Hey! I’m Jordan Dias. Married to Daniel, living for Christ, and lover of traveling, coffee, and rainy days. I just moved from South Georgia, USA to be with my husband in Dubai, UAE where he grew up. Since my husband works for a global architecture company, traveling is a way of life for us. I hope you enjoy reading my thoughts, and about my life as traveling wife!
So far, life has been on fast-forward in 2015. I met my husband Daniel this past February (in person) after corresponding online back and forth since November, he proposed in March, I graduated college in May, got married in July, and a week later, moved to Dubai! Crazy, right?
Over the summer, I was so focused on planning our wedding that I really didn't think too much about the big move I was about to make. It didn't quite hit me until the morning we left. We had gotten back from our honeymoon two days prior, and most of those two days involved packing and planning. I had missed my family so much during our honeymoon that we actually met up with them for dinner and a movie one night during that week, since we actually weren’t too far from my childhood home. It was starting to sink in that I wouldn’t be having dinner with my family every evening anymore or seeing my three brothers off every morning. In the two days before we left, I started thinking back over my 22 years with my family, taking mental pictures of our house, holding onto what it felt like to hug each of them, and cherishing every last moment we had together. I hoped I had never taken any of our moments together for granted.
Our plane was leaving at 6am, so we were on the road with my parents and all of our luggage at 4:30am. We had gotten my three brothers out of bed to say goodbye, and then we quickly jumped into the car to leave. As my dad drove us, and we all sat silently sipping our coffees, I started to remember the time he taught me how to ride a bike. It must have been tough for him to see me constantly fall, cry out of frustration, yet having to urge me to keep trying. I remembered all of the times he sat with me and gave advice full of wisdom and experience, how I could always count on him to be able to fix what was broken, and how he always showed me that hard work paid off. I wonder if at any moment during that drive he wanted to turn around. This was the last time he'd see me for the next five months, but I was meant to go. I had hoped that I had said everything that I wanted to. Everything that would let him know that I loved him, and would indeed miss him.
I then looked at my mom, who was sitting in front of me. I thought about our bond cultivated by being the only two girls in the house. I wondered how hard it was for her knowing that once we reached the airport, that was it. I remembered when she dropped me off for my first day of middle school and being back in public school after four years of homeschool, and telling her that she didn't need to walk me in. She must have felt hurt by my leap for independence. However, just like in that moment, she knew it was time, and would be cheering me on from afar. I remembered all of the times I’d sat in my spot in the kitchen, the far right corner of the window seat, and sipped morning coffee with her, talked to her while she cooked dinner, and shared the events of our day. I looked back on how she showed me how to serve your family, put others first, and work hard for what you wanted to achieve. I hoped that she knew that I would miss her too, and that I always thought of her as more than my mom, but my best friend.
As we neared the airport exit, I thought of my little brothers back at home asleep. How those quick hugs before walking out the door, were the last ones I would receive until Christmas. I had hoped they were enough. I looked back on my last words to them. I hoped they had expressed my love for them, and that they knew I would miss them. I remembered all of the times Avery would ask if he could sleep in my bed, Alex would ask me to come downstairs to sit with him while he made ramen late at night, and Matthew would walk into my room just to say hello. I would miss all of our car rides together, and how each of the boys had certain things they would say, knowing it would make me laugh uncontrollably. Most of all, I hoped I had been a good enough example to them with the time I was given.
After we had gotten checked in, we headed to the security gate. Once we reached the entrance, I knew it was time to say goodbye to my parents. At that moment, it didn't feel like I was saying goodbye for the next five months, but saying goodbye as if I were leaving for any other trip. I hugged them both tightly, told them I loved them and that December would be here before we knew it. The weight of our goodbyes didn't hit me until our plane was pulling out of the terminal. As I watched the trees roll by through the window, realizing that would be the last time I would also see those until December, I felt the lump in my throat grow, and the pressure in my chest become heavy. I focused on looking out the window, soaking in all of those images for the last time, and it was then that the tears starting falling. Daniel just held my hand supportively, knowing this had been building up for a while now. However, aside from feeling sad about leaving my family and all things familiar behind, I felt strong and courageous knowing that it was God who was leading me out to fulfill a purpose He has for me in the Middle East. I was going with my new husband, who loves and cherishes me, and knew that a large, and loving community of friends were waiting to receive us with open arms. Those thoughts and feelings gave me a sense of peace. I knew I was ready.
Over the past several weeks that we have been living in Dubai together, it's slowly, slowly begun to feel like home. Daniel and I get tired of the heat, and seeing miles and miles of desert everyday, but we hold on to the truth that God brought us here for a purpose, and we want to give our best for however long He would have us here. In being so far away from my family, it's made Daniel and I so much stronger and closer in our friendship, and our marriage. We are cultivating a routine, creating our living space, learning more about one another, and falling more in love with each other, everyday. I wake up every morning more and more thankful for Daniel being by my side as we embark on this adventure together. I feel amazed and honored that God chose to use us here, and am excited to see our purpose unfold.
The whirlwind of emotions that this change in my life has brought has at times been overwhelming. However, the adventures that I know are ahead of me, the experiences that I have made it through that now are behind me, and the opportunities lying ahead for me in our time here, show me Jeremiah 29:11 in living form: " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "
(I may or may not have cried throughout writing this...)
End scene.
So far, life has been on fast-forward in 2015. I met my husband Daniel this past February (in person) after corresponding online back and forth since November, he proposed in March, I graduated college in May, got married in July, and a week later, moved to Dubai! Crazy, right?
Over the summer, I was so focused on planning our wedding that I really didn't think too much about the big move I was about to make. It didn't quite hit me until the morning we left. We had gotten back from our honeymoon two days prior, and most of those two days involved packing and planning. I had missed my family so much during our honeymoon that we actually met up with them for dinner and a movie one night during that week, since we actually weren’t too far from my childhood home. It was starting to sink in that I wouldn’t be having dinner with my family every evening anymore or seeing my three brothers off every morning. In the two days before we left, I started thinking back over my 22 years with my family, taking mental pictures of our house, holding onto what it felt like to hug each of them, and cherishing every last moment we had together. I hoped I had never taken any of our moments together for granted.
Our plane was leaving at 6am, so we were on the road with my parents and all of our luggage at 4:30am. We had gotten my three brothers out of bed to say goodbye, and then we quickly jumped into the car to leave. As my dad drove us, and we all sat silently sipping our coffees, I started to remember the time he taught me how to ride a bike. It must have been tough for him to see me constantly fall, cry out of frustration, yet having to urge me to keep trying. I remembered all of the times he sat with me and gave advice full of wisdom and experience, how I could always count on him to be able to fix what was broken, and how he always showed me that hard work paid off. I wonder if at any moment during that drive he wanted to turn around. This was the last time he'd see me for the next five months, but I was meant to go. I had hoped that I had said everything that I wanted to. Everything that would let him know that I loved him, and would indeed miss him.
I then looked at my mom, who was sitting in front of me. I thought about our bond cultivated by being the only two girls in the house. I wondered how hard it was for her knowing that once we reached the airport, that was it. I remembered when she dropped me off for my first day of middle school and being back in public school after four years of homeschool, and telling her that she didn't need to walk me in. She must have felt hurt by my leap for independence. However, just like in that moment, she knew it was time, and would be cheering me on from afar. I remembered all of the times I’d sat in my spot in the kitchen, the far right corner of the window seat, and sipped morning coffee with her, talked to her while she cooked dinner, and shared the events of our day. I looked back on how she showed me how to serve your family, put others first, and work hard for what you wanted to achieve. I hoped that she knew that I would miss her too, and that I always thought of her as more than my mom, but my best friend.
As we neared the airport exit, I thought of my little brothers back at home asleep. How those quick hugs before walking out the door, were the last ones I would receive until Christmas. I had hoped they were enough. I looked back on my last words to them. I hoped they had expressed my love for them, and that they knew I would miss them. I remembered all of the times Avery would ask if he could sleep in my bed, Alex would ask me to come downstairs to sit with him while he made ramen late at night, and Matthew would walk into my room just to say hello. I would miss all of our car rides together, and how each of the boys had certain things they would say, knowing it would make me laugh uncontrollably. Most of all, I hoped I had been a good enough example to them with the time I was given.
After we had gotten checked in, we headed to the security gate. Once we reached the entrance, I knew it was time to say goodbye to my parents. At that moment, it didn't feel like I was saying goodbye for the next five months, but saying goodbye as if I were leaving for any other trip. I hugged them both tightly, told them I loved them and that December would be here before we knew it. The weight of our goodbyes didn't hit me until our plane was pulling out of the terminal. As I watched the trees roll by through the window, realizing that would be the last time I would also see those until December, I felt the lump in my throat grow, and the pressure in my chest become heavy. I focused on looking out the window, soaking in all of those images for the last time, and it was then that the tears starting falling. Daniel just held my hand supportively, knowing this had been building up for a while now. However, aside from feeling sad about leaving my family and all things familiar behind, I felt strong and courageous knowing that it was God who was leading me out to fulfill a purpose He has for me in the Middle East. I was going with my new husband, who loves and cherishes me, and knew that a large, and loving community of friends were waiting to receive us with open arms. Those thoughts and feelings gave me a sense of peace. I knew I was ready.
Over the past several weeks that we have been living in Dubai together, it's slowly, slowly begun to feel like home. Daniel and I get tired of the heat, and seeing miles and miles of desert everyday, but we hold on to the truth that God brought us here for a purpose, and we want to give our best for however long He would have us here. In being so far away from my family, it's made Daniel and I so much stronger and closer in our friendship, and our marriage. We are cultivating a routine, creating our living space, learning more about one another, and falling more in love with each other, everyday. I wake up every morning more and more thankful for Daniel being by my side as we embark on this adventure together. I feel amazed and honored that God chose to use us here, and am excited to see our purpose unfold.
The whirlwind of emotions that this change in my life has brought has at times been overwhelming. However, the adventures that I know are ahead of me, the experiences that I have made it through that now are behind me, and the opportunities lying ahead for me in our time here, show me Jeremiah 29:11 in living form: " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "
(I may or may not have cried throughout writing this...)
End scene.