UAE National Day - A copied history lesson

Today marks the beginning of the 40th year of independence for the UAE. It's version of 4th of July celebrations will be underway in a matter of minutes, if not already started.

Because I literally didn't know the history of the UAE National Day myself until Wiki-ing this a few minutes ago, I thought rather than try to sound like I know what I'm talking about (I soo do not), I'll let Wikipedia do it's thing to explain a short history of the UAE to you:

"Prior to independence in 1971, the UAE was known as the Trucial States or Trucial Oman, in reference to a 19th-century truce between the local sheikhs, hereditary rulers of the territories, and the United Kingdom. The term Pirate Coast was also used by some to refer to the emirates from the 18th to the early 20th century, owing to the preponderance of pirates operating from emirati ports.[10]

The UAE's political system, is based on its 1971 Constitution, which is composed of several intricately connected governing bodies. As a federation of seven monarchies, whose rulers retain absolute power within their emirates, but with a UAE president, it is neither a constitutional monarchy nor a republic. The emirs choose one of their members to be the president of the federation, but this does not alter the monarchical character of the government of the individual emirates. The constitution is concerned solely with the relations between the emirates as members of the federation, and does not prescribe a constitutional system of government.

Islam is the official religion of the UAE, and Arabic is the official language.[11]

UAE oil reserves are ranked as the world's sixth-largest[12] and it possesses one of the most developed economies in West Asia. It is the thirty-fifth-largest economy at market exchange rates, and has a high per capita gross domestic product (GDP), with a nominal per capita GDP of US$ 47,407 as per the International Monetary Fund (IMF).[13] It is 15th in purchasing power per capita and has a relatively high Human Development Index for the Asian continent, ranking thirtieth globally.[14] The UAE is classified as a high-income developing economy by the IMF."

What this means for ME is that I get my independence from my JOB for a few extra days. Yipeee! What else it means is that traffic will come to screeching halt for approximately four days while UAE locals literally party in the streets.

Talking about this celebration will certainly NOT do it justice, so I will do my best to show it to you in photos over the next few days. Stay tuned, if you are tuned at all.

*I did not take this photo

Spain - in color

More Spain Photos...

These were all taken the first day of arrival...beauty around every story filled corner.

Barelona, Spain
November 2011

Gratitude

Today is my favorite day of the year: Thanksgiving Day. Its the one holiday where there isn't anything on the agenda of a selfish manner. No "what did you get me?", "that doesn't fit", "I would have rather had blue". No obligatory chocolate hearts, flowers or teddy bears.

Nope. Today, for me, has always been just about being grateful for the ridiculous amount of treasures in my life. Some that I have to remind myself from time to time to consider. Some that are obvious - some that aren't as obvious, but should be.

It was traditional when I was growing up that we would spend Thanksgiving with my mother's family; Christmas with my fathers. My grandfather on my mother's side (aka "Grandad") was a southern Baptist minister and he never let an opportunity to "give thanks" slip by. Each Thanksgiving, we would sit in a circle after Thanksgiving Dinner and each take turns telling the group of family members what we were thankful for that year. There were always a few uncles or aunts that would go on and on and on and onnnnnn....long speeches of Snoozitude..oops I mean Gratitude. Others had something short and sweet to say like "I'm thankful for my car". As a child these people were my favorites. This meant this circle could end soon and I could get back to eating pumpkin pie.

As an adult I miss those Gratitude circles. I miss getting to hear the ways in which the people in my life are grateful. We never fail to go on and on and on with complaints when things go wrong, but its so rare that we take out the time to go on and on and on about whats so great in our lives.

I'm not going to go on and on (ok, maybe a teeny bit), but for the few of you who read this: today you are my circle and these are the things I'm grateful for this year:

First, I'm thankful for simple but profound things, like the fact that I'm breathing and my fingers work to type this, and my legs were capable of walking me to the chair to sit comfortably without a wheelchair or prosthetic leg like the precious little PCRF children that I've been working with. I'm thankful that both of my eyes can see and that my ears can hear the music that's pouring into them right now.

I'm thankful that I have a flexible job, where I can take 10 or 15 minutes out to write this as a way to start off my Thanksgiving Day right, even if I might be AT work on Thanksgiving Day (albeit not for long!). I'm thankful that even though I'm not spending the day with my immediate family, I'm spending it with people who mean SO much to me and who will hopefully become my family of the future.

There aren't enough words for how thankful I am for my friends - near and far - who constantly open their hearts and lives to me, showing me love and friendship in the most amazing and special ways. And for those friends who are to come - I'm already thankful for you!

I'm thankful that my family is healthy - even if I can't see them. I know they are blessed and ok. I'm thankful that they know how much I love them, even if we can't talk all of the time or be together as much as we would like to be. I can't imagine a sister or brother more amazing - a father more hard working and caring. A mother that pushed me to be the best version of myself. A step-mother that loves and cares for my father as perfect as a person ever could. A step-father who did the same for my mother. Grandparents that were role models I could really respect and look up to.

As funny as it might sound, I'm thankful to be turning 26 next month. ;) Another year healthy. Another year of adventure and love. Another year of new things, new cities, new people. One more full of laughs, smiles, a few tears of meaning, a few that weren't...and overall a life that is stunning to me.

I'm thankful for my new camera...and the passion and focus that has come with it. I'm thankful for the ability to create something new, day after day after day, and hopefully to bring beauty and meaning to what I show others.

I'm thankful for my time this year with the PCRF kids. What an eye opening experience that has been. I'm not sure any other one experience in my life has shown me so much - especially in the way of gratitude.

There will never be a "last" thing that I'm grateful for....but lastly for today, I'm grateful for the person who daily changes me into a better version of myself. I didn't realize how amazing a person could be until I met him. He IS the epitome of love and acceptance. Not just for me, but for the whole world...he embodies everything that I hope to be as a person. Truly...and somehow he gets to be mine. My Chrissy.

I hope that each of you has a blessed day with your family and friends. And if you have a free minute (or 12), I would love to hear what you are grateful for. I'm grateful for YOU!

Now, where's the Pumpkin Pie!??

Spain Photos - 1 of a few...

I've already been back from Spain for a few weeks and haven't posted any pictures. Mainly, due to the fact that I haven't been able to open half of them. Don't ask.

Here are a couple so far from the trip...

Barcelona, Spain - November 2011