More pictures!


Ellie watches us constantly, and she tries to mimick much of what we do. This is especially true when it comes to drinking. Ellie has no interest in the sippy cup. She watches us drink from regular glasses or water bottles, and that's what she wants too (picture of her drinking from a glass coming soon)!



Today, we visited more souqs. This time, we went to the "old souqs", which have pretty much whatever you can think of (although much of it is cheap crap). Walking past the spice stalls filled our noses with amazing scents and our eyes with wonder (as in, "I wonder what THAT is?!"). The best part was seeing falcons for sale. March is the last month of falcon season (hunting with falcons is extremely popular here). Top birds are sold privately, but some falcons are available in the souqs, and we saw those today. Beautiful.

The population of Qatar is approaching one million persons, about 80% of those persons being expatriates (expats, for short--people who live outside their home country). Of all the expats here, most of the workers seem to be men, leaving lots of expat wives in the mix with little to do (other than shop) while the kids are in school. To remedy this, numerous women's groups have popped up around town: American Ladies Group, South African Ladies Group, AUZIQ (for Australians and Kiwis), Spanish-speaking Ladies, Expat Women, Tuesday Morning Ladies...and of course, there are the company-specific wives' groups as well. This week, Jennifer and Ellie attended two such groups: the company wives' coffee morning and the Tuesday Morning Ladies Group coffee morning and fashion show. For those of you lacking in excess comedy these days, read on for an account...

First, the company group. Oh my. In the past, I've avoided those coffee mornings entirely, assuming they simply wouldn't be my kind of thing. However, being new to Qatar and finding very little else to do here, I decided to give it a try. Let's just say my initial assumption held. It really wasn't my kind of thing. Although I was dressed in "smart casual", I was the only one not wearing a skirt or dress. The other ladies weren't very friendly. Making conversation was painful! No one seemed to want to meet new people...so, as the new people, we were left with no choice but to exit stage right after about 15 minutes.

Next, the Tuesday Morning Ladies. I have found a good friend in another American woman here in the Ritz, and she invited us to come along with her to try out this group. She had met a wonderful Scottish woman who recommended it, so we thought we'd give it a try. Oh my again. And again. We arrived at the Ramada for the coffee morning, and the room was a relatively small conference room with low ceilings and not much A/C...and it was packed with ladies, most of whom are at least 20 years older than I am. Again, not too many people wearing trousers or jeans. My claustrophobia (and general fear of lots of expat ladies in small quarters) kicked in immediately and I had the overwhelming urge to flee at top speed...except I'd come with a friend and was trapped. Instead, I opted to have some tea, which had cost me an unexpected fee at the door (QR 10 for tea, QR 10 because I wasn't a member, and QR 10 for charitable funds). There were indeed many cups, saucers and tea bags available...but no more hot water, so no tea. Alas. Just as I began to twitch with anxiety, a very proper English old biddy (picture Hyacinth Bucket, for those who are familiar) stepped up to the podium and says above the din of expat ladies' chatter, "I'm waiting...for silence." Now, we are in elementary school. It only got better. She went on with the morning's announcements, including disdain for the Ramada, which seems to be booked (heaven forbid!) at the time of the next Tuesday Morning Ladies' Group meeting, so "we must have an outing". Though inexact, her speech pretty much went as follows (to be read in a high British accent): "The outing will be a beauty day at two salons in the Royal Plaza. We will be divided into two groups on the day, and you will not be allowed to choose your group. Remember this if you come with a friend! You might not be in the same group and that is just how it is, ladies. No quabbling about it! The beauty morning will begin at 9:30. That's 9:30, ladies! NOT 9:15. NOT 9:45. NINE. THIRTY." By now, I'm giggling. Then, the fashion show began. About ten of the ladies had volunteered to model fashions that were...shall we say...for a different age group and taste than mine. Then, there was a little raffle for charity and it was over. Something tells me that the Tuesday Morning Ladies Group isn't really my thing either.

On the drive home, my friend's husband called her cell phone to see how it went. She gave a brief synopsis and concluded with, "Where are all the young, fun expat wives??!!" His response was, "In your car right now."
The man has a point.

This morning, we headed to the souqs (rhymes with "spooks") to see what we could see. The souqs are vibrant, open-air markets where you can find just about anything, if you look. We stuck to the fruit and vegetable market (where we couldn't take any pictures...lots of people, and you have to ask permission from locals for photographs). Then, we went in search of the animal market, where we'd heard everything from pigeons to camels were available for sale. Success! We found the animal market after a bit of searching. Let's just say that this is the place to shop if you want to become a shepherd. I've never seen so many sheep available for sale! Sheep, sheep, and more sheep! Some cows. And yes, many many many pigeons too. The best part was the camels. Big camels, little camels, beige camels, dark camels... What fun! We've been debating which vehicles to buy to facilitate desert travels and off-road adventures. I think camels provide an ideal solution! Won't get stuck in the sand, roll down a dune, or overheat far from an auto service. Unfortunately, the animal market looked rather shabby. It made us feel a bit sorry for the critters. We didn't get out of the car much, so no new camels for us. Ellie slept through the whole experience. She just cut tooth number too, so she's exhausted!

The newest Executive Lounge reception staff member



Sorry we haven't posted in a while. Ellie has had a cold. She hasn't been feeling great and hasn't been sleeping much (thanks to a very stuffy nose)...meaning neither have we. The three of us are all exhausted. Thank goodness it is finally the weekend. We hope to recoup a bit.

The latest word on the housing front is that we won't get any more choices, although technically other homes are available. The company has made numerous exceptions to their housing policy to let other families into better compounds, leaving these two remaining compounds relatively unfilled because no one wants them. The homes in them aren't all that bad, if we're honest. In Palm Plaza, the houses are actually quite new and quite decent. It's the facilities and the locations that are so problematic. It's hard to be content with Palm Plaza, a little cul-de-sac in a not-so-nice neighborhood with a tiny outdoor pool for all 14 houses, when you know there are homes available (as in the company is paying for them to stand empty) in compounds that have trees and places to walk and play, with large indoor and outdoor pools, playgrounds, gyms, yoga rooms... You see our point. For some reason, the company has laid down the law in our case and outright refuses to make any exceptions to their policies that reserve these homes for larger families (at least two kids), although we are aware of at least five cases in which they've already made exceptions. We've even brought forth the point that we will be here for four years and are likely to have a second child in the time, but they won't budge. My guess is that they are angry about being stuck with these two compounds nobody wants and have decided to fill them, tough luck if you don't like it. In addition, they refuse to allow us to find our own house. We're very frustrated. In either compound we choose, there is nowhere to take Ellie on walks or out to play unless we pop her into the (steaming hot) car every single time and drive somewhere else. ARGH!

At least it's the weekend, and Markus, for the moment, doesn't have to work like he did last week. We're hoping to get out and explore a bit, trying to make the best of this extremely frustrating posting. We're sure it will get better. We just have to get settled into some kind of routine and find something we like to do here.
On the positive side, we did find a FABULOUS club yesterday. We liked it instantly and submitted our application straight away. Unfortunately, there is a waiting list as they are trying to keep the member list short, so keep your fingers crossed that we will get in!

Greetings to all y'all! (can you tell we miss New Orleans a bit?)
More photos from the hotel to share...

a fabulous sunbather


view of the hotel from its outdoor pool


a sleepy stroll


shisha pipes


the huge lobby chandelier

Let the excitement begin! Jennifer took her first drive through Doha tonight. For the uninitiated, driving in Doha has a bit of an Indy 500 feel to it. People drive very fast and don't necessarily stick to designated lanes or follow traffic "rules." It's a bit wild. Fortunately, we moved here from New Orleans, where traffic rules are only made to be broken...though not out of aggression. That's the difference we have to get used to. People drive like mad here because they want to get where they are going. People drive like mad in New Orleans because 1) they are mad, or 2) they are just very relaxed and aren't particularly fussed about how they get there as long as they get there and isn't it convenient that their cellphones come with a car... :)

Jennifer needs to remember to bring her camera along on new excursions. Tonight, we took an evening stroll on the Corniche (the road and walk that runs along the bay). The temperature was HEAVENLY with a gorgeous breeze, and apparently every other resident of Doha had the same idea we had. The place was PACKED! We will definitely post photos after our next stroll there. Such sights!

Soon, we will also post more photos of the hotel. This place is unbelievable. Our favorite is the HUGE chandelier in the main lobby. It's amazing. You'll have to see it!

Yesterday, Ellie and Jennifer looked at houses with the company housing guy, Les. The company has decided that all employees must live in company housing, and they rent/own numerous homes in compounds around the city. (Compounds are like mini gated communities back in the States.) We saw Castle Compound and Palm Plaza. Both are very closely ringed by their respective walls, giving a bit of a prison feel when one is in the house. The house in Palm Plaza was really nice and new, but the compound facilities were lacking and it will be quite a commute to get to clubs (and work, for that matter). The house in Castle Compound wasn't bad but was much older and is in the middle of massive construction effort for the Asian Games. Neither was what we hoped for. The company has many homes in wonderful compounds (some with such fabulous facilities--indoor and outdoor pools, kiddie play areas, sauna, steam room, gym...--that no club would be necessary). Unfortunately, we are at the tail-end of a HUGE influx of people for the company, and housing was first-come, first-served. What we see now is what everyone else has rejected. Alas. Les told us that he might have some different places available next week. Please keep your fingers crossed! This transition has not been a very smooth one, so we'd really love to have a good home here.

This morning, we were given a tour of Doha by a lovely South African woman named Antoinette. One common outlet here is club membership, so we took a look at a couple of clubs first. For you US folks, it's like being a member of a country club...only almost everyone seems to be a member of one club or another. Most are in hotels. We've seen and used the one here at the Ritz and it's generally acknowledged to be the most luxurious...but maybe a bit too posh for us. Today, we looked at the club at the Hotel Intercontinental and the independent "Diplomatic Club" (where most of the diplomats go since it's near their homes). Both of those have private beaches (something the Ritz lacks), but the Intercontinental Club definitely had a swinging singles scene idea going (and not in a particularly nice way). Over the next few days, I'll try to see some more clubs and see what we like. If we can find a home in a compound with nice facilities, we might not need a club at all. We'll see houses on Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed for us that they will show us something nice (since we have to take one the company finds for us).
Antoinette drove us all over the town and showed us a number of nice shops, grocery stores and markets. Although we didn't get to go there, she did point out the market where one can buy all types of animals...including camels!

Doha is definitely a different location for us. We still have a lot of adjusting to do, but I think it will be interesting. Next step, find a house. Though staying at the Ritz is nice, it will be even nicer to have a home again!

Yesterday was another day of whiling away the jetlag in the hotel. Ellie and I decided to indulge in the luxury and lounge poolside during the afternoon. The wonderful staff of the executive lounge gave Ellie some rubber duckies, so of course one had to be toted to the pool for thorough chewing. Why chew everything? Besides the obvious "why not?" response, Ellie is sprouting her first tooth!

News from the UN website:
Annan To Attend Alliance of Civilizations Meeting in Qatar
20 February -- To emphasize his concern over the violent reactions to the caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, Secretary-General Kofi Annan has decided to attend in person the meeting of the High Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations, to be held in Doha, Qatar, this coming weekend.

News from us:
And he's staying in our hotel!

Greetings from Doha, Qatar!
Despite the one day delay, Ellie and Jennifer arrived without further incident and in amazingly good shape after a 21+ hour journey. Ellie, of course, was a complete and total angel baby on the planes. The first leg was from Mobile, Alabama, to Atlanta, Georgia, and we were seated next to another mom with a one year old baby girl named Reagan: FASCINATING! We have discovered that Ellie LOVES other children and is endlessly amazed by them. She watched Reagan (who was a VERY busy beaver) in quiet wonder all the way to Atlanta. In Atlanta, we transferred to British Airways, and let me just say that one cannot underrate the beauty of 180 degree flat beds in business class! The only thing more beautiful than that was the empty seat next to us, giving us TWO big ol' seats to play with. Ellie had a ball playing in her seat in between naps, and I think most of the other passengers had no idea there was a little baby on board. Arriving in London (where it was snowing!)without a hitch, we had a bit of a jam transferring to Qatar Airways (no elevator to the South Terminal, meaning we had to go through immigration--Ellie's first passport stamp--then customs, and then check-in all over again just to change terminals), but the plane ride was nice. The flight crew was extremely friendly. Even the captain took some time to play with Ellie when we saw him in the corridor! One of the flight attendants provided a bassinet for Ellie, which she proceeded to chew with gusto (see photo exhibit).

Now, our little family is reunited and happily whiling away the jetlag in the Ritz-Carlton. Talk about fancy-schmanzy! The spa facilities are gorgeous! Today, Ellie had her first pool experience. We don’t think she knew what to make of the water, but she splashed about like a pro!

Not so fast!
Well, we thought we'd be travelling to Qatar today. Actually, we expected to be at least eight hours into our journey by now, but instead we are back in Mississippi. How do these things happen to us? Apparently, there was a major debacle involving the booking of our tickets by the travel agency. Our tickets could not be issued even after hours of attempts to sort it out with various travel agents and airline personnel...which wouldn't have mattered anyway since the first leg of our journey was cancelled and we were stuck in New Orleans for the night, regardless.

I've been listening to "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" on audiobook lately. In it, Arthur Dent has a line that applies so well to today's situation that it is my new motto:
"I'm sorry, but would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?"

Off we go!
This Tuesday, Ellie and Jennifer will board a plane and begin the 21+ hour trek (via New Orleans, Atlanta, and London) to join Markus in Doha, Qatar (map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook, http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/qa.html). We're wrapping up loose ends and saying some goodbyes...though we are always hopeful that we will see visitors before too long. We realize that Qatar is a bit of a stretch for most casual travelers, but there are many desirable locations close-by that we would be happy to see as well!
Markus has been in Qatar for a few weeks already, and his first impressions have centered on the massive construction efforts by the ambitious government. We're looking forward to exploring a bit as a family, and we plan to do much more frequent posting once we are able. Keep checking in on us!

BABY FEET!

Bayou beauty
(view from Barry's backyard)

We have discovered a new skill...

Ellie is five months old and ready to experience new things. We thought it was time to introduce a bit of diversity into her dining repertoire.



The rice cereal went over well...though she appeared far more interested in the spoon than the food.



Bypassing the bottle completely, Ellie handled her first attempt at a cup with grace and skill. What a smart girl!

Dr. Berlin and Barry

For those of you who have checked the blog repeatedly in hopes of updates on the Ocean Springs saga and have come up short, our apologies. Knowing what is okay to blog has been a bit tricky, as we want to keep friends and family updated while at the same time being sensitive to Barry's privacy about his health and well-being.
Generally speaking, Barry is doing well. The chemo days are very hard and leave him feeling physically devastated and exhausted. He has chemo treatments every two weeks for three days at a time each time. During the time in between treatments, he gradually regains a balanced physical state, and often he feels quite well in the days just before another treatment (which makes the treatment days seem so horrible, having gone from feeling almost great just the day before).
This week, we had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Jordan Berlin of Vanderbilt Medical Center for a second opinion on Barry's cancer status and current care regimen. Dr. Berlin made a wonderful impression on us, and we were so thankful for the visit! He talked with us for quite some time, answered each and every one of our questions, and offered his number for questions we might have in the future. Overall, he approved of Barry's current regimen, though he did make some suggestions for tweaking medications and dosages here and there. He thoroughly explained Barry's cancer status in a way that was far more detailed and satisfying than we had from the oncologist back at home. At least we know what's coming and what to expect as treatments continue.
Barry has a great fighter's spirit. He wants to proceed with the chemo and "whip this thing", despite the extreme discomfort (to put it gently) he experiences during treatments. Any and all signs of support are greatly appreciated by him, so thank you for all of your calls and messages.

On a different topic...
This past Friday, Markus hopped on a plane and headed for Hannover, Germany to visit his family before continuing on to Qatar. He was slated to carry on in that direction today, but heavy German fog afforded him a few more days with his mom and his sister. Although he could have caught a flight to Doha tomorrow, that would make his first full day there a Friday, which is a weekend day in Qatar. Rather than traveling to sit in a hotel, he'll head to Qatar on Saturday instead (to be there for Sunday, which is the first day of the workweek there).
Ellie and Jennifer traveled to visit Ellie's Mimi (Jennifer's mom), then to Nashville for Dr. Berlin, and then to New Orleans for doctor's appointments of their own before returning to Ocean Springs to check on Barry. Whew! What a whirlwind!
Check out this little (almost) five month old cutie, who has recently discovered her feet...

It's time for some changes.
On Friday, Markus and Jennifer flew up to D.C. with Ellie and the two cats. From there, Markus carried on to Germany to visit family before traveling to Qatar (due there Feb. 1st). Jennifer and Co. stayed in D.C. to visit Jennifer's mom. Ellie is having a blast with her Mimi! The kitties will stay behind in Virginia with the Mimi until we can get settled in Qatar and have them shipped over...or until we find a good home for them here (whichever comes first).
On Monday, January 30, Jennifer and her dad will go see Dr. Jordan Berlin at Vanderbilt for a second opinion. Dr. Berlin was personally recommended and has an amazing pedigree (google him if you don't believe me), so we are very excited that he has agreed to see Dad on short notice. We are very concerned with the current state of Barry's (Jennifer's dad's) health. He has lost a lot of weight (and is continuing to lose weight) and experiences a lot of pain. His current doctor is not nearly proactive enough about these things (especially the pain), so we are hoping Dr. Berlin will give us a new perspective and hopefully a new game plan. Our wonderful family friend, Mary, will be coming along on the trip as well. She will be a great help to Barry during the traveling bit, and she and Ellie will have lots of fun while Jennifer and Barry see the doctor.
Today is Markus's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARKUS! We hope you have lots of fun with your family! We love and miss you!!!!

Markus got fed at The Shed on his last day in Mississippi.
Ellie wanted some too.

Ellie meets Uncle Bob.
Who knew facial hair was so fascinating?

black Houdini cat escapes to roof and surveys neighborhood

We realize that we have been posting relatively little until things are said and done. Unfortunatley, this defeats the purpose of trying to keep everyone updated on our comings-and-goings, which is the point of this blog, so...
This week has been a big one. Markus remained in New Orleans to be in our apartment as the movers packed us up for Qatar. This process took two (very long) days, and then today, a cleaning service came to tidy up. The house is clean, the door is locked, and it is our home no longer. After four post-Katrina months of having a New Orleans apartment we don't live in, we are no longer resident New Orleanians. Heavy sigh. We will miss it. New Orleans was always non-functional and often very third-world, but it's personality grows on you and we have a deep affection for it after our four years there. Alas.
Meanwhile...
Ellie and Jennifer have been in Houston tying up various loose ends. Although Markus still has work here until around January 20th (and will return here in a few days), Ellie and I are heading out tomorrow...going back to New Orleans and then back to Ocean Springs where Jennifer's dad is. His house was damaged by flood during Katrina (Ocean Springs is next door to Biloxi on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi). In the days that followed, he ripped out all the carpeting and insulation...but that's where the work stopped because he was diagnosed with cancer. Surgery followed, and now chemo...and the house is still a disaster. The foundation subsided in multiple places, the roof leaks despite the FEMA tarp, and the floors are nothing but bare plywood boards (between which one can see down to the ground). Insurance also provided for new drywall in the downstairs to eliminate possible mold, which hasn't become apparent but may well be growing inside. In the midst of all this, Jennifer's dad is going through chemotherapy and having the usual associated troubles with his health on a daily basis. We're very concerned about his environment on top of his health concerns, so Jennifer and Ellie are going to stay there for a while to help out. Jennifer plans to get the house repairs organized and started as soon as possible. An added bonus is her ability to keep an eye on her dad's meds and meals most days. Ellie, darling trooper that she is, will come along for the ride.
A very hard part will be a short-term separation of our family. Markus has to wrap up his work in Houston in the next few weeks, and he is expected in Qatar on February 1st. If our current plans work out, Jennifer and Ellie will only carry on to Qatar in a few months' time. We try not to think about this (too stressful and sad!). Anyway, the reason we're doing it is a very good reason, so that's what we cling to and we take the rest one day at a time.
And it all begins tomorrow.

It's amazing how things work out.
Two days ago, the moving company began packing our things in New Orleans, and I was so frustrated at the prospect of leaving things behind to save on volume. Two major items were our couch and lounge chair plus ottoman. They are bulky and we had talked of replacing them in the past, but being told by the movers that they wouldn't fit in the container for Qatar made me genuinely irritated.
Well...
Today, one of the packers (who is a very nice man) shared with Markus some photos of his house, post-Katrina. Water had covered his roof. When the flood receded, the structure was still standing and most of their belongings were still inside...but everything was irretrievably damaged. They lost everything they owned.
Markus gave him our couch and chair. A source of frustration and strain turned a thing of beauty.
In the words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone."

From our family to yours, we hope you had a wonderful holiday season!
May 2006 bring you happiness and peace!

Holy moly!
On Christmas, Jennifer received a digital SLR from her favorite Santa's helper! Let the photo madness begin!
(As you can see by the short sleeves, Christmas Day was a balmy 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Welcome to the South, y'all)

This past weekend, we snuck in a roadtrip to Austin, Texas...hooray! We had heard that Austin was a fun town, and now we can verify that for fact (in our opinion). ;) What a great weekend! We drove in Friday afternoon and out again on Sunday. While there, we discovered the quirky shops on South Congress, wandered two great museums and dined in some EXCELLENT restaurants (and you know it's all about the food as far as Jennifer is concerned).
On Friday, we explored a bit to get our bearings. The assistant manager at our hotel recommended Tex-Mex at Guero's on South Congress for a late lunch. Delicious! All we had was soup (saving room for dinner later), but we could tell the ingredients were very fresh and wonderfully prepared. Afterwards, we wandered the boutique-y shops along that street. We could tell how artsy and young the city is just from that one street. The shops were really fun to browse, with everything from vintage clothes to local art to western wear (more on that later). That night, we went the fine-dining route for a three course meal at the Driskill Grill...quite posh for a "grill" (maybe too posh for us, actually) but also delicious food. Markus can highly recommend the hazelnut creme brulee (claims it's the best he's ever eaten). They sat us at a table next to the Christmas tree so Ellie could appreciate the lights, but she slept through the entire meal. None of the other diners ever knew there was a three-month-old baby in the restaurant...what an angel!
Saturday morning, we toured the LBJ Presidential Library, which was incredibly well-done and covers a fascinating period in US history. Before our visit, we hadn't been aware of the sheer amount of ground-breaking legislation Johnson introduced from civil rights to arts to education. Incredible! VERY interesting museum and well-worth a visit if you are ever in Austin. Saturday night, despite the cold temps, we walked the city's Trail of Lights in Zilker Park. Though the weather was generally too cold to enjoy much of the outdoors, Austin really seems to have a lot to offer in that department. Rowing or paddling the Colorado River, jogging along Town Lake, playing in Barton Springs or Zilker Park...and Markus desperately wanted to cycle the winding hills of the posh neighborhoods overlooking the city. That night, we ate at the Castle Hill Grill, which was relaxing and casual with fabulous chow. The winning plate was the entree Meditteranean salad. YUM!
Sunday was our last day, but we made use of the morning by visiting the Harry Ransom Museum on the UT campus. They were hosting an Ansel Adams exhibit with over 150 of his photographs. Beautiful! They also own the first photograph (a heliograph) and a copy of the Gutenburg Bible as part of their permanent collections. Very impressive for a university museum. Must have some wealthy alums contributing there! And the last food recommendation...lunch at the South Congress Cafe. Their potato enchiladas are amazing!

Last fun little tidbit: Jennifer now owns a pair of cowgirl boots! She just couldn't resist the temptation. After all, one must have something to show for a short stint of living in Texas. ;)

Reflecting back on Katrina.
We've been using this site to keep friends and family more or less updated on our daily grind, but tonight, I need to pause for reflection on the storm that greatly influenced where we are now and what our daily grind has become: Huuricane Katrina. The average person on the street in an unaffected region seems to think Katrina is all over and done with now that the Gulf Coast isn't in the media anymore. Let me assure you, it's not. I was on the coast over the Thanksgiving week, and the devastation is still very real. Among the pictures you see here (taken about a month after the storm), two are from New Orleans in the Uptown area where we lived and the other three are from Ocean Springs, MS, the little town next to Biloxi where my dad lives. The stilts on the beach used to be the yacht club. The houses are pretty self-explanatory.
Over three months later, people are still trying to get their lives back in order. There are simple cases like ours. People have been displaced although their homes suffered no damage, and their lives are in limbo. The new place isn't home, but when home will be available again is unknown. The limbo is especially hard on kids, who abruptly left their school and friends in New Orleans to start over from scratch elsewhere; months later, they must transition again as parents bring them home to New Orleans once more. Their schools are there and open, but many of their friends and often some of their teachers will not be moving back. We will be moving out of the country in the next couple of months, but right now, we have two households: one very temporary-feeling on near Houston and another past-life home in New Orleans. Visiting that home over Thanksgiving felt very surreal, like stepping into a picture of where we used to live, seeing our "old" things ("old" because we don't have them now).
Our home in New Orleans was miraculously spared. Everything in our part of town is completely fine. It's amazing, especially when driving to it through areas that still look as ravaged as if WWIII had just happened there. New Orleans East was one such place. I never saw it on the news, but it still looks terrible. The place is deserted. The buildings are standing, but the windows and doors were blown out by wind and water. Trees are matchsticks. Cars at the defunct dealerships are covered in the grey film that indicates they had once been covered with water, their windows also blown out as if by a bomb. In areas like that (and all along the Misssissippi Gulf Coast), people have lost their homes and their livelihoods. Even those who were fortunate enough to have flood insurance face limited reimbursement. The maximum amount allowed is $250,000, and, as you can imagine, nice beach homes cost a lot more than that. Countless people are paying mortgages on homes that are no longer there. We heard awful stories about insurance companies denying obvious claims, the worst being a family who had only one pillar left where their home had once been and an insurance agent who said he'd have to get a structural engineer out to verify that the home couldn't be salvaged (what home?!). And then there are thousands who had no flood insurance at all and have had to start from zero, going from a home of their own to a FEMA trailer and some donated clothes. As time passes, there is a growing sense of frustration among those who just want to get on with their lives. Apparently, psychologists are defining a new type of post-traumatic stress disorder for Katrina victims, a type that sets in later and is conflicted, because one is still grateful for the positives while justifiably distressed about the negatives.
Despite all this, life goes on. One of the most pervasive sentiments that has remained in Katrina's wake is a general attitude of gratitude among the survivors. Even those who lost everything they owned are thankful not to have lost their lives. There have been too many kindnesses to number. As "displaced Americans", we have experienced generosity and genuine kindness that surpasses what one could have ever anticipated.
It's the holidays. It's the time of year when people feel more generous toward their neighbors, and we remember to be thankful for all that we have. During this time of reflection on the past year, we had to take a moment to ponder the storm that changed so many lives, including ours. She's not in the news much lately, but Katrina can still be felt on the Gulf Coast. May the new year bring peace and renewal to those affected most.

It's been several weeks of trying, but I finally caught her beautiful smile on camera! I even caught her grinning in her sleep. What a cutie pie! Ellie is three months old now. Somehow, it seems she's been with us for so much longer. What did we ever do without her (besides sleep through the night)?

Daddy-daughter time

Today, Ellie got a new place to play and nap.
Apparently, so did Oscar.

An update on Jennifer's dad:
Over the past weekend, Barry experienced some extreme pain, so extreme that doubling the dose of his prescription painkiller did little to help. Monday morning, he went to his doctor for a scheduled appointment (he was set to get his catheter for the chemo), and the doctor decided to admit him to the hospital to try to get the pain under control. He was given morphine, which unfortunately made little difference. Finally, they were able to isolate the cause of his pain (problems related, ironically enough, to his painkiller), switched him to a different drug, and VOILA! Much better within minutes. Hooray! This left Barry open to begin chemo without any further delays. He completed round one this Thursday and is home doing well (being vigilantly supervised by Mary and Donna). If the positive trend keeps up, he'll have a round of chemo every two weeks for six months. The battle with his cancer begins!