Surviving???

If you ever have read a blog from an expat woman living in Saudi Arabia, they tend to complain about boredom a lot. (For the record, boredom has never been a problem for me, wherever I am.) And to be fair, it isn't easy. A woman's personal freedom is seriously curtailed here. You can't drive, you have to wear a hot black robe when you go shopping, and your rights are really limited. American women are used to being able to function independently. So I get the complaints, really, I do.

But dude, (I'm in that kind of mood, forgive me) I've spent the last 13 years of my life living on a compound of one, taking care of my family. As much as I LOVE being a mom, it can be very isolating, especially when you have a succession of small people taking up your time, and demanding your total attention.

So, living on a compound with four swimming pools within walking distance, having a grocery store mere steps away from my door, enjoying warm weather (I know, I know, it will get hot as Hades here, but I'm going to enjoy what it is right now and avoid dreading what it will become.), being able to walk to a cafe or restaurant, hanging out with other women of all nationalities, having activities like ballet and karate available to the kids, and letting my kids roam free without a lot of worry, is pretty much my current definition of heaven.

And if these amenities dull in time, I'm sure my Kindle full of books or my scrapbook obsession will provide additional entertainment.

And hello(!) it is the first of February and the kids went swimming. How cool is that?

If I get bored, I promise to let you know. In the meantime, I need to go have some fun.