New Perspective

As you can imagine, re-entry into the United States has brought with it a flood of thoughts and emotions from me.

First of all, there are things I never appreciated before, that I am now so very thankful for.   Things like (in no particular order):

• toilets that flush and don't tip over-- so nice that Shirley Temple can go to the potty without help!!
• water that flows from the faucet and I don't have to worry about using it for rinsing sippy cups, brushing teeth, bathing kiddos, drinking, etc.
• Being with extended family...need I say more?
• BATHTUBS!!!  Let's just say my kids were all out growing and getting sick of bathing in a Rubbermaid box!  We are thankful for bathtime & they have certainly come out with pruny fingers more than once since we've been home...just enjoying the warm water!
• HOT WATER!!!  Oh, I do love showering in a hot shower!!
• High-speed internet...do you know that the blog I posted the other day with lots of pictures, it took me like, 10 seconds to upload a bunch of pictures!!!  It was amazing!!
• Solid walls.  Oh my...just being able to go into my bedroom (even if it's at my friend's house, parent's house, sister's house or any other house we've been staying in the last few weeks) and have a conversation or read a book without worrying about waking up all the kids...oh, so nice!!!
• Smooth roads!  My mom and I drove to Florida last week to visit my sister.  One would think after all the travel we've done in the last two months, driving to Florida wouldn't be top on my list of things to do upon my return to the states.  However, driving down I-75 with three kids (remember Little Man is still in Guatemala) is NOTHING!  I mean, roads are smooth, people stay in their lanes, you can hop off at any exit and use the bathroom, get food, or buy medicine and a thermometer for Little Monkey running a fever (yes, we have already been sick...welcome back to US germs!)...TRAVEL IS SO EASY HERE!!!!  You know you've lived in an interesting place when some of your two-year-old's first words are Dramamine and Bumpy Road!
• Washer and Dryer!  I have probably done at least 25 loads of laundry in the last few weeks and it has been so delightful!!
• WORSHIP!!  If you see me at church, don't be surprised if I'm in tears.  It is really sweet and such a gift to worship with the BODY OF CHRIST!!

However, there are also things that are a bit of culture shock:

• We have been looking for a house to live in and I am really excited the contract we have on a small house, by US standards.  But for our friends in the Ulpan Valley, this house is extravagant!  
• There are SOOOOOO many choices in the grocery store.  Do we really need 15 different brands of peanut butter and hundreds of cereal options?  If you see me wandering around a grocery store looking a bit lost...that is why.  So many choices!
• We have begun a good habit of healthier living while in Guate and we really want to keep it up.  Yesterday I went and took a tour of a local health club we have thought about joining.  Oh wow!!!  Talk about culture shock.  I left with an unexplainable pit in my stomach.  I'm really not sure why it bothered me, so I need to sit on that one for a while.
• I am reading the book 7, by Jen Hatmaker, and it is really right where I am.  I was growing tired of the excess before I moved to Guatemala.  Moving there really showed me that I can live with much less than I thought I could.  And I return very ready to purge.  You are welcome to hold me accountable to that.  Watch out, Craigslist!!
• The rapid pace of life here is exhausting.  I am approaching life as if coming up to an icy river and putting my big toe in and letting myself slowly get used to the cold water.  So, I'm not sure what life will look like for me, but I really have a desire for it to not be so busy.  I realize I have four children, so this may be completely unrealistic, but it's still my desire.