SixintheSand: Tick-Tock, Ding-Dong

Tick-tock! We are on the back-to-school countdown! The Bryant children have been "summering" since May 27th! Please Lord let them remember how to read and write!!! School starts September 15 and we, especially me, just can't wait!!! We have been spending the past weeks running some errands to get ready. The kids now have new school shoes, new backpacks, new aluminum water bottles that claim to keep drinks very cold in the desert heat and many new hairbows and headbands to jazz up school uniforms! Oh, and they all have a variety of hats to choose from daily that shout out "I am from Texas or I am from the US, or I am an Aggie!"...They have to wear hats daily anytime they go outside! I am actually ready to pack lunches, see school art hanging around this house and hear detailed stories of other children's naughty behavior from Miss Olivia. ASD here we come!

Ding-Dong! That is the sound we have been hearing around here! The doorbell ringing with kids! Now that the summer and Ramadan are coming to an end neighbors are coming back to their villas! For those of you who don't know most expats leave the desert heat during the summer and travel home to visit their families. We will do the same next summer as soon as school gets out! So every night we venture out into the park and see more and more kids out and about! It is amazing how much that has changed since our first weeks here when the park was so desolate! I also should mention that the weather has changed significantly too since we first got here. I can actually sit outside now and not suffocate! They say that each week the temperature will fall slightly and I believe it. I guess you could say it now feels like Houston here!

We have made some new friends in Villa 7! Remember we are Villa 5! They are from France and have 3 small adorable children. 2 boys ages 5 and 3 and a little girl age 2. This has been so great for Luke with the 2 boys and the girls love to play with and mother the little girl! They have introduced her to Barbies and American Girl dolls! Their names are a little challenging but we are working on it! The oldest boy is Camile and he goes by Cami. The little girl is Fleur. You can only imagine how my little Texans butcher her name. I have heard her called Flower, Flitter, Flutter and occasionally Flu-er (With a strong Texas Twang). As for brother #2..I can still barely pronounce his name and his mother Valerie (thank goodness for her name) is helping us daily. She make us feel better by telling us his teachers can't say it either. His name is pronounced Or-el-ee-on. Luke calls him Oreo..not good. My favorite thing about these precious little french boys is listening to them talk. They speak perfect English, however when they are over playing they will occasionally bust out in French when they are speaking to each other. I could listen to them all day! It has been great for the kids to have neighbors to play with! That is so what we miss from our Northview family!

We also have met new friends in Villa 10. They are from Australia and have 2 daughters ages 8 and 12. They have been down alot and are in love with Lilly! The 12 year old Paige is so sweet and patient with the little ones and she loves to help them put on plays! Right up our girl's alley! Their mother is very outgoing, friendly and positive and shares my feelings about driving here! We have had fun chatting and plan to walk the track around the lake when school starts! Now most kids in our neighborhood go the Dubai British School. This school is IN our little compound! The moms I meet seem a bit surprised that our kids would not go there either! I could walk them to school everyday! I simply explain that we bleed red, white, and blue and would have it no other way! hahahaha- Really though, it is better for the kids to stay with their North American curriculum so they easily transition back into school WHEN WE COME HOME!

Here are some random pictures of what has been going on the past weeks. More posts to come! I promise!