The Six-Month Mark

This past week marked half a year since the plane carrying two very excited children and one very tired mom touched down at the airport. And I'd say it's taken about exactly six months to get back to a feeling of stability.

Consider the difference between the two weeks. Our first week here included the following less than enjoyable circumstances:

- living in a hotel
- eating out for every meal (sounds fun until you try it)
- a new school with an unintelligible teacher for The Girl
- a total loss of structure for The Boy
- a new job for The Husband
- getting lost every time I tried to go anywhere
- major paperwork and administrative hurdles

This past week was much different:

- living in our cozy little house
- eating standard fare designed for quick prep and minimal clean-up
- a successful week at school speaking French with her classmates for The Girl
- a successful week at school not speaking French but hopefully understanding the odd word for The Boy
- a starting-to-feel-quite-comfortable job for The Husband
- driving on autopilot because I know the way to the usual places
- officially Minnesota residents on paper in both countries

Add to all this a job for me that's starting to make sense, a new church that feels less unfamiliar each week and the promise of spring, and I'm prepared to pronounce the experience thus far as "so far, so good."

It ain't home by a long shot, but at least life makes sense again.