Opportunities present themselves in many forms. Sometimes they come about by surprise and other times you are able to plan for them. Clint's job transfer to Abu Dhabi was a combination of both. We had talked many times about the possibility of our family having to move for his work, but the locations we always talked about were US based....International placement was probably only mentioned a few times, and then waved away with a "Naaaaaa, that probably won't happen....at least not for a long time." Clint has always talked about wanting to be a Safety Specialist and not just a safety field rep, and working internationally is expected of someone who is aspiring to this level. It is one of those "pay your dues" kind of things. So when the OPPORTUNITY to move to Abu Dhabi was presented to Clint in the spring of 2012, he turned it down because he thought the boys and I would absolutely not want to go. I will admit that when he told me that he had turned it down without talking to me first, it made me mad. Of course he was right, I didn't want to move across the world to the Middle East! I then began to think more and more about it, and decided that if this was going to happen, then I would prefer that it happen while we were all still together as one family unit. I did not want to be on the other side of the world, while one or even two--if not all, of my children were in the US. So I told Clint that we needed to start preparing for an international move so that the next time an OPPORTUNITY was presented, we would be ready.
So the first time the OPPORTUNITY was presented we were surprised and not prepared at all.... The second time just a few short months later we were able to answer because I had made a point to research the area, find a church, and locate schools for the boys....we were able to make plans.
Now from Clint's job OPPORTUNITY, we have been able to have so many, many other OPPORTUNITIES come our way. Let me elaborate......
1) I am teaching internationally now.... believe me, when I decided to be a teacher, teaching in another country never even entered my mind! Even though I am not teaching what I feel is my forte', I am giving it my best effort. God is helping me every day face obstacles and make changes. This teaching OPPORTUNITY has given me the OPPORTUNITY to lean on God and my hubby even more.
2) Joshua and Clay are both going to have amazing experiences as they have been given the OPPORTUNITY to travel via their school to Turkey and Nepal on curriculum and community service based trips. This is something that the boys would have never been able to experience if we were still in the US. (Don't get me wrong, we still miss home most definitely!!!) Joshua leaves for Turkey this week to visit some ancient Greek ruins and learn about the Turkish culture. He has been working the past few weeks on a Social Studies and Language Arts unit about the area that they will be visiting. This unit required him to research a specific location in Turkey and prepare a speech about it, that will be presented while on the trip to his classmates. **** Clay will be traveling to Nepal in April via a school/community service trip with Habitat for Humanity to help an orphange and the young people that are living there. They have incorporated time within the itenary for fun and sightseeing as well, but wow, what an awesome OPPORTUNITY to not only travel but to learn while giving back to others.
3) All three of our boys have a great OPPORTUNITY to play baseball (yes! American baseball!) in the Middle East! Yet again, another thing that we would have never thought about before now!
4) We are experiencing OPPORTUNITIES to meet people from all over the world. The compound where we live as well as the boy's school is comprised of people from the UAE, USA, Norway, France, UK, Germany, Italy, S. Korea, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, etc... the list could go on and on! Now could we have meet people of these same backgrounds in the US? Sure, but here it is much more concentrated, and you are guaranteed to meet someone from another country.
5) We have been given the OPPORTUNITY to educate ourselves about the world, outside of what the media always talks about. It has been enriching and eye-opening!
Now with all this said, please don't think that we don't miss HOME!!!! We most definitely do!!! BUT since we are here, we might as well make the best of it! The things that we miss the most are like lemons, and we are finding ways to make lemonade!! May God bless you and keep you, and may have the OPPORTUNITY to experience something new! Embrace the new, the tears, and the unknown because hopefully in the end you will be glad you did!
Phillipians 4:13 (NKJV) "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
So the first time the OPPORTUNITY was presented we were surprised and not prepared at all.... The second time just a few short months later we were able to answer because I had made a point to research the area, find a church, and locate schools for the boys....we were able to make plans.
Now from Clint's job OPPORTUNITY, we have been able to have so many, many other OPPORTUNITIES come our way. Let me elaborate......
1) I am teaching internationally now.... believe me, when I decided to be a teacher, teaching in another country never even entered my mind! Even though I am not teaching what I feel is my forte', I am giving it my best effort. God is helping me every day face obstacles and make changes. This teaching OPPORTUNITY has given me the OPPORTUNITY to lean on God and my hubby even more.
2) Joshua and Clay are both going to have amazing experiences as they have been given the OPPORTUNITY to travel via their school to Turkey and Nepal on curriculum and community service based trips. This is something that the boys would have never been able to experience if we were still in the US. (Don't get me wrong, we still miss home most definitely!!!) Joshua leaves for Turkey this week to visit some ancient Greek ruins and learn about the Turkish culture. He has been working the past few weeks on a Social Studies and Language Arts unit about the area that they will be visiting. This unit required him to research a specific location in Turkey and prepare a speech about it, that will be presented while on the trip to his classmates. **** Clay will be traveling to Nepal in April via a school/community service trip with Habitat for Humanity to help an orphange and the young people that are living there. They have incorporated time within the itenary for fun and sightseeing as well, but wow, what an awesome OPPORTUNITY to not only travel but to learn while giving back to others.
3) All three of our boys have a great OPPORTUNITY to play baseball (yes! American baseball!) in the Middle East! Yet again, another thing that we would have never thought about before now!
4) We are experiencing OPPORTUNITIES to meet people from all over the world. The compound where we live as well as the boy's school is comprised of people from the UAE, USA, Norway, France, UK, Germany, Italy, S. Korea, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, etc... the list could go on and on! Now could we have meet people of these same backgrounds in the US? Sure, but here it is much more concentrated, and you are guaranteed to meet someone from another country.
5) We have been given the OPPORTUNITY to educate ourselves about the world, outside of what the media always talks about. It has been enriching and eye-opening!
Now with all this said, please don't think that we don't miss HOME!!!! We most definitely do!!! BUT since we are here, we might as well make the best of it! The things that we miss the most are like lemons, and we are finding ways to make lemonade!! May God bless you and keep you, and may have the OPPORTUNITY to experience something new! Embrace the new, the tears, and the unknown because hopefully in the end you will be glad you did!
Phillipians 4:13 (NKJV) "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
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