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.
