Home in the USA

We have arrived home after four months in China, and how fantastic it is to be here. It sort of makes the past four months seem like just a dream to us, as everything seems the same. The only real change is to look out at Eddy's house and realize our dog is with another family now.

Our first impression back on US soil is that the air is so pure and sweet smelling. The boys are playing with our outdoor riding toys (a yellow and red coupe car we call Herbie for Josh and Danny's mobilized jeep). They rode all over our back yard. Oh how I have missed this open space and to be able to know it is my own--to enjoy it with my family and not the closest 2,000 people as you would in China at a park. (actually 2,000 is probably way underestimating it)

Once inside it is hilarious to watch the boys playing with all the toys we had to leave behind. They are like kids in a toy store. Danny is going from one toy to another and asking who gave it to him. Then he goes into a heartfelt thank you to that person. It is absolutely adorable and nice to see such sincere gratitude.

Being in our house is strange. It feels a little like the mad hatter in that everything feels like it is at weird heights. In China the door knobs and light switches are really high and the counter tops are lower (especially in the bathrooms). Hence, everything seems either way to low or way to high.

The only other striking difference is to walk into what was the nursery--now called the playroom and see the crib. It amazes me that we left with Josh really still being a baby and Danny being a toddler and we arrive home with a toddler and a young boy. Yikes...time goes too fast.

We look forward to these upcoming months with our family and friends. We know that it will go quickly, but it will be fantastic. There is nothing like living in another country to really appreciate how truly and absolutely blessed we are here in the United States. May God continue to bless this great nation, now and forever more.