/dining room area, which he seems to fall on multiple times a day.  I noticed a small bruise on his lower back, poor baby, from the falls.  Not only are the stairs the factor, but everything is tile here and it’s really, really slick.  I’ve almost fallen a few times just walking from one room to another.  Gavin’s struggling and we have to keep in tennis shoes while he’s inside the house and we definitely don’t let him wear just socks inside.  That would be disastrous.  Tonight, Gavin took a nice spill at some friends of ours house and accidentally tripped on his Uncle Micah’s foot.  He fell forward and nailed the side of their couch.  There was blood, a busted, swollen lip, and one upset little boy.  He managed to fall asleep in our arms after 15 minutes of crying.  We’re grateful the fall wasn’t worse, but we’re even more aware now of just how easy it is to slip and fall on these floors.

- One last thing before I go. 

Psalm 138:2 (ESV) says,

I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
       I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
    for your promises are backed
       by all the honor of your name. 

I don’t normally read the version of the bible called The Message, but I ran across this same scripture and it was my prayer while reading the above scripture.  God is Good! 

   I kneel in worship facing your holy temple 

      and say it again: "Thank you!" 

   Thank you for your love, 

      thank you for your faithfulness; 

   Most holy is your name, 

      most holy is your Word. 

   The moment I called out, you stepped in; 

      you made my life large with strength.