The getting here and first few.

As I type my first update from Qatar, the dishwasher is running a load of new kid dishes from IKEA and the 5^th load of laundry is completing its final rinse… it’s like we live here.  Despite the chaos and boxes, sandy floors, and stacks of books, our new apartment is coming together. 

I don’t even know where to begin in writing an update on the past week.  It literally feels like much longer since we left the comfortable familiarity of “home” for our new desert home.  I know everyone is asking for pictures and details, but culturally I’m not certain if dragging the ipad out every time I want to take a picture is appropriate.  We’re in the market for a smaller digital camera, but it’s below things like towels and milk on the master list.

At the curb!  Ready for take off!

My Dad dropped us off at the airport with two suite cases, six tubs, two car seats, and eight carry ons on Thursday afternoon.  After a short hour-long flight to Chicago and a two-hour lay over, we were off to Doha on a 14-hour flight.  It seems insignificant in the span of a week/month/year, but I can assure you that 14 hours can seem like an eternity when you are strapped into airplane seats with young children...  Luckily, our flights went really well and Qatar Airways is all it is hyped up to be...  It was long.. really long, but everyone did well and we made it through.  At about hour ten, I glanced behind me at the lady sitting there with her two young children and she said, “this is torture…”  indeed.  We started chatting to pass a bit of time and realized that she was moving to Doha too and would be teaching at the same school as A!  Not only that, but we realized that she was living in the very next apartment.  (Another coincidence:  we share a name and she's from the same neighborhood we lived in in Portland, OR).

Checking out the planes.

Airport fun.

Doing activities.

In the airport.

The Normand adventurers.

PJs on, ready to fly.

QA gives the kids an activity backpack.

Trying to sleep.

Playing a game with a new friend.

Bout to land.

Watched that upper right hand corner for 14 hours!

After getting off of the airplane, we made our way to immigration, and headed for a security check when the kids decided that they had endured quite enough.  They took turns just dropping to the floor and crying.  It was impossible for me or A to pick them up and console them as we were in line carrying 4 carry-on bags each (since they were in no shape to help at all).  I just assured them that if they needed to cry, it was fine, but we had to keep moving.  We made it through quickly and headed to baggage claim where they stretched out on the floor and had a snack while we waited for our 8 bags and 2 car seats (which they have yet to ride in here..) to arrive. 

Relaxing in the baggage claim.

As we stepped out of the baggage claim, we quickly saw the administration from A's school waiting for us with plenty of helpers!  They rounded us up with our carts of luggage (allowing us to carry and console the kids again), loaded them on the bus, and then came back inside to retrieve us (so we didn't have to wait in the heat).  As we stepped out of the airport, the first wave of Qatar heat hit us square in the face.  Wow..  Very hot and VERY humid.  The heat I expected, the humidity I did not. 

As we rode the bus to the housing compound, I saw loads of construction sites, the beautiful skyline I'd seen only in pictures, the Corniche (beach road) and boats, and a blur of cars and lights.  We made it to the housing and got everything inside.  The kids ran from room to room exploring, while A and I sat in a daze.  The apartment is lovely...  Two bedrooms, living/dining area, kitchen, storage room, laundry room (with washer and dryer), two baths, and a large hallway.  It is simply furnished, leaving plenty of decorating for me (happy mommy).

I hadn't slept on the overnight flight much at all and was more exhausted than I realized.  As A was trying to get the Internet working a wave of emotion almost knocked me over...  My eyes were leaking like crazy and anxiety began to build and build.  I stuffed it down until we got the kids in beds, then like a flood, my emotions from the past days just rushed out.  I had no choice but to let them all out.  Then in a heap of exhausted emotion, we collapsed into a deep sleep. 
 

Getting out his cars!

Playing dress-up with mommy's jewelry.

He found a quarter in my jewelry box.

Of course sleep (when you just jumped a bunch of time zones) doesn't last long...  We were all up by 1 am and couldn't sleep again until around 4.  The first day was just a restful day to be here at the apartment, do a little unpacking, shower, and get a few groceries (the admin have been amazing at hopping over and offering rides places.  The second day (after being up again from midnight until 4 am), we were picked up (at 7:30) by bus and taken to the school where A will teach.  We went over some business items and then were  transferred to one of the huge malls to get phones and lunch.  We were successful in getting phones, found a cool toy shop (The kids loved it of course...  They have matchbox cars and princesses..), and ate lunch - Pb had pizza hut and M had McDonalds (oddly, two things I rarely go for in the States..). 

We spent the next couple of days here organizing and unpacking, while A was at school doing bank account stuff, HR stuff, and school stuff.  I threw in a trip to IKEA (wow... that was pricey) and the grocery in the afternoons when he got home.  We also were able to walk to the clubhouse for swimming (after dark when it gets into the 90s - sun goes down around 6/6:30) and to the park for play time.  Our sleep is getting regulated, although jet lag has kicked in.  A and I were able to get our eye tests, registration, and the theoretical portion of our driving test  completed and passed.  All we have to do now is the driving portion and then we will have official Qatari licenses.

Our shipment arrived! 

Putting together some storage shelves after my IKEA trip.

Tonight we are going to get a vehicle.  It will be nice to get some practice and figure out where we live again.  We'll buy an SUV (the safest and norm here) later, but for now renting is a good option.  More on that later.

The kids are adjusting like rock stars and we're so so thankful.  People have been awesome, we're getting used to (if that's possible) the heat and working around it by staying in during the heat of the day (9am-6pm) and enjoying the pool and park after dark. More on that later too.

There are so many more things on my mind, but this is getting long and I have plenty of time to blog some more later.  Shoot me all your questions (even the silly ones), I want to do a Q&A post soon.