It's been a long time

Hey! I am coming home in just a few short days and my eyes have been set on this for a while now! Christine is getting married and I couldn't think of a more exciting reason to get to Boston in the Fall.
I wanted to share some exciting news. Recently a gentlemen in Al Ain offered to help fundraise for Oasis Hospital by running the Gobi March, a 250km race over 7 days in the hottest part of China. It's really exciting and I am so happy to be part of the team that will help him raise money for Oasis Hospital and CURE International. Check it out! Most of you know I worked in Development when I was in Boston and I think I will get to use some of my fundraising skills to help him make the most of his race. It feels good to be doing something familiar again!

Football You Say?

Last night the Oasis Hospital Football Club (that's right we are playing by European language rules over here... football, like the EU kind not the American kind) played NYU Abu Dhabi in a friendly match. A group of us ladies went to cheer them on. Abu Dhabi is on the water and while it's technically cooler than Al Ain it was so humid we were all sticky the minute we got out of the air conditioned cars and onto the pitch (another very European word, just makes me feel like I was going to a real match).

It was strange because on my way there, driving a mini-van full of girls I felt for a minute like I was driving my mom's mini-van to a highschool football game. The scene was right, we were all a bit chilly (from the AC being on too high in the car), the sun was going down and it was getting dark, we had some snacks for the game and we were decked out in our teams colors. Then, we got out of the car and BAM reality hit, I was shiny and sticky in about 3.4 seconds.

We had a great time watching the boys play (we won't tell you the score) and cheering them on.

This is Mohammed and his son. He was a cranky baby last night, probably because it was hot but, the second he was on his dad's shoulders he was content.

"I wanna be a millionaire"

I am linking my blog to a "Show us Your Life" from Kelly's Korner. It is "Show Us Your Favorite Blogs" and I thought it was a great opportunity to give Jessie a shout out!

And no, I don't actually want to be a millionaire but, one day I do want to own an Inn with this girl:

www.treyandjessie.blogspot.com.

My sister-in-law would be a wonderful partner in a business. We would love to one day own an Inn on the North Shore somewhere, sort of Gilmore Girlsish. Minus the daughter out of wedlock and minus the overbearing mother.

Clothes Fit For a King or a Princess

This week I went shopping with Cheryl, she is a nurse here at the hospital. We went shopping for a "local" dress aka long to the floor with long sleeves. Cheryl and her husband were invited to an Iftar dinner by one of her patients. It's a good idea when you are a guest at a local person's house to be dressed appropriately aka cover all arms and legs!

Before we went shopping Cheryl and her husband, Ty had me over for dinner. Ty was the chef that evening and I was quite impressed by his chicken stir-fry!

While we were out shopping for Cheryl I found this one super fancy dress that I couldn't resist trying on. The thing is that all the dresses for women here tend to look a bit more like you are a princess than a woman getting dressed for a dinner party. Well... did you ever think just once as a little girl that you wished you could have a dress like Princess Jasmin? Well, I did!

And in this country they essentially make princess clothes for women (just a bit, ok a lot more conservative)!

Check me out- I felt like I was wearing a princess dress!

Guilty Pleasures and some not so guilty pleasures

1. TV Shows- so in this hot, hot summer weather I am watching more tv than I have watched in a very long time. Most recently this has been Friday Night Lights reruns and Rookie Blue (I blame Christine for this Rookie Blue addiction)- I watch them both on Hulu. I am sort of vicariously living through the characters on these shows. I would definitely want to be Julie Taylor, who doesn't want their Dad to be the most successful varsity football coach in the state of Texas?! Just kidding Dad! I NEVER want to live in Texas.

2. Frozen Watermelon- again in this hot, hot summer weather, I have started freezing pieces of watermelon to eat as a snack. So refreshing!

3. The pool- like I said some pleasures not so guilty! But, in this hot, hot summer weather, there hasn't been a day this week that I haven't been to the pool.

4. Cold Brewed Iced Coffee- Need I remind you of the hot, hot... I think you get it! I made this recipe from the Pioneer Woman's blog and she calls it liquid gold, there is no better way to describe it than that! The sweetened condensed milk version is amazing but, I did say that I have been at the pool a lot and bathing suits and unnecessary extra calo

ries don't go together so, I stick to skim milk and still it's such a rich cup of iced coffee.

5. This granola! It's my friend from college, Andi's recipe. Or actually it's her mother-in-laws. And, I have not had this since I lived with Andi in college and it is TO-DIE-FOR. Other granola recipes can not compete- expensive organic brands like Naked Granola would go out of business if we started packaging and selling this stuff! We posted the recipe on Jesssie's blog this week. Check it out and turn those ovens on- it's only August, what? is it hot at home? I am so sure it's not as hot as my hot, hot summer weather!

Love That Dirty Water

Look what I found in the newspaper this morning! I was reading the travel section (still looking for places to go even though I'm a million miles from home!) and here it is a vaction to Boston that's what they are recommending these days. I think I will do just that- I will come visit Boston this October!

My Granny is smarter than your Granny

Maybe that's not the nicest way to say it but, I love my Granny. My Granny and I officially share the same birthday- June 10th. This year she turned 83. I just got off the phone with her and here is a quick play by play of our conversation:

G:"Can ya'll access all American things over there?"

M:"umm.. yeah, like what?"

G:"Do you have a pencil?"

M:"yeah, go ahead, I do."

G:"w-w-w dot c-h-gospel dot net. When you get homesick just go to that and you can see our church on there."

Seriously, my Granny just told me to go on a website to see her church! I am so proud of this woman! I hope I can keep up with the world as it changes like she has! To top it off she told me that I could search on youtube for the video of it! AMAZING!