We have been back in America for over two months now and the title of this blog sums it up best -- there have just been lots of changes between our lives for the past several years and our lives now. It has been a really, really rough time for me. I am trying to process being back in America, living in the city I grew up in (and swore I would never return to), being a mother, turning 30, having my body change after pregnancy, having the adventure of Belgium be over, not having any of my support networks that I had in Brussels and looking for a house -- all happening at the same time.
I am happy to be back, but I am overwhelmed with everything my mind and emotions are trying to process. We closed on a house last week and having that aspect of life nailed down has really helped me to feel more settled.
Surprisingly, neither Kyle or I miss Belgium too much. We definitely miss our friends there, but we don't miss day to day life like we thought we would. We have decided that because we were there four and a half years, we were kind of like those fifth year seniors at college -- a lot of their friends have already left and they end up looking forward to leaving college, rather than wishing college would never end.
I still read my friends blogs in Belgium and love seeing where they have been doing, but I don't envy them like I thought I would. We had an incredible time in Europe and I think we enjoyed it as much as we could and soaked it all in. However, all good things must come to an end and now was our time to go. It is funny to me that when we lived in Belgium and would come back to the USA for visits I would see so many things that I didn't like about the States. I dreaded having to move back and would end up missing Belgium while I was home. However, now that I know I am back for good, I keep seeing more and more things I love about America. Even two months after being back I still get a kick out of things like:
--free refills
--customer service
--Southerners are such friendly people
--it is sunny and warm every single day
--air conditioning
--free water
--patriotism
--drive thrus
--baby changing tables in almost every bathroom
--and of course the best......speaking English everywhere I go!!!
Even though I was comfortable with everyday life in Belgium, there was always a little part of me that was tense -- What if I got in an accident? What if I didn't understand what someone was saying? What if I got hurt and couldn't communicate with the police? I never realized how tense I was until we moved back. I feel like I can finally relax my shoulders and breathe easily. It is amazing how many little unspoken nuances you just know about when you have been born and raised somewhere versus being an outsider and moving into a place.
Charlie has been doing great and hasn't seemed bothered by all of the changes. He is almost six months old and is cute as ever (says the unbiased mom). He is rolling over onto his stomach, but has trouble rolling back, he laughs and smiles a lot and he is always looking around and taking everything in. We have been so fortunate to have so many family nearby. I am actually a little worried that he is going to have "Little Emperor's Syndrome" because he is always the center of attention. At one point on the 4th of July ten of my family members were just sitting around watching him coo. He stayed at the nursery at church on Sunday and afterwards the nursery worker said, "He is used to being held alot, isn't he?" Apparently he would only play while sitting in one of their laps, and not on the floor by himself.
Through all of this, Kyle and I have been reminded that God is so good and that He has such a plan for our lives. It is amazing to look back at all the steps that brought us from living in Belgium to living in Atlanta. If one little thing had not fallen into place, none of this would have happened. Even though it has been a rough time, I know we will come through it all and it will all make sense in years to come.
*The quote is from Dirty Dancing for those of you that don't know it by heart.
