4 Weeks In!

We have been here in Saudi 4 weeks today. We are still settling our home and finding our way around. We are learning which store to shop in for certain items and at what time we can go there around the calls to prayer throughout the day. It is quieter for us to shop during the day when we can arrange transportation. Night life in the city is very busy and to say that traffic is SCAREY is a bit of an understatement. NO rules!!!


We've been quad'ing in the dessert and Carli has been desert diamond hunting twice now. We look forward to visiting the Souks (open markets) soon. Now that Carli and I have our Igama's (pronounced Ecomma) we are permitted to travel to more areas outside of Riyadh. We will visit Dubai at the end of September for a few days while Clint moderates a conference there. We also have a trip planned to Australia in October as Clint will teach a workshop there. Carli will celebrate her golden 17th birthday there on the 17th.


The reality of our move here, (not just a fun holiday we will be coming home from soon), has set in. Carli and I are both missing home, family, friends and freedom.
Carli is the only teenager on our compound. Fortunately she has met a friend at our Social group and is able to spend a good amount of time with Elise and her family. There is a pool and gym here on our compound but no other activities. Most compounds have many facilities and activities for the expats' who live there.
I have met a few ladies here from all over the world and we are attempting to meet together from time to time for "coffee". Otherwise we see some others when we take a bus to go shopping throughout the week.


Before we came we knew that one of the hardships here for women is the fight against boredom. I have only been here a month and I am already feeling the effects of this. Some of you at home have suggested that I can always come home and I know that is always an option. Even with as much as I do not do well being bored, I feel that we are here for a reason and a season! I am often on bended knee seeking direction and strength but I have deep abiding faith that the Lord would never lead us where He will not keep us. I know without doubt that we are here on His errand. What my role in that errand is I have yet to discover...but discover it, I will. 


I miss my grandbabies more than I can express. Only God's purposes would keep me from them. Each of us have to make sacrifices at times in our lives. I have been so greatly blessed in my life. I want to show my gratitude to Heavenly Father by my willingness to serve Him even when it seems so difficult to do so. Any returned missionary will understand my feelings. I felt this way before when I was called to serve a formal mission. It IS a sacrifice but we are always SO blessed when we do anything for Heavenly Father. The sacrifice gets swallowed up in the joy that comes over time. Right now we feel like we'd like to go home and go back to life as we knew it there. However, when our season here comes to a close I'm pretty certain we will have a tough time leaving our life and experiences here.
How grateful we are for the Gift of the Holy Ghost which testifies to our hearts that we are to be here at this time. It is such a powerful feeling embedded within us and is what keeps us looking forward and feeling peace amid the conflict. We will carry on!


So my musings today may seem somewhat negative but they really aren't. They just are what we are feeling and going through. We have faith and confidence that all will be as it is meant to be.


Farewell,
Clint, Liz and Carli