Leaving on a jet plane. With two hours to pack. With two kids. In the midst of a military coup.

I meant to write this earlier so the details wouldn't be as fuzzy (so excuse incorrect dates, details, etc) but haven't had much of a chance to do that until now.


I arrived back with the kids in May, and there was already talk of another revolution being planned for June 30th.  This protest was different than the other ones that we had grown accustomed to because this one was calling for the ousting of the President of Egypt.  The other protests, while sometimes large scale and dangerous, were most definitely not going to involve us or our safety.  And, even though we were confident that it wouldn't, we didn't know if the protests would make their way to us.  Maadi, the suburb of Cairo where we lived, was totally removed from the going's on in Downtown and Nasser City.  It's a generally safe area.  So due to the unknown every play date, gathering of friends, even when my pediatrician came to give Coco some vaccinations all involved conversations of what do you think will happen, what's your opinion of the current situation, and asking if each other's company was going to evacuate them.  Ultimately nobody knew what was going to happen.  I don't even think the people who organized the first protests expected the size and scale of what was to come.  Especially what's going on right now.  

So, when Seth said he'd have to go to Dubai during the week of the planned protest we were not that concerned about it.  Okay- I was concerned about having a then three month old and a three year old by myself, but not much else.  The kids and I started the week swimming with friends and playing with friends.  I didn't put Benjamin in nursery that week because I just didn't want to be walking the streets alone with him just in case.  There was a lot of tension in the air, and I was afraid that people would use what was going on as an excuse to act up.  I actually drove Seth's car for the first time in two years.  It was a perfect time to introduce myself to Egyptian driving.  Maadi was a total ghost town, so it was very simple to drive. 

I packed an emergency bag that I could grab if we had to leave immediately.  It was just a backpack with our passports, some money, diapers, etc.  I also tried packing a "just in case" suitcase, but it was impossible to do with a three year old in the house.  I didn't want to frighten Benjamin.  I also didn't want him thinking we were going on a trip either because I'd get asked every other second when we were going on an airplane. 
 
As the week progressed the protest to oust Morsi became huge.  Gigantic.  Like 3 million people took to the streets. We all kept a watchful eye on Twitter (which was an amazing resource) for up to date, and accurate, information.  I can't express enough how much of a comfort it was to be able to have live reports from reporters who were in the field.  It all seemed to be one happy party (in Cairo, Alex was another story) until Morsi said he wasn't going to step down (and thanks for that speech that dragged on and on and on, buddy).  After that I was pretty certain that our company was going to evacuate us.  People celebrating in the streets is one thing; the ousting of the current President by the Military is another.

So the next morning I got a call around 10am that we were going to be evacuated.

"Mrs House, we're sending a car to come get you within two hours and you'll be going back to your home country"

Oh snap.  Two things scary about that statement....First- two hours?! WHAT?!  Second- back to the US?!  With two kids! All alone?!  Noooooooo!!!

So, I asked (well, kinda begged) to be sent to Dubai.  It's a direct flight, only four hours away, and Seth was there.  Thankfully the company made a change to our ticket and we were headed for Dubai.  I figured if I needed to head to the US from Dubai (and, why would I, surely this thing will blow over in a week...) then we'd deal with that later. 

I rushed to pack our suitcases. Thankfully Genet was there to help me.  It's now a blur, but those two hours were nuts because under the surface I was going a mile a minute but had to keep a happy face for Benjamin.  Poor guy went from thinking things were same ol' same ol' to see me packing up.

We were picked up by a company driver who was going to take us to a hotel near the airport to wait for our airplane.  Leaving Maadi was an emotional experience.  The Army had basically taken over, so there were helicopters and tanks out (much to Benjamin's delight).  People were out going about their usual business. There were Egyptian flags everywhere.  The driver switched on a mixed CD instead of the music he had been listening to before we got in the car.  The first song that played was Adele's Skyfall which added another element to the drive.  I started to cry.  It had been a hell of a week with a lot of up's and down's.  Nobody knew what was to come, and all I could see was people on the street who didn't know either but were living in this chaos.  We had just left Genet, who is apart of our family and we all love very much.  I was worried for her safety.  Plus, if you have ever listened to Skyfall, it's a pretty fitting song for the current situation...

This is the end
Hold your breath and count to ten
Feel the earth move and then
Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end
I've drowned and dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away, I'm stolen

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together


The airport was pretty calm.  I was alone, so I paid a porter to help us get through security and help us at the check in gate.  He asked "Madam, money?" when I motioned toward the gate which to me meant stay with me the entire time.  To him it meant bribe the guy working the computer to cut me in line.  Awkward!  But necessary.  So two guys made more than a week's salary in an hour by cutting me in line and getting all of our flight information arranged.  The guy at check in actually met us at our gate to make sure we got through okay. 

 

The flight to Dubai was pretty tame.  We flew Emirates which is my new favorite airline.  Benjamin passed out within 15 minutes of boarding and slept the entire way.  I wish I could say the same for Ms Sassy Pants Coco.  She rocked and rolled pretty much the entire trip there.

 

We arrived in Dubai without much of a hitch.  Seth picked us up from the airport and we were a family again.  We both expected to fly back to Cairo within a week and return to organizing our move to Dubai.  Then it became more and more clear that the situation in Egypt was turning more uncertain, and we knew we wouldn't be allowed back anytime soon.  Me flying with the kids back home (forever alone!) was turning out to be the next option.  So, that's where the story finds me now.  I'm with the kids in Louisiana while Seth has started his new job (and new position due to a promotion-go Seth!) in Dubai.  I was able to check out areas of places to live, and think I found a good one.  Benjamin has an idea of his new home, and Coco got to find new ways to embarrass her parents in the many malls in town.  Like continuously doing her lovely headache inducing shriek or pooping out of her diaper and on Seth's shorts.  Good times!

 

Hopefully we'll all be together again next month when Seth comes to get us and bring us back.  Because, yea, I can't do another 15 hour flight by myself.  It's not cool.  I won't share all the gory details but it involves a baby screaming, a 3 year old projectile vomiting, and me wanting to hide in Business Class and power chug some white wine while loudly saying "I feel sorry for the lady of those kids in Economy! Certainly not mine!  Kids will be kids, amiright?!" and looking around wondering if anyone was noticing the puke on my dress.   

 

I don't know what's going to happen regarding moving our things out of Egypt.  Hopefully we'll be able to do that soon because that will mean that things in Egypt have calmed down.  We'll see. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

Well, as it appears, we're moving to Dubai.

Thankfully Benjamin no longer calls it Boo-bai.  He's a preschooler now (tear) and call call things by their proper names.

We visited Dubai two years ago (hence the cutesy way of pronouncing Dubai), and I recorded our travels here.  Benjamin wasn't even two years old, a second baby wasn't even being talked about, and we were still very new to Egypt.  Time marches on.

And now we find ourselves moving there...

Oh, Dubai, that old place again?

I'm currently writing this as both of my children are asleep.  We spent the morning swimming at the Maadi House pool (thanks to my awesome friends who invite us!).  Benny is napping on the couch; Coco is in her swing.  I have a pie cooking in the oven, and the house is lovely and quiet.  Fans are providing a cool breeze and the pleasant sounds of summer.  All is well in my world right now.  Which makes me panic and think "We can't leave Egypt!  I love it here!!!"

Then we hear reports about how the second revolution is in the midst, how prices of everything are increasing, and the people of Egypt are on the midst of even more economic hardships.  Without trying to sound trite, for lack of a better way to say it (Baby brain, dang it!  I'm tired!)  my heart goes out to all Egypt's citizens.  They're in for some rough (well, rougher) times ahead.  Due to political uncertainty here, and a lot of other reasons, it's time we say ma'a salama to Egypt.  I do need to add that we have never felt unsafe here. We're just over the constant possibility of something happening.  I wrote about it here.  Also, life in Egypt (even for an expat) is difficult.  When I walk Benjamin to his school (or anywhere) we are constantly dodging piles of garbage.  I always wear my sunglasses because I don't like making eye contact with men on the street.  I get harassed too frequently, and it's too hot to put up with anyone's crap...

After all the negative being listed I also need to mention how much I really have loved living in Egypt.  I wouldn't trade our time here for anything.  I love all of the friends we have made here.  It's amazing how quickly you develop life long friendships when you live overseas.  I love how kind and hilarious a lot of Egyptians are.  You see some people who have absolutely nothing, living in total poverty, and yet they are always smiling.  There is a man (expats here will know him as the flute guy on Road 9) who carves flutes out of reeds.  I think I have at least 5 flutes that he has given Benjamin for free.  He stops traffic so the mom's crossing the street can safely bring their kids to nursery.  It's things like that, and people like him, that helped me fall in love with living here.  I'm told "welcome to Egypt!" at least once a week by people on the street.  And, this is the best part, Egyptians absolutely love children and babies.  Egypt is a place where people will warmly greet your children, grown men will be excited to see you have a baby and tell you congratulations, and where you're welcomed into restaurants (and airplanes! Oh how I love you Egypt Air). Where as you're given the "you had better keep that germ factory quiet" look in an American restaurant or airplane.

I also can't deny that living in a country that founded civilization as we know it isn't extremely cool.  We're living where Moses walked; we're living where Mary, Joseph and Christ walked- and people who lived hundreds of years before they were even born.  It's has been amazing living in a place that is centuries old.  Where we're living is surrounded by ancient history.  I could hop in a car and see the Giza Pyramids- a place where people spend their lives saving to go see- at anytime.  When you drive from the airport to our apartment you pass ancient Roman aqueducts and The Citadel (built during the time of the Crusades).

My mother in law, Seth and I (and Colette) in Coptic Cairo.  Where you can see where the Holy Family stayed while in exile in Egypt. 

However, I'm excited to move to one of the most Western places in the Middle East. I remember walking around in one of the malls in Dubai and forgetting where I was; thinking for a second that I was back in Houston.  I'm excited to move into an area that has pools and parks. I'm so excited to move into an area that's clean.  Basically, we're movin' to the Burbs...and I can't wait to be cookie cutter.  Yea, I said it.  Cookie cutter looks pretty awesome right about now.

I'm pretty scared about the cost of living.  Everything is available there (Gap, Gymboree, Clinique- my three essentials in this phase in my life), but you're paying more for them than you would in the US.  I bought Benjamin a shirt at the Gap that was $30.  I didn't realize until much later that I was using the Egyptian exchange vs the Emirates (7 Egyptian Pounds: 1 USD, 3.65 DHS: 1 USD).  Whoops!

Livin' the high life y'all

I'm scared of the heat.  Oh how I hate summer.  I'm from Louisiana, I lived in Houston for 6 years, I now live in Egypt and I'm moving to Dubai.  In July. Or August. Where it can get 117 with 99% humidity.  Why does everything bad always happen to me????!!!!  WHY?!!

Just trying to get my first world problems reprogrammed.

So, ma'a salama to Egypt.  We have loved living here, and have made memories to last a lifetime.

Colette is waiving goodbye from the belly

Two Kids

10pm:  Both kids asleep (!), I crash
12pm: Wake up with baby, feed her, put her back down to sleep
2am: Wake up with baby, feed her, put her back down to sleep
5am: Wake up with baby..you get the idea
5:45am: Baby fussing again, feed her a little more, put her back down to sleep
Close eyes, hoping to get a least 30 minutes of rest....
6:00am: 3 year old wakes up, wants chocolate milk, and sleepily asks to watch a show
7:00am: 3 year old has had breakfast and is happily watching Hop, and I'm looking longingly at my coffee as I'm feeding the baby

Two kids.

Sweet Miss Colette

It's a Girl!

Colette "Coco" House was born on a freezing cold day in March in my hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  We chose to name her Colette (nickname Coco) because it's a sweet French name, and it's not something that's going to be on a Top 10 names of 2013.  It's also not the kind of name that requires an immediate explanation like Apple or Squash or Desk.  Her middle name, Marian, was my Granny's first name.  She passed away in December of 2011, and I loved her so much that I had to name my daughter after her.  Colette was named after my father's mother and she was born on my Mimi's (my mom's mom) birthday.

Her delivery was extremely easy.  Seth and I went to the hospital at 12am, I was given Pitocin, and was told to sleep.  There wasn't any way I was going to be able to sleep because the contractions I felt were very uncomfortable.  So I was given some kind of narcotic because I do not do feeling contractions.  The nurse told me "this will work very fast". I figured her to be a liar when I wasn't numb before she could finished her sentence.  I do not do feeling contractions.  Then, wait for it, 2 more seconds past....awww yeaaaa...that shot had me seeing the world like those trippy Beatle's cartoons from the 60's.

high as a kite

 I also had a random exchange with Seth at about 3am...

I wake up, look at Seth, and see what looks to be him sleeping sans shirt with the hairiest chest in the world. Like bear fur chest.
K: Seth!  Sick!  Put your shirt back on!  Where do you think we are?!
S: (half awake) Huh? I...I have my shirt on...
K: Gross! You don't!  Put it on!
S:  knows I'm high, falls back asleep
K: It's like I'm dreaming, and can change the  plot of my dreams....
S: zzzzzzz....no, you still look pretty....zzzzzzzz

The doctor broke my water at around 7am, and I started progressing with lightening speed.  My mom, sister, and mother in law arrived in the delivery room seconds before I started pushing.  I'm kind of a champ pusher, my kids come pretty fast, and after about 10 minutes she came into the world.  The doctor placed her on my stomach, and all I could think was how absolutely cute she was.  Seriously, she was ridiculously good looking.  She didn't have the beat up look like most infants; she didn't have any trace of cone head.  Colette was an absolutely beautiful two second old (and still is at 2 months).

I had to add the rabbit hat on our Easter baby

Benjamin loved her from the start.  We all breathed a sigh of relief.

He had a lot of practice with monkey

Everyone, and I mean everyone, loves this baby girl.  She is the youngest of 5 grandson's, so she has everyone wrapped around her absolutely lovely pinky finger.  She is a wonderful baby, and I can already tell she has a good heart.  We are very blessed that she's in our family.  Thank Heaven for little girls!

Due to Benjamin and I going home for 3 1/2 months it almost felt like we lived back in Louisiana.  It was absolutely wonderful; it's always great to be home.  The long stay makes saying goodbye absolutely gut wrenching.  It was like the first time I left, but this time I had a new addition-one who everyone fell in love with immediately- that was leaving them.  I know I'll miss family; I know they'll miss me, but it's the most difficult when I think about them missing my kids.  The next time Colette is home she'll be around 9 months old.  Benjamin will be 4.  They will have changed so much, and it's hard to think about the people who love them (other than their mom and dad) missing out on that.  That's the most difficult part of this expat life.  Leaving family again and again hasn't become easier.  It has become extremely difficult.

Another difficult part of the trip was that Seth was only there for 4 weeks. It's no fun being back home without him! He had to leave earlier than us to return back to work (we're using the rest of his vacation to go to Spain in October), and we had to wait out Colette's passport.  He was home two days before his baby girl's birth, and left 4 weeks after.  There was plenty of snuggling and crawfish eating done in those 4 weeks!

In our 3 1/2 months home we got to celebrate Mardi Gras (see post below), Easter

and general cousin-time awesomeness

Once we had Colette's passport in hand we were able to head out. One 3 year old, one 6 week old, one scared Mom, one prepared Granny, 12 suitcases and 4 carry on's all left New Orleans on May 12th.  Benjamin, as always, was a champ flier.  Colette slept most of the way.  I think the whooshing sound of the airplane really helped with that.  The trip was pretty seamless excluding my mad rage for KLM booking my mom on a separate flight once we were in Amsterdam.  However, I'm so glad to report that we were fine  without her help.  Egypt Air is one of the best airlines in the world to fly with kids.  They bent over backwards to help me.  Delta, well their flight attendants literally stood a foot away from me and watched as I struggled with getting Coco into her Ergo and tried to balance two carry on's.  Egypt Air put away all of my bags, played with Benjamin, and couldn't of been more kind.  Delta- your suckage knows no bounds.  Shape up.

all expat mom's in Egypt agree that Egypt Air is awesome

It's great to be back in our home across the ocean.  We came back at just the start of summer.  Tomorrow's high is going to be 106.  Can I plan stuff or what?!  I am glad to have our family together again though.  Even if we're together and all sweating- we're all together.  Team House reunited with our newest member- the beautiful Colette Marian House.

Welcome to Egypt, Colette

Mardi Gras

So, y'all really talked this whole thing up.  So far all we see are a bunch of ladders on this so called "neutral ground."

We get to get on the ladders?!  YES!

So far so good...

Harper gets in on the action too

Police cars?!  That's how this whole thing starts, no?

First catch of the night.  Gold "Beans" are pretty cool.  

Knights! Look! Knights!

Cotton Candy too?! 

Mardi Gras rules!

Getting a 3 year old excited about the soon to come baby

As reported earlier we're having our second baby in March.  Seth and I are anxious, elated, and enjoying the quiet times before we have two children.  We spend a lot of time talking to Benjamin about "his baby" and being a big brother.  So far we haven't had the best success about getting the point across that a new addition is coming soon.  Our conversations have been...

Me researching spa treatments for when I get home, pregnant belly (a photo shopped one! or it had dang well better be) appears on the screen, 3 year old sees belly...

"Look! A baby, Mommy! That's a baby!"
"It sure is, where is YOUR baby?"
"Ummm, baby on computer, see? That's a bayyyybeee"
"Where is BENJAMIN'S baby?"
3 year old then loudly burps, finds it hilarious, and you know the conversation is over.

Later that day, sitting on the couch with 3 year old...

"Benjamin, see mommy's belly? It's moving! That's your baby!"
3 year old glances over at belly, lifts my shirt, gives my belly a slap
Discuss being gentle with 3 year old, have him practice a gentle touch on my hand
3 year old goes back to shooting lasers and pretending he's a pirate


Surely bribery will work...

"Benjamin, I bet when your baby comes they are going to give you a present!"
3 year old looks up, somewhat amused, lets me know that Santa is the one who brings presents round' these parts.


Maybe once the baby comes things will sink in that we now have a new addition to our family.  Then a couple month's later we will be asked when we get to bring the baby back.

The Bodyguard

For some reason I've been interested in learning about life in Saudi Arabia lately.  Oh hells no we're not moving there!  It's on the list of places that, if ever offered, Seth and I both agree are not an option.  The curiosity has come from watching The Kingdom, and now we've been watching Homeland.  Both good shows.  But if we're living in Muslim-light Egypt I'm very interested to know what it's like to live in full on, totally conservative Muslim, Saudi.

So due to my curiosity I've just been googling and reading what I can find.  I smiled a big comradery smile with Finoa Moss when I read her article in The Telegraph:

As a Western woman with fair hair, I have been gawped at, made to feel uncomfortable, even openly derided by a young Saudi generation that is more culturally confused than its forebears, who grew up untroubled by the presence of Western expertise in the military or oil industry. But take a child with you, and the Arab world respects you instinctively. Take a male child with fair hair and you are onto a winner.

We've got ourselves a winner!

It's interesting to see another expat in another country say something similar to what I say here.  I call Benjamin my bodyguard.  My bodyguard is 34 lbs of cute, he has curly blonde hair and a cute toothy grin.  He keeps me safe from most inappropriate actions of the creepy element here.  When this  happened he was at nursery school.  When you're alone you're a Western stereotype of promiscuity like what people here see on tv.  Thanks a heap, Melrose Place. When you're with your child you're less ho and more mom.  I often wonder if people still think "well, at least the ho finally settled down."

Overall, the creepy behavior have been sparse and isolated incidents.  Nothing I couldn't handle on my own, or really anything that wasn't a young Egyptian generation who, for whatever reason, thinks Western women think it's perfectly fine to have someone touch their behind.  Ah well, that kid got a lesson and doused in water.

I'm also going to have a mini bodyguard with me pretty soon.  I'm honestly looking forward to it.  Since my other one has moved on to days of finger paint and singing Wheels on the Bus I've been feeling the ick factor on the regular.

Then again sometimes you have an experience like I had today.  My local vegetable/fruit guy saw me coming, ordered me some tea, and after I was done shopping had it brought to me.  He even put some fresh mint in it.  It's things like this that make me love Egypt.  People will go out of their way to be hospitable to you.  That's why I said (in the other blog linked) that Egyptians are better than all the harassment that goes on here.  I don't see how a group of people can be so wonderful then have this ick factor just below the surface.   And, like Fiona Moss, I find the harassment is coming from youth.  It's not the obviously fundamentalist men, who I'm sure think the fact that I don't veil is terrible.  It's not from grown men (definitely not older men!).  It's from teenagers and guys in their early 20's.  Grow up, kids.  Or I'll have to unleash the wrath of my sometimes Pirate sometimes Super Hero 3 year old Bodyguard on you.

2013, so far so good

Happy New Year everyone!

One of the first events that occurs after New Year's Day is January 3rd, one of the best days of the year.  Besides November 12, and December 11, and a date TBD in March...

and actually, if you know me, I'm really not that into January 3rd in the first place.

January 3rd is a day that in 1980 I decided to make my way here on Earth.  A day my Dad said was where he "knew you'd always cost us money" due to not being able to claim me for those 1979 Carter era taxes.  I guess I wanted to make sure the family had one last day of cabbage rolls and black eyed peas to enjoy before adding to the family.

This year's birthday was great. Seth and my friends in Cairo made sure it was a great day. Benjamin made the declaration that everyday was his birthday.  He also asks most mornings if Santa came to bring presents. We have failed at discussing how we don't get presents everyday.  The boy hasn't had that one register just yet.

To my right was a full on cake thief.  A little girl joined our party out of the blue, sang Happy Birthday to me, and helped herself.  Nobody knew who she was. Hey, at least she sang for her supper.

2012 was a great year filled with seeing family (twice in the same year!) and finding out we're having Baby #2.  I actually found out when we were home for the summer, so it was great to share that in person with everyone.

Baby #2 is due in late March.  Benjamin came into the room for the ultrasound, so now he thinks his baby is on the tv and not in mom's belly.  At least we've convinced him the baby isn't in his belly, which was his opinion for the majority of this pregnancy.

Benjamin and I will be heading to the US in early February.  I'm glad to be going home, but I'm not at all glad to be leaving Seth behind.  He'll join us closer to the due date so he can use his vacation for all the post baby fun.

Second pregnancies are different from your first.  Obviously you can't come home, give your husband a half smile, shower, and hit the bed by 7pm like you did in your first go round.  This time you have a small fry who really doesn't care that you're sick/tired/make that exhausted/ breathing fire from heart burn/finally got comfortable on the couch and really don't want to get him a milk.  You also forget how far along you are.  I feel bad when people ask and my answer is usually "Ummm...it's in the 20's for sure.  27? Hahahaha, you know, second baby" and get a look like "I still knew how far along I was with my second baby."  When I was pregnant with Benjamin my response was often like "I'm 18 weeks, the baby is approximately the length of a bell pepper.  The baby flexes his arms and legs, and his blood vessels are visible through his skin."

I was, like, 15 weeks? 34? 3? when we took this.  I don't know...

I can at least stay we're prepared gear wise despite not knowing how far along I am.  I'm checking right now because I'm starting to feel bad about this...28 weeks!!! Thank you babycenter!  So, we have all of our baby gear that we used for Benjamin.  Which I really need to get on the ball about setting up again, and Seth letting me know how much he just spent in batteries.  Now the baby can sit in their sweet lamb swing that I just had to have, only to find they absolutely hate it.

We got like 2 full hours use of this thing.  I mean, I want to sleep in in!  Why wouldn't a 2 week old?

I'm also gearing up Benjamin for Mardi Gras.  Yea, it's Carnival time and everybody's havin fun!  Something tells me he's going to be more excited about the police motorcycles and fire trucks pre/post parade.  What's going to be a totally epic reunion are the combination of forces from "The B's"...

I can't wait to get those two together again.  Benjamin is excited to see "my buddy, that's my buddy" for sure.

Aaaand, that's about all I got for 2013 so far.  We also started the preliminaries of what adventure we'd like to go on next.  So far we've decided either Barcelona or Rome. But, as of Jan 6th we have a baby on the way, Mardi Gras with my man B, and being home and enjoying all things Louisiana.  Yea, those 8lbs I gained this summer, then immediately lost when coming back to Egypt, are coming right back.  I aint skeered neither!  Bring it, all things seafood and cooked with butter, bring it all.

You're first, Corn and Crab Bisque

Then you, yea you're getting eaten up good

Fried things AND bread!

Washing it down with 

and, I mean, it's Carnival.  If you don't eat this then you're a communist

Happy 2013 everyone!  I hope it's one of the best year's of your life