These are a few of my favorite things...

Howdy folks,

Sitting here at the kitchen table with a darlin' sister from Doha sitting across from me. Let me set the scene:

Tonight. 20 friends and families. Pork gumbo. Pulled pork sandwiches. Spiral ham. Bacon cornbread (they don't get pork in Doha, poor guys). Lasagna. Potato salad. Salad salad. Zucchini casserole. Dutch Blitz (super fun card game). Backyard, pool-side table. Josh Turner turned up. Best spring night in Dubai. Ever.

God lays foundations, amen?

Some of you remember before this blog was "Dubai Darlin'" it was "Doha Darlin.'" Back in the summer of '09, I lived in Doha, Qatar. Best summer of my life and these friends were the reason why. The people of that summer still affect my life and the lives of so many.

Really. One of those families is who I'm currently living with in Dubai. The reason I shower and eat, so YES these people are still affecting my life!

Some of you also know one of my favorite things to do in life is have dinners with out next door neighbors (family), the Jespersens. To run over there (or vice versa) in my bare feet, watch a ball game, and chow on BBQ or Mexican is a taste of heaven for me. It's where I feel safe. Warm. And simply at home.

Tonight felt like this...just Dubai style. As I was dominating Dutch Blitz (who am I kidding, Emma totally spanked), my mind raced praises to God for the foundation He has laid here in the Arabian Gulf. I have neighbors here. Yes, they are a country away, but let's be honest...in this part of the world, countries are just another neighborhood.

Even last week, even more friends from Doha came in town for their annual softball tournament. Can we say mini-America?? Pork sandwiches. Garth Brooks. Pork ribs. Beer bellies. Cut-offs. Oh, and beer bellies.

GREAT time :)

So if all of this hasn't been enough, my chicka Kayla who lives in Al Ain came for a visit. She also visited me in Doha that summer so knows many of the friends who were in town.

I'm tellin' ya, you always have to behave yourself because mama is right...your history always comes back.

Darnit.

While friends visit, they not only want the pork Dubai has to offer, they also want the holy Mexican food.

Amen.

Ahhh...I could go on and on about old friends, but new friendships are growing too.

Dubai life seems to never slows down. If I was a burrito, my ingredients would be a nun with 30 kids, CEO of a fortune 200 company, cowgirl, and Christian who drinks water like a fish...extra hot.

I look out my car and think:

"Salaam fellas. Is there a Sonic around here??"

They always say no.

And then I inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Smile. Turn up the Passion CD. Hit the gas...

Straight to Chili's for some chips and salsa pretending it's Chipotle.

Kidding.

But not.

On another note, Maria came to town this week too!

So I'd like to end with this:

(In the tune of "These are a few of my favorite things...")

Raindrops on palm trees and afternoon tea.

Sleeping til' nine and the breeze off the sea.

Listening to children worship and sing...

These are a few of of my favorite things.

White-colored sandals and pants made of linen.

Skype calls and cool malls and Melanie's opinion.

A trusty Nokia that actually rings...

These are a few of my favorite things.

When the brow sweats, when the heels hurt, when I'm missing home.

I simply remember God's bountiful love and then I don't feel...aloooone.

From Atlanta to Oman...

Hello!

Dubai is in full bloom (picture below) and your Byrdie is hustlin' and bustlin'.

As I type, my arms are sore, beach buckets are drying on the lawn, clothes washer is turning, and my heart is full of praises.

The past two weeks marked that the world is small and God is big.

Byrdie flapped her wings and flew to the land of peaches, fried okra, AND.....

Oh mercy, mercy me. Lord, I do declare You are GOOD.

The first three days were everything Dubai is not...rainy, cloudy, and cold. What a treat!

The beautiful view outside my window...

All of the above is gorgeous, yes, but for this beehive baby also were the red bottles below. Halleluyer.

And what an absolute BLESSING running into a fellow DTS classmate at the conference! It had been a bit lonely traveling to and fro and the sight of this good friend brought tears to my eyes.

After this picture was taken, Hell Virus 2011 came upon me and I ended up missing the last day of the conference. For three days I could have been gorging on Chipotle and Chick-fil-a...could have been driving up to North Carolina to visit my mama...could have just drove around listening to country radio....BUT God wanted Byrd to simply rest. So...that's what I did for half the trip.

The last day I drove out to Rome, Georgia to meet up with my pastor and his LOVELY daughters and sons-in-law. Check out this place! Winshape is the conference center owned by Ckick-fil-a. This is what selling billions of chicken sandwiches can get ya...

But time quickly ended and I came back to Dubai a bit more emotional than expected. It was wonderful being back to familiarity, comfort, and predictability in the States.

However, that's not the life God has called those who follow Him to.

He's way better and non-boring than that :)

So, back to the desert and MEACH TRIP 2011 with the youth!

63 of us headed out to camp in the mountains and play on the beach. We traveled about 2 hours east to Oman and camped the night away.

Far cry from the land of biscuits and gravy, but the land that God calls you to is simply the most beautiful place on earth :)

Donde Dubai Darlin'?

I'll give ya a hint...in the land of Coca-Cola and Chick-fil-a...

I'll be here this week for a conference...and to eat the above mentioned.

A Week in the Life...

My teacup runneth over ya'll.

Pardon the week-off from blogging, but don't be deceived...it was definitely NOT a week off of living (NEVER!).

The sister of the century came into town.

Dubai will never be the same.

I will never be the same.

The paparazzi came with her.

The blissful night it all began...

Thanks to my amazing Dubai mother, we got a shweet deal at a hotel on the outskirts of town. We felt like we were in Rockwall, Texas.

Wanna know how to get into Amy's heart (on the outside of her Savior that is)? Take notes from the photo below...notice what's on the left...now right...now far right...Yes. Yes. It's that simple folks. I'm yours.

So after Mexican food and gabbing until 2am, the stage was set for an amazing week.

Hung out with friends...

Melanie understood real quick what you cannot live without in the desert.

No, not food.

Not water.

Gas-o-line.

After almost running out of what the locals call "petrol," the below picture was a sight for soar eyes. These babies are few and far between roundabouts and over the dry rivers and through the non-existent woods and over the sand hills we go!

Not water.

Gas-o-line.

Remember this.

It's this which gets you to the water! (I went to Texas A&M)

Saw the sights...

Found our mother's graveyard of animals (You get the joke, mom)...

Went bargain shopping at Dragonmart...

*Note: Any title with the word "mart" in it equals neon shoes...

and fabric that vomited out $6 dresses. (Yessss...)

And looky who we found in Al Ain (a city about 2 hours south of Dubai)! Our beloved Tator-tot, Kayla. Caught up over Indian food and soaked up every reunional minute.

Drove out to the man-made Palm to the Atlantis Hotel...

And re-lived Wet-n-Wild summer of '95 at Aquaventure!!

Even used a half-off coupon. You taught us well mama :)

Haven't done ole' Pearl justice. This is my little white nugget that takes all the credit of zipping me around Dubai. Mel and her got quite acquainted.

This is what the drivers do while waiting on their bosses :) (Out the driver's side window) It really is a laid back town here.

My Dubai family :)

Crate & Barrel...celebrating one year here.

And Amy. Celebrating her 26th year here. Some of my sweet darlin's made me cupcakes and a cake! Such a special surprise!

THEN! We get back to Rockwall and THIS is waiting. *Gulp/Tear*

Could it get any better??

It can!

Mel and I stayed up til 2am painting posters and cutting paper for the ministry fair at church the next day.

Wait. Why does this make it better you ask?

It just does.

After a fab Friday morning at church, the birthday bash continued with going to the Burj Khalifa for high tea.

Really high tea.

High one hundred and twenty third stinkin' floor tea.

After 2 1/2 hours of sipping and seeing, we landed back on earth to take in the fountains at the base.

Ended the Dubai birthday with none other than the traditional cookie cake...

And new friends...

Dearest Melanie is back in Texas now.

I miss her.

Her laugh. Her love. The way she is up for anything. The way she prays. The way she listens.

Her selflessnes is insane.

Her hair is gorgeous.

Her thoughtfulness is out of control.

I love my sister.

Thank you MelBel for coming to see me and spending a week in my world. You bless me more than you will ever realize.

I'm tellin' ya, my teacup is just plum pourin' over.