The Arab world is one of our favorite regions to...
READ MORE →Have you ever imagined a place so glamourous that you can drink a gold-covered cappuccino in a palace?
This country is the United Arab Emirates.
The United Arab Emirates is one of the most unique countries that we have ever visited. From the world’s tallest building in Dubai to the gold-covered cappuccinos in the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, the UAE does just about everything over the top. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the country’s two most popular places to visit, and neither one disappoints. We had lofty expectations of Dubai, and the city really doesn’t disappoint.
While most travelers head straight to Dubai, we might have had an even better time in Abu Dhabi than we did in Dubai. While Dubai gets most of the international fame, Abu Dhabi has its own Louvre Museum, has Ferrari’s one and only amusement park, has the biggest and grandest mosque in the UAE, and has gold-covered cappuccinos. After all, Emirates is one of the most esteemed airlines in the world; it only makes sense that its home base is glamorous, too!
![On this Solemnity of the Annunciation we would like to share a little more about our sweet daughter’s name sake.
My name is Angel Gabriel. The short story is my mom had a scare during her pregnancy and thought I would only be alive for a few hours after birth. She was terrified but then an unexplained wave of peace overcame her. She trusted in God’s will, even if it meant she would only be able to hold me for a mere hour until God would take me.
It reminded her of the Annunciation where the angel Gabriel came to deliver the exciting, yet overwhelming news of Christ’s arrival to Mary. As terrifying as a pregnancy sounded, Mary gave her yes. Her ‘fiat’. She submitted to the will of God, and, in that moment, the incarnation of our savior occurred. This event is the second most important event in history behind the death & resurrection of Christ.
Angel Gabriel’s words at the annunciation are the first verse to the Hail Mary prayer [Latin: “Ave Maria”].(Luke 1:26-28) When we recite this prayer we are reciting the story of the incarnation of Christ.
I’ve had this name inspiration since I was 16 years old. I always wanted to name my daughter in honor of our lady. I thought it would be so poetic that I, Angel Gabriel, deliver a daughter named Ave Maria into the world the same way that the real angel Gabriel delivered the annunciation into the world.
Ten years later I’m finally holding her.
So, while Ave Maria and I don’t share the same names, we do share the same biblical story of the Annunciation. We’re Feast Day buddies for life. 🥲🥲
May both the Incarnation and Jesus’ sweet mother Mary be honored every time our daughter’s name is spoken. ❤️ Buon Onomastico, Ave Maria 💕](https://www.thepresentperspective.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)