So many updates.
One, everyone asks what we think about being back in America. So, let's recap that first.
Brad and I had a running joke/not really a joke back in December. "Do we think Kaitlin will cry before we board the plane, while flying, or upon landing in America? Or all three?". I was really sad about leaving Athens, and I was sure that I would be quite depressed upon returning to the U.S. We had a really good life in Greece. We loved the people, the food, the proximity to the water, the culture. It was like paradise for our family.
Here's the Spoiler Alert: I never did cry, and I have been riding on cloud nine since the moment we arrived in America. It's hard to appreciate how mind-blowingly great our country is until you go away for some time. Greece will always have a very special place in my heart, but America is home, and it really is the land that I love.
These are a few of the things that just utterly wow-ed me those first weeks:
1) My daily tasks are so much less labor intensive. For example, I can do a whole load of laundry in an hour--wash/dry/fold/put away. In Greece, it was a multi-day process since my tiny barrel laundry machine took 4-6 hours, and then I had to hang dry for 6-24 hours (depending on the sun available that day), plus everything was a little stiff and wrinkly so lots would need to be ironed.
2) We have a very competitive marketplace, which is great for consumers. The best example is Walmart and Amazon. They both want our business, so everyone wins by getting ultra-low prices, free or cheap delivery and pick-up, expertly designed websites and apps, and stellar customer service. This really stands out when making returns on products that are defective or no longer wanted. It's so straightforward; in Greece, it was nearly impossible.
3) Being in a place where everyone speaks English and has the same general social norms. Clara has especially blossomed back in America, and she can even articulate it to a degree. (Literally, "Mom, I love being back in America.") She's a somewhat shy kid, but she was even more so in Greece. The only time I ever saw Clara come alive like this in Greece was when she was playing with American or British kids. I think it's just really nice for her (and all of us) to be surrounded by peers with the same American heritage, language, and culture.
What's keeping us busy now?
George:
He started walking in October (he took his first steps in Doha!), and he is now beginning to show us how much he understands and can speak! His favorite word is definitely "dada," followed by "mama,""pop pop" (his word for all simple carbs, like cheerios and popcorn), and "hot hot" (his word for meat, eggs, and hot or savory foods). He's down to one nap a day (the same time and length as Clara's nap), and I love being back in that routine.
He loves his stuffed dogs (and all dogs in general), slides and swings at the playground, and all food (especially meat!). He is our smiley, rough and tumble kid!
Clara:
She was a maniac about her pacifiers, but we went cold turkey without them in August. It was a challenging few days, but then it was over, and she is 100% pacifier-free. The other milestone we've wrestled with is potty training. I did the three-day boot camps a total of three times and had absolutely zero success. But, Clara went to be with my parents for the weekend, and my mom worked her grandma magic because Clara is now peeing in the potty! Incredible! (I highly recommend the "send them to grandma's" method of potty training, haha!)
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| this is us at church, and our children are not with us because they are in the care of a wonderful kids ministry. all of the praise hands for that, am I right?! It's hard to overstate how much easier it is to enjoy church without a toddler and baby in your lap! There are a lot of things to love about the American church, and kids ministry for littles is high on the list right now! |
Brad:
He's back in the normal swing of work, and he's currently on a case on the east coast. At home, he's into making fancy coffee, enjoying the home gym (and looking for new equipment for it), and reading books about the Gulag (very uplifting).
Kaitlin:
Other than the normal raising babies / running the home gig, three things are keeping me occupied right now.
1) Pursuing "analog social media," aka minimizing social media and life online and replacing it with face-to-face gatherings, phone calls, and voice messages like Voxer, Marco Polo, etc. I'm also reading fewer articles and more paper books. I read a bit of Wendell Berry a while back, and have become rededicated to the idea of living a small, simple life.
2) Group fitness classes! I quit my $10 per month gym in favor of a nicer (and more expensive) one, and it's been money well spent. The Lifetime classes can compete with experiences I've had in boutique studios (Flywheel, Soul Cycle, Bikram, etc), and they are always one of the most fun hours of my day. The kids love their "toddler yoga" and "toddler tumbling" classes, too, which makes it easier for me to drop them off!
3) Exploring options for Clara's education! This has become a real hobby for me, and I am so impressed with the myriad of choices in Houston. When I was growing up, I think my parents really just chose between the local public school or the local Catholic school. Now, there are so many schools with exciting models.
All options are currently on the table: public school (which could mean our local school, a charter, or moving houses to be near a school we prefer), private (I'm most drawn to classical schools and Acton Academy, a school that focuses on critical thinking and problem solving, but am exploring lots of options), and homeschool (which could be self-directed a la Kerry McDonald, or perhaps we'd use the Bryan Caplan AP-test approach , or maybe we'd do a hybrid model where the kids homeschool three days a week and go to a classical school the other two days).
Right now, I don't know where we'll end up. We're homeschooling for Pre-K 3 using the classical model and probably will do the same for Pre-K 4. We're keeping it very informal with a focus on reading, teaching basic literacy and numeracy, and lots of time outdoors. There are so many good options, so it seems hard to go wrong. In the meantime, I'm just having so much fun learning about it all!
Currently:
Reading: I'm loving The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, Clara loves The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, and Brad is reading Comanches: The History of a People.
Eating: zoodles and ground beef with a splash of coconut aminos for the adults, and stovetop macaroni and cheese for the kids (the recipe by The Brown Eyed Baker is terrific).
Drinking: coffee with Vietnamese cinnamon, chicory root, and vanilla extract for Brad, Fortnum & Mason black tea for me, and cow's milk for the kids (George drank only goat's milk in Greece!).
Listening: Parenting Great Kids by Meg Meeker, At Home with Sally, The Bible Project, and Signposts with Russell Moore. I'm also listening to the Book of Proverbs on repeat via Bible.is. So many good gems that have only jumped out at me after repeated exposure.
Loving: The library, playgrounds, our house (the backyard, home gym, bigger kitchen, etc), the proximity to family, and a dozen other things about American culture (perhaps that should be it's own post!)!
