Fabric of Abu Dhabi

Fifteen years after high school and an elective sewing class, I decided to brush up on my skills. After selecting the fabric for my Abaya I spotted this beautiful satin fabric with the colors orange, turquoise, and fuchsia. I asked my husband if he thought the fabric would match our décor, because the color scheme for our home is teal, orange, and silver. He wasn’t sure but I felt we could at least try since it was only 15 dirhams per yard.

When I offered to make decorative pillows for the sofa out of the fabric, Marshall gave me that Are You Crazy Look…lol! Granted I am not the most domestic wife but I can do a little something here and there. Being a sweet and loving husband he purchased the fabric and gave me room to work. Between taking care of Madisyn, writing, and completing other personal development projects I made time to make two pillows. I wanted to make two orange pillows, but we are on the Hunt for the perfect fabric. Marshall gave me compliments and was pleasantly surprised that I completed them. I’m still a little rusty so if you come to visit do not stare at the details (work in progress).

I plan to take advantage of the beautiful fabric we have access to here to make more things. Madinat Zayed Shopping Center is a great place to find fabric.

Checkout my efforts:

Where to purchase Gerber Products in Abu Dhabi?

I have been searching high and low for Gerber products for my daughter. Although I breastfeed her, I like to have on-the-go meals and snacks for her in case we are out late or I do not cook. I packed my Gerber products when we moved from Atlanta, but Maddy went through them quicker than I expected. They have baby food here, but I wanted a brand that I knew and trusted. My BBF Shaun offered to send Maddy her favorite food and snacks. I feel bad because after a month I still have yet to receive them and she paid $90 in shipping cost. I purchased a blender/puree and began to make Maddy's food, which I prefer. But when we are out late, the Gerber products are convenient.

My husband and I visited a Lulu's hypermarket and a ray of sunshine came from the baby aisle. Gerber!!! I was super excited. The had an assortment of foods, snacks, and juices. I feel so relieved to finally have found what I've been searching for.

For all you Gerber moms out there in Abu Dhabi visit Lulu's (Mushrif Mall).

“Today’s Disappointment, Is Tomorrow’s Purpose”

Last night as my husband, daughter, and I sat out by the pool overlooking the skyline; the thought of Purpose was in the forefront of my mind. I discussed with my husband that I pray God will reveal to me “My Purpose” within this opportunity.

The decision to move my life was a process and was not made overnight. When I was 3 months pregnant, I knew my company would release me of my duties. My intuition came from a discussion I had with the CEO of my company about expectations three years prior. His opinion was that a woman could either be two things; a successful businesswoman or a great mom, but not both. After working in finance in NYC this way of thought was not foreign to me. At that moment Marshall and I began to prepare by taking a Dave Ramsey finance course, saving, and living minimally to organize our lives based on one salary.  Long story short, I was right and my company released me of my duties two months after I gave birth. Although it was a blow to my ego (who wants to be fired), I really do not have anything negative to say about the process. My CEO was very supportive of me during my pregnancy (I had a few complications) and after I gave birth. But at the end of the day I know Business is just Business.

When the possibility for our family to have this opportunity presented itself, deep down inside I had fears. The fear of moving with an infant with no family support, the fear of losing myself inside this new role as a wife and mother, and the fear of my professional goals diminishing. I never expressed these thoughts to my husband because I trusted he would make the right decisions for our children and myself. 

My husband has truly redefined my definition of partnership and what it means to trust. Anyone who decides to take this path needs to ensure they have a pact to remain supportive and encouraging to not only the person with the opportunity, but the other spouse who is sacrificing a piece of themselves as well.

It wasn’t until I read John 13:17 that I had my Aha moment. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” If I am not aware of anything else in this world, I know that my God is Loving, Reliable, and Faithful. He has orchestrated each minute detail of my life for my good, even when I thought those things were negative or made me uncomfortable.

I came to the conclusion that my Purpose is to Hunt For My Greatness in my marriage, as a parent and in my professional aspirations; and to release all expectations to God and allow Him to accomplish his will in my life. In the meantime I plan to enjoy my beautiful view as I arise each morning, have a mocktail (a cocktail without the liquor) with my family at the pool, and embrace this new culture.

Our First Two Weeks

I can not believe two weeks have come and gone. I feel like we were in Alabama just yesterday. I have to admit time is not a factor here. The environment is very calming and relaxing that I often forget what day it is. In the short amount of time, we have made progress. We found furniture, purchased a car, painted the apartment, and made new friends in the process.

Here is my assessment so far.

Out of the 4 malls we’ve visited, there is something about each of them that I like. Yas Mall has the cutest clothing boutiques where I would shop for clothes. It's also attached to IKEA and Ferrari World. Marina Mall is very beautiful because it's near the beach and it has all of the high-end designer shops. Dalma mall was good for furniture shopping and it houses the best meal I’ve had thus far. Finally Mushirf mall was very practical and good for children because of the large fish tank elevator and an amusement center inside. This mall is also connected to a meat (if you have weak tummy this is not for you. You will see whole animal legs and other limbs displayed), seafood, and vegetable market. FYI do not take any photos outside of the meat and seafood market, a police officer stopped me as I was taking a photo.

The best coffee shop thus far is La Brioche. They have the best caramel frappuccino and apple turnover. It is chain coffee shop and can be found around the city. It is also a great meeting location.

 The best meal I have had was from this Italian restaurant in Dalma Mall called Buca di Beppo. The hospitality and service was amazing. They take you on a tour of the kitchen and you can even dine in the kitchen on your birthday. They have a wall dedicated to celebrities who have dined there. I had the shrimp Florentine, rosemary potatoes, and cheese garlic bread. My husband ordered the Buca Trio Platter with fried calamari, fried mozzarella & stuffed mushrooms. We both were very pleased with everything.

 We also experienced a touch of home by going to Marrybrown in Mushrif Mall for some friend chicken. It was pretty tasty and comparable to the fried chicken back home in Alabama. This is a great spot if you are seeking a quick meal. 

 We ventured out and dined with our friends Renee and Bobby at Bonna Annee, an Ethiopian restaurant. I ordered the Doro Wet (chicken stew with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and Ethiopian chili powder) and Marshall ordered the Bonnanne special (mix of key wet, minchet, abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs, fir fir, and shiro). The food was different but good. FYI: It is a cash only establishment. 

 All in all the first two weeks have been great. We anticipate some normalcy once our furniture arrives and we are settled.

Momma We Made It!

On September 10th, Madisyn and I began our journal to Abu Dhabi to join the hubby. Initially my anxieties about making the trip were traveling alone with a 7-month-old baby diva and packing our lives into 4 duffle bags. However, all in all everything worked our perfectly and was well worth the hassle because, now it feels like Madisyn and I are living on a luxurious resort overlooking a beautiful skyline every single day. 

I am going to walk you through my process of this magical journey with Miss Madisyn Renee. My mom, aunt and a family friend drove us to New Orleans to see us off early that morning. I knew my emotions would eventually get the best of me, I just didn’t know when. It wasn’t until I approached the ticket counter for our boarding passes that I looked at my mom and just started to cry. At that moment all the preparations became a reality. 

The check-in process was smooth, however they asked me a bunch of questions in regards to obtaining a VISA. Even after I told them my husband is working there and his company is sponsoring us, they still continued to interrogate me.  But after that  process we were all set to go.   

I was excited to learn I would have get my stroller back in NYC (after being told I would get in Abu Dhabi) and thank God, because I needed it. The flight from New Orleans to New York City was great, no complaints. Upon arriving in NYC, I received my stroller and Madisyn and I were off to catch our next flight. My husband warned me that it would be a slight hassle getting to the international side of the airport. I should listen to him more often, because it felt like we walked a solid 2 miles to the international security checkpoint. Once there we only had 30min before the flight began to board. The line was long, Madisyn was going into Maddy Meltdown Mode, and I was starving. The line was moving pretty steadily until it was our turn. TSA informed me my stroller had to be inspected by someone else and I had to wait. I waited….waited….and waited until it was 30min before the flight departed. I became impatient and vented my frustration only to be told they were short staffed and to pretty much just wait. Ten minutes later someone finally checked the stroller and I still had a ways to go to my gate. I really began to panic when I heard last call for Abu Dhabi. I was determined to make this flight! Finally…we get to the gate only to be informed we needed another boarding pass and to see the ticket agent. Could anything else slow us down?  As were one of the last ones to be seated on the flight, Madisyn decides she had to use the #2. That meant getting up and passing over someone to take her into the restroom. At this point I used the honor system and left my bags, because the space was extremely tight and I was already hot and bothered. When we settled in I realized my cellular phone did not have a signal, so I couldn’t inform my husband or mother we made the flight. 

Off we go on a 13-hour adventure. I figured Madisyn would sleep a good 7-8 hours on the flight. Man was I wrong. She only slept 2 hours the entire trip. She was up playing, talking and knocking everything over. Initially when a young lady next to me with a son one day older than Madisyn offered to hold her, I was apprehensive. But after 5 hours of non-stop bouncing around in a tight space I took the offer. Her mother traveled with her so she was able to get a break from her son and understood the struggle of traveling with an active infant. This break allowed me to get my laptop and Facebook Marshall and my family to inform them we were okay. 

All in all the flight was wonderful, the food was fulfilling and no turbulence. The flight attendants were superb. One attendant even sat with me to hold Madisyn for about 20 minutes to give me a break.  

After we landed, all I could say was Thank You God!!! We Made It! Upon arrival my husband purchased me a VIP concierge service to transport us through the Passport check-in and to baggage claim. It was easy to get transported around but the individual assigned to me was little lazy. She would not help with my bags, told me I didn’t have time to use the restroom after a 13-hour flight, and stopped to chat with everyone she knew. At baggage claim the first 3 bags and Madisyn’s stroller came pretty fast, but it was too good to be true. We waited for 45min and still no bag. So off to the lost baggage station we go to file a claim. The process was easy and they were very efficient. My bag arrived the next day. 

After it was all said and done walking to the transportation area and seeing my husband made it all worth it. Needless to say Madisyn was knocked out in the cab ride home.

Traveling from the known to the unknown can be frightening, but knowing God promises that he will never leave nor forsake us will always be my guide for anything I approach in  life.

“God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on], and through Him you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” 1 Cor. 1:9 AMP

Function Meets Fashion

As a new mommy I am slowly morphing into a lifestyle of convenience where function meets fashion. My husband and I plan to travel separately due to my sister’s wedding in late August.  The thought of traveling by myself with a 6 month old has given me sporadic thoughts of anxiety. I plan to make this experience a little smoother by ensuring that I have all of my essentials in a hands-free bag. I suspect a diaper bag backpack would do the trick; because I could toss it on my back without having to worry about leaving it anywhere and it would also keep my hands free to care for my little princess.

I wrote down a list of items I would need to place in my backpack. They include:

§  8-10 diapers

§  Wipes

§  Baby snacks

§  Baby Headphones

§  Breastfeeding cover

§  Small blanket

§  2-3 little toys

§  3 changes of clothes for baby + 1 shirt for me (My baby likes to spit up)

§  Iphone

§  Ipad or MacBook

§  Travel toiletries (deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste)

§  Baby medications

After researching, I believe I have found the perfect stylish backpack. The Skip Hop FORMA Backpack!

§  Price: $70

§  Size: 16x8x14"

§  Colors: Peacock or Black

§  Pros: Interior pockets, cell phone pocket, holds up to a’15 laptop, changing pad pocket, multipurpose mesh cube for clothing and snacks, insulated cube for bottles, extra wide dual zip opening, hangs neatly on a stroller (integrated stroller clips), water resistant.

§  Cons: The straps are short, so if you’re tall (5’9 and above) it may be uncomfortable.

§  Where to purchase: Nordstrom or Amazon.com

 

Once I place all my belongings in the backpack, I will give an update on its functionality.

Forever I Love Atlanta!

Full Circle: To celebrate my 30th birthday I took a trip to Dubai with my girlfriends. We joked amongst ourselves about the idea of living in Dubai one day. However in my heart I always felt Atlanta would be my permanent home to jump start my career. During my 20's I had to opportunity to live in a few cities like New York City, DC, and Rome, Italy. When I decided to settle down and make Atlanta my new home I accepted a job, started my own business, joined organizations, and purchased my dream car thinking I was beginning to build my life here.

Within in the blink of an eye, I fell in love, got married, had a baby and now moving to UAE! Excitement was set in motion this weekend when we sold our dining table and sofa set. But I have to admit I still get slightly sentimental when I think about leaving my "home"! See I love Atlanta and in my opinion it is the best city to live. So I've decided to take a journey and create a to do list to experience everything I love about the city before we leave. It's even more exciting, because I get to experience it with my daughter.

I recommend everyone take the time to experience everything they enjoy about their current situation. I remember being extremely excited to study abroad that I didn't enjoy my last days in NYC. So after the excitement wore off, I became a little homesick wishing I had taken in my last moments.  I know everyone on this journey is extremely excited, but do not forget to stop and enjoy the process.

“We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are.” -Bill Watterson