Condiment?

Catsup... ketchup...catch up.

Since the images are in my "smart" phone that I still am not up to speed on and haven't taken the time to  upload to my computer, we'll just jump to where we are now.

We are 2+ months into return to life in America, and the vast endeavor that is re-Americanizing ourselves. Finally, we are in our own house, which in the 2 weeks we've lived here, we have made quite homey. Chris was out of town for work the same week as closing and 2 HHE shipments. Ceiba is in school and adjusting well. Avocet is her larkish self, already casted and today freed from a green broken arm, courtesy of a pair if Disneyland slippers a couple sizes too large. I am enjoying things, but still trying to find my place in daily life.

The plan when coming back was from me to spend the rest of the year settling everyone into Texas and  then going back to work. The job seemed a done deal from across the sea, only to return to a "we're on a hiring freeze, but we'll call you when it's lifted"... change of plans. But now with Chris's busy work schedule and the never ending loom of TDYs pulling him away or trainings here and there (mostly there), maybe it's good that work isn't tugging too. Right? Right. Right?

We have spent days exploring the zoo and museums, which we love. But we are spoiled by our St. Louis life of free, quality things to do with the girls. We bought memberships to the Natural History Museum and the Zoo, so that we just go when we choose, don't think about the money and spend either an hour or a day without keeping track of the cost. We hit the Fossil Show and the Renaissance Festival, Chuck E Cheese and the movies. And sometimes, we just enjoy the couch...  The ducks in the subdivision know us and our bread of choice by name. Our bellies beg for fast food, while our clothes scream in agony as we drive-thru.

Though Chris and I both watch the NOW lists and dream of going abroad every day, we tell ourselves to put the thoughts out of our heads for a while. He'll do his America time, tick the box, and we'll enjoy ourselves while we're here. We need lots of "squirrel" moments to keep us from lingering on a map for too long though.