Commence Phase Two

So, here I am.  Back in Vegas.  What a roller coaster couple of months.  Now that the stress of the visa application is behind me I can relax.  Wait, relax?  No, that is definitely not what I am doing.  I think I am more amped up than ever.
I mean, I should be stoked right?  Visa done, plane tickets ready to go.  Well, of course I'm crazy excited to see my husband.  (and to actually have a house and be able to UNPACK my suitcases)  But, I have to admit, I'm as nervous as I am excited.  My mind doesn't have anything else to focus on now except the upcoming move.  And now I'm starting to feel the nerves kicking in.  I try not to think about how much I'm going to miss my family because as soon as I do, the tears begin to well.  I'm trying so hard not to show my anxiousness around the girls.  They have been through so much, but its hard to keep it all pent up.  I've asked family to try and curb their emotions as well...at least until a week from today.  I worry about life in Saudi...scared that I might do something wrong or say something wrong.  The uncertainties make it hard to feel as excited as I know I should be.  But, I just keep telling myself...I have ladies and families waiting for me over there and I won't be alone.  They will help me get a grip on my new life.  (still wish I could drag my mommy with me.)

Okay, enough gloom, I AM totally excited about where I'm heading next week.  The girls and I will be meeting Matt in Frankfurt.  We will get a wonderful 5 day mini vakay.  We rented a nice little apartment about 10 minutes from Heidelberg.  There are castles to see, the Rhine river, and wonderful little villages.  From there, we head back to Saudi.  I can't wait to get my hands on my house and give it a ladies touch!  :)  Matt has been doing an amazing job with our yard...planting grass, flowers, herbs and veggies.  He's even planning to build a chicken coop!  (that should make things interesting!  LOL)  

So, for now, I'm trying to focus on the fun things ahead of us. Focus on the adventure, on the amazing life experience we are giving our girls (as well as ourselves).  Focus on being with my hubby again.  Focus on the girls being with their daddy.  

I'm just not going to focus on one thing....all the family I am leaving behind.  Cause, yeah, that'll just break me.  (crap, what was I supposed to be focusing on???)  Oh yeah....bring on Phase Two...our adventure awaits.   

Texas Trip

It's been almost a week since the girls and I left Texas.  We were sad to go...it was really great to get to spend so much time with family that we see so very little of each year.
My mother-in-law (aka Oma to the girls) was so helpful in finding fun things for the girls to do.  They got to attend a little preschool a couple days a week while they were there.  (giving mommy a much needed break and giving them a chance to play with other kiddos)  We went to a museum, the Riverwalk, out to dinners, to Randolph Air Force Base (where my father-in-law used to work...he's a retired colonel.)  to watch the jets land and take off and to see where their Daddy used to live for a few years.  And, I have to admit, seeing those jets up close was just flat out awesome, I could have watched them all day!  We also did all kinds of crafts, they swam in the pool, went to the pumpkin patch, went for walks, and to many parks.  It was a great time for all of us.
I had a great time cooking dinner for them during the week.  My cousin and her man drove down (4 hours) to visit with us and see the girls one more time.  And I also got to see some of my other cousins and spend the day with them too!  The girls really enjoyed seeing all their family (as did I).  

And, I must say, I'm so thankful that my mother-in-law was able to help me out with all the visa stuff.  She was the rock I needed to help me get everything done.  So, thank you, Valita, for all your help with the girls and myself!  Couldn't have done it all without you (well, maybe I could have, but it also would have guaranteed me having a nervous breakdown in the process). 
Thanks to my in-laws for letting us invade their lives and home for four weeks... :)  It was something we'll never forget.

Cleared for Visa!!!

Well, to say the least....this process will be nothing if not unforgettable.  I cannot believe the work involved in getting a visa to go to another country to live.  Perhaps Saudi is stricter than most...not sure.  Let me give you a little run down of what it all took:

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Matt's first trip to Jeddah

So, Matt had to drive to Jeddah to get some paperwork done to sell our car in the States.  He told me the drive there and back is just awful.  Tons of traffic and not a damn thing to look at.  But, he was impressed with Jeddah.  He wasn't able to get too many shots (you know me, I'll have a thousand in one trip.  LOL) and he said that when he as in the mall (which doesn't open until 4pm on Friday's...that's their holy day) they were all looking at him funny for taking photos of a closed mall.  :)  My girls saw the pix of the kid play place and went nuts...too bad its not somewhere I can take them every day.  Wish Jeddah was closer to us.  :(  But, it'll give us something to look forward to.  So, enjoy the photos!  Many more to come!
(oh...on a side note...I'm just one piece of paper away from getting everything to send for the visa.  I'll have the visa's before we even leave Texas!  so excited!)