Dubai Airport

First mini bus taxi ride

June 8, 2010

Long travel recap:

I thought the use of cleansing breaths was intended for labor and delivery of children. I was mistaken.

Cleansing breaths are useful and very necessary for international travel with small children. Whew, it’s been a crazy two days…or one? Or three? Wait, where are we again?

Just kidding, it really wasn’t (isn’t?) that bad! The first leg of our trip, especially went so well.

Our airline, Emirates, was fantastic and took great care of our little family. Lucy slept for about half the flight in her cozy bassinet and Josie slept for about the same underneath her on the floor. Josie was thrilled that they had a “bunk bed”, as we have told her she has to wait for a bunk bed until Lucy is older...so she was pumped! We spent the rest of the time amazed at how gracious God has been, watching movies, holding an exhausted squirmy toddler, and trying to get creative with comfortable sleeping positions. Needless to say, Jeremiah and I didn’t sleep much at all, but were running on adrenaline and excitement once we landed in Dubai.

Dubai was so great! We maneuvered our way through the flashy airport and got on the shuttle for the hotel. I totally felt like we were on “The Amazing Race” families with small children version (which would be HILARIOUS to watch, but Jeremiah says we shouldn’t send a proposal to CBS, as if a show like that ever aired, he would feel responsible for all of the marriages that were shattered as a result). The shuttle was packed, so Josie sat in the seat RIGHT next to the stick shift and I sat right beside her in the passenger seat wearing Lucy in the Beco. Hilarious. We were up front and center for all of the near fender benders and had a great all-glass view of them as well. Let’s just say I was sweating like a fat kid. It wasn’t pretty.

We did make it to the hotel though, in time to change the girls out of their pajamas, hail a taxi, and head to Dubai Mall to meet our (new) friends the Furmans. Following an impromptu hour long tour of the mall due to our taxi driver taking us to the wrong entrance and not being able to find our friends right away, we walked along the gynormous aquarium tank and then caught the Dubai fountain show as we stood in the shadow of the tallest building in the world. Pretty cool.

The girls were starting to melt down, but we were able to visit with Dave & Gloria over some great Lebanese food and hear of what they are doing and what God is doing in Dubai. Very cool.

I nursed Lucy in a specified “for changing and nursing – women only” room in the mall. Wish they had those everywhere! Super cool.

It was also VERY hot in Dubai. Which is not so cool, but that’s a given.

After a late taxi ride back to the hotel at about 11PM (Dubai – about 3PM US), we were all SO ready for bed….well, everyone but Josie. Bless her heart. Lucy finally let sleep win, and Papa was out right along with her, but Josie was running (literally) around the pitch black room laughing in hysterics. So she and I had a good ole time as you can imagine! Finally, a little Jan Karon storyhour did the trick and she was out. You better believe I followed suit promptly.

I think we slept somewhere between three and three and a half hours. Quite a range!

The morning came early as we had to eat breakfast and catch the shuttle back to the airport (Which we rode “Amazing Race small children” style again) for our last leg of the trip! Ethiopia!

We found lots of fun people and lots of fun places to play in Dubai airport – Josie staked her claim on a little landing surrounded by trees, a little waterfall and two ramps on either side, so we hung out there for two hours. She was making friends, practicing ballet moves, being photographed by tourists and playing grocery store in no time.

The last flight started much like the first – “Whoo hoo! Everything is so nice! Our children are doing great!” – and ended in craziness. (oh yeah and Jeremiah got spit up on – not by Lucy – by the baby in the seat next to him – it was tragic and hilarious all at the same time. Our state of delirium might have had something to do with that!)

So. Stinking. Exhausted.

Poor Josie was just a melted lump of exhaustion and Lucy was tired of her sleep being interrupted.

But we made it through customs easy-breezy as did all of our luggage and carseat and we found our ride immediately…Praise God!

Africa!

We made it!

After lunch in town, a few meltdowns and Josie’s first trip to an Ethiopian toilet (oh yes, a minor detail we didn’t prep her for…oops…she’s a trooper though, I was so proud of her response!), we loaded back into the land cruiser headed for the SIM Guesthouse which will be home to us for a little over a week.

One room with two tired parents, one exhausted toddler and one confused baby made for a long hard afternoon. Please pray for us all to be patient with each other and that we would adjust quickly to the time change…especially Josie, as she is having the hardest time. Tears and cries of desperation are coming quick to her today, she is having a tough time and she knows it. L I was able to set up her little toy/reading corner in the room and she seemed to calm a bit there…hopefully that will continue!

The room is dark now, and quiet (if you don’t count the blaring contemporary 90’s music coming from somewhere across the street J). Ahhhhhh….there’s that cleansing breath. So thankful that even if hysterics led to it, the family is resting.

And now it’s my turn! Tomorrow is another day and I’m so grateful! His mercies are new every morning!

I am banking on that tonight!

Helllllllloooooooooo Pillow!