I'll Be Home for Christmas...

I'll be home for Christmas!!!  I flew home on Emirates Airlines and had a nice flight...16 hours!  I sat next to a woman who had been working in finance for a company in Dubai for the past two years.  She was meeting her husband in Houston and visiting family and then they were moving to Brazil.  Her life seemed very adventurous as her husband was in there apartment in Paris and flying into meet her.  

I went through customs and waited for my bags and it took all I had not to run out on my luggage to go and hug my parents.  They were patiently waiting for me as my flight was delayed a little.  When I walked through the doors and saw them, the tears started to flow...not for sadness but because I was SOOOO happy to see them.  The hardest part in all of this is leaving my family behind.  But for the next 20 days, I was with them!  We walked to the car and decided to stop for dinner at Los Cucos for some true Tex-Mex.  Awww, I missed it!!!  We went back home and I got to see my dogs, Maggie and Cooper.  They remembered me and were all over me!!!!  I loved their sloppy kisses.  I went to sleep around 11 and slept all night.  It wasn't until the next day that jet lag set in for about three days.  

The highlights of the trip home:

*Visiting with Mom, Dad, Mimi, Jeff, Leslie, Mason - the best family in the world

*Playing cards and having wine with my Mimi and Jake

*Babysitting Mason for three days while his Mom and Dad were at work

*Going to see unedited movies

*Having champagne with Marisa (unfortunately no pictures)

*Going to Amy Oakley's Christmas party and visiting with Lee Peck, Randi Ellis (and meeting her boyfriend), Suzanne Trevillion, Brett Meador - I scored some Bailey's at the gift exchange

*Going to Lake Charles to meet Katie's newest addition, Grant

*Visiting Amy Baham Ward and her family-it was SO nice to have lunch with you and catch up Amy...we'll have to do it again this summer!

*Going to Hearne and having lunch with all of my old students who speak a ton of English:)  I also got to catch up with all of my co-workers and old principal...this was right after that horrible school shooting...so sad.  I miss all of you SOOOO much!

*Eating a ton of Tex-Mex

*Spending NYE with my Mom, Mimi and Jake as the lights had went out-first time since 2000 that I spent NYE with my family-coincidently that NYE was the night before I left for my European trip

*Going to Catholic mass

*Being there for Joanna

Unfortunately, I also had to watch one of my best friends lose the love of her life.  I was there to hold her hand when she got the news at the hospital and it reminded me that God does have a plan.  I was meant to be home to help Joanna that day.  Joanna, I will never forgot your precious Reese PB Cup.  He always made me smile and laugh.  We had some great times.  Thank you for showing me what true love looks like.  You will never be forgotten Reese!  I am proud to call him my friend and hero.

Here are some the pictures I took while I was in America:

Patiently waiting at gate in Dubai Airport...you could tell it was a holiday as I've never seen so many people in an airport!!!

Lunch with my old students...I love these kids...they really made an impact on more than a lot of classes...lots of ups and down but a lot of progress...They are truly special and I hope to see them all when they graduate!

Always will be my HOME state!

Grant McCrossen...such a sweet little baby boy!

Katie's parents updated kitchen

My amazing friend (more like family) Coote and I

Amy and Sarah's precious kids!!

Aww...Amy and I

My little baby...Maggie

My Christmas baby...Cooper

Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad's-Jeff, Leslie, Mason and Mimi all came over and we had a wonderful Christmas!

Mason and his Grampie...Mason LOVES my Dad!

My best friend with her famous olive spread on rye bread

Cornbread stuffing 

Sweet Potato Casserole

Leslie's Hashbrown Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

The mantle with the Nativity scene we've had for years and years

Jeff passing out gifts

Leslie with her little man, Mase

Mimi and Mason playing

My Mimi has been giving us old family treasures each year and Mason got his first gift, the birds that sing.  Perfect gift for him!  He loved watching the birds sing.

Showing my Dad his gift

The money envelopes...family tradition to put them on the tree on Christmas Eve

Mimi with her Abu Dhabi Turkish lamp...forgot that she would need an adapter!

I got this as a gag gift for my Dad since the first thing he told me when I said I was moving to Abu Dhabi was: "Don't come back married to a Sheikh".  This was my Sheikh that I came home with:)

Mom opening the Arabic name ring...I got camel gift tags at Waitrose in Abu Dhabi

Opening his Build a Bear Camel from Dubai

In Dubai Build a Bear making Mason's camel

Leslie with her Vuitton from Dubai

A Christmas ornament Kevin made in school years ago...I LOVE this!

We had this plate made for Kevin at Nutcracker Market a few years ago

I went to visit Kevin's grave while I was in Lake Charles and made him a Christmas bouquet complete with a camel ornament...Miss him every day

The ornament I bought at the Bloomingdale's in Dubai...I heart NY

Leslie's Mom made this for my mom last year...so pretty it should be on pin!

Mason riding his big boy bike

AWWWWW...I miss my little nephew so much!

Geaux Tigers!

LSU shirt and shoes for my sister:)

Patchi chocolate from Dubai

Mimi...always beautiful!

Trying to take a picture with Mase 

My LOVE!  The most beautiful women in the world, my mother

Cooper is tired after a wonderful Christmas full of treats

I got to babysit Mason for three days with my Mom.  He was SOOO precious.  He loved to play and show you everything.  He is growing up too fast and it breaks my heart to not be there to watch.  Inshallah...only a few more years and I'll be home:)

I said goodbye and boarded the plane on January 2nd to come back.  This time, leaving was much harder!  I guess the anticipation and excitement of the unknown made it easy on August 7th.  I will miss everyone sooo much but will be glad to get back and make some new memories and travel.  The next time I see my Mom will be in Italy on April 4th and my Dad this summer:(  Stay safe and miss y'all!