So this is the life of an expat wife?

I have been thrown into a strange new life and really had no idea what it was going to be like.  I still have no idea of really what all to expect.  I have barely stuck my toe into the water and my life has really changed.  Somewhat uncomfortable but I can start to see that it will be a pretty nice life over the next couple years.  Here are some of the big changes for me and my family.

We now live in an apartment complex that is older but well established.  Because of it's age we have more grounds to enjoy that are very nicely kept with beautiful trees and so many of my favorite tropical plants.  We feel like we are living at a resort and enjoy walking around here with the kids.  I must admit that on a hot day I love walking into our lobby and having a huge breeze come through.  Wish that happened every day. 

We now have a live-in helper.  This is part of the uncomfortable part for us all although she is very sweet with the kids so I think they are pretty happy to have her here.  They were sad they couldn't tell her goodnight when she was gone on her day off.  The fact that the kids already feel that way after only 2.5 days makes us feel like we made a good decision and picked the right person for our family.  So far we have liked most of the dishes she has prepared and our apartment is very clean so we really can't complain.  Just some small things that can easily be fine tuned.  We are definitely in an experimental stage where she is trying to see what we like and how our family operates and we are trying to figure out what we expect as well as how we will operate with her in our lives.  It is hardest on me since I am the stay at home mom that does everything in the home.  Well, almost everything.  I have to give my hubby credit since he did cook.  I hate cooking!  Anyway, I am used to doing all the lovely household chores.  Lovely, ha!  To hand all of that over to a stranger and then try to figure out what my role is now is crazy.  I have to figure out what I want to do for myself now.  What?  Me?  What do I want?  All moms realize "me" time is rare.  Who gets to spend time every, and I mean EVERY day on themselves?  This new life means I get time for myself and when my husband and kids are home we get to be a family.  That is it.  No yardwork, no cleaning and no fixing this and that.  We get to just have some fun.  Yes, we have to take care of some stuff and there will always be things that will need to be taken care of but 90% of it is off our plate.  Of course my husband works some long hours with all the different time zones he is dealing with.  That is the only negative but alteast his hours happen once the kids are in bed. 

I get sick days.  Yes, I actually get to be sick and not have to do it all.  Today I woke up feeling horrible.  It was so nice to have breakfast on the table and the kids' backpacks all packed up.  When I came back from taking them to the bus I went to bed.  What?  Yes, I actually took that nap that all sick moms need.  Normally I feel guilty about the nap since there is always something that needs to be cleaned, organized, put away or picked up from the store/school/etc.  All moms, working or not,  know what I am talking about.  You feel miserable so you go lay down but it takes forever to fall asleep since you feel guilty about what is waiting for you.  Either you fall asleep for about 10 - 20 minutes or you just get up and you still feel like crap.  I actually took a great nap and did not feel guilty because the apartment was being cleaned, laundry done AND folded and dinner has already been figured out.  I woke up to a nice face offering me a yummy sandwich and fruit.  Yes, I am still sick and not feeling 100% but I feel better and I know that when I get the kids off the bus I won't be a crab and then I can come back and snuggle on the couch with my lil guy while Haley does her homework.  At this point a snack will be brought out and we will smell dinner cooking.  Chris really loves that smell.  ;)

New friends seem to come easy.  Every day I meet someone new and they all are just so nice and very easy to talk to.  Duh!  We have all been thrown into this new life and it doesn't matter if they have been here 10 years or just a week, they know exactly what you are going through.  I finally had my moment, the huge breakdown.  My mom and all my friends that I would call were asleep back in the US.  My husband tried to help but every woman knows that certain things just require a girlfriend who knows just the right thing to say.  And a drink!  I felt ridiculous for having my melt down with these new women in my life but it was so great to have them here.  Yes, they are still strangers but they have had similar breakdowns and made it through.  It is so nice to know that I can ask a question to any of them and get some great answers.  Not always an easy thing to do back home where so many people already have their friends and life to where they aren't letting more "new" in. 

Service calls and deliveries no longer hold me prisoner at my home.  My maid can always take care of this.  Yes, I am so going to be spoiled very soon.  Ok, already a little bit right now.  We have already had a handyman come by and a delivery and I was out.  This is a big one for most of us since these types of things always have to happen at the worst time of day or the one day you really need to get out to the store.  Better yet, it always happens on that one rare day that you scheduled something for yourself.

Babysitting is covered.  Weekly date night is always on the schedule and I no longer have to say no to anything because my husband is gone or out of town.  Seriously?  I don't have to call our parents and ask for help or try multiple teenage girls.  We already have someone here that the kids know well and she knows where everything is and will cook for them.  No pizza delivery unless we just want to get them pizza.  Also no need to make sure we have the cash handy for payment.  It is included in her duties.  Sweet!

Travel is in my immediate future.  Now that we are getting settled we are looking forward to our first weekend trip to Bali.  We just need to sit down and book it.  From what I understand from talking with all the other women we will start traveling monthly since we are so close to so many amazing places.  Then by the end of our first year here we will start planning some longer trips over the kids breaks.  I am looking forward to all the traveling since we really are close to so many amazing places that we would not be able to afford to go from the US. 
 
I am going to take up tennis.  Now that I have some time to myself I decided I will start a new hobby and since we have tennis courts at our place and the coaches come to us I figured why not?  Mason has also expressed interest so I will sign him up as well.  I still need to add swim lessons to the mix for the kids and get hip hop classes on the schedule for both Haley and I.  We are so excited to put on our dance shoes!!!!

There is also hope to join some clubs and maybe even some charity work since there are so many great causes that I could focus on here.  It is however tempting to just lay low for a little while and take some naps and maybe even read by the pool.  Am I on vacation????

We have only just begun this journey and still know very little so I do want to add that this is obviously our experience and not how it is for every expat family.  I have met some who do not have maids or live in an apartment complex.  There are homes here as well as other options but we decided to go for the apartment for hopes of meeting more families like ourselves.

This weekend is the big Chinese New Year celebration.  Both the kids and Chris are off on Monday and Tuesday as well so we get a long weekend together.  Apparently a lot of expats travel this weekend since most of Singapore shuts down.  We better stock up by Friday!  Anyway, we are going to try to catch some of the festivities and maybe try a trip into Malaysia.

Here are some pics from the kids' school celebration.  Sorry they are blurry and not the best.  We hope to see more lion dances since Mason loves them.