Wednesday Afternoon Thoughts on Living in China

I think I'm feeling more like this is my home. I can't even remember what the little things are that were driving me crazy about China a few months ago.

Earlier this week I walked into Carrefour (by myself) and felt for a moment that little thrill I have felt walking into Target in the US. Not that Carrefour can really compare to Target, but I think it came from the fact that I know where the things I need in that store are located now. It was a recognition of being in a familiar place.

I've gotten a little bit more involved at Concordia... helping at rehearsals for the middle school drama the last few weeks helped, using the elementary school library with the girls a few times recently, going to Caleb's volleyball game after school yesterday and talking with other parents.

We've applied for Madelyn to attend Concordia in the fall, so I'm thinking about what my days might look like next school year if she ends up attending there. I've talked with a woman at church about possibly teaching at the preschool she has in her home, a couple mornings a week, with Gwen in attendance.

Making a few new friend connections recently has also helped, although relationships here are so tenuous because of the fact that there are always people leaving as assignments end. One sweet family in our small group is going back to the States at the end of April, as is the family who organized and hosts our homeschool co-op every Monday. Another family, who our whole family is close to, finds out at the end of this month whether or not they will be staying for another year or leaving at the end of June. But aren't relationships uncertain anywhere you live? Things change in everyone's life... it's just slightly accelerated in the expat community. I'm so thankful for the friends we have here right now.

We've tossed around the idea of moving this summer to a free standing house, just for sake of conversation. I don't know if we'll do it, but we might look. It might feel good to be in a house, with at least a bit of a yard, and dirt for flowers! If we did move, it would most likely be closer to Concordia, which would be great, but it would put us that much farther from Scott's office. It would be sad to leave our perch above the river here, and the home that this is for us right now. It does feel like home... I love to open this door and come into this space... our first Shanghai home... maybe not our last.