And though we will be gone less than 2 months, I still have been trying to point out to the girls things that I will miss while we are gone. This really is our home, but with our lifestyle we uproot for two months every two years to have a baby or to visit the U.S. (we have alternated years on this, that means every year we have done this). The U.S. and Bangkok in a lesser degree, for them tends to be one nostalgic play land. We will see how this unfolds as they get older. This will be the trip where I think, for Sophia at least, she will hold onto real memories, not just the kind she remembers from the pictures. Because of this, I am trying to keep them thankful and loving of our home here, while at the same time getting them excited about all that we will get to experience while stateside. An interesting balance, to be sure. I know they cannot wait to see grandparents and play with cousins, neither can we!!!
Here are some tidbits of what these last days have looked like:
- of course when I plan to really pack, interruptions come. A new neighbor came over with her son to play, right when I was heading to pack the girls' clothes. They stayed about twenty minutes, and we had good conversation. I didn't get out toys for the boy, I didn't take him to the girls' room where he probably could have played for hours. But I did actually sit down to talk. They left about 20 minutes later.
- later that same day our old helper came into town, this was a very pleasant surprise, we really miss her. It was good to catch up.
- While out to eat we ran into a family that we had not seen in over 5 years. Our first 2 years here we were pretty close with them. Then we started having kids and getting really busy. They ran and hugged us like the long lost friends that we are and then we immediately planned to eat together the next night. Even when we happily planned this, my mind was stressing about the 3 hours we didn't have. I considered opting myself out (I do have a bad cold). In the end we all went and had a wonderful time (for another post).
- I almost forgot to pack diapers!! I was feeling pretty settled with everything, sat down to type and knew I was forgetting something pretty important...
- David has been fix-it man around here. He trundled the girls bed, caulked a bunch of things and will fix the washing machine water pipe this evening. On top of all this he traveled to Malaysia, came back and finished a very important deadline here and fine tuned his Thesis that he just turned in. Amazing man. But we are both very tired.
- we are going out for our last night of dumplings tonight. Yummy!!!
Though after 27 hours of travel, we may be crying...we will see.
