Adventures in Metro-land

Our friends Blueberry Brently (BB) Gnome and GiGi Gnome have left us so Baby Gnome is sad to see her BFF Cutie Gnome leave. They had so much fun playing and sightseeing that she didn't want it to end. Additionally, BB Gnome was her favorite because he would feed her blueberries, of course...i mean why would it be Mama Gnome or Papa Gnome who have only raised her from birth???

After BB, GiGi, and BFF Cutie Gnome left we had to focus on the laundry list of things to do in getting ready for Dhahran, we had some work to do... So, we went with the three Amigos and Shopping Gnome to get our diplomatic passport pictures at Main State and it was an adventure. We had an uneventful lunch, but when we went to get off the metro it was pouring... so we bought cheap discounted umbrellas so the rain couldn't stop us from our goal... after only 15 minutes of waiting in the metro station watching other poor souls being delivered into the pouring rain by the evil Foggy Bottom escalator. The picture process was so easy it only took Baby Gnome two tries to get her cute picture, she is awesome. The adventure really started when we attempted on heading home during rush hour (or is it hours since it last for 3 or more hours) on the metro it didn't go very very well. So as everyone piled onto a cramped Orange Line train to Virginia... Papa Gnome was left outside with the baby stroller and sippy cup! However, one of the Amigos sacrificed his own body to keep the doors of the metro open for his partner Papa Gnome but they were too much even for him and his strength wasn't enough. The good news is that Papa Gnome was able to catch the next metro, which was practically empty since everyone was crammed onto the first train, the bad news is he was concerned the whole time about being a strange looking, middle aged, white man with an empty baby stroller, hanging out on the metro the whole time!

Dhahran

Now, for a little bit of info on our new home. The Gnomes are in fact on our way to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia! Dhahran is in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, just south of Khobar/Dammam, and about a 45 minute drive across the causeway from the island nation of Bahrain. Most notably, Dhahran is the home of Saudi Aramco, the largest oil producing company in the world.

While life will generally consist of compound life, the Saudi Aramco compound is massive, including a golf course, schools, pools, horseback riding, private beach, housing over 12,000 expat employees and their families…plenty of friends and things to do for Baby and Momma Gnome. On the Consulate Compound, there are pools, parks, several families moving in along with us, and of course the Marines! For a closer aspect to American life, the Gnomes can just drive across the causeway, where Bahrain awaits with a very liberal lifestyle that closely resembles being back in the U.S.. One of the best parts is that we will receive 3 R&R flights during our time in Dhahran, and the opportunity for some really amazing weekend jaunts to local areas like Dubai, Cairo, Petra, and if we are really up for it, maybe even the Holy Land! Gotta run, more from the Gnomes coming soon!

Flag Day the Event

Ohhh Flag Day… If we weren’t nervous enough coordinators walk into the room with all the flags of the countries we could go to… and all you hear is a gasp of excitement from all around us. It finally became very real to all of us exactly what we had gotten ourselves into. The Foreign Service Officers (FSO) sat together in the front of the room while all the spouses gathered together with one another for moral support. God bless the wonderful women that BabyGnome and I sat with, they were great at passing a handkerchief around as we all got the news of our new homes. The ceremony consisted of the director for the CDOs showing a flag, announcing the city, and then a long pause (or it seemed) before announcing the FSO who was going there. We are told not to cheer or make any noise but it couldn’t be helped and everyone gasped or cheered regardless of the rule, it is human nature for goodness sake! As the ceremony went on some of the posts we wanted were taken but then we saw the Green Flag with the beautiful writing on it and realized that it would be our next home even before they said Papa Gnome’s name. He was smiling ear to ear and I was crying for excitement and fright, had we made the right decision to put that high? Will Baby Gnome like it? Will we be safe? Will I survive the heat? I could go on forever but all the tears were of pride for my husband who has accomplished so much for our family.

After all that we went and celebrated with all the other great FSO’s and their families. We spent most of the night with Papa’s Gnome buddies that I like to call “The Three Amigos.” My Shopping Buddy Gnome (sense her husband is one of them) has a name for them as well “Dumb, Dumber and Dumba**”… she is a little more witty than me.

So now we have a lot of planning to do in order to start our new andamazing adventure and I really can’t wait to get it started. We promise more soon on our new home, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

Guess the flag...we're off for drinks!

Flag Day is Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is the big day! We have made it this far and we really hope we will be able to sleep tonight….although, if last night was any indication it will probably be sleepless again! Auntie Beach Bunny Gnome has arrived to give us love, moral support, a possible shoulder to cry on and of course to be on Baby Gnome patrol at the Flag Day ceremony. It is so great to have family around, and when you have such a big change in one’s life it really means so much.

We have tried to stay very busy the last couple of days and it has really worked because time has really gone by fast. Papa Gnome has been kept very busy with homework and class work, so that has helped… Mama Gnome has been hanging out with her favorite Gnome Buddy shopping, sightseeing… Baby Gnome’s teething has not made things any easier on the home front though…

Tune in tomorrow for the BIG DAY!!! Here we come?????

Foreshadowing for Flag Day just landed on my face!

I received an omen yesterday morning that has shed some light on where we will be going for the next two years. This omen is not something I am proud of because it is pretty gross but Papa Gnome swears it doesn’t look that bad on me. Yesterday, I woke up with a huge pimple on my face so that must mean we are going to Japan! That is the only explanation available because why else would Mount Fuji be growing on my face unless it was a sign. However, does Fiji have volcano’s because that could be another explanation for my new toxic friend. If it keeps growing it will have to be named since it now shares my face with me.

Okay seriously, Flag Day is only 4 days away and this planet growing on my face is probable due to stress. Everyone was warned that as it got closer, crazy would come out and so here it is.

It is finally done, we have just turned in our Bid List after all the research, analyzing, and the daydreaming of what life would be like in each location. There are some really great places on the list and some extremely challenging locations but all have their advantages and disadvantages. This list is just a tool to assist the CDO’s in placing families in their new homes but of course they have to make sure they find the right fit for the job so that is why it is hard to get your first choice. We did the best we could with our list and now it is up to God where we go and no matter what we will make the best of it because things happen for a reason. Remind me I said that on Flag Day... especially if we get the Congo.

We have a large number of countries on our high and medium list so we have a better chance of not getting any of our top five but if you don’t try then how will you ever know.

Our Top Five:

1. Japan - Dream Gnome Locations!!!!

2. China - Baby Gnome could party on the Great Wall

3. Germany - Highly unlikely due to language needed

4. Singapore - This is such a fun place

5. Saudi Arabia - Good Chance of getting it

We celebrated the 4^th of July down by the Washington Monument and it was amazing. It was well worth fighting the crowds in order to have our last 4^th in the USA for what could be a long while.