life since we arrived home has been good and hard and joyous and overwhelming and exhausting and exciting and...and...and...we have probably felt every emotion possible. the littles really are doing so well! nya is even sleeping until 930a!!!! talk about a gift..i actually get to shower on those days..
there are days when the kids are quickly overwhelmed and melt a little easier than normal. and if we are out and about too many days in a row...well, then life is just filled with a whole lot more tears, screams and fist pumps (not the good ones;). we are still taking it easy and s l o w l y returning back to normal..not our old normal...a new normal.... a different normal....
on one level, i feel like so many things have stayed the same but really, things are so different! so different than our year in uganda...
here are are few first impressions...
i can't get over how fast the washing machine fills with water. seriously. i can't even gather my clothes by the time the whole drum is full. i can't count the amount of times, i have turned on the washing machine {expecting it to take 40 minutes to fill and that is if the power stays on the entire time..}, go collect my clothes and come back to a washer filled with water...and half the time, the cycle is already done! there is the rare occasion i am lucky enough to get it filled with clothes but then i walk away {waiting for it to fill up so i can add the soap} only to return to a washing machine already on the spin cycle. ugh..which means, it 'washed' the clothes without any soap. ... all that to say...i still canNOT believe how fast our old well-loved machine completes a cycle!
there is so much space between cars on the road. at least 4 feet! i can no longer put my hand out the window and touch the vehicle next to us.
nobody honks or should i say, hoots here.
nobody honks or should i say, hoots here.
carseats {while extremely useful and we are so thankful to have them} are such a pain! i will admit, it is nice to have all of my children strapped down, i mean... safe and secure while i can sit in the front, i do miss the days of just getting in and going!!
everything is so clean here...and everyone smells SO good or what they think is fresh! a sweet friend of mine told me this when she got home after a year of living in africa and i guess i didn't fully understand what she was saying. until now. i remember on the plane smelling downy dryer sheets and all sorts of smelly lotions, perfumes and colognes. the amsterdam airport was immaculate and everything sparkled. everything is just. so. clean.
i can't leave my littles in the car. ever. even if it is just for a minute. in uganda, i always had my trusty driverwhobecamefriendmorelikefamilybytheend with us, so i could always leave the littles in the car if i had to run in the store, go to court, sign something at the lawyer's office, get cash at the atm....you get the idea. it was such a blessing! i'll be honest..i have been tempted to leave them here. numerous times.. but then i remember it is against the law and refrain from doing so..don't worry pa, i don't think the littles would let be up to it anyways;).
...more to come .. because let's be honest...this place we now call home is worlds apart from the place we called home for the last year...
Sara,
ReplyDeleteI love this! I still (yes, even after six measly weeks) so appreciate the scent of dryer sheets.
You have run your race so well ...!
Oh friend. Been praying these last 6 weeks for all of these things. For continued grace as you transition and for the littles to continue to bond as they ease into this new home here in SB. I miss Uganda for you so much, I know you loved it as home for a year in your babes life. Praying for each new day to bring forth even more gratitude for all you have here and all you enjoyed there. Love you!
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