Party Of Five in Dubai: It's All About the LIST!

People ask how we manage to go back and forth every year, and my best answer is "It's All About the List!" I confess that I am a habitual list maker, and I will add things to my list even if I've already completed them just for the joy of "crossing them off!" I start my "List of things to do before Dubai" approximately 4 weeks before our departure. This list contains items such as passport renewals, schedule date to suspend house services, i.e. internet, cable, phones, etc, zero out any outstanding balances, find someone to check mail while we are gone, pay property taxes, make sure kids have school uniforms for Dubai, up to date immunizations, report cards, take Christmas card photos, etc.

Next comes the list of "Things to Pack!" We are allowed two 75 pound bags per person, so we've pretty much figured out how much of what items we need to bring. For example, the kids need approximately X amount of tshirts, long-sleeve shirts, swimsuits, shorts, pants, etc. Rod and I also have a list of what items we left in Dubai and what all we need to bring. I make sure to pack plenty of children's liquid Benadryl (life saver and not available in Dubai), the boys' Singulair (available but very expensive in Dubai), and I be sure to bring over a bottle of vanilla extract (unable to get in Dubai because of the alcohol content is too high!)

Then there is the "Christmas" list. The kids exchange gifts with their cousins, so we purchase all of our gifts before we leave. We try to buy a few of the "must have" presents for the boys and pack those for Christmas day. This year we adopted two angels from church, so the boys helped picked out items from their wish and want list. And I can't forget the Christmas cards, which are addressed, stamped and mailed before we leave!

Rod and I make lists of things we need to do around the house: put away pool furniture, kids outside toys, adjust thermostats, clean out frig and perishables, etc. Rod has a long list of items to handle at the barn and his vet clinic, and his clients are usually lined up to see him before we leave.

But the most important item on our list is to spend as much time with family and friends before we go! This year we hosted an early Thanksgiving BBQ and had a small Thanksgiving dinner at our house. The boys played a ton of backyard baseball, football and kickball, went hunting, shot hogs, drove around the ranch, stayed at the deer camp, rode horses, played with their cousins and friends and just enjoyed life on the ranch!

The Sister In Laws at our 9th Annual Early Thanksgiving Dinner

Jake & Cash's last Bible Study was how God watches over us when we're away from home! The class made suitcases for their trip and prayed over the boys.