It has been a little over six months since our return to America, and I have to say, today, when I woke up, I felt like it has been a lifetime.
Our lives look so different than they did one year ago.
One year ago I was preparing for a trip with my girlfriends to Marrakesh, planning a trip to Spain with my sister and her family, and training for a half-marathon in Bath, England. Today, I sit with my family playing on the Wii as the children got a day off from school because of the foot of snow that fell last night.
One year ago, I was home schooling my three children. Today, all three of them attend our local public schools and are thriving. Not that they didn't thrive under my tutelage; I feel that the year and a half of home schooling actually really prepared them well to go back to public school here in America.
They had very little issues transitioning back to life here. I think it helped that Josh spent that week (sorry - two weeks - remember the ash cloud?) here with his best friend last spring.
I now feel like that three years we spent in England and traveling all over Europe was a dream. I feel so far away from that after spending six months back home.
I am grateful for everything we were able to do - I feel so blessed to have had the best of both worlds. I miss my old friends, our church, and mostly my sister and her family.
However, I am shamelessly engulfed back into American culture. I love taking a weekly trip to Target. I love our yellow school bus. I love that I'm 'normal' here. Relatively!
I love that when we get a foot of snow, all the neighbors work together to get their driveways and sidewalks cleared. And all the neighborhood kids spend hours building forts and sledding.
I love television shows such as Toddlers and Tiaras
What Not to Wear
and Hoarders
I love spending money in the form of a dollar rather than a Great British Sterling Pound.
I love being back near dear friends and closer to other family.
I miss not being able to travel at our leisure, walk to wherever we need to go in town, and ride our bikes out the door.
I do not miss the English weather. Even with a foot of snow on the ground, we actually had some sunshine today, and this is not an anomaly.
I love having three full bathrooms. And having a garbage disposal. And having my dishwasher right next to the kitchen sink. And being able to recycle EVERYTHING in our town recycle bins. Every week.
I love being able to do ALL my laundry - for a week - in one day. In one morning if I'm on the ball.
I miss that I can't buy wine in the grocery store. Ha.
I love going in the grocery store and knowing exactly where everything might be.
I love that you can open our back door and chances are, you will see a neighbor over the fence and have a good conversation. I love our neighbors and spending time with them.
I love that things are EASY. For example, to get our cable TV set up took one phone call and a flipped switch. In case you were not a reader at the time, see this link for
opposite experience reference. Same for the telephone service. EASY. And internet. EASY.
Most of all I am thankful. Thankful for the time we had, thankful that we are all home, safe and sound, and happy. It's good to be home.
Playing (and shoveling) in the snow
Lacrosse games ... and
baseball games.
