Nothing too extreme about the flight home. It was on time out of Dubai, but it was overbooked (not exactly sure why airlines do that). They were offering a $400 voucher and a seat on the next flight which would go through Amsterdam; not a direct flight like the one I was on. I decided not to give up my seat; I just didn't think the offer was all that great. I mean $400 for an international flight, not good. Plus the next flight wouldn't be a direct flight. Now if they would have thrown in an upgrade to business class on the next flight I may have seriously considered it. The flight to Atlanta was just about as good as a 16 hour flight can be. There wasn't any turbulence and I had a "comfortable" seat. I managed to get 5 hours of sleep! Great! We arrived in Atlanta at 5:40am and I thought I was going to have to sit on the plane, like I did in the summer when I arrived in DC before customs opened at 6:00. Evidently that's not the case in Atlanta because they let us off the plane. Another plus! The line at customs was quite long, but if I had arrived there 2 minutes later it would have been much longer. I wasn't worried, I had a 2 1/2 hour layover before my flight to Detroit. The lady who checked my passport was quite interested in why I went to the UAE to teach and we had a nice conversation which ended in "Welcome home and Merry Christmas!" What a nice welcome:) I went to collect my luggage and recheck it to Detroit and then headed for Starbucks (I had a craving for the Peppermint Mocha and I can't get it in the UAE because they don't do the holiday flavors). I could not find one:( So I settled for a sausage, egg, and cheese bagel with an orange juice. At least I had sausage! I Skyped with my parents while waiting to let them know that I had safely arrived in Atlanta and would be home soon. The flight to Detroit was also on time and no issues there either. It was a fully booked flight, but not overbooked. We arrived early, which is always nice, so I didn't expect Mom and Dad to be there when I got the baggage claim area. I didn't see Mom so I headed to the bathroom, and who should I see walking out of the bathroom but Mom!!! Oh how good it was to see her! You'd think I'd get used to it, but it never grows old and I love being greeted by her at the airport. It's a great welcome home!!! We waited for what seemed like quite a long time for my luggage, but it finally arrived and we headed to the door to meet Dad. Mom went outside to see if he was coming, while I stayed inside. It was cold! I know it sounds weird when to say that it was cold when it was actually 43 degrees, but keep in mind that's at least 30 degrees colder than what I'm used to and I didn't have a coat or gloves or anything but my sweatshirt. When Dad arrived with the van I ran outside, threw my bag in the car, and jumped in the back seat before he even had time to get out and give me a hug! I wanted to get where it was warm!
Since it was lunchtime we decided to have lunch before heading to Mark's. We went to Olive Garden. Yum!! One of my most favorite restaurants and one that I didn't get to go to when I was home in the summer. The lasagna was melt in your mouth delicious and it certainly filled me up:) After lunch we headed to English Gardens to look for poinsettias for Ann's wedding. She was looking for white poinsettias (which are really yellow, in my opinion) and Mom told her she'd look. They had them, but Mom decided not to get them and she just told Ann where she could find them. Good idea, because she really didn't know that white poinsettias were not white. Let her make the call. Then it was on to Mark's for a shower before my surprise.
At 3:15 Mom took me to Farley Hills Elementary School to surprise Alexa as her mystery reader for the day. I arrived while the class was in Spanish and when the teacher went to pick them up I "hid" in the back of the room. When the kids started coming in the room I walked out and saw Alexa. She stared at me for a moment (you could tell she was thinking) then she screamed "Aunt Sara!" "It's Aunt Sara!" and she ran into my arms! I scooped up my Baby Girl and gave her a hug and kiss. I didn't want to let her go, but I had to be the mystery reader. She took my hand and showed me where I was going to sit and she sat with her classmates on the carpet for a bit. She just couldn't take it so she came and stood next to me and told her classmates "This is Aunt Sara and she lives in Abu Dhabi" (now she usually says that I live in Abu Dhabi camel - which used to be Abu Dhabi hippopotamus - but she must know that it's really only called Abu Dhabi because she didn't say Abu Dhabi camel; very impressed and I wonder how she figured that out!). She told them that I didn't have my camels anymore (that's another story; I told her I had camels, 3 to be exact, but I had to send them back to the desert when I moved because the new place was too small for camels), but that I still got to see them. I read the story "The Smallest Hump", a story written by an Emirati author, and throughout the story Alexa was able to make connections because of what I've told her about Abu Dhabi. Her comprehension is really good! She told the class about the time that she went to Grandma and Poppy's and had dates (when dates were mentioned in the story). When I finished the story she came and sat on my lap and called on her classmates who had questions. Most of them had questions about what the desert is like and what my camels were like and where they live now. I answered their questions for a bit before I decided it was time to go. I was taking Alexa with me, so she had to get ready to go. She introduced me to a few of her friends and then we left. It's a surprise that I won't forget and I hope she never does either!
Mom was waiting for us in the office and I signed Alexa out and then we went out in the cold. In the van Alexa said "I just knew it was you! I knew you were going to be the mystery reader!" OK how cute is that!! She had no idea, but still:) We went to McDonald's for ice-cream and then back to her house for dinner.
I walked into the house excited to see Mason, but he didn't want anything to do with me. He had no idea who I was and he wouldn't call me Aunt Sara. When asked to say hi to Aunt Sara all he did was shake his head no. Even with Alexa telling him who I was, he still wasn't sure. As the evening progressed and I played with him, he warmed up to me and even allowed me to hold him and kiss him, but I still don't know for sure if he knows who I am. He would only call me Sara, even though on Skype he calls me Aunt Sara. I guess to his 2 1/2 year old brain Aunt Sara is only on the computer so there's no way I could can't be Aunt Sara. I was just glad that he warmed up to me and allowed me to hold him. He'll get it figured out sooner or later.
Dinner was pork roast, salad, vegetables, and bread followed by Christmas cookies for desert. We left shortly after dinner as I was beginning to feel quite tired. As is typical when I arrive from an international flight I get tired around 7 or 8 and have to go to bed. I was in bed by 9pm and slept till 9am.
Saturday Amy and I went to see "The Hobbit" and did some shopping. I had no idea "The Hobbit" was 3 parts and I was quite disappointed when it ended, but didn't really end. Although I can't say that I truly enjoyed the movie, I just wanted it to end. I had read the book a long time ago and really liked it so I thought I would like the movie. During the movie I thought I was mistaken about liking the book, maybe I didn't really like it. Oh well, at least it was only $5 instead of the 35Dhs ($9.50) that it would have cost me in Al Ain.
Besides the movie ticket my first purchase in MI was a winter jacket, gloves, and a hat from Target. It's cold! I couldn't find my winter coat so I bought a relatively cheap one so I could spend time outside. I also got a Peppermint Mocha from Starbucks, but I wasn't too happy with it. The Coffemate creamer that I put in my coffee that morning was better. I also got some Christmas shopping done and new shoes before heading to dinner with Mom and Dad at Leo's. It was another early night followed by nearly 10 hours of sleep (this is typical and it usually only lasts 3 days).
Sunday I went to Lansing for church. I went to South, the church I went to in college. It was a very good service entitled Merry Christmas from King David where I was reminded that it's all about Jesus. Not just Christmas, but everyday. I met Chad after service and he took me to the 3rd grade classroom where Angie was teaching, as I had plans for lunch with her after church. Plans changed though because Chad's sister, brother-in-law, and 4 kids were in town so we all had lunch together. I sort of know Becky and Kent (they were freshmen when I graduated) so it was good to see them and meet their 4 boys. I did have some brief time with just Angie as I took her home before I headed to Michelle and Dave's. I had a nice short visit with the Seavey's before they had to leave for their Christmas program. I didn't stay for the program, even though they all asked if I was going to watch them sing. I was beginning to feel quite tired and it was only 4:00. I had already told Michelle that I wasn't going to be able to stay because I knew I wouldn't be able to drive home after the event. I got home just in time for dinner - pot roast with potatoes and carrots. Yummy!! I love coming home to home cooked meals; Dad is a great cook!! I didn't last much past dinner though. Maybe the driving wore me out, but I was in bed by 8:30.
Monday morning I woke up ready to go at 6:30. I hope I'm done with this jet-lag business! All on my agenda today was to make Snickerdoodles. Done! They are delicious:) My second favorite Christmas cookies are ready! Now all Mom has to do is make the candy canes. After the disaster I had last year I won't be making them for quite some time! Dinner is at Ann and Harry's tonight as I practice my speech for the wedding. Hopefully I don't fall asleep at Ann's!!
Still waiting for snow!
Just for fun
- 45 degrees at 2:00pm in MI
- 63 degrees at 11:00 pm in Al Ain
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