Ok, it's a new month and a brand new year! This is my last month of being a mother to just two - I will most likely be the mother of three this day next month! The new year always symbolizes a time for change... well, I have PLENTY of changes ahead of me in the next few months of this year. The baby will only be the beginning of those changes... Our family will be closing out our lives here - that process has somewhat begun. As you know from my home page, we are moving to South Carolina to Shaw AFB at the beginning of summer. Now that we know there is definately another destination in our future, we can mentally start detaching from our beloved Japan and start gearing towards living in our own country again. I don't think our hearts will ever leave Japan; cumulatively, (because of our pasts here) Dan and I, (and now the girls) have many, MANY years invested here. The best way to describe it is that it really is like HOME to us. Anyway, moving out of one home, finding another, settling in to a new job situation, new schools, new community, finding new friends - all of this with the challenge of a newborn along for the ride is ahead of us. It's daunting in many ways - especially trying to get used to the idea that we won't be in a tiny, protected community any more and having to watch the kids lose some of the old fashioned childhood freedoms they have here. Other military families who have lived overseas on a military base will understand exactly what I mean. On the other hand, a move is not all about losing something. There are new adventures, new friends out there to meet and the excitement of moving in to a new home...(with more space to look forward to!!) We will take it all one step at a time! The arrival of our new son is step #1 and that's what we are concentrating on now. Hopefully one day we will be able to bring him back here to his birthplace!
One thing that I hope WON'T change is that I am able to continue to keep in contact with all of you who are reading this. All of your lives are following such interesting paths! Thank you for sharing your ups and downs; your own moves, births, marriages, divorces, deaths, educational triumphs, career changes, job successes, your children...EVERYTHING! I am grateful to all of you ~ my family and my friends! Happy New Year everybody! Keep your hearts and minds open, be kind and don't let petty things like spite and unfounded jealousy get in your way of happiness! Resolve any resentments or bad feelings with anyone you might be harboring! Life is too short to hold silly grudges! Have a GREAT year! A HAPPY year! |
