A New Beginning

We had a nice Friday lunch with Bry before T had to leave :)

Every week I feel like I have a new beginning, a new opportunity to do things right. Every month I feel the same way, only stronger. This month is a little different, because now it's just me and Bry. I'm on a break from school and home full time, and Travis is off to start his new job in Abu Dhabi. I have the house ALL TO MYSELF! It feels amazing. I am excited for all that is in store, but I know if I don't grab hold of some type of routine, once the fan starts spinning in the beginning of the year, everything is going to hit it.
SO, I am getting Bry and I on track with a routine. A new style of eating--very little grain, gluten, and sugar, stricter cleaning involving more throwing away and donating, working out on a regular basis--I've fallen off the wagon HARD, and just doing better with bedtime and waking up earlier.

I feel as though during this time it's really vital that we get this momentum going. At the beginning of the year, I'll be starting my new clinical rotation which means I'll practically be working full time, except I won't be getting paid for it. I already know myself, which I know once I start this internship, I won't be starting any new routines. With all the preparations that we will need to make for our big move, I can't spend any extra time & effort worrying about little things that should already be in place.

But even through all the stress, I am SO excited and ready. I'm thankful for more time to prepare, and I'm thankful for this month I have to prepare my mind & body.

The truck is gone and we have a couple who are set on renting our house once we move out! It feels pretty good to have the bigger things like that already settled. Bry and I are applying for our passports this week, for sure, and our Visas are being taken care of as well. Even though we won't be using them for a while, it'll be nice to have them ready to go.

At the Airport

Bry really wanted to see a plane take off so we waited around for T's plane to leave.

The airport had this nice little sitting area with a bay-type window to watch the planes.

As T's plane taxied away towards the West, it went out of our view range so I asked Bry if he wanted to run into the parking garage so we could watch it take off. Of course he said yes, so, like anybody else would do, we RAN outside and through the parking garage to the West end! And then... the airplane turned around and started taking off towards the EAST! So... we RAN even faster towards the East end just in time to see in take off into the air :) and even though I wished we would've stayed in our cozy little sitting area inside the airport where we would've been able to see it just fine, it was awesome. And Bry loved it.

Before Travis left, we gave Brycen these gifts. A scentsy buddy for cuddling and hugs when he misses daddy, and a Nabi. It was a splurge gift, but he can Skype on it and T really wanted to see his face when he opened it ;) He loved them both and I have a feeling both will get put to use often.

As far as the U.A.E.

I've entrusted Travis with the decision to pick out our living arrangements. Villa or apartment? Dubai or Abu Dhabi? Pros and cons, pros and cons! I really want an apartment, because seriously, we can live in a townhouse in the U.S. But, I'm not gonna be a brat because I know I'll just be happy to have our family back together in a new and exciting place.


This morning, Bry woke up and asked "where's Daddy?" I knew he was being too cool about this whole thing! He was okay after I updated him, but I'm curious to see how he is a month from now. If he's anything like Travis he'll just take it day by day with no worries. If he's anything like me, he'll be dwelling on memories and longing for physical interaction haha. Let's hope he's more like T ;)

Moving to where?!?!!

Welp, we are in the middle of preparing for the next chapter in our lives! Travis got out of the Army in July, a day we had been waiting on since about a year into our contracts ;) we loved it, enjoyed it the best we could, but knew it wouldnt be forever. He applied for a job in Dubai back in March, and he got it. It was a tough decision to make, we would be leaving all that we knew to pursue a new job and the experience of a lifetime. Would it be worth it? Could we handle it? Could MY MOM handle it?!
We prayed

...and prayed


...and prayed.

As the hiring process continued, Trav continued to apply for jobs JUUUUST in case it fell through or he needed a job until he were to leave. No other doors were opening for us. Jobs he was well qualified for, he didn't get. After 6 years of job security, we were finally feeling the effects of the economy. Could we even afford to be picky about job location? (By the way, I firmly believe that there is always a choice)

Anywho, fast forward a few months! He is now in his final stages and preparing to leave. We have no set date yet, but are mentally ready for them to say this week. It doesn't seem real. Part of me is expecting this to fall through and for all of our friends and family to ask "what's the latest?" And we'll have to say "we still dont know."

What we do know is that there is a predicted arrival of early November. Hence this blog! I want to keep everybody posted and record my experiences as a girl juggling being a mom, wife, daughter, student, and future expat in modern day Arabia. Sounds fun, right? Lets just say Im glad Im a "one day at a time" kind of person ;)

90 days after T-rav gets there, his family can join him and I will be graduating with my degree in Physical Therapy Assisting in March. How perfect is that? God is so good!
There is an American Hospital and several other physical therapy clinics, so I think if I chose to work, I could. Schooling there for children is great, although the English speaking British private schools may ruin Brycen's southern accent ;)

Today I completed the 6th out of my 7 week clinical rotation! I love where I am at, the clinic is great and my CI (clinical instructor) is really awesome. Im gonna hate saying goodbye--but lets not talk about that! In January I will begin my second, and last clinical rotation, WOO HOO! Ill be so glad to be done with school. Itc crazy to be this close to graduating!

We are spending our weekend in Atlanta, just in case T doesn't get another chance to visit his family. Ill be keeping a 365 photo album on facebook to track our latest happenings, along with this blog. I hope I can keep up with it better than I know I will!!


So thats whats going on in our world! We are very anxious for our next step and compare where we are at to fishing in between tides. Waiting for the tide to come in or go out, either way... waiting & enjoying each other's company and life in general. Like always :)

Until next time,
Kristi ♡