Reflection on a Year in London

Well today is the day. We are headed home to the United States of America.  I am feeling excited to get home to friends and family (and most of all Larry!), nostalgic about what we have done and how we have grown as a family, and somewhat sad about leaving our new life we have built abroad. This year has given me confidence I would've never known I had and a new appreciation for my little family and all we can accomplish!  We can do anything!

We have truly built a new "life" here in London and it is a completely different life than we lead in the states. It is a life full of travel, diversity and new experiences that I will forever be grateful for. It is a life where your new friends become your family and there is a closeness there that develops when you are all living so far from your blood relatives. We will truly miss all of our new "family." There is also one person in particular who we will miss terribly.....Lauren.

LAUREN - you came to us at a time when I was feeling lost with no support of family nearby and you stepped in and turned out to be one of the best decisions we ever made. I feel so fortunate to have had you with us this past year, and you may never know how much you have meant to me in particular. I couldn't have done this without you. Lucy and Owen will miss you terribly...you have a special place in their hearts and in mine. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

LONDON - you will now always be very special to us. I will think of you fondly and remember all the intangible gifts you have given us as a family. We will miss you...even your bad TV, which forced us to read so much more and that is not a bad thing. Owen will miss his first school and the new friends he has made. We will all miss the parks and all of the walking...which was very kind to our waistlines and provided us with a sense of community we can't find in suburbia where everyone is confined to their cars. Drew and I will miss the pubs, for some reason beer just tastes better in a British pub.  However, I will not miss your washer and dryer, refrigerator, freezer....[insert any appliance here] and your very small elevators!

There are so many things that happened over this past year while living abroad. My babies grew a year older, Lucy is a little girl now (16 months) and Owen a little man who talks (almost 3 years old). A year ago Owen didn't speak and Lucy was barely sleeping through the night.

Owen when we arrived at 23 months.

Lucy when we arrived at 5 months, (our little butterball).

....and here they are today...it's been a year of growth!

Now Lucy is walking, talking and practically going on the potty and Owen is talking in sentences and going to school. This has been a big year for this little family and it makes me wonder if these two little ones will remember their first home when we return to PA. Owen may remember our home and Larry but I wonder, will Lucy be confused as to where we are moving and who this big black dog is? We may never know.

I found this quote the other day that sounded perfect for this stage of our life and this particular adventure.

"The days are long, but the years are short."  So true.


But this one is for sure...."Home is where the heart is"....