An Open Letter

Dear Routine,

Oh how we miss you!  We see glimpses of you here in our new life.  Monday through Friday I take one child to school at 8:45ish, for the second Wednesday in a row I have taken two very enthusiastic little girls to swimming lessons at 5:10, for the last three Sundays we have attended the same church...

Mostly though, you have been replaced with something that resembles chaos and I don't like chaos (or even something that resembles chaos) much.  None of us do.  We are trying to be patient.  We know that you will come back slowly over the next few months.  There's nothing we can do to speed up your return. 

We're also missing spring--apparently spring was just kidding and wasn't quite ready to be here yet--we were coping better in your absence with sunshine to make up for it.

For now we're hanging in there.  We miss all of our friends and the kids also miss our "stuff".  I've heard two of them say things like "Oh, we used to have that", regarding something we still do have...just not at the moment.  Sarah is struggling with all of the cars that have come and gone in the several weeks.  She almost had a complete meltdown in a restaurant last week when she thought she saw another family getting into "our car".  It was very challenging to convince her that other people also drive blue Chrysler minivans.  We finally did turn in our rental last weekend.  We are slightly smitten with our Honda Odyssey.  I'm fairly certain we are not impressing the locals with our purchase of not one, but two Japanese automobiles.  My husband assures me the Odyssey was built in Alabama, not Japan, so I feel slightly less guilty when I read the "Lost Your Job Yet? Keep Buying Foreign" bumper stickers everywhere.

We've survived double vaccinations at the pediatrician--Hannah had 3, Sarah 1.  PSA: There is no easy way to have vaccinations given to multiple children at the same time.  We went with youngest first because as the nurse put it, "Hannah is braver, right?"  Honestly, she remained oblivious right up until the moment she realized what I was holding Sarah down for.  Suddenly she had a death grip on my leg.  She is freakishly strong.  We've always said that in a proud kind of way watching her excel on the monkey bars, but in this instance, it was a little embarrassing.  I might have had a lawsuit on my hand had the nurse been injured during that struggle.  I promise I was really trying.  During the struggle, Sarah managed to remove her band-aid a bit prematurely.  Blood everywhere--not helpful when trying to minimize the entire experience. 

We finally got those cavities we discovered in Nathan's teeth at Christmas taken care of this week.  The dentist warned me that this would be hard on him and me.  I was expecting it to be rough and I had prepared him accordingly.  I picked up one concerned little boy yesterday afternoon.  He went back without any trouble.  (I was holding a sleeping sister).  A few minutes into the appointment the dentist came back and told me he was doing great.  They had planned to do one or two and then let him recover and come back to finish another day.  I personally thought that idea stunk.  I would much rather get it overwith, but I'm no dentist so I told them to do what they thought was best.  Apparently my son felt like I did.  The dentist came back and asked me if it was okay with me if they went ahead because Nathan was giving them "thumbs up". 
They did all of it--7 fillings and 4 sealed molars.  He handled it so well.  Very proud! 

Although I posted this on facebook, I wanted to be sure it was posted here for posterity's sake: After Nathan's success, he and his sisters  were allowed to pick a treasure from the treasure chest in the dentist office.  Hannah made her choice quickly and came over to see what I was up to at the desk.  I was checking out and a little uneasy since our insurance has been challenging so far (welcome back to America!) and she overheard the receptionist tell me that she would give me an estimate of what the insurance company would not pay.  She gave me the total and said, "Do you want to pay it all now?"  I said, "Yes" and muttered something about getting it overwith.  My loving, intuitive Hannah pulled on my sleeve, looked up at me so sincerely and said, "Don't worry, Mom, the tooth fairy will pay you back".  I was very amused, but she was so sure and because no one else heard this exchange I was able to keep a straight face and still have not corrected this sweet misconception.  In my head I thought, "Yeah, I wonder what plan she has?", but I kept my sarcasm to myself. 
These girls make me laugh so much.  As we were driving today, they discussed their future careers.  Hannah said she'd like to be a cheerleader (a recent interest) and Sarah said she'd like to be a Barbie.  Hannah quickly told her that she couldn't be a Barbie because there are none at Disneyland, but that she could probably get a job at Disneyland as Cinderella or Alice in Wonderland.  Feminists are cringing everywhere. ;0)

We close on our house next week.  We have 5 1/2 weeks left in the apartment.  Today was the second day in a row that Hannah has not cried about not going to school after we dropped off her brother.  She does miss her friends.  Today she said, "Mom, did you know that every single family in Sweden has a cheese cutter?" (I did not know that).  Later she said, "Mom, you really would like to try that Norway cheese" (pause, pause, pause) "Oh, Frida loves that cheese".  (Apparently she misses cheese too).

Sarah is still talking constantly about her BFF who is moving to "Pokahoma" (changed from Pochahontas last week after an attempt to tell her it is actually Oklahoma).  Today she said, "I don't think Josie wants to live here.  She wants to live in Pokahoma".  I think it is sinking in and it is a little heartbreaking.

We did have a really cool God thing this week.  I have been in search of a preschool for Sarah for next fall and had an e-mail from a friend we met the first time we lived here about two preschools she recommended.  We visited one on Monday and learned that we are 5th on a waiting list with no idea how likely she is to get in at this point.  Monday night there was a meeting for the 2nd one.  I had called the week before to be sure I could just show up at the meeting and was assured it was fine.  This preschool is a co-op and I knew a little about it from another friend who spoke highly of it.  When I got to the meeting, it was obvious everyone knew everyone.  I said, "Hi" when I walked up to the group congregated outside, but it wasn't until I completely went out of my character and comfort zone (something I can thank my Belgian experience for) and started a conversation with one of the moms that I met a boy in Nathan's class and his very sweet mom.  This is the same boy Nathan had seen at a church event last Friday night (where he was one of 600 2nd and 3rd graders) and one he was excited to see at church on Sunday. 

Before Monday, I only had one familiar face at the school (a girl who was in Nathan's preschool class when we lived here 3 years ago--I also worked with her aunt) and I was so thankful to have met this mom.  Nathan now has his first play date scheduled for next week.  An answered prayer for sure! (Everyone else was super nice and the preschool looks like it is going to be a great fit--there is also a bilingual Spanish program for kindergartners that Hannah is very excited about). 

The girls also had a playdate with a friend from our first Michigan experience yesterday.  They needed that.  Such a great time.

So you see, Routine, you are not here.  Today was a random day of errands and tomorrow, who knows?  We do miss you, but we are managing without you (just barely).  Hurry back.

Love,

Us