2012 for the Roans - RECAP!

This year has been one of the most exciting years of my entire life.  I attended a school in DC to learn how to adapt to life overseas in the State Department.  I said goodbye to all of my friends and family and moved half way around the world to Qatar.  I've made fabulous new friends, worked at a US Embassy, traveled to Thailand, played with monkeys, rafted down a Thai river, rode an elephant, my best friend in the whole world is having a baby, went camping on the coast of Saudi Arabia, swam in the Arabian Sea and so much more that I'm sure I'm leaving out.  I've been lucky enough to have done this all with my best friend and husband, Brian.  This year has definitely been an experience and I'm glad that we've gone through these events together.

Enough mooshy stuff.

So, for Christmas we had about 10 people over.  Jen made the turkey and I made:  green bean casserole, hash brown casserole, cornbread stuffing and cheesy broccoli rice goodness.  It was a good time, but we all had to work the next day, so we didn't stay up too late imbibing.

Tonight is New Year's Eve.  We are going to a friend's house across the compound from our villa to bring in the new year.  I'm going to make seven-layer dip and guacamole to bring some Texas to Qatar.  :)  I'm hoping next year will bring us more excitement and travels.  As of now, we have a Eurotrip planned for a few weeks in March, I'll be coming home to TX to meet my quasi-niece/nephew-Earls in late June and we are going to Albania in September for our friends' wedding.  It's already looking like an exciting 2013!

Wish you were here!  :)  

Happy Christmas from the Middle East...what?

We are a week away from the beginning of the holidays and I must say that, even in the middle east, there is Christmas cheer.  You wouldn't think so considering this place is full of Muslims, but the malls, restaurants, hotels and grocery stores all have ornaments, trees, lights, Christmas music, etc.  The real Christmas miracle happening is that it is…wait for it…50 degrees and rainy here.  Yes.  Hell has frozen over, people.  I think the Mayans were right…watch out on the 21^st! 

On the final day of Earth, my friends Donna and Jenne and I are hosting a Ladies’ night.  I’m going to make chicken pot-pies.  What a great meal for your last day on earth, right?  I haven’t told the ladies that the end of the world is my theme.  They think it is just another neighborhood ladies’ event.  T-hee.

For Christmas Eve, we were invited to some friends’ house down the street.  They are making dinner and I’m supplying the stuffing because (gasp) they were going to buy the crap in the box!  Not on my watch, sister!  :)  Christmas Day we are having some people to our house.  Jenne, our friend Al – who threw his back out and can’t fly home to see his family, our friend Chris – who works at the Embassy and isn’t going home to see his family and whoever else decides to show up.  Jenne is making the turkey and I’m going to make all of the sides.  It’s not a Christmas like at home with family, but it will be awesome to spend it with my make-shift family in Doha.  :)  I need to find Joon a Santa costume.

Other than that, we have been working in the backyard and playing some tennis.  I am terrible, but Brian is worse, so it makes me feel better.  :)  Just kidding, lover!...kind of.  OH!  We are planning our Eurotrip in March.  We have a credit with United Airlines that we have to use before April, so we decided to take a few weeks off in March and backpack through Europe.  As of today (five minutes ago), we are going to:  Budapest, Vienna, Berchtestgaden (Eagle’s Nest), Mayrhofen (skiing in Austria), Zurich, Lausanne, Verbier (skiing the Swiss Alps), Grenoble, Marseille (wine tasting in France), Barcelona, Doha.  Pretty cool, huh?  I only wish we could bring Tiger, our photo-taking tour guide from Thailand, with us to be our photographer!

Merry Christmas everyone!  Love and miss you all tons!