Alas...friends.

This week I have felt a shift in my attitude and energy. All of the sudden I have this desire to entertain and to meet new people. At first I was embarrassed to invite people to my apartment because our furniture is far from comfortable and everyday I sit in it I think that this apartment is really depressing. What I am learning is that without friends and company, it is sort of depressing...So out of my shattered pride comes a great lesson.

No matter what your home is furnished with...if you invite them, they will come and you may have more fun than you bargained for!

I have made a standing date with Marta, a Colombian woman whose husband works with Jason. On Wednesday mornings she comes to my house at 10:00 for donuts and English lessons. You see, she lives next to a Krispy Kreme and I know English...so it is a great trade off. I'm even improving my broken Spanish in the process. I really miss teaching and this is an excellent way to keep practicing and to get to know a wonderful person in the process.

I also have an evening walking partner "En Shala," which means that as long as there is no other obligations, I can count on my friend "Hint" to show me the city by foot. She is a UAE national and has been a huge blessing to meet. We have a lot in common including our favorite TV shows, Lost, Prison Break, and Desperate Housewives. Here in Sharjah the city streets are busy and there are no sidewalks in many areas, so an evening walk is interesting to say the least. She is so proud to show me her city and even holds my hand when we cross the streets. I feel like a schoolgirl again, and am constantly amazed at how much we are actually the same even though we come from different backgrounds.

Though I love staying home with my children, it is good to get away for an hour in the evening to clear my mind. Also it feels so good to laugh again--not like the "Avery you are so silly" or "Ethan you are so cute" kind of laugh. But the kind like girlfriends do. When you can get together, share experiences, and laugh at yourself. Really I came here to experience other cultures, grow closer to my family, and to learn about myself. Finally I can see that it is coming together. Everyday I am crossing paths with women who are sharing my experience and are far from their friends and families. I feel like it is my turn to extend the "Come" and really invest myself into some great relationships here. In the end I think it could be a lot of fun.

Holidays

Christmas at IKEA...

I heard Christmas music in the mall yesterday. I can't believe how fast the time is going here. Usually this would be around the time we go on that great search for the perfect Christmas tree. It seems that every year our trees have gotten a little bigger. I think we had to whittle down last year's tree by a third. Truth be told, it was so cold we had to cut the first tree that didn't have any major deformities. I'm a little sad that our tradition will be on hold this year as there are not any blue spruce trees to be found here. Maybe the day after Thanksgiving we will make one out of construction paper, tape it to the wall, and let Avery go nuts making little decorations. I guess we could string up some lights on a date palm. Anyhow, I'm definitely in the mood for the holidays.