Visiting Emirati Family and Dune Buggy Ride...

One of the pilots(Hadef) who James was training invited all the instructor pilots/fmaily to their house to 

show an appreciation for what they have done for him/training.   So off we went to Al Ain on Friday.

When we arrived, according to their tradition, James went to the men's quarter (Arabic women cannot seat with or show their face to other men) and I went to the women's quarter - I was welcomed by over 15 women including children.  Again, they were so kind and hospitable.   I had a great time over many cups of tea and delicious traditional food!  most of them spoke English so I had no problem communicating.  Interestingly, Hadef's wife's sister is a huge fan of Korean music K-Pop! 

She said she wants to visit Korea someday...

The famous Arabic dates....they were very sweet! 

:: Traditional Arabic food -steamed rice flavored with saffron and goat...it was delicious and I have never had goat before but the meat was so tender!  They ate food with their fingers so did I...

:: We all set around the floor and ate.....there were more women but they didn't want us to take picture.

Then we went to the sand dunes for dune buggy ride! all THREE boys had a ball! including me! lol

James and Hadef..

Al Ain's sand is red because of iron contents...

Charging the battery.....

James drove all over the dunes...and down hill was pretty steep! I screamed all the way down! haha

     Beautiful sunset........

We loved to experience the local culture and get to know good people over some great food.

My Gardeners...

It is still very hot during the day but after sunset, it is bearable.   The boys are going to be our gardeners and water the plants outside after dinner - a good way to teach responsibility and gardening...lol.

Behind the scenes of Skydiving....

:: Our friend Randy and his son Andrik came to cheer James!!!

 :: Here comes airplane to pick James up..

Taking off.....

:: After safe landing

:: While James was waiting, Dubai Crown Prince

Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum walked in!

He owns SkyDive Dubai..I hear..

James met him before and went to Hamdan's own indoor skydiving wind tunnel..

What a privilege!

so, I got to see the real Prince of Persia in person! lol.....

:: Ate lunch at Johnny Rockets...

again, it is something that we can find almost all 

American franchised restaurants here in Dubai.

Johnny Rocket is checked off my restaurant list:)

Tandem Sky Diving!!

OH MY GOODNESS..

this was so awesome..

James was SPEECHLESS!

:: Jumping from 13,000feet high 

1minute of free fall and 4 minutes with parachute..

Diving 120m/h

:: over Man-made Island 'the Palm'

Being 40 isn't too bad is it James after all!

Dine at the highest restaurant in the world!!

James and I had a date night for James's 40th birthday 

at the AT. MOSPHERE restaurant in the

Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world)

We wanted to be somewhere memorable and 

it made us to dine at the highest restaurant in the world!

123rd floor!

A privilege of living in Dubai!

:: it was neat to see the shadow of the building when we arrived..

:: Sunset over the Arabian Gulf...

:: Reflecting...........

:: We watched the Dubai Mall Fountain show from the sky..

and at the ground..

I had a wonderful time celebrating your BIG 40th birthday with you..

James, Happy 39th birthday:) with a year of wonderful experience 제임스 생일

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, 
yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

2 Corinthians 4:16

Today was your 40th birthday.   I hope you know that you are deeply loved and more than special even though we didn't get to celebrate your special day with family

 and friends with the big 40th party like everyone does.   

But we have celebrated your life God has blessed with you today...

God made you very special with many talents
and you have accomplished so many with them.

we are more than grateful for you and excited to see
what God has prepared for this new chapter of your life.  

We should celebrate it everyday with joy and gratefulness.   

Let's celebrate!

Looking forward to sharing more adventures with you 

on this new chapter of your life

I am blessed to be your wife..
Thanks for the free ride with you! ha..LOL
I love you!  Wifey:)

with love and gratefulness on your birthday.. 

Forty is significant in the Bible. The Israelites were desert bound for forty years. In those forty years God, Jehovah Jireh, provided for them; they lacked nothing.The Lord Jesus himself fasted for 40 days and nights … and was He tempted? Oh yes. That’s why 40 is a time to reflect on what gone past and what lies ahead. Jesus had a huge “task”, a responsibility, to fulfill when He came back, so we too, need to be prepared for a huge task to complete.

The Word says, “The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few”, so the last 40 years was a time of preparation for what was to come. Be grateful, if ever you were ready, it’s now.  Now is the time for purpose and destiny. 

Fly by......제임스 비행

:: James had a cross country flying mission today....we went to the Skydive Dubai near the beach, 

where he was supposed to fly by..

in the mean time, the boys were flying kites...no wind....lol

:: it was so hot...wish I could just jump right in.......

:: James, it was awesome and so cool to watch you flying by..

I do admire you for what you do...and I am proud of you!

it must be really awesome to fly......

maybe someday you could take me up?

:: Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi

:: the Driver:)

:: Dubai Marina

Burj Al Arab(world's 7 stat hotel) far far away...

:: Burj Khalifa/skyline of Dubai