Halas? La'a

Another common Arabic word you’ll hear is ‘halas.’ It means finished, over, all done, or the end. It’s an easy word to say so you’ll often hear it in our home. Much to our surprise we learned in February that our family was muu halas – not finished. It took us completely by surprise as it had taken us two years to have Abby when we were planning for another child. It has been a very welcomed surprise. However, it was not a surprise to everyone. About two weeks before we found out, Dano and I were out running errands with Abby. As we were talking she blurted out from the back seat, “Bye, bye, baby. Baby go bye bye.” We didn’t think anything of it other than maybe she had seen a baby on the sidewalk or something. Then a couple of days later she prematurely woke up from her nap, very sad, which is completely abnormal for her. Kennedy tried to console her, but she just wanted to be rocked by mom. As she was floating between sleep and wakefulness, she began crying again and told me, “Baby bye, bye. Baby go bye, bye.” She whimpered back to sleep. A few weeks after we found out but had not let the kids in on it, Ethan, Erin and I were sitting on the couch reading and doing homework. Abby came running over, lifted up my shirt and asked “Baby in tummy now? Baby coming?” The kids all thought that was really funny and I just laughed it off. Things that make you go “Hmmmm…”

The health care here is good. It’s a little different from the States. Once we selected our hospital, there are only somewhat more than twenty here in Jeddah, we had to select a doctor. This was difficult to do because I don’t know anyone here from whom to get a good referral. It felt kind of like roulette, but we’re okay with our choice. Medical and dental offices have taken into account the frequent prayer times and the fact that women cannot drive themselves anywhere. Therefore, all offices take appointments until around 9:00 at night. Granted, they don’t start until around 10:00 in the morning. It’s also a very understood concept for men to leave work to take their wife to the doctor. Those two factors have been very helpful in my doctor’s visits, although Dano’s never been to so many doctor’s appointments. While at the appointments we are once again segregated. There is a women’s waiting area and a men’s waiting area. (We quickly found out that ‘Family Waiting Area’ does not really mean family. It’s just another name for “Women’s”.) Men and women must not sit together. Words can’t describe Dano’s thrill at my having five appointments this month alone!

The health care payment system is also a little different. You declare yourself as either a cash or insurance patient. The former seems to be strongly encouraged and cash patients seem to have their advantages. We live in a country where people don’t readily deal with insurance. Despite my occasional complaining about the insurance company, I’ve become even more grateful for our health care system in the United States, at least the one that existed when we left.

As this was not in the plans, I didn’t bring any maternity clothes with me. I haven’t seen one maternity store here. Besides, that would be a little awkward as all sales clerks here are males. (I guess I never have blogged about the shopping here.) I always chuckle when I walk by a lingerie store and wonder just how terribly uncomfortable the women must feel buying their “unmentionables” from a man. Then again, when your face is completely veiled and you are enshrouded from head to toe, no one can see you anyway so you’re basically phantom-shopping.

This will be a new adventure within our Saudi adventure. Our baby is due on Halloween, which can’t come too soon for four Lister kids. Abby goes around the house saying, “Baby coming to my house. Baby coming to my house.” Ethan is hoping, hoping for a brother (no surprise) and Kennedy and belly-rubbing Erin are just excited.