We went to the Marine Ball this evening, our first in Riyadh. We didn’t attend last year because our formal clothes hadn’t yet arrived from Budapest.

I have been to many Marine Balls during Tim’s career in the Foreign Service, and they never fail to move me, especially when the “Star Spangled Banner” is played. It’s easy -- always being overseas, with the excitement of new and exotic countries to explore and adapt to life in -- to forget your roots, but when I hear that song, standing amongst the embassy community, celebrating the birthday of the Marines who are responsible for our safety, it never fails to bring tears to my eyes.

I was afraid I wouldn’t know anybody at the ball as I really don’t have much to do with the people at the embassy, but it turned out a group of my friends were there. I got talked into dancing with them all, and after the music stopped, Tim snapped this picture of us. One other thing I found quite interesting -- there were hundreds of people in attendance, and we were in the middle of Saudi Arabia, and not one abaya was in sight.