Getting Our Feet Wet

Mornin' y'all!  So that is as far as my Texas lingo will take me, but give me a few months and I am sure I will have expanded my vocabulary.

Our family (minus Emily) has been in Texas a month now. I thought it would have been much easier to jump into daily life, but alot changes when you are out of the country for 4 1/2 years.  New technology. New food. New products. New styles. New trends. New cars. New, well, just about everything. In some ways, it is like being someone who has amnesia and slowly has to remember and learn everything over again.

We closed on our house at the end of March, but have not been able to live there since most of our belongings are on the slow boat from Japan. However, tomorrow that will all end, as 427 boxes containing our junk stuff will be delivered. It will be like Christmas opening each box and trying to decide what to do with everything. (Okay, so 7 1/2 weeks really hasn't been that long, but it sure feels like it.) Chris told me recently "Our life has been like living the Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Finally it is almost over."

While I cannot tell you much about the area thus far, I can tell you where every Target, Lowes and Home Depot is within a 25 mile radius of our house. Chris and Sami have settled into school with only a few minor bumps. The kids here seem very welcoming and friendly, which has made the adjustment much easier. We miss Emily more and more each day, but we also know each day that goes by is one day closer to us to all being together again. If this is how it will feel when Emily goes off to college in a year, then I owe my mom a huge apology for not understanding why she was so upset when I went off to Ohio State. I feel a bit lonely and overwhelmed most days, but I know that is all part of the repatriation process. Hopefully getting in the house and turning it into our home will help.

Life in quiet, small-town, Prosper, Texas will be much different than being in the city for the past 4 1/2 years. I am sure the weeks and months ahead will provide laughter and many tears, but I think we will really enjoy this new adventure. So don't stay away from this blog too long. I have a feeling things are about to get interesting.