What? Yes, we have relocated to my hometown, Portland, Oregon. And yes, I've vowed to start blogging again. Not because I have more time (I don't), but because I haven't done it in so long I fear if I don't start again - now, today at this very minute - I may never get to it.
So much has happened. We moved from Hong Kong to Singapore - to escape the pollution. Upon arriving, we immediately faced health/food allergy issues with Chase - and then spent the next six months trying to figure out exactly what she could and couldn't eat. The poor darling had a scope, an MRI, multiple blood draws, learned how to swallow pills, had to swallow some of the nastiest liquid imaginable in advance of her scope. Long story, short - we now have an official diagnosis, which is not for this blog, but there are still so many questions about how, why and what's next. I still try every day to figure out what to feed her - both so that she is well fed and not bored by the sheer repetitiveness of what is on offer.
After six months in Singapore, we finally took our home-leave after two years abroad. We left Portland in December determined to return and put down roots, but how? A week after we returned to Singapore, the answer presented itself and we decided to relocate as soon as possible, so just two weeks later, the girls and I found ourselves on another 26-hour flight back to Portland.
As we are returning without jobs, my husband and I have been in touch with everyone we know, applying to jobs, moving from my father's to my mother's to a friend's home. We may need to move to yet another friend's home before this is all done ... we've lived in 10 places in the last six months. That means we have packed/unpacked a total of 20 times in the last six months. We're pretty much totally over it.
Given all this, the girls are doing remarkably well. I can only liken it to being in a car on a cross-country ride together - as they aren't in school, we spend every waking moment together, as a family. And while we aren't stuck in a car, we are with each other all. the. time., which in my mind is great and exactly what we needed to iron out some issues that arose due to my husband's weekly travel schedule.
Chase is reading so many books. About 6 per day. Madoc is learning to read. Both girls are doing an amazing job at math. Chase can already do algebra. Fabulous. I love having them home with me. They are so gorgeous and bright and brilliant and fun. What an amazing time in our lives. What a gift this time is. It is a time we have needed so badly. A time for all of us to relax, regroup, recharge.
