5 months

I have been staring at a blank screen for well over half an hour. 

This is highly unproductive, but equally irritating considering in my brain, I've written this blog a thousand times over. I knew exactly what I was going to say to make people laugh, cry and laugh some more. And now...nada. nothin. zilch.

And yet, all that keeps coming to mind is relief. I can breathe again without wondering what the next step is. Where the next box will go- and when it will be unpacked. Where my children will go to school. What car we will drive. What house we will live in. Who will my friends be. Where we will go to church. And the list has gone on...and on...and on.

A lot of those "wonderings" are now in the past. There are still a few more that God continues to reveal to us- and we are grateful for the journey and the discovery of all these things whether they have happened yet or not. 5 months is like a blink of an eye. All of the sudden the Christmas decorations are down (although can I just say- there is nothing cheery about a reindeer in the middle of April. Get with it, Ohio!) and the bathing suits are out and I'm left wondering what in the world we have been doing for the past 5 months and then I sit down to write and nothing. Not a dang thing- so I thought I would compose a list..you know- to joggle the memory a bit.. so here is what Team Strong has been up to the past 5 months:

January

-Said goodbye to life in England- to life long friends and family- 

-cried...a lot.

-flew on a couple airplanes--and missed our connection because we had to wait at customs for Grant's green card interview...he passed. whew.

-spent copious hours with our wonderful friends Kirk and Alison and their gorgeous boy Jonah who welcomed us off the plane and hasn't been able to get rid of us since! ;-)

-saw our first snowfall the very first morning we woke up in America. Magic.

-sent C on his first ever school bus. 142. Mr. B. 

-cried. 

-bought a car (Woo!)

-got to have an extended Christmas with my parents and sister 

-had both kids barf in a well known Italian restaurant. At. The. Same. Time. 

-cried *this was likely due to the barfing..*

-had friends over we hadn't seen for a long time (blessed.)

-Sent P off to preschool in America. Shorter sessions and smaller classes- but just as friendly and wonderful staff and kids like in Danbury. We fell in love with the place.

-Snow days and two hour delays (I will loathe you forever.)

-gymnastics began!

-Thank the Good Lord for FACE TIME.

-unloaded about 44 boxes from our cargo and unpacked about 3/4 of them

-had sleepless nights wondering what in the world we had just done.

-Called a church "home" 

-Kids started going to AWANA at church on Wednesdays and loved it!

-Started in a Life Group at above church and made amazing new friends.

-cried some more.

*January was a crazy emotional ride for me. I remember waking up at 2:30 in the morning a good number of nights with absolute anxiety thinking we have just made the worst decision of our lives- and the Lord quietly reminded me of his unswerving hand in and on our lives. I am blessed that even in the midst of the stresses and anxieties of that month (and continually), God cares for my family and me and so readily reminds me who is in charge.*

February

-had one of my best friends, Amanda, and her beautiful family stay with us for a weekend (I have dreamed of being close enough to do this FOR. YEARS. :-D

-more snow. 

-Chocolate. LOTS.

-Wine. LOTS.

-still cried.

-attended C's first "school Valentine's party" 

-more snow. stop.

-Big G started subbing in schools around the area.

-movie nights

-lunch dates with new friends

-signed C up for Tee Ball in the spring

-Green Card received!! 

-Teaching Licenses Received!!

March

-called up our Realtor and looked at houses...fell in love.

-made an offer THAT DAY.

-Bought that house. <3 o:p="">

-More snow. 

-cried (for joy this time!!)

-coffee dates

-met a sweet friend from college and her baby girl for the first time (my baby held her baby..surreal)

-Big G got his big boy Ohio driving License!

-play dates with new friends

-Parent/Teacher conference (good work, C!)

-celebrated the big 4-3 *not mine.*

-31st...CLOSED on our house!

April

-painted that house right up. 

-watched 3 wonderful friends get BAPTIZED in England (again...PTL for F.T!)

-celebrated Easter with our bffs and their family. (HARDEST EGG HUNT EVER.)

-celebrated our baby turning 4. 4 PEOPLE!

-Moved into our new house on April 20. 

-Welcomed our first guest from England, Yvette, on the 23rd!

-visited C's new school he will start in August. <3 o:p="">

-4th Friday in Uptown Westerville with our Life Group. 

-Awana Awards Ceremony 

May

-Attended a Women's Conference in Columbus

-C began teeball (White Sox!)

-went to Kalahari indoor waterpark with Yvette in Sandusky :-)

-shopped and shopped and shopped (right, Y??!! :-)

-P had her last day of preschool and also had performance singing songs on stage with her classmates (in love with preschoolers trying to sing "skinamarinkeedinkeedink" it was a big 'ol mess of cuteness!)

-playdates!!

-C said goodbye to his "new" school as he will go to another "new" school in August!

-Yvette left (I'm still sad about this.)

-Grant's parents arrived!! (And are currently sitting in our family room watching hockey! :-)

-went to the Creation Museum for a great family trip.

-felt fulfilled looking back at all we have accomplished over these 5 months. 

This list might not seem like a whole lot- but for me, it is necessary. It's a way to look at what's been done- the steps we have taken to build a bridge from living on one side of the world to another. It is all too needed in life, at least this is what I am learning, to really be ok with feeling successful at something. To have a sense of achievement. I feel that when I look at this list--where we were and where we are in those short days and weeks and months. It leaves me wondering what that list will look like at Christmas. In 2 years. 5. A decade. It's a lot to have changed, but what I think has changed most has been my perspective. Seeing the beauty in how far we have come. And trying even in the hardship to enjoy the ride.