When the Family Arrives...

It was the type of holiday that the Colombians and Swedes are used to... people arriving in droves from all parts of the world to celebrate the spirit of the holidays and share time with family, near and far. On this occasion it included Pappou and Moca from Sweden, Tia, TTMouz and Avi from Malaysia, Abuelita from Colombia and Patty from Spain, and... oh yes, and us, of course!

Between the time we picked them up as they trickled in to the time we dropped them off as they trickled out, it was one of those holidays where the key was being together. Together for Christmas dinner. Together for the visit downtown. Together to go to the desert 'safari'. Together to visit Abu Dhabi (and Ralph and Anne and Maria too). Together to get the tree decorations set up. Together to create the nativity scene with clay. Together to go to the Christmas show at the Opera house. So much together and so little time!

But if together was what it was all about, then together was done very very well. The visit was filled with midnight masses, with jelly squares, with turkey dinners, and with laughter and love. It was the kind of together event that some might only dream of. Though when large groups come together might offer its challenges at time (of the logistical sort) the departure - timed for the day after Irini's birthday - left a pretty empty house and a mind full of memories. 

Thank you to one and all for being those special people that we get to share our "together" moments with@

Desert-bound.

 

Coming here from Malaysia it appears that nature is lacking. Certainly the lack of vegetation takes you back a bit, until you start to realize the beauty of the desert. Driving along the highway there are places - away from the urban sprawl - simply spectacular. If you are able to get out, to head into the sand dunes and explore just a little bit, you will find a splendor that often gets missed. The calm breeze that shared our evening was perfect and, as it gently made the dunes for us to run around, it allowed a different, quite spectacular, connection between earth and sky. As the sun went down over the dunes it was hard to not be amazed at how, even here in a land with little vegetation, nature is simply beautiful. 

Of course there was also the part of the dune bashing that brought tears to Irini's eyes as she looked out of her own car towards that one that daddy (and Pappou and Moca) were in. Running up the slopes and turning on a dime to go back down the edge brought a stress to poor Irini who thought her family might get hurt. But in the end the drivers were experts who added the adrenaline without incident and took us to our final destination... the camp where dinner was served and a show that, as it turns out, Amalia decided to join in with!  Round and round she twirled with a very heavy "dress" until, finally, the professional dancer who had invited her to the stage, helped her take it off to the applause of the crowd and the excitement of her family. :-)

A Happy Daddy and His Girls!

There are always great pictures to take and be taken. This one was just too cute not to post. The girls were thrilled with the Terry Fox Run at school and, dressed in appropriate t-shirts, they marched outside to share the experience with the rest of the school. Daddy, clearly unprepared, and mommy (who was prepared but was already "on the move" by the time this picture was taken) were there as well. Some of the time was spent walking (especially by daddy) and some running (especially by the girls) but it was all smiles!  It seems that we're steadily finding things to look forward to around here!