Home again, home again! Again!

Time for an update. I went back and saw that I haven't posted since March 28th! Sorry everybody! It's been a little hectic! That means that I didn't write about our trip to the beach north of Al Khor with our friends, Amy and Rabah, and Hanan and Khaled and their kids. It was a great trip, picking shells, exploring the beach, visiting with good friends, seeing the countryside. I enjoy days like that.

In addition, except for those of you on Facebook, you don't know about my quick trip home this month to see my brother, Orv, who was very ill in the hospital. I am happy to say "was," because he is home now and improving. At the time I made my decision to go home, many relatives were of the opinion that he would not be going home, and if he did, it would be with Hospice care. The day before I left, a doctor from another northern Michigan hospital agreed to perform a new procedure on my brother's pacemaker, which he said he could do one day and then send him home the next. He wasn't kidding! My brother was home before I made it home! Improving his heart function greatly improved his lung function, although he is not going to be "cured" of COPD and emphysema, he has improved, which is enough for now. I enjoyed two wonderful visits with him while I was home, in addition to spending a great deal of time with my children and grandchildren, riding my horse (with my granddaughter behind me...the BEST kind of trail ride) on the one and only nice, spring day we had, visiting Nelson's mom, and our dear friends, Barbara and Larry Ward in Midland. Got a haircut and had Carrie bleach my hair for me (wait til my students see that!). I didn't get a chance to see everyone and I hope if you read this, you'll forgive me. We'll be home again in July and will have two months to make the rounds then!

For those of you who might be reading my blog because you are considering working in Qatar, this is something you have to keep in mind. I lucked out in that this emergency/dilemma occurred right around our spring break and I only had to take a couple of days off. Nelson stayed home because it was such a short trip and traveling that distance can be hard physically. Last time, we caught a bug and were sick for a week when we got back to Doha! This time, I used melatonin to help adjust my "clock" for sleep (worked great!) and Thieves' Oil to help avoid bugs and except for today, I have been feeling great. Today I think that the whole trip just finally caught up to me. I'm not sick, just a bit weary and slept in quite late. I don't sleep in late! :) Or rarely do.

Anyway, you have to consider what you might do if something happens to someone in your family. I agonized for almost a week before deciding to go home and that was only made possible because a special friend loaned me the money against my overtime pay due the end of this month. Thank God for friends and if that friend reads this, I love you! You know who you are! I decided, with the advice of many, that I'd rather see my brother twice than never see him again. I don't regret it, but you have to decide if you can afford the time and money to go home every time someone is sick and it can be nerve wracking and stressful for you when you can't.

The hardest part of this move has been leaving my children and grandchildren. Heck, I'll be honest...it's leaving the GRANDchildren that's the hardest part! Some days I wonder how I manage it, but my children and at least the oldest grandchild, who understands sort of and can at least talk about it, manage well without us. We talk regularly using a Magic Jack (magicjack.com) and we can call or receive calls free for a year. It was $40 to start it and you can renew for $60 for 5 years. Can't beat that! We also Skype each other and so can SEE each other...that is such a joy. I was shocked at how much my youngest granddaughter, Mykenzie, has changed since I saw her in February...she had grown so much and so tall that she just isn't a chubby baby any more. How did I miss THAT? But Mykayla is Mykayla, except that every time we spend time together, I am more amazed at how her little mind works and how she perceives the world: our old dog, Copper, had to be put to sleep since we were there last. It was hard for everyone and her first experience with death. They had him cremated and the box (in a bag) sits on the refrigerator. We spent a great deal of time with Copper (at her request), "snuggling" on the couch while we read stories. Copper likes stories and he likes snuggling. He also sat on the table with us while we played cards. "Good dogs" can sit on the table and watch us play cards and Copper WAS/is a good dog! :) I drew the line at letting him play a hand at Uno though. :) So, she substituted her stuffed puppy that her daddy bought her. She also has a huge sense of "fair play." I don't let her win all the time because I don't want her to grow up thinking she is entitled to win all the time. Most times, she beats me fair and square anyway. At one point, after I had won 2 or 3 times in a row, she informed me it was her turn to win one. I told her she HAD won one. No, that was her PUPPY who won, not her. Now it was HER turn. :) She is actually pretty darn good at it and did beat me the next one fair and square! She is the one it is most difficult to leave. We have such a close bond with each other. I will sorely miss my grandson Justin's first steps....he is only 9 months, but is so ready to start walking soon. But what fun we will have when we go back this summer! He is so much fun....a flirt and a joy to play with. Heck, who am I kidding? They are ALL difficult to part with for various and separate reasons and I love them so much my heart could just bust wide open. So, keep this in mind when considering moving overseas. When asked, I still tell people I left Michigan because I can't afford to live there anymore, and that is still absolutely true. We can't....yet. I hope Obama gets it all together for us by 2011!

So, that is my update. Tomorrow it's back to the old grind, but only 82 more days to annual vacation. I'll soon make our plane reservations and will let everyone know the date and time. We can't wait to have all that time at home again! Take care, write or call, but keep in touch!
Maggie