We Are Here (but just barely)

Whew! I'm delighted to be back here, even if it's just for a few moments, and who knows how many more days until our internet is hooked up. For now I am locked away in an office away from our home, pawning internet time off someone else's computer.

We arrived, we made it. All five of us and all twenty bags (that includes carry ons and "personal bags" like purses, okay?). The kids were wonderful travelers, and I've come to appreciate that about and almost expect it from them. Except for Scout, who can be a bit of a firecracker. But with her Daddy around this time it seemed to go much smoother.

It is lush and green here; the trees are taller and more plentiful. The kids keep asking if there is a beach around here. No, but there are PANDAS, which is what everyone and their mother tried to tell us when we announced our move, in some sort of attempt to comfort us, I guess. Do most people find that much comfort in being able to peep at a Panda sleeping several meters away behind a fence?

Our apartment is quite lovely. It has a ton of natural light, which is one of the most important things in the world to me (when it comes to apartments at least). We packed the three kids into the master bedroom since it was quite large and will accommodate all their toys and clothes and beds. That leaves two more bedrooms, one for all the myriad of guests we are expecting/planning/counting on having as well as a desk and probably all my ironing (which will get done), and one little bedroom for us.

The past week has been a memorable one in my own life. This move feels harder than any other for many reasons, and though over the past several months I have been seeking to accept it and engage in it, the reality of it hit pretty hard those first twenty four hours. I felt homesick, tired, overwhelmed, cranky, ungrateful, unwilling, depressed, and I should stop there. Slowly though, as the hours have passed and another box has found itself unpacked, or as the kids have slept a few more hours on the correct time zone schedule, and as I've poured my heart out to God, I have seen things brighten up.

It is true that thankfulness can be one of the keys to joy and acceptance and worship. It is also true that sleep and good coffee can be one of the keys to a more enthusiastic attitude towards unpacking and watching small children at the same time. I am attempting good doses of all of the above.

So far, we have found that bikes and electric scooters are in more frequent use here than in our previous city. We have found friends of various ages and genders (though we still talk and think about the ones we are missing), we have tasted excellent peaches and eaten delicious street food noodles. We have found a few of our things that we thought were missing (and are still determining what must be missing that we thought we still had). We have determined that we love the window seats in each of the bedrooms and that the bright orange cabinets in the kitchen had to go (and so were covered with contact paper). We have said over and over again that we are so thankful to be here, even though it is not all easy.

I hope to be back on here in a few days, perhaps with pictures (though I left my battery charger in that states, arg, so hopefully a new one can be located soon), or perhaps with words. It's a whole new Home Made In China and we must get on with it!