Pixels For Four

The kids and I will be leaving in a few hours to go back to the Philippines. And I’m not sure when we will be back again here in Riyadh. I just hope it will be before July, or just a few weeks after the school starts here in Saudi. Or else, Gabby and Sunday will have a lot of catching up to do again.

My hands are full with many things I pretend to successfully juggle but frustratingly leave half done most of the time. But don’t get the impression that I leave them undone, or half done, or three-fourths done, or not even including them in my to-do list, because I don’t love doing them. I love doing my job. God uses my job to bless me with a salary that augments our daily expenses. I love doing the chores at home. Though I really get tired because of my broken shift at work, I just look at them as a form of exercise and love-filled service to Fred and the kids. I love having my quiet time.

Just when I thought I would be able to fulfill the promise I made to myself last week, I failed again. I promised myself that I would exercise last week for at least 15 minutes everyday and would not eat dinner when I arrive from work at 10:30 pm. But lack of motivation and too much chores at home and tasks at work prevented me from shedding off those unwanted fats. I gained so much weight when I arrived here in Riyadh and I don't like what it did to my face. I am genetically predisposed to double chin so I tend to shy away from camera shots of friends when that unwanted body part appears. That explains why I don’t post many photos of myself lately, except those that caught me in really good angles. As much as I want to run like what I did back in the Philippines, I cannot do that anymore here, unless I enroll in a gym – which is expensive and doesn't fit in my schedule. I haven't seen any women here donned in their abaya, running on pathways designated for walking...