One Last Blog

It has been almost three years since we packed up our lives in the US and moved to the other side of the world here in Malaysia. I had promised my grandma I would journal so this blog was created for the sole purpose of keeping her and my grandpa up to date with our travels and life here. No, she didn’t have a computer, but my mom would read them my blogs just as soon as I would post. The blog later became a way for me to detail not only our adventures, but also my struggles. The way you responded enabled me to push through all the sadness and be reminded of all the good. This blog became a huge support system and I could not have made it through those first 6 months (perhaps the first entire year) if it hadn’t been for the kindness I was shown in my most vulnerable moments. And I know without a doubt I never would have made it without the kindness of support of my friends here – my chosen family.

No one can prepare you for being an expat or living in another country. Until you experience it yourself it’s all just a fantasy, or nightmare depending on how you accept change. I had a friend tell me before I left, “your life is going to change in ways you can’t even imagine”. And I couldn’t. I was almost offended at the statement. I loved my life in the states. I had no desire to move and no reason to believe my life could have been made any better by moving away from those I love those I loved the most. But now I get it.

I agreed to move to Malaysia in order to get three more years with my kids. I did get that, which would have been enough for me, but I also got so much more. I know for a fact that there is more good in the world than bad. I know that life is what you make of it and sometimes making a choice to be happy is as easy as loving Kevin Bacon. I feel so extraordinarily blessed that I have met such amazing women who have been my everything. Never again will I surround myself with anything but positive, supportive, loving people who encourage me to be better, motivate me to want to be better, and show me strength and kindness. I have changed in ways I never could have imagined, and it will be what drives me towards how I live the rest of my life as a mother, wife, friend, and person.

To our girls, Olivia and Eleanor – we ultimately did this all for the two of them. My only hope is that they have opened their hearts to a greater understanding of the world, its people, its diversity, and the need for kind open hearts to continue to make the world a better place. Maybe cliche, but ever so true. At such young ages they know what a refugee is. They have seen the homeless in the States, but they have also seen villages in Vietnam that have no running water but yet the kids are still outside running around with huge smiles on their faces because they have the only thing that matters – their family. They’ve been to China to witness the world’s worst pollution and appreciate fresh air and blue skies. They have asked questions about other cultures as they have learned beside each other. Over 60 countries are represented in their school and that is the most awesome part about this whole experience. To them it’s normal, to much of America it is terrifying. My wish for them is that they will always be brave enough to meet hate with love, fear with sensitivity, and differences with curiosity.

Where do we go from here? You can’t leave a place like Malaysia and all the experiences it offered us and go back and pick up where you left off, can you? I’ll be trying to find my place, but I won’t be blogging about it. All I can tell you is that our doors in Chicago will always be open to all our friends, whether you’re from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, London, Denmark, or Houston Texas. I will never stop supporting refugees and I will passionately speak in support of my Muslim friends. I will go back changed forever, with a bigger purpose, a softer heart, and a much more open mind. I will continue to listen without judgement and accepting of others, always.

Here is a montage of our last three years. It’s about 20 minutes long so if you’re interested in watching it grab your wine or coffee and let it take you back through to some of our biggest adventures here in Malaysia and around the world. We will be forever grateful and appreciative of this amazing experience.

Thank you, Malaysia, for welcoming us, teaching us, accepting us, and learning with us. Thank you to our friends here for being our family abroad – for the laughs, adventures, support, and for all the memories we’ll carry with us forever. And thank you to our families and friends back home, for checking in daily or when you could and for being so excited about our return home.

xoxo

Another free slideshow design by Smilebox

Next Steps

It’s official…when April approaches, we will be making our way back to the USA!  Jeremy has accepted a job offer in Chicago.

I’ll keep this post simple – I will not fill it with the many thoughts and emotions of what the reality feels like and what it means. Right now no one cares, they just want us to get home. And we are coming home. In 59 days to be exact.  Let’s just leave it at that for now.

We are so excited for this next adventure. The kids are excited to see their grandparents and cousins (and yes, aunts and uncles too). And until we reach US soil we will soak up every last moment in this beautiful country and with our friends here, because the thought of having to leave them all is too much to bare right now.

But…we’re coming home, sweet home, Chicago!

Maldives and Sri Lanka

We just got back from family holiday to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. With faces kissed by the sun and stories retold all the way home, we had an amazing time. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort in Kandooma, Maldives, and couldn’t have chosen a better accommodation for our family. If you were going for a honeymoon or kid-free this might not be the place you choose, but for us it was perfect. The island was about 2km around and each family stayed in a private villa. The pool, the beach, the Kids Club, and all the other activities you could choose from made for an active, but relaxed vacation. We spent four days here and loved every single thing about it!

We arrived on New Year’s Eve, so we knew what that evening would entail – raining in the new year! We rang in 8:00PM – it was a long travel day:

Each day after was spent similar to this:

feeding the fish

hermit crab racing

swimming with a new friend

looking for shells and coral

just admiring the water

reading a great book and sipping on yummy drinks

I was amazed at the color of the water – that’s why people go – to see the water (right?)! The Maldivian waters are so clear and vibrant you can see the sea floor and everything that floats in and around it. We saw jelly fish, manta rays, turquoise, fish, fish like Dori, clear fish, and such – all from just standing and looking down. Try to snorkel and include many more to that list. The best month to find the clearest waters is January because it is more dry – we were lucky. Maldives is in fact the lowest country in the world. The waters here are just knee deep shallow. That is one of the reasons why you can see the seabed through the waters. It was breathtaking, just like the picturesque postcards!

It is said that Maldives will be vanished from the map in the next 100 years or so due the climate change and rising sea levels. The rise of sea water levels, pollution and global warming are making these beautiful pieces of land disappear in a short period of time. It’s a shame that even though science has so advanced and it has been shouting loudly that global warming is a real thing, some people are still blind to their surroundings. Some say it’s too late to save the Maldives. I sure hope that isn’t the case.

We usually bring home a little souvenir from our travels – shells, a bit of sand, a piece of art – but since the large piece of coral I wanted to bring home was the size of my head and wouldn’t fit, I settled on family pictures of us in something other than our swimsuits. I’m so glad I did. It was a magical holiday!

Sri Lanka:

It was hard to leave such a beautiful place, but the beauty of Sri Lanka was just as magical. Ideally, when planning a trip to Sri Lanka, one would drive to various stopping points throughout the country (Elephant sanctuary, safari, etc), but when you have kids who get as sick as ours in the car, we opted for one destination – Galle.

Galle is located on the southwestern tip, 119 long km from Columbo, which is about a 2 hour drive. The population is 91,000. The girls slept (thank you Dramamine) so they missed the drive along the coast as we passed by cinnamon plantations, rice fields, rubber tree fields, and several temples.

We arrived in the afternoon and checked into the Why House, which was a recommendation, and a brilliant one at that! While Ellie determined she needed to rest at the hotel, Olivia and I went out and did a little exploring.

The next morning we made our way to the beach where we spent the day jumping waves, looking for shells, and taking walks along the beach. I refused to compare the two beaches (of Maldives and Galle). They were both beautiful for different reasons. This beach was perfect for kids because it has a protective reef creating a lagoon which ensures safe swimming, and also has a small surf break in front of their restaurant. We had both the waves and the calm. The ambiance was relaxed, fun, beach, eclectic, and just awesome. It became our favorite little hangout (besides the hotel grounds itself) and we came two different nights for dinner and to watch the sunset.

After the beach, we spent the afternoon down by Galle fort, walking the charming side streets, shopping, and stopping for that afternoon gelato. The Galle fort is a world heritage site and is the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European (Dutch) occupiers.

The next day we got up at 5am to go whale watching. We had heard some groups spend 7 hours or more looking for these amazing creatures, but we were lucky our experience lasted 3 hours (you know, the whole motion sickness thing). We left the dock and within seconds of reaching our look-out point (which took an hour to get to), the whales were putting on their show – a magnificent sight that not one of my pictures captured well enough.

Like I said, my pictures are duds, but Jeremy posted a couple of videos on Facebook, so check those out if you are interested – you’ll actually see something! The girls were thrilled to see a whale and were not disappointed! We attempted dolphin watching in the Maldives with no luck so when a whole group of more than 50 dolphins came up right beside the boat and traveled with us for a few minutes they were pretty excited! Ellie kept saying, “Mom, we’re not even dreaming right now, this is really happening!!!” Pretty cool!  The trip was a huge success and we were back to the hotel by lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon lounging by the pool!

On the following day, our last, the girls requested to visit the turtle hatchery. This was quite educational. There are 7 species of turtles found in the world, 5 of which are found in Sri Lanka. Their main objective is saving Sea Turtles for the next generation. The main part of their project is collecting eggs (to keep them safe from poachers) once the mother buries them on the beach, re-bury them in a fenced beach hatchery and release them safely to the ocean upon hatching. They also house a large number of turtles which were sick or injured by fishing nets, which they treat and/or cure and release back to the ocean. Needless to say, we learned a lot about turtles in a little amount of time.

Other Sri Lankan pics:

photo credit: Sandy Hartley

It was an amazing 7 days of travel to two amazing destinations and we are so grateful for the opportunity to go. There is so much beauty, culture, and diversity in the world and I learn something new in each place we travel. If there is one thing I’d wish for my kids to take away from all of these adventures it’s that I hope it has opened their eyes, hearts, and their minds a little more than they were before and as they continue to grow.

Happy New Year!

xoxo

Christmas in KL 2016

It’s now our third Christmas since we’ve been living in Malaysia. The first year we went back home, the second year we stayed here while anticipating my parents’ arrival, and this year we were again in KL, this time with no visitors to look forward to. Perhaps that is why I felt really homesick this year. Or maybe it was because we had to say goodbye to my Jennifer and her family (brutal). It is really hard to be away from family, especially during the holidays, and I felt that this year. I was thankful for a busy month that had me buried in planning Christmas parties for each of the girls’ classrooms as well as girl scouts, doing the holiday shopping and baking, and trying to make things as fun and special as I could for the girls. I do have to say that Kuala Lumpur does a pretty amazing job at doing Christmas – the music, decorations, events, and Santa photo-ops do not disappoint!! Well, maybe the Santas were a little disappointing, but you cannot fault them for trying!

I kicked off the month by wrapping a book for each day before Christmas. I’ve seen many do this tradition and could never get myself organized enough to do it myself, but finally got my act together this year. I had many of the books but checked out what I was missing from the school library. I purchased one book a few months ago called, “The Christmas Wish” by Lori Evert, which I highly recommend. I added an activity to go along with each book (an idea I took from a blog). It was fun for the girls, but I was short two books, and I didn’t care enough to go out and get two more, so I just told the girls I would tell them Christmas stories for two nights (all part of the plan, eh?).

School festivities: I love this time of year at school! The holiday performances are always so adorable and the kids are excited about every little opportunity to have some fun! It doesn’t matter if a child celebrates Christmas or not, magic is in the air for every little one. Olivia’s class had a few students from Sweden so they also had a St. Lucia party – beautiful.

School was out on the 16th so then we just played! We do what every other house does during this time of year – gingerbread houses, baked cookies for days, went out for hot chocolate, walked the malls to see all the festive displays, and just enjoyed the time we had together. We threw in the dentist and had some playdates and sleepovers in there somewhere too!

We took some time to show appreciation to others:

And then we celebrated Christmas! The girls got to FaceTime with both sets of grandparents and cousins while they opened their gifts from them. Thank goodness for technology.

Opening presents from Grandpa and Grandpa

Family Photo

And later on Christmas day we couldn’t go visit family for a Christmas dinner but we could sure meet up with friends for a champagne brunch – because our friends are our family here and we are truly blessed to have such great ones.

That’s pretty much Christmas in Malaysia! I hope you all had a wonderful day celebrating with the ones you love. Have the safest and happiest of New Year’s celebrations and we will as well! We are off for a bit of holiday travel bright and early tomorrow!

Happy New Year!

xoxo

October in Review

I’ve had a few friends ask me where my blog posts were. I responded by saying that I didn’t feel like I had anything to write about lately of any interest to anyone other than myself. But isn’t that what this blog is for – to document our time here, the good and bad, happy and sad? After my post about my grandpa I had to come back and go through the grieving and process the loss. I did that through making photo albums about my grandparents, throwing myself into projects, and just being with friends and family. We have still had a lovely month, I just didn’t write about it, until now…

Last year our travels took us to 7 different countries. We had a trip every month and had an amazing year of travel and seeing new places, exploring new cultures. This year we don’t have as many trips planned but we have created a “bucket list” of things we have left to do here just in case it is our last year abroad. Early September took me back to Phnom Phen, Cambodia, on a girls trip. It was a chance to show some friends why this country had a huge impact on us (the ones who had been before), as well as a chance to reunite with a couple of friends who have moved on to other countries. We had an amazing time catching up, shopping, eating, and seeing the city in a different light this time. For those of us who visited the difficult tourist sites for the first time, it was somber and humbling. There is always something to be learned.

Love exploring by tuk-tuk

We bought a brick for a women’s hospital

cheers to friendship

The Saigon river

Baby wearing at its best!

a cruise along the Saigon

Elephant Bar

I get emotional looking at these pictures, as it marks the day in which I had my last conversation with my grandpa. That sky though…

Fast forward a few weeks later to October. MKIS kicks off the month with their UN Day celebration – my favorite event at the school. It’s a chance to showcase over 60 countries that are represented at this school, and how proud we all are of this rare opportunity we get to have such a gift under one roof – one that fosters growth, compassion, acceptance, difference, and an abundance of knowledge! Here, no country is better than the other, we just all want the same thing for each other – well educated, well adjusted, happy children who will hopefully make a difference one day.  Today we celebrated unity and diversity – and it was quite a celebration!

Following UN Day is MCF week, which is Madeleine Children’s Fund/Cancer Awareness week.  Madeleine was a Kindergarten student when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor, a fight she lost. One week a year at MKIS is dedicated to raising awareness and raising money towards her foundation, in her memory. The students participated in a dance-a-thon and skip-a-thon. It is events such as these I’m so grateful I am able to attend.

Jeremy was in the states for a couple of weeks so we girls tried to keep busy on the weekends the best way we know how – exploring new things! We heard Rumah Hope – which is a shelter that provides food, care and security for children neglected, abandoned or abused – was having a carnival to raise funds for their home. I thought that would be a great way to spend a Saturday, so that is what we did. We had a great day and an even greater lesson.

The girls had their mid-term break and since Jeremy is pretty much out of vacation days, we girls planned a trip to Vietnam to see our dear friends who recently moved to Ho Chi Minh City. We spent four days there and had such a wonderful time. We’d frequent a cafe, play space, or take the kids on a fun adventure during the mid-morning hours and the afternoons would be spent on the trampoline and pool. The kids had a great time being reunited and they quickly picked up right where they left off! We sure miss these beautiful people in our daily lives.

Still on mid-term break we surprised the kids with a trip to Legoland. Olivia has been asking to go since we moved here and I’ve avoided it because it’s a 3+ hour drive and my girls get so car sick. But… we also know that we can’t let fears keep us from doing the things we really want to do, so we went! And they had the time of their lives!!! We spent a day at the amusement park, surprised at how much they loved the roller coasters. They were small enough and perfect for young kids. The next day we spent a couple of hours at the water park, which I loved, before the kids begged to back to the amusement park to ride more rides. All the dramamine couldn’t save me from these rides. Being on a roller coaster makes me feel like I’m in an airplane experiencing the worst turbulence, on the verge of a crash landing. Voluntarily! But the kids loved it all, as did my other BIG kid (Jeremy)!

And of course we ended the month on a Halloween bang!! Parties in the classroom and the annual MKIS Halloween Carnival. I love getting to be so involved in each of the girls’ classrooms. I can peek in to check on them when I want and I can plan a party whenever a holiday arises. I’m blessed and I take advantage of it as much as I possibly can!!!

We have made it a tradition to attend BIG’s Halloween cooking class for kids since the year we arrived. Saturday morning we awake – and BAKE!!  Olivia looks forward to this class every year! And we look forward to eating her creations!

And in non-Halloween news, Olivia became a Brownie Girl Scout this week. I am her leader, which makes it all the more fun for me. I love that we can do this together.

Monday (officially Halloween) will come and I’ll dress up in my ‘secret’ (but not overly creative) costume and go be a mystery reader in Olivia’s classroom, we’ll do one last Halloween craft, and we’ll mark the end of the month.

I’m always kind of relieved when October comes to an end. Fall is my favorite month and baking with pumpkin is my favorite hobby, but perhaps it’s because I have never been SUPER excited about Halloween? We had a great month and we’re looking forward to the holidays with as much enthusiasm as we possibly can as we refuse to be reminded that we will not see family for another 8 long months.

Like I always tell myself, one day at a time…

xoxo

Loss and Life…and all things Love

March 1, 1922 – September 4th, 2016

When the phone rang early this morning here at the condo, I knew why. Heaven gained another angel. I can’t say we lost Grandpa, because we had the best of him for 94 years. Each year, each day, each moment was a gift, so to say that we lost him, doesn’t seem right. I have been on a roller coaster of tears and smiles for the last couple of days. This morning I’m finding more smiles. I have a wave of peace that flows through me knowing he is now at peace. And he is with the love of his life. I can almost see the reunion that has already taken place between my grandpa and grandma – the warm embrace and them both asking each other, “What took you so long?” It’s a beautiful, peaceful feeling knowing that they are together again. That helps make this transition more peaceful and accepting.

He passed surrounded by all the love in the world, the most important love – the love of his family. It was as beautiful of an exit as it was having him in our lives each day. There were stories told, phone calls made, whisky cheers, and laughter. There were no words left unsaid, no what-if’s or I wishes. It was perfect, if that’s something a passing can be. Both beautiful and brutal. Brutiful.

My grandpa was just as extraordinary as my grandma was. He was a man of integrity, of dignity, respect, compassion and all things love. He was a war hero, attentive husband, amazing father. In my 39 years of life I have never heard him raise his voice – other than yelling, “Let’s go Krissy Baby!!” all through my school sporting years. (note: he is the only one who has and who will EVER get to call me Krissy Baby)! He had names for all his kids and grandkids. He always wore trousers and button down shirts. He only had friends and not one single enemy. He gently requested removal of your hat at the supper table. He put God first but Grandma would beg to differ as he always made her feel number 1. In fact, he made us all feel like his #1. He golfed every single day until he couldn’t any longer. He loved having slumber parties as much as Grandma did and he could master silver dollar pancakes. Oh and what they’d do to make us laugh! He loved structure and routine and he never complained (except maybe at the end when he got a little picky about food). He had an amazing sense of humor. He was honest, humble, gentle, kind, and loved his family more than anything.

The picture on the right is my favorite memory of the summer. Grandpa drinks a whisky and 7-up every afternoon at 3:00 but has never had wine. I offered him a drink of mine, and because he will try anything at his old age, he sampled it only to discover why he doesn’t drink wine! We laughed and laughed and had a wonderful afternoon in my cousin’s garage surrounded by family, celebrating life! Goodness, I love this man.

I’m so grateful I had him as a grandfather. I am so grateful I showed my adoration for him, wrote him letters, and told him every chance I got how much I loved him. I’m thankful for our beautiful relationship and for never taking it for granted. I went to visit every chance I got, I called, I wrote, and I appreciated everything about him. No what-ifs, no I-wishes. I gave him my all. And for that, I’m grateful.

He lived 94 years and he lived those years fully. He and Grandma had a love like no other. They never suffered the loss of child, they didn’t suffer through a cancer diagnosis or terrible accident. They both lived a beautiful life, to its entirety, together. It’s all anyone could ever want. And even though our hearts are broken from the passing of this amazing man, we can take comfort in knowing we gave each other everything. There’s no greater gift.

God bless this sweet man, my grandpa. Now go dance with your bride!

xoxo

The First Days of School

It was just a year ago I posted about Ellie’s first day of preschool.  You can read about it here.  But to summarize, it didn’t go too well and we eventually decided to pull her out.  It was the right decision and I’m glad I made it.

But my, what a difference a year makes.  Meet Ellie:

She wants to be called Eleanor (her birth name), she’s now 4 years old – too old to ride in a stroller or be carried when she has blisters on her feet (if anyone should be watching).  After 4 long years she’s finally decided to sleep in her own bed throughout the entire night, which also means that I’m finally sleeping through the night as well.  Such anxiety I have had anticipating the first days of school after remembering so painfully and so vividly how much we both suffered through the process last year at this same time.  After cheerleading and trying to exaggerate my enthusiasm leading up to her first day it became very clear that she didn’t need that from me this time.  She was more than ready to walk through that front door into her classroom and be with “a really cool teacher from Australia”!  Wait!!!  No meltdown, no tears, no trauma?!  Not from Eleanor (we don’t need to know what I did when I walked around the corner and let my big girl out into the real world), no sir!!  I hung around for a little bit and would sneak back to peek only to discover that my little big girl is a leader!  She’s confident!  She’s making friends already and uses phrases like “my teacher is so nice”and “my school is so much fun”!! I couldn’t ask for more!  She’s off, world – watch out!!!

And LOOK – She’s a SUPERSTAR!!!

My Olivia – she ROCKED her first week, just like I knew she would.  She has always had such a positive attitude towards school.  And she has been so fortunate to have had such great teachers who have been the reason for this enthusiasm.  She was so excited to see friends, make new ones, and she’s working hard at getting all her play dates lined up.  I’m just so proud of her!

My absolute favorite part of the day is getting to hear these two greet each other after a long day.  Olivia always asks Eleanor how her day was and they are so fun to watch.  They tell each other things they forget to tell me!

We had a successful first week of school, which is all anyone could ask for.  Here’s to a wonderful school year!!!

Grades 2nd and KPA

And a VERY relaxing weekend!!

xoxo

The Last of Summer in KL

As sad as I was to leave the US for KL 3 weeks before school started I knew that we would have a wonderful 3 weeks together, because by golly, that’s what we do – we make the most out of a situation. And after sharing my girls with their cousins and grandparents for the past 6 weeks I was a little bit excited to have them all to myself!  Sure, if you told me I had 3 more weeks in Iowa I’d be thrilled, but that wasn’t an option, so here we are, rockin’ KL!

We arrived on a Tuesday morning and by Tuesday night we had our summer ‘to-do’ list. The girls’ top choices were shopping and playing Barbies, but we expanded the horizons a little bit.  We had a couple of weeks waiting for the majority of our friends to arrive back in KL, but until then we found the ones who were here and introduced ourselves to the unfamiliar faces we’d spot around our little bubble.

Our first summer adventure was heading back to the jungle gym we love and eating lunch together at our favorite brunch place, Antipodean:

Next: A little play date with friends who were here! I love a house full of giggles and all things play! It was a play date we didn’t want to end!

Next: Korean BBQ with friends and then meeting dear Brenda for play and lunch (and a Kids Carnival – in a mall)!! Ms. Brenda spoiled the girls with back-to-school goodies and a little cash to go crazy with in the bookstore!  The girls love any chance they get with such a special person, and I do as well!!

When our schedule needed to slow a bit we filled our time with some school work, baking, and pool time!

We had so much fun getting to know a new family who just arrived! After corresponding via email for the past few months, it was so great to finally meet and have our kids meet each other!  After a fun play date at home we ventured down to KLCC Park to play (and enjoy the views). An ice cream break was required to get us through the heat.  Now we know why there are so many malls with jungle gyms inside. It is just too hot to play outside!

Then as our friends started to arrive, we had another go at our favorite jungle gym, and yes, back to Antipodean. It’s so much better with friends!!!

And it was so much fun all being together that we joined each other again for a pool party!!  5 hours of uninterrupted fun, laughter, food, and play!

Other things we enjoyed these past few weeks: ice cream and coffee dates, a walk through the park, and an unplanned stop at a great cafe for lunch, just me and my girls!

Going to see Daddy at work so he could take us out to lunch (finally, after 2 years we finally did this little field trip):

And what was at the top of Jeremy’s list of fun things to do with the girls? A hike and a really good lunch at Din Tai Fung!  I’ll leave my commentary out on this one (the hike).  I want to be adventurous, I really do, but nature always gets in the way (darn mosquitoes and pythons)!!  We’ll do it again though…

And when we were all tired and snuggled up on the couch because we couldn’t play with one more Barbie or do one more thing —  We discovered Snapchat!

Trying to find the balance!

And today, our last day of summer break, we walked to school to check classroom assignments and meet our teachers – the people who are going to spend the majority of the waking hours with my children, shape their minds, inspire them to learn, and foster their growth in ways their own mother can’t (because mom ‘doesn’t know anything’).  These teachers are going to hold them when they cry and encourage them when they are frustrated.  How amazing!  That’s the most important, most wonderful job in the whole entire world…next to being a mom. And I have to say, after today, I wouldn’t choose better teachers than the two my children will be with.

Ellie walked in her little classroom with the confidence of a giant. She followed proudly as her teacher gave her a little tour of her room – the place her imagination will grow leaps and bounds as well as her independence. As we left the room Ellie turned around and showed off her best jump split – so random, so Ellie!  I left the room with a little less anxiety than when I entered the room.  Ellie is going to be ok…and her mom just might be too.

Olivia LOVES school and can’t wait to go back. She’s in a classroom with a new teacher from the US.  I don’t know who is more excited for tomorrow – Olivia or her teacher.  That’s a wonderful thing!

We got treats and met up with friends after our classroom tours and the girls stayed with me to help with the ice cream social the PA hosts.  And see that beautiful cafe with the lights in the picture above?  That’s The Cube, a place where teachers and parents can order coffee, amazing juices, salads and most likely the place I will live these next 10 months – close enough, but just far enough away.

We’ve had an amazing few weeks together as a family before the reality of routines and real life take over our social scheduling.  It’s a reality I am in no way ready for.  I love having these girls home every day and I love being the guide to take them on this tour we call life. Tomorrow Olivia starts 2nd grade and she couldn’t be more excited. My Ellie starts pre-school (again).  But this time it’s for real.  This time I have to let her go.  This time I feel like she’s ready.

For all of you back in the US who don’t start until September, keep soaking up your summer with those little ones of yours.  When you get the urge to throw them out the door and send them back to school, take a deep breath and hold on to them for just a bit longer.

And for those of you who start tomorrow or later this month, you are in my thoughts.  Whether you shed tears of joy or tears of sadness, let’s have a wonderful school year!!

xoxo

Disney World and Michigan

It’s always hard to leave Iowa after spending so much time with family. As much as I didn’t want our time to end, I knew the kids were missing their daddy and I have to admit, I was too. The girls and I made the trip down to Florida where we would be reunited with Jeremy and joining the family for a few days in Disney World, a family tradition they have shared every few years since Jeremy was just a kid. We arrived in the evening, just enough time for the kids to greet their cousins, have some dinner, have a little play and go to bed. We had a big first day planned at Magic Kingdom, so it wasn’t going to be an all-nighter.

Reunited with their daddy at last!

sweet Charlotte was sleeping, so we had to wait until the morning to get her snuggles!

It’s always so fun to see the girls around their cousins. It was as if no time had passed by and they just picked up where they left off. It was a refreshing and beautiful reunion (our reunion with Charlotte would have to wait until the morning, as it was her bedtime).

The next morning was Magic Kingdom. Three years ago when we came to this park with a then 4 year old and 14 month old we stayed at the park for a whole 14 hours and we planned that this time as well! When you only have one day, you make the most of it!  Jeremy and I talked about how excited we were to see the day through the eyes of our girls, as if every princess was the ‘real’ deal, the castle was really Cinderella’s home, the thrill of the rides, the joy of finding characters throughout the park – it’s all magical through the eyes of a child.

The infamous picture every family must capture!

Meeting the characters and princesses!  Olivia chose to ride rides with her cousins as she “was too old for princesses”, but my niece gladly went with her cousin for the special moments.

I loved watching the moments leading up to when Ellie would introduce herself to a princess.  She went from enthusiastic to completely shy and sweet.  She was meeting her hero.  It reminded myself of the time I met my Kevin Bacon.  Kind of.

Lines were long, fast pass tickets sold out quickly, and the temperature was scorching, but you can’t tell that from the looks on their faces.  We saw what we could and rode what we had time for, but those moments were just as special as the ice cream we shared and company we were with. I just couldn’t imagine being Pluto, or an entertainer, or a service person who had to be out in the worst of it dealing with hot parents and tired kids.  But to us, it was the happiest place on Earth, that day.

After a nice dinner at a neighboring hotel we went back for the fireworks and light parade. Then we went home and went straight to bed (after a late night pool swim), excited about our pool rest day tomorrow!

I think they might be sleeping!?

The only way to recover after a full day at a Disney Park is by spending the day at the pool.

Followed by a dinner show – also tradition:

Someone told them it was Papa’s birthday!

Rules are, you must play along!

Charlotte was a natural!

This is always such a fun time! The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue is an old-fashioned dinner show that includes foot-stompin’ music, nostalgic comedy and an all-you-care-to-eat dinner consisting of bbq ribs, fried chicken, corn, potatoes, and the most delicious corn bread you’ve ever tasted.  It’s a wild wild West fun time!  Jeremy has been dragged on stage many times and the tradition was kept alive when our Preston was ushered up!

After the show the grandparents took the kids to Downtown Disney for a little shopping while we adults had an evening out. We had mojitos (no-jitos!!), some serious discussions, some not-so-serious discussions, and a really nice (kid-free) evening out.

The next day, and our last day there, we all spent the day as we wanted. We later met up for one last traditional meal at Benihana. This meal never disappoints!  You go for delicious stir-fry they prepare at your table, which keeps the kids entertained. And that they were, but mostly because of sweet Charlotte!

It was a wonderful time at Disney World.  We had one week left to spend in the great USA and that was spent back in Michigan.

Our first day back was spent perfectly, enjoying a little quiet time with our youngest cousin. She’s a doll baby and the girls loved each moment they got with her.

Other things we enjoyed:

Gockie’s famous crepes!

Family time:

sweet farewells

sweet farewells

Spending time up North:

Lake Huron:

We’ve been back to KL now for a week and I miss the outdoors. I miss watching the kids get to play outside ALL DAY LONG.  We would find every excuse to get outside and were so blessed with perfect weather, both in Iowa and Michigan.  Kids need to be outside – exploring, discovering, playing, running, imagining, just getting to be kids.  I miss the blue skies, those puffier than puffy clouds, and the smell of fresh air.  It’s not bad here in KL, it’s just different, and this is just one of the things I miss about home.

Thank you for a wonderful Michigan adventure.

xoxo

p.s. If you do ONE thing this summer, eat these (I was anti-Oreo until…):

Enjoying Iowa

We all have that place. The place where we escape to find peace.  The place where we can forget about all the things we have to get done and instead just enjoy the time we have been given – the seconds, the moments, and all the experiences in between.  This is the place where your only responsibility is making memories, increasing the number of smile lines, and not having to worry about that to-do list sitting on the table that needs to be marked, because it just doesn’t matter.  This could be a beach, sitting on your back porch, that weekly coffee date with a special friend, a lovely city or travel destination you return to.  For me this place is my home, it’s Iowa, and it’s because my family is here, my every root to my very being.  It is who I am at my core and everything that makes me who I am.  It’s my haven and a place I can come to and feel completely at peace.  It is made up of unconditional love, support, and 38 years worth of stories and history.  It is my happy place.  And I have again been so incredibly blessed to have had 4 weeks here at home, with my family, not worrying about things we need to check off our to-do list, but just enjoying the time we have together.  It has been an incredible summer.

Our Favorite Things:  

Time with Grandma and Grandpa. These two put everything aside for their grandkids, and that is a lot to ask when it’s for a whole month, but they do it selflessly and with so much zest for fun.  Their number one goal is to make memories, spend as much time together, and not waste a second. They made summer bucket-lists and we had fun checking each one off.  My parents are incredible beyond words and I am truly blessed.  We did not, and would never take one single moment for granted – EVER!  “Let’s make memories” they said, and we did!

Cousins:

What I love most about these adorable kids is that just because we haven’t been home in a year they immediately pick up where they left off.  They want slumber parties, play dates, and time together.  They want to spend as much time together and we parents want to spend watching them.  The fun was really never-ending.

Family gatherings:

The day after we arrived we celebrated the birthday of my girls, a few weeks late.  Later that month we celebrated my incredible Aunt Maureen’s birthday.  My grandma was perfection at getting the family together whenever we could – every day was a celebration. She passed that on to my aunt and my Tonja.  My mom is the same way.  We never need an excuse to have a party!  Every day is a celebration!  On the 4th of July we celebrated my cousin Tonja’s birthday.  Cousins are pretty special but this one surpasses all things that are great!  She is my hero, my best friend, my everything.

Special Celebrations:

Not only did we celebrate birthdays and family, we celebrated the baptism of my new Godson, Knox. He is just perfection, and to have the title, Godmother, is an honor I’ll hold with the upmost respect always.  It is a gift in so many ways.

And all things joyous and fun:

I LOVE being in a place where the kids can play outside until it’s dark, walk up the hill to their cousins house and great-grandpa’s house.  I love that they can walk down to the park, get an ice cream if they wish and then shop the weekly farmers market.  They can check books out at the library for the summer and breathe in the fresh air.  We were outside every chance we could get!

I know that it’s a rarity that I’m able to spend a month at a time with those I love the most in a place I love more than anywhere.  It’s a gift that I cherish the most out of all things I have gained these last two years as trailing spouse.  I thank my lucky stars I get this kind of time with my family.  If you have the time, you should too.  And if you don’t have the time to see your family or call them to let them know you’re thinking about them, make the time.

And now as my last night in my childhood home is coming to an end, I’m trying to “smile because it happened”, but there are just as many tears. The goodbyes never get any easier. In fact they only get harder.  And as much as I have enjoyed these last four weeks, four weeks is too long of a time for the girls to be away from their daddy.  As amazing as their time has been here, it wouldn’t be fair for me to keep them from him any longer.  He is waiting…

We may be leaving a couple of weeks before we had hoped to, but what we lacked in time we made up for in memories that will carry us through.

Our Iowa Summer bucket list:

• Looking at the stars with Grandpa
• Baking with Grandma
• Going on a hike
• Learning to mow
• Going on a motorcycle ride
• Daily ice cream
• Playing with cousins and friends
• Going to the pool
• Crafts, paining, making a quilt
• Going to a movie
• Sleepovers with cousins
• Dinner date with the big kids
• Reading a good book (or at least starting one)
• Picking a tree to plant
• Go to a rodeo
• Make smores
• Catch Fireflies
• SPENDING AS MUCH TIME POSSIBLE WITH EACH OTHER!!!!!

We did well!!

xoxo