Hello, do you remember me? I am so sorry for my absence in the blogosphere. I will be very honest in this post. This summer that is just ending was the LONGEST of my life!
Do you remember when you were in grade school and you couldn't wait for the school year to end and summer vacation to begin. I loved my summers as a child. We spent from Memorial day to Labor day "up north" at my grandparents cottage on lake Huron. I dreamed of those long lazy summer days and prayed that the summer would never end. In Michigan summers are very short and Labor day weekend seems to arrive so quickly.
In Kuwait summer is the exact opposite. I knew it would be HOT and long, but it seemed to never end. This summer all five of our children were home with me trapped in a big house, with no green space and temperatures commonly exceeding 120 degrees. I couldn't blog because I had no free time. I have learned over my eight years of parenting five children that if you don't engage your children while shut up in the house, they can plot to vote you out of leadership and try to take over the house.
I worked hard this summer, playing, swimming, making crafts, joking, wrestling, reading, playing Wii, and most importantly breaking up fights. Summer in Kuwait is so different then winter in Michigan. I thought I would be prepared because my whole life I have been shut up inside for our long, cold winters. Let me tell you, I was not prepared. During the winter months you are able to add layers of clothing and get outside to play in the snow. In the desert, there is no option for being outside in such deadly hot conditions. Imagine having nine (myself, the kids, my in-laws and our housekeeper)people in your home for months with little outside time. I am so glad that my ONE full summer in Kuwait is over. I survived and so did the kids!!! It was truly an exercise in patience and endurance. I never want to do that again!!!!!
I have included some of my favorite photos from our Kuwaiti summer. We visited the Sea of Galilee, felt the grass on our toesin Israel, enjoyed the Mediterranean in Cyprus, learned at the Kuwait Scientific Center, enjoyed our new used clothes from the Friday market in Kuwait, and went to the Heritage Souk downtown often to see all the Kuwaiti men socializing. I will try to post more frequently and give you glimpses into our everyday life. I can now say I lived through a Kuwaiti summer! As the weather "cools" in Kuwait, we look forward to many adventures to come. Blessings to you~
