Finally an update!!

First, here are some newer pics of baby Sara. :-)

Since Sara was born, when she is sleeping like this we say "well, she's surrendered" - when she is sleeping like this - she is "out like a light"...

Peek-a-boo from her bath towel...

Bathtime - I couldn't resist snapping these...


Sara napping with daddy...

Ok, where do I start? It feels like forever since I've blogged. I'll just start somewhere and if it doesn't make sense then I'm sorry - I'm exhausted! My Mom left last Wednesday very early in the A.M. She had a 5:50 a.m. flight out of Pakistan that took her directly to Houston with a brief stop in Manchester. My Mom was very nervous about flying back and it was just written all over her face. There had been an issue with her open return ticket from Houston to Dallas. PIA flys into Houston and then she takes a domestic flight from Houston into Dallas. She had gotten the domestic ticket when she purchased the international ticket from the travel agent. The class of the ticket prevented her from easily getting a seat. They kept saying to Shakil when he was checking for her that there were not any seats. To make a VERY long story short, Shakil got it handled finally but it sure was a headache and lots of stress before it was finally done. My Mom would panic everyday about it and was still in panic when she left. She was just so fearful that she wouldn't make it back to Dallas.

We dropped my Mom off at the airport. She kissed Sara goodbye and I was already tearing up. We walked her to where she was supposed to go. Shakil arranged for a porter to help her out and told him that she didn't speak any Urdu and luckily this man understood English but just couldn't speak it. For any of you who have not ever traveled Internationally by yourself - it is not easy the first time - especially going to a third world country and leaving from it. It can be quite scary. I know it was for me the first time. You just don't know what to expect.

It was time for my Mom to go. She hugged and kissed me goodbye. I immediately broke into tears. It was just so hard saying goodbye to her. I had the biggest of feeling of emptiness when we arrived back home. It was very upsetting. I sucked it up though and kept on going.

The next day was my first day with Sara - all alone (ok not completely - we do have a servant and Shakil is with me at night from 1 a.m. until 3 p.m. the next day) but when he left for work I was just overwhelmed. I really couldn't even find time to sit down and eat. I had even forgotten to eat. Things are getting easier but just when I think Sara has developed a routine - it's all screwed up again. Hopefully she will have a better routine soon. She will soon be 2 months!

Ok now my FIL, BIL and MIL did arrive back to this house but it was only for a brief time. My FIL/BIL ended up going right back to Karachi and my MIL came back to the house Shakil and I live in. Her first night back was ok but the next morning she basically picked up the house and put everything upside down. I mean she was just cleaning, cleaning and cleaning. She has the mindset that nothing is clean if she hasn't cleaned it. She just kept saying that everything is dirty - blah blah blah and it really pissed me off. I watch the servant clean and I do instruct her what to do. My MIL is just very stubborn.

The next day my MIL went back to the other house and things settled down. We were back on our own again - that is what we are used to. Now get this, last weekend Shakil, me, baby Sara and the servant went over to his parents other house and stayed with MIL for the weekend. Surprisingly I had a very nice time. It was very comfortable. I even enjoyed my MIL's company and had some nice chats with her. Yes, it is jaw dropping. Usually everything my MIL says annoys me but now things seem to have changed. Hmmm, I wonder why. Anyways, things are good and that is really all that matters. We also went to a bazaar that is called "Sunday Bazaar". It is quite the dirty place but I did have a nice time. Shakil got me some new fabric to have stitched because I really only have maternity clothes here. I'll need to get those stitched asap.

I'm a bit frustrated at the moment because Shakil's schedule at work is changing. He'll be gone the entire night 5 days a week. So he'll sleep all day and then be gone all night - not happy about that at all!! He is hoping that the following week they will try to accomodate him and change the schedule. I don't foresee it happening. We'll see.

In other news, Sara got her U.S. Passport and certificate of birth abroad! She is officially a U.S. citizen. She has dual citizenship actually. They'll be mailing her social security card to my home in the U.S.

Ok, lemme post some new pics of Sara. :-) She was taking a bath today and I snapped a few of her. She just looked so darn cute!

All by myself...

Ok, not really but soon my Mom leaves here (she's been a huge help in the evening when Shakil is at work). She leaves on the 22nd back to Texas. She is sooo ready to go. This may sound bad but I'm actually ready for her to go. So many things here worry her, scare her, etc. (which I totally understand) Plus, since she has arrived here she has basically refused to eat anything substantial. You know I was like that when I first came here so I can understand that too but the body has to have fuel to keep on going. My Mom can barely sit down without dropping off to sleep. She has no energy at all. She thinks everything I make is spicy and I have toned it down a lot. I've even cooked traditional American dishes (whatever that is) and she still doesn't eat much. I know its hard here - believe me. I've now done 10 months of living total in this country. My Mom will feel much better once she gets back to the states. I just wish I could go with her but I can't right now. I plan to go back in June. Where I am in Pakistan, it gets ridiculously hot and I mean H-O-T.

Weekend was nice. My Mom took Shakil and I out for dinner Saturday night. We went to a local restaurant here that has a Pakistani buffet. They have so many dishes that are quite tasty. They also have a big dessert section in which of course I overindulged. I get weak when I see galub jamin - they are my favorite! I have read them being described as Indian donuts soaked in rose syrup. My goodness, they are good. Shakil overindulged a bit too much in everything and ended up feeling ill when he got home. He was fine the next day but managed to go over 24 hours without eating again.

My FIL, MIL and BIL are returning from Karachi tomorrow. Things should start getting interesting again because my MIL more than gets on my last nerve!!

Baby Sara is doing wonderful and starting to make all sorts of new noises. Too cute!! She'll be 6 weeks old on Thursday. :-)

I still can't view ANY blogger blogs due to the block on the domain here. Feel free to email me your blog posts if you feel pity on me. I have no blogs to read!!! :-( I can't even see my own blog. My friend Colleen has been emailing me hers! Thank you!!!

Until later...

Bye for now.

Here I am!

Yes, here I am - not that anyone really cares...but here I am! :-) I've been so aggravated because I can't view any blogger blogs nor can I upload any pics to my blog but it looks like now I might be able to. I'll have to give it a try. According to what Shakil found out from the ISP we've been using is that there has been a block put on the blogger domain. The reason for it is the Islamic cartoon related issue. He checked with another ISP and it's the same issue. There are many blogs that I read daily and now I can't read a single one and it just sucks!!! :-(

I have to admit I've just been exhausted. This little girl of ours takes it all out of me. She has just started this thing where about 4 p.m. she turns into "cranky baby" and this lasts until well after midnight. Tonight its still going on and its 1:45 a.m. She takes little cat naps from 4 p.m. on - cat naps that last about 10 minutes - no less. Then, she wakes up "cranky baby" and cries and cries. I pick her up and cuddle with her, jiggling her some to get her to doze back off. Usually she will and I put her back in her bed and the whole process starts all over again. The good thing is that usually she will take her last feed about 2 a.m. and then sleep uninterrupted till about 8 a.m. I guess she makes up for the 4 p.m. to midnight stretch of 10 minute cat naps. ::sigh:: It's tough!

In other news, my Mom tells me that she is ready to go back to the states. I can't blame her - I'd LOVE to go too!! I had been plagued with the decision of staying here or going back with my Mom. Shakil and I could never come to an agreement about me leaving. It looks like I'm here until June (CANNOT TOLERATE THE HEAT HERE) and then I'm going to head back to the U.S. The only worry I have is going back to the U.S. and flying alone with Sara. I know its going to be difficult. I guess I have a few months to get over that issue.

I keep hoping and hoping that we'll get a decision on Shakil's waiver and then he'll get his visa. I'd so love that we could go back as a family but for some reason I just don't foresee it happening.

Ok here goes trying to upload a pic...

Yeaaaaa!! Looks like it let me!

Until later...

Bye for now.

Baby Sara is 1 month!!

Time really does fly doesn't it?!? I really can't believe that Sara is already a month old. It seems just like yesterday that I had her and I was holding her in my arms for the first time. It is definitely not easy with a newborn. So many sleepless nights, sleepless days - you name it. It is all worth it though. She is just the most precious gift anyone could have.

We took Sara in for boosters today and that was so hard seeing her cry like that. It was sort of a delayed cry with her though - she didn't cry with the needle initially going on - it was when the injection went in. The pediatrician said she might run a low grade fever and tonight I think she is. We've got some Panadol drops to give her to make her feel better and lower the fever.

Thank you all for all the nice comments you have said about Sara. I read these comments and they all just bring a smile to my face. We appreciate it so much! :-) I would upload a pic of baby Sara but unfortunately something is going on with this ISP and I can't - will upload one ASAP!

Until later...

Bye for now.

Deadly bombing in Karachi

U.S. Diplomat Killed in Pakistan Bombing By ZARAR KHAN, Associated
Press Writer

KARACHI, Pakistan - A suicide attacker rammed a car packed with explosives into a vehicle carrying an American diplomat in Pakistan's largest city, killing four people - including the diplomat - ahead of President Bush's visit to Pakistan.

Bush condemned the attack near the U.S. Consulate and a luxury hotel in Karachi, and said "terrorists and killers" would not prevent him from going to Pakistan on the final leg of his tour of South Asia.

"We have lost at least one U.S. citizen in the bombing, a foreign service officer, and I send our country's deepest condolences to that person's loved ones and family," Bush said at a news conference in neighboring India, without naming the diplomat.

The blast ripped through the parking lot of the Marriott Hotel, about 20 yards from the consulate gate, shattering windows at the consulate and on all 10 floors of the hotel. Ten cars were destroyed, and charred wreckage was flung as far as 200 yards.

Initial investigations showed a suicide attacker deliberately rammed his car into a vehicle carrying the U.S. diplomat, blowing it into the air, across a concrete barrier and into the grounds of the hotel, a Pakistani counterterrorism official and senior investigator said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

The driver of the diplomat's car, a Pakistani working for the consulate, also died. The other fatalities were a paramilitary guard and an unidentified woman.

The attacker was also presumed killed in the attack, the two security officials said. His body was not recovered.

The counterterrorism official said the attacker used high-intensity explosives and it was the most powerful blast he'd seen in Karachi - a hotbed of Islamic militancy.

A Pakistani Foreign Ministry statement said the bombing was a "horrific terrorist attack" and it expressed "deep sadness" over the deaths of the American diplomat and his local driver.

"This senseless act today further fortifies our resolve to fight terrorism," the statement said. "We all must work together to eliminate this terrible menace."

Police initially said two car bombs had gone off, but provincial police chief Jahangir Mirza said that a single bomb may have triggered a second smaller explosion in a burning car.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. But previous attacks against Westerners in Karachi have been blamed on al-Qaida-linked Islamic militant groups. Several suspects have been convicted while some are still at large.

Some 52 people were injured, including a young Moroccan girl who was hit by debris, said provincial government spokesman Salahuddin Haider. He added that investigators were trying to get video footage from surveillance cameras at the consulate.

Nida Emmons, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, confirmed an American and Pakistani employee of the consulate were killed, but wouldn't give their names. He said they were still investigating if any other consulate staff were hurt.

The bombing left a crater 8 feet wide and more than 2 feet deep. It propelled cars into the air and damaged nearby buildings, including a naval hospital. The street was strewn with mangled car parts.

Mohammed Ali, who sells cigarettes nearby, said the first explosion occurred around 9 a.m., knocking him down and flattening his wooden stall.

"Seconds later there was another explosion. We ran away to save our lives," said Ali. "The explosions set cars on fire and there was smoke all around ... I thought the explosions would burst my ear drums."

Mohammed Jameel, a former army colonel who was getting a medical checkup at the naval hospital, said the first explosion was "very intense" and the second one was smaller. "I saw two burning car seats land in the hospital lawn," he said.

Officials said the bombing could be timed for Bush's visit to Pakistan.

Bush will travel to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, which lies about 1,000 miles north of Karachi, later this week. He made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Wednesday before arriving in India.

"All international media are eyeing Pakistan at this time, and terrorists are using this to defame Pakistan and Muslims," said Ishratul Ibab, the provincial governor.

Islamic militants have targeted the U.S. Consulate in Karachi before.

In June 2002, a car bombing left 14 Pakistanis dead outside the building, which lies in an upscale district of the sprawling city's downtown.

In March 2004, police defused a huge bomb less than five minutes before it was timed to explode outside the consulate. The bomb was packed in a small van that was parked on a street near the building.

Marriott Hotel deputy manager Shahzad Ashif said windows were broken on all 10 floors in Thursday's attack and balcony door latches were blown in on the first two floors but no guests were injured. The hotel was being evacuated and guests moved to other hotels, he said.