Normally it would make sense to start at the beginning, but that would take me too long to get to where we are now, so now is where we will start!  (Although I hope to go back to some of the beginning bits…eventually!)

We are back in Texas…we were gone exactly 5 years!  I still can’t believe it has been that long!

I’m not going to lie, but I wasn’t quite ready to come back, not that I wanted to stay in Dubai, I just wasn’t ready to get back here and “plant some roots” or whatever the saying is.  I’m not much of the root planting type…I’m more of a potted plant! One you can move around…Ha!  It has been a real adjustment being back in the US…in Texas.  Jay and McKayla had no problem adjusting, I on the otherhand was concerned that something was wrong with me, because I was struggling so much.  But then I discovered that I wasn’t alone, I was suffering from Reverse Culture Shock!  (Yes its a thing, read up!)  I  had my first melt down after being back only a week, I was standing in Wal-Mart trying to buy some salad dressing and I stood in the middle of the aisle gazing at the hundreds of choices, I looked at McKayla in complete disgust and I nearly shouted, “who in their right mind needs this many choices”.  Bless her, she looked back at me (a little frightened) “I don’t know mama”.   So after much prayer and the realization that we can’t slip back into our life from 5 years ago, I feel like I have finally turned a corner.

We moved into our house the middle of June, its been fun fixing it up.  We brought back so much of Dubai, that it feels like home!   Our neighbors are incredibly friendly and nice.  And although we miss our church, Fellowship of the Emirates, God has blessed us with one just as great, we started going to Parkway Fellowship the first of June and we have made some amazing friends already!

JMot is working hard, enjoying the challenge of his new job….not so much the commute!  (Dubai’s traffic has nothing on Houston!)

McKayla started 1st grade and is loving it.  She never ceases to amaze me with how flexible and adaptable she is!

We are in the home stretch of our adoption!  We cannot wait to go get our baby girl!  See our Adoption link for updates!  This is both of our girls at 1 year…don’t you see the resemblances?  (Jay says “yes, they are both girls!”)