Sunday, January 15, 2012

I love ...

... that my boys play together and imagine and say things like, "Let's go to Germany!" or "We are going on a trip." or "Let's take a plane to the Azores." They pack their backpacks and head off on some great adventure.

They see sheep on the side of the road as a completely normal event. Routine traffic stops to check that we have the appropriate paperwork don't cause them to blink an eye. Head scarves are of no concern. People that look different, don't really look different ... to them.

I love that they use Turkish words when around our Turkish friends. And that they use Spanish words around Angelica or Patty. That different languages are just part of life for them.

I love that they are world travellers. At three-years-old, they have been to seven countries: USA, Germany, France, Turkey, Luxembourg, Austria, and Holland.) I love how many states they have visited. (For a complete listing of all the countries and states we have visited, click here.)

All these good things I must remember when I think of taking them away from their friends in May. Leaving Eglin was not as hard for me. The kids were young. They do not remember their life there. But this life, they know. They know the names of their friends. They tell me who they want to invite to their birthday parties. And they will wonder where those people have gone.

There is some bad. But there is much good. And this, I cling to as we discuss packing out our house in just a few short months. In some ways, these two years have seemed to move so slowly. And in other ways, I just don't know how we could be almost done with our time here.

Feeling nostalgic today.

1 comment:

Jenny said...

I know what you mean! My four years in Germany has flown by. Hannah was 15 months old when we landed here. This is the only house, and life she's ever known. She's now fluent in German, and has visited over 15 countires! In the past four years I've had two other children, and this is the only life they've ever known. It's so bittersweet!