Sad

We've been having a tough time with Tommy lately.  He's been really sassy and sometimes unkind (to  Eli and me, not to other people and not normally to Lulu), and rather than apologizing when we tell him to stop, he says something else sassy.  Of course it makes sense when one considers what we've asked of him in the past couple of months, but that doesn't make it easier to manage in the moment when I just feel like dropping him off on the side of the road and driving away.

But today he's convinced me that he's not such a bad little guy after all.

This morning, when I checked my email, I learned that my Grandma has been admitted to the hospital for the last time.  She has decided that she is in too much pain to carry on in her year-long-plus fight to get back to her full, active life.  And it would be impossible for anyone to tell her that her decision is wrong, because it is obviously a decision that only she can make.  So it is now up to my aunts and uncle and parents to help my Grandma figure out the logistics of dying, hospice, etc.  This is actually unimaginable to me -- but they excel at doing the unimaginable things required to help an ageing parent.

And I'm over here, in Oman.  Right now, it feels farther than the other side of the world, somehow.  I haven't lived in the same city as my Grandma since the year after I graduated from college.  During that year, though, I had dinner once a week at my Grandma's house.  We pretended that she was teaching me how to cook but really, she was just feeding me as she was aware that I ate Gardenburgers for dinner every other night.  But this is part of another story, as I am fairly certain a post devoted to all the lovely things that my Grandma is will appear on his blog.

So when I woke up, I immediately started crying and I didn't really stop until long after I'd dropped Tommy off at school.  The kids asked why I was sad, and I told them, so we talked most of the way to school, switching between two subjects:  GG and what happens when you die.

When I picked him up, he gave me a big hug and said, "I know how you feel about GG."  I said, "you do?" And he replied, "Yes, I saw the tears on your face."  Which is as close as he can get, you know? 

Coming clean.

So you've (or, my regular readers have) read many posts this month, in which I mention going to the beach.  BUT, here's what I haven't told you.

I haven't been letting the kids actually swim.

I'm totally freaked out.  I have two small children, neither of whom can swim well enough to save themselves and I'm all alone and it's not particularly gentle water.  And of course, there are no lifeguards.

So I told Tommy to watch out for the "under suck" (his adaptation) and he steered clear.  He'd get water for making castles and would put his toes in, but no immersion.

Then, on Wednesday (our Saturday), he saw a little girl in the water, jumping over the waves and crawling around on her hands.  He was intrigued.  Did he want to do that as well? Why yes, he did.  So in Tommy-style he totally went for it and spent the next hour screaming joyfully at the ocean:  "I LOVE THIS!  THIS IS MY BEST DAY EVER!" I admit that I felt pangs of guilt but the fact is we've only been here for two weeks and compared to the two years he'll have ocean swimming available to him, that is not even worth thinking about let alone feeling guilty about.  

Three Day Weekend

It’s funny because I think of really great post ideas while I’m driving and then forget them the moment I get out of the car.   Why does this happen?  It’s so frustrating.  Eli keeps saying that the blog needs some focus, and while I agree with him, I’m not sure I’m capable of making that happen.  Especially if all my ideas escape the moment I open the car door.  (That car is killing me:  I now sing the “Go Diego” theme song to the car when we are trying to get up a hill.)

All that to say that today will be yet another boring general update. 

Yesterday, I took Tommy to school and then went to my friend Katherine’s house (she is moving; we will be moving into her house) and then we went to the big souk.  Katherine is moving to Saudi Arabia and needs an abaya to wear in order to disembark the airplane in Saudi.  (I could not make that up.)  She has a lovely attitude about this move and so she is cheerfully shopping for an abaya.  But she is tall and none fit her so she has to get one made for her so we didn’t buy one.  The souk was very fun and there were lots of things I would be interested in buying, but I did not buy anything at all yesterday as it was all a bit overwhelming. 

Can I pause here and tell you that a small blonde girl you all know gets unbelievable amounts of attention here?  EVERYONE smiles at her and talks to her and do you know what she does back?  She blinks.  No smiles, no waves, certainly no words.  Just a long blink.  I said, Lulu, you are our cultural bridge so get some freaking manners and smile and say hello!   She blinked at me.

After the souk, we went to Eli’s office to go to Katherine’s husband’s farewell lunch.  It was fun but sort of a tiny bit awkward especially with Lizzie and her damn blinking instead of saying hello to all of Eli’s coworkers.  This from the girl who cannot stop talking in the car. 

Today was busy.  Lulu had school and so did Tommy, and then I went to the camp to use the ladies laundry.  There are three washing machine/dryer combos (totally American) and I am reading that Hilary Mantel book, the first one about Thomas Cromwell and can I just say that it is amazing?  Then, I met Katherine and two new ladies for coffee and joined the American Women’s Guild.  I will be taking over editing the newsletter (“the Pony Express”, the Pony for short) from Katherine.  I will keep you all posted.  I really will.  One of the women I met today has children similarly aged to my own, so we’re off to a good start.

We now commence a three-day weekend!  Holidays here are a bit odd.  They are “called” (by someone in the government, presumably) mere days before they occur.  So until yesterday, everyone knew that there would be a three day weekend, but nobody knew if we would have Wednesday (today) off or Saturday off.   All I can think is:  what if I wanted to buy plane tickets?  Do you just take both days off?

Though he seems to be perfectly happy at his new school, Tommy complained about going this morning and said he missed his old school and the house with the blue door.  I of course knew that this type of comment could and likely would come from him at some point, but it still makes me sad.   But, in this time of transition, I’m trying to take the time to notice the good differences for all of us – so that I can remind him of these after we talk about how sad it feels to leave our friends and our community.  And while his school is far from perfect (and his teacher a bit cold for a kindergarten teacher), it is a nice place with kids from all over the world and with the best playground I have ever seen at a school.  (It’s such a great playground that he ripped his croc today.  How is that possible?)  He has quickly made friends.  He’s okay, he really is.

Lulu liked her school today.  Her teacher, Miss Lillie, told me that “she’s the best new girl ever!”  In the car, however, she mentioned that she had two friends but one of them pushed her.  Luckily, she also brought a clay camel she had made and so we focused on that.  She seems happy to have a school and hasn't cried at all when I've left her and both days has eaten her snack so well that I pretty much pack her a lunch as I figure that's the best way to get a meal into her.

We're all happy, though, to have a three day weekend even if Eli has to work most of it. 

Driving

It turns out that I quit my job and moved from a city I loved to a city I do not yet have defined feelings about in order to be a driver.

I officially spend all day long in my rental car, a Nissan Sunny.  (Lulu is there with me for most of the time.)  For those unfamiliar (all of you in the US), it is a very, very gutless car.  You know the noise little kids make when they play cars? That's the noise this car makes when you floor it in order to, say, merge or continue to drive down the road.  Even funnier about the car situation is that Eli and I are driving exactly the same car, even the same color (white).

Lulu sits in the back and stirs the pot:  "MOMMY!  You're going the wrong way!" she'll exclaim, despite having no idea where we are going or ought to be.  And then tonight, as we were packing up from the beach, she walked toward the driver's door and said, "Mommy, I'll drive and you sit in the car seat.  Okay? Yeah?"  And I was like, dude, if only that would work.  We would both be so much happier.

Muscat, Day ?

Pinch me, I've lost count of the days since arrival which must mean I'm getting used to it here.

It was a big day for the following reasons:

1.  We found a school ('cool') for Lulu!  She will start tomorrow.  There is only space three days per week, but the director thinks there will likely be a five-day slot for her starting in April.  She seemed to like it; her selling point was the trampoline (enclosed, carefully supervised) and the sand and water tables in the garden.  I thought it was clean and happy and the teachers seemed to be the best of all I had seen before.  I will, of course, keep you posted.

2.  I drove by myself to the Mall.  This is an important destination as the Carrefour is there as well as a huge bank of ATMs.  You pay in Muscat almost always with cash, so you need quite a lot of it.  I am, for example, paying Lulu's school fees tomorrow in cash.  Luckily, it's quite safe here, so it's alright to walk around carrying a grand in your purse.

3.  I drove by myself to Tommy's school, leaving from the mall.  I was anxious, let me tell you, but I drove straight there despite having no clue how to get out of the parking garage.  One's confidence level in reaching the final destination has to be pretty low when one isn't sure how to get out of the parking garage, you know? But I did it, even with a little chatterbox in the backseat:  "Mommy? Mommy? MOMMY!  I saw a sea creature and it came out of the sea and then I ate chocolate and then I had a picnic and then ..."

4.  I have a date to go to the old Souk on Tuesday morning after I drop off Tommy.  (Funny:  This morning Eli said, "well, you can take Tommy and I can drop Lulu" and she said, "NO!"  and I said, "no honey, he means drive you to school" and then Eli and I started laughing.)  Lulu is coming too as she does not have school on Tuesdays.

I received some questions about beaches and my attire.  I will tell you that today I went to the beach in the complex/area we will live in, and there were multiple western women in bikinis.  But, there were also a couple of women in Abayas, and the rules posted at the beach say something about being culturally sensitive.  Eli thinks I will settle in and go to the beach in my bikini; I doubt it.  However, we can join a hotel club and go to the beach/pools and I will be able to wear a swimsuit.  Today I felt very daring at the beach because I took off my cardigan and wore a tank top and jeans.

And that's all from Muscat today.  Over and out.

Settling In...

We have been in Muscat for a week, and things are beginning to feel normal.  Well, that's probably an overstatement, but more normal than they did a week ago.

One can buy more American products here in the grocery stores than in the UK, but they also have labels in Arabic.  They are cute.  Arabic just looks like squiggly lines to me -- I have no idea if I will take any lessons as everyone speaks English and I don't really have any need to study Arabic.  However, it does seem like the right thing to do.  But so hard!

Driving is still fine.  I think once I know the names of places/areas of the city, I'll feel a lot more comfortable.  The road signs are in both English and Arabic, so I will be able to get where I want to go.  The major problem is that Arabic names to me all sound alike.  This is not something I'm proud of, and I will be working on fixing it.  Adding to the confusion is that everything is named for the Sultan (or in his honor in some way, like the road I use most frequently which is called 18 November Road because that's his birthday).  I have to leave to pick up Tommy from school in about an hour and am still debating whether I'm going to go by myself or whether I'm going to make Eli ride shotgun.  Eli is a little bit tired of riding shotgun, but I am still a bit nervous (despite the fact that Muscat is long and narrow, with mountains to the South and the ocean to the North, and relatively easy to navigate if you stick to the big roads).  Remember, I have not regularly driven in my life since I was in high school.

We had a nice day yesterday.  We did some shopping because there were still things that we needed to get for T for school.  We successfully purchased a red backpack yesterday, and I say successfully because (1) it does not have Star Wars, Lego, Ben 10, Spiderman, etc. on it, and (2) because it didn't cost one million dollars and (3) because it's a brand I recognize (which is perhaps a little silly of me, but I still wanted it).  We did not buy new, long running pants for me, which I do need in order to take advantage of running on the pretty beach we live near currently.  This is because they did cost one million dollars.  But that's okay.  I will figure it out.   Speaking of shopping, it is also interesting to me that I am currently purchasing some produce from the west coast of the US (Driscolls strawberries, those bunny luv baby carrots, and I saw some Washington apples).  In the UK, we got lots of produce from Africa, and unless my geography is really out of whack, it seems like that's where the produce I buy here ought to be coming from.

I am finding it very difficult to get dressed in the morning.  This is in part because I did a horrible job packing and lack most of my wardrobe, and alos because I am uncomfortable wearing anything other than long pants or long skirts, and my shoulders must be covered but better to cover to my elbows.  I think I've mentioned before that I get looked at a lot here, and I think (hope) that staring isn't considered quite as rude as it is at home, because people (mostly men) are very blatant about looking at me.  Yesterday I looked like a HUGE dork because I wore a dress with a T-shirt underneath.  But, I felt much more comfortable than I would have if I had gone out with a plunging neckline.  I have not felt any need at all to have my head covered.  There are always other women without head coverings.  But, even these women tend to have their arms and legs covered (though this might change as it gets warmer; right now it's winter, remember, and it's so strange because all the shops have full-on winter clothes in them).

I realized that in addition to being confused by the new week we're on, I am also seasonally confused. I have to remind myself that it's just January, not summer.

A bit disorienting, this move.  Give me another week.

Day Five

I skipped blogging yesterday because it was such a busy day that I was totally and completely exhausted.

Eli took Tommy to school and Lulu and I were picked up at the hotel at 9 by another Bechtel Wife.  She lives in the house we plan to rent (she has to move to Saudi Arabia in the next couple of weeks so there's a little perspective for when I need it), and it is a distinct possibility that we will buy her car as well.  Her car is a small SUV but has the extra row of seats which I think would be good for us.  The house has a very nice living area and lots of patios and she has lots of plants which she is willing to sell to us.  She is also willing to let us have her cleaning lady who comes for three times as many hours as ours in London did, for the same price.  Said cleaning lady also babysits.  Katherine took me to sort out my phone (I got a data plan, but you just pay as you go for the phone) and took me grocery shopping and then took me to pick up Tommy.  It was really sweet of her.  This is particularly true considering that I interrogated her about everything from which doctors to see to where to get a pedicure.  She also showed me things such as where to pay our utilities (you pay in cash, at an office) and where to get the car washed (I think it's a law that your car has to be clean here).  Katherine's tip for driving is that you can't go too slow or you'll be run off the road.  So that's nice.

This morning Eli and Lulu and I picked up a rental car for me.  I will have it for a month while our visas are processed (we can't buy a car until we are allowed to be in the country as residents).  I followed Eli for a while but then I had to come back to the hotel on my own, and then drove to see another school for Lulu on my own.  I found the school fine but that's because it is very easy to find.  I am hoping that Lulu will get a place in it as it is very close to where we will live as well as nice-feeling.  It's not completely Montessori, not by a long shot, but it is nice.  The British ladies who run it are a tiny bit scattered and so aren't sure whether there is a spot for her now, but there likely will be one for April, they think.  Eli and I see another school on Saturday.  Or maybe Sunday.  I can't remember.

But back to the driving thing.  Eli is meeting Lulu and me so that he can ride shotgun on the way to get Tommy.  I think I will need this two times before I can do it on my own, but we'll see.  I wish I had driven more in the past, say, ten years.  Also, I wish I were more comfortable with roundabouts, but really, they're not so bad.

I am so confused about which day it is here.  That the weekends are Thursday and Friday is so confusing to me.  It's Friday night for us.  But Eli has to work tomorrow, ugh.  I plan to take the kids over to the Wave (where we'll live) after they have their TV time.  We can check out the beach!  I KNOW.

Our new neighborhood park

If we end up living in the house we currently plan to lease, this playground will be down the street.  The landscaping is clever, so that the two play areas are in the shade (at least in the afternoon when we went yesterday).  It's not the greatest park ever, but it's pretty good -- here are two photos of the kids checking it out.

 Tommy is really funny at parks when there are kids he wants to play with.  He starts the introduction process with a performance of something that to him seems very tricky (see below).  Then, he starts yelling irrelevant things (yesterday he kept yelling a sentence that included the word "attitude" but the usage was incorrect).  Finally, he goes in for the kill and speaks directly to the kids.  Yesterday he told two eight year old girls, remember, after running around crazily and yelling to draw attention to himself, "I'M GOING TO CALL YOU TWO CRAZY!"  I suggested that they might wish for nicer nicknames but they just sort of smiled at him and shook their heads.  I think this behavior might be common to five year old boys? It really, really, really makes me laugh.  And, he seems to make friends easily so I've decided not to worry about it too much.

One thing I'll tell you about Tommy is that he has made one solid friend at school.  Yesterday at pick up, I noticed that each child, including Tommy, now has a poster on his or her locker with a self-portrait and a sentence about two things they like.  Tommy's says, "I like wrestling with my Dad and playing Lego."  Tommy's new friend's says, "I like ice cream.  I like candy."

Day Three

It was a better day today.  Phew.

We took Tommy to school and stayed for the Elementary School coffee morning.  The principal and teachers who talked seemed fine and I got to chat with a couple of mothers afterward.  They were very nice and it is clear that there is a community for me at that school if I want it.  (Obviously, I do, as I am in the position of having one friend here and that would be Eli for those curious, and it would be good for me to branch out a bit.  Also, he works six days a week.)

Next, we toured a potential school for Lulu.  May I tell you what has made me reject this school and then you can tell me if it's silly?

The Nursery 3 classroom (would be hers in the fall, not this term) was painting duck pictures (but coloring sheets; the duck was already printed on the page) and they were using only yellow paint.  I just think that when you're in preschool, you should be able to paint a duck whatever color you think is nice, you know? I KNOW.  I am ridiculous, you are right, but there are some things that just cannot be tolerated and one of those is mixed Playmobil and Lego and one of those is providing only one color paint to preschoolers.  Luckily, I got a lead on another preschool from a mom at the coffee morning.

Lulu and I came home at lunchtime (right now Eli doesn't really work much at all, honestly, but all I need is a car and he'll be in business) and after a big fight over a nap, she slept peacefully for two hours while I did research on which beach club we should join.  We need to join some sort of club so that I can go to the beach in something other than long sleeves and a long skirt/trousers.  We went to the beach after school and they had a great time.  Here are some photos of the beach yesterday and the beach today.

 The shells here are very different to those that I'm used to -- pink and purple and very pretty.

Today Lizzie got her pants wet and they kept falling down because they were so heavy and the waist band clearly isn't quite tight enough and I laughed every time.  She wouldn't pull them up herself because her hands were sandy.  I was like, Lulu we are in a Muslim country, get it together! 

AAAANDDD for those curious, Mandy is having a BOY.  YAY!

The Juice Aisle (updated with a photo of Tommy's school)

There are a few photos below but they are from yesterday.  Mostly, I want to tell you that:

1.  Tommy had a great day at school.  He seems happy with the fact that there is a lot more playtime, and noted that there is a huge sand pit and "it even has equipment and buckets and spades."  His teacher said he had a good day and he seems fine to go back.  He said he didn't make any friends because he couldn't decide who he wants to be friends with, and also expressed disappointment that only four kids are allowed in the loft at once and apparently four girls go up there and refuse to come down.  

Here he is after his first day, in the parking lot outside of the school.  Behind him are the buses which are not overly American looking.  The bus he needs is full so I will be driving him this term, which sucks.

2.  I had a sad day today.  I started crying when we dropped Tommy off.  Was it guilt induced? Was it because I miss Eridge House? Hard to say.  But I felt pretty sad all day, even after Lulu said, "you cwied in the car; mommy not supposed to cwy."  We went to a party tonight thrown by one of Eli's colleagues and somehow seeing their perfectly put together lives made things even harder -- it feels like we have a long way to go.  And our stuff is still in LONDON.

3.  I have two positive things to say about Muscat.  First, we went to a really pretty beach tonight.  It is VERY far from where we will live, but still doable and I loved it and we will go back.  Second, when we went to the grocery store yesterday, I was amazed by the juice selection.  You can get so many types of juice!  I bought some strawberry and it's pretty good (not, of course, pure strawberries, but I can't read the ingredients very well and it tastes pretty natural, ha).  

Tomorrow we visit a potential school for Lulu.  Cross your fingers that I can be a little less snobby than usual and like it...

The pool at our place.  It was freezing and I didn't let them get in.

 The beach with litter (they're sitting in tires):

 The roof deck at our place, which makes me very nervous because I don't trust the construction.

xoxo

We're here! In Muscat!

We’ve got a lot to cover today.  I shall attempt to do this chronologically but only time will tell if I can manage.

First, our final day in London was sad but busy.  We spent almost all of the morning at the doctor getting various vaccinations and tests.  Nice to have it all sorted now but it felt like a crappy way to spend our last London day. 

Stats:

Tommy, 47 lbs; 3'10"

Lulu, 26 lbs; just shy of 3' tall

When we finally finished, we rushed around trying to find a lunchbox for Tommy (it is going to be tricky for me to pack his lunch from this temporary flat that has no real kitchen).  He chose a cream colored lunch box with black moose on it.  Eli objected as it is admittedly sort of a weird thing to carry around in this hot place without a moose to be seen, but I think it’s very London and I totally love it.  The shocking thing is that there was a Starwars Angry Birds lunchbox available and he didn’t choose it, as it featured a bad guy.

So Tommy and I went to see Sophia to say goodbye, then Mandy came over to get the Bugaboo and to say goodbye.  It was very emotional for the adults; the kids did not appear to mind one bit.  (It is odd now to look out at Muscat and think that the next person we hire for childcare lives here and we have no idea whom they are.  It’s such a big deal to find a good person to take care of your kids.  I had no idea in my pre-parent days.)

It was sad to give away the buggy as well.  Lulu took a nap in it right after the doctor and it was so bizarre to know that in hours she would be buggy-less.  I know that sounds silly but it’s one of our last baby items.   (Except the biggest freaking carseats in the world and yes, we still carry around two of them with us.)  Anyway, sad, but happy to think of Mandy’s wee one in there.  I can’t wait to know whether it’s a boy or a girl.

Our trip here was great with one huge exception.  That would be the part when the driver accidentally dropped one of our suitcases into dog poop.  I used an entire pack of anti-bacterial wipes on it at the airport but it still stinks.  I proposed throwing away the suitcase; Eli proposed trying febreeze.  So it’s sitting all chemical-ly but at least not reeking in our living room.  AAAAHHHHH.  One could, of course, consider this type of thing to be a bad omen but my friend Vivian assures me that anything to do with dog poop mishaps are very, very good luck.  Also, one could also simply be excited that we moved away from a place where there are jerks who don’t pick up after their dogs.  I hate that about London.

I spent most of the flight feeling tearful – but not so much sad about leaving London as overwhelmed by the fact that we are moving our whole family to a place I’ve never been before.   I did spend a couple of hours watching Moonrise Kingdom and I really loved it, surprisingly especially Ed Norton.  What’s that about?  He’s just sweet in that movie.

So we arrived late last night and finally got our kids calmed down and in bed.  Eli had to hold our sobbing hysterical daughter until she fell asleep – she lost it because we only read one (long) story.  It’s hard to be three.  (It’s also hard to be 36 but nobody really has any sympathy for you when you can’t keep your shit together and you’re properly an adult.) 

This morning, after going to bed at one o’clock, Tommy was the first one up at 7:30.  He refused to rest anymore and played Lego while Eli showered and went to work, and while I continued to doze.  He totally could have started school with the other kids; I’m an idiot.  Lulu, on the other hand, slept until we woke her at 9:15 but she was great when we woke her and didn’t have a fit.  The people in the hotel are very nice and the breakfast is very nice.  You can have olives and feta and hummus but there is a very typical western breakfast as well.  The coffee was not awesome but a healthy caffeine addiction makes pretty much any coffee bearable.  After breakfast, we walked about two blocks but along the side of a road with no sidewalks to the beach.  The kids totally loved the beach but, while the path in front of the beach is really nicely paved with bricks, the beach itself is in pretty bad shape.  Here’s why:  while we were at the beach, a carload of four guys drove onto the beach, ate their lunch and drove away leaving behind them two lunch bags full of garbage.  However, we picked up lots of pretty shells and then played a fun game where you make sand birthday cakes with (sand) roasted, toasted marshmallows on top and then the birthday person picks their age and everybody else sings happy birthday to you.  I was 25, Tommy was 7 and Lulu was 3 but perhaps she didn’t fully understand the game.

We got back to the rooms about noon and Eli came home at 12:30 to drive us around.  First he took us by our future house (let me just tell you, though, that our shipment is still in London so our residence in that house is 3-5 weeks off), then he took us by Tommy’s school, then we went to the mall because the mall has a big grocery store in it.   When we finished our errands, the kids and I played/unpacked for a while.  I promised to take them swimming but when we finally went to the pool at five it quickly became clear that it was WAY TOO COLD to swim.  It was breezy and the water was chilly and so I told them we would watch a Diego if we could please not get in the water.  They were mad but are understanding little children (and also, addicted to television) and so let me out of my promise.

And that’s the news.  I think Muscat is pretty.  The mountains are really lovely and so is the ocean.    

Peter, Paul and Mary: A Theme

A few weeks before arriving home from my junior year (sophomore actually?) in college, I called my father to tell him that I wanted to do some backpacking that summer and while my memory of his reaction is not quite enthusiasm, he dutifully made my wishes come true.  It could be that we only went backpacking once (for those of you who don't know, I had to earn $3000 each summer to pay for part of my tuition and so I had to be choosy about taking time off; my father was also employed and paying quite a bit more toward said tuition and possibly didn't want to drag me through the woods on his vacation).  It could be that we went more than once.  But I sort of doubt it because I remember feeling happy that I got to hear all his army stories (that's what we talked about mostly) but also struck multiple times each day with the realization that backpacking is only fun when it's over.

Anyway, for some reason -- perhaps the fact that I tended toward the hippie-side of things in college and I liked listening to straight up folk music at times; perhaps the fact that I was going back to college -- I sang FOR THAT ENTIRE THREE DAY SLOG -- "I'm leaving on a jet plane."  And so my dad also sang it and anybody who knows my dad knows that means he sang approximately five words of it over and over and over.  Anyway.

Tonight is the night before we are leaving.  On a jet plane.  So it popped into my head and dear God please let it pop away tonight as I sleep.  (But it was nice to have that memory.)  And also.  I feel like I spend a lot of my life getting ready to leave, you know? 

We are feeling sad, my friends.  London has done one tiny little favor because the temperature has dropped and we are all "weawy cold" as Lulu proclaims multiple times per day.  (This proclamation is made from the fleece sleeping bag attached to her buggy, so actually, she is not "weawy cold.")  It is nice weather in Muscat.  

Tonight Mandy came over and said goodbye to the children she played a significant role in raising until this point, and when she left she took our stroller for her own baby (watch this space on Monday if you are dying to know if it's a boy or a girl like we are:  Tommy thinks it's a girl but his second guess is that it's a boy).  The stroller thing just kills me.  It is the best purchase I made and when we bought it I felt so so so guilty because it was so so so expensive.  But dude.  That stroller together with a tube pass is way cheaper than a car.   And our littles lived in it.  But now they are big.  (Lulu stomps out of the room when we make her angry:  "FINE.  I GO IN MY WOOM."  I'm pretty sure laughing is not the sought-after reaction, but it can be difficult.)

One thing about leaving, though, is you realize who you will miss.  You realize what you have built for yourself.  And here we have so many amazing friends.  Who have loved our children and been so kind and generous and amazing.  We are so sorry to be leaving them, but so happy to know them.

See you later, alligators!  We'll be back.

Another Move Update

We're leaving London on Friday.  Tommy will start school in Muscat on Saturday.  We are feeling happy but a tiny bit overwhelmed by the smaller questions, such as, how will we make lunch for Tommy on Saturday morning if we arrive late Friday night?

Don't worry, we can figure it out.

xoxo

Move Update

Yes, we are still moving.

No, we still are not sure when, and for the sake of my mental health, I can no longer think about it.

On the critical path at the moment (and indeed since last Thursday) are our medical exams.  Bechtel -- for good reason -- requires confirmation from a doctor that we are all in perfect health before we can be shipped off to Muscat (though there is apparently very good health care available there).

This means that we all must have TB tests as well as comprehensive physicals, current vaccinations (this is only an issue for me as I carefully removed from our files the children's health records but failed to look for my own so they are in the shipment).  The interesting part of parenthood is that you stop caring at all about yourself (you want to give me an immunisation I have already received? Will it kill me? No? Okay, then) and my main focus as it relates to the medical exams is that our notification is for an appointment at 11:30 and we aren't permitted to eat after 9:00pm the prior evening.

My kids are on their third meal, if you include morning snack, of the day at 11:30 am.  So, we'll call and ask if pretty please we can bring the kids in for their blood draws, urinalysis, whatever, first thing in the morning.

It is now clear that we will not be in Muscat for Tommy's first day of school on Saturday.  Ugh.

In better news, I have emailed two preschools and both have places for Lulu.  So she will have a school.  In the meantime, she is making do with educational iPad apps.  I'll be honest.  We're overdoing the iPad this week.  But a lack of structure to our days is killing all of us.

(Yes, it's another post with no pictures.)

The Coolest Person In The World

Today, as we walked through the cemetery, I asked Tommy who -- in his opinion -- is the coolest person in the world.

He said, "In Star Wars?"

And I said, "No, a real person."

And he said, "Uncle Brett.  [pause]  And Uncle Andy and Daddy.  [pause]  Because they had Star Wars ships."

Then, I asked Lulu who is the coolest person in the world.

"Tommy," she said confidently.

And it's broken...

My resolution about photos in posts, that is.  Sorry dudes.

So yesterday Tommy took apart the X Wing in the name of better ships to come, and I am not kidding when I tell you that his daddy was disappointed.  Eli noticed the X Wing remnants and said to me, "it's been canibalized" and I said, "I know, honey, but it's his, you know?" and Eli said, "yeah, yeah, I know...but it's just such a cool ship, you know?"  And I tried SO HARD to maintain a sympathetic face at least but inside I was like NO I do not know but want to see the cool nail polish I bought Lulu?

To be absolutely clear:  this does not make me proud.  And yes, it makes me wonder exactly how much I have to do with Lulu's absolute obsession over nail polish.  But also, why is Star Wars so freaking boring to me?  (Perhaps because it was just way too scary for me?)

I have a few things to tell you for the sake of remembering them (cue: groans).

First, yesterday morning we took the kids on a walk through the nearby cemetery and they had a great time.  For much of the walk, they held hands.  Eli and I were walking behind them and heard Lulu say, "I love you, Tommy" and Tommy said, "I love you too!"  and then their conversation about worms continued.

Second, Lulu has a new word.  She says, often, "Whobody".  It means "who" so there's clearly no benefit in the addition of this word to one's vocabulary, but it's still funny to hear her say it.  A direct quote is:  "whobody wants broccoli and ketchup?"

Third, we have entered a phase of joke telling the problem being that neither of them really understand puns and so it all breaks down into ridiculousness, quickly.  One Lulu tells is:

"why did the baby cross the road?"
"why?"
"cuz...I don't know."

Or,
"why did the bug cross the road?"
"why?"
"because he wanted to get to the mud puddle"

After one of these "jokes" both kids laugh hysterically while Eli and I just look at each other.  Can one teach this??