“There can be no life without change, and to be afraid of what is different or unfamiliar is to be afraid of life.” Theodore Roosevelt

FYI, writing a blog is really a challenge. I can't believe how long it takes me to put some thoughts together and then write it down. Do people really want to read this? How much do I say? How often do I post? Do I leave that detail in? Am I painting an accurate picture? Oh well, I guess I just need to push the publish button and let it go...

Here we are, one month (and a week) into this adventure. August 8th seems so long ago.
Starting our lives over in a new country and a new culture has been more exhausting both physically and emotionally than we had anticipated. One day at a time. As I have said before, we have highs and lows each day. The highs of the day keep us excited for the next. We problem solve the lows and work together. We remind ourselves that in Minnesota we had highs and lows everyday too, we just don't have the comforts and the people as resources that we are used to rely on to build us up. We are finding our new resources and are amazed at our own resilience and strength. As a wise kindergarten teacher friend told me recently, "I tell kindergarten families that it takes six weeks to get used to a new rhythm." We are hopeful that we will get over the hump soon. Little things in routine make a difference. I have been going to yoga a couple times a week. The boys have started soccer after school two days a week and are loving it. We found a club for Solvei to play tennis a few evenings a week. She was really missing that. So, things like that start to make a family routine and help us find a rhythm.

I keep reminding myself that my sister moved to the town where I lived a few years ago. She moved 45 minutes south of her old house and had family already in town and it was a HARD transition for their family. We know we need to give ourselves a little grace that we aren't loving every minute of it moving to a different country.

Our biggest struggle continues to be Kevin's health. As he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just weeks before we left home, he fights to find a balance with his glucose levels along with his other meds that help him deal with his other chronic illnesses. The edema in his feet is a constant frustration. We are also battling insurance to cover his sensors that give him a constant reading of his levels. We have great doctors both here and at home, so we are thankful for that. If you are a prayer warrior, we'd love some prayers for healing for Kevin.

Here are some facts about how we are feeling:

We miss our friends - but we are slowly making new connections.
We miss our house - but love the ease of managing the few things we brought.
We miss school - but love that there is much less homework and there are no iPads.
We miss family - but we are feeling so blessed to be able to video chat with them often.
We miss the crisp air and colorful leaves that fall brings - but we love the vibrant, lush vegetation and the blue of the ocean and cenotes.
We miss riding our bikes and exploring outside - but we love how new and exotic living in the jungle can be.
We miss our comfort foods from home - but we are trying so many new things and finding new favorites.
We miss our activities - but we are happy to be able to share every evening meal together as a family and have restful, relaxing down time.
We miss being able to flush our toilet paper down the toilet. We just miss that. There is no "but" to that one. (no pun intended)

We are still in our original condo. There are so many things about this place that we are thankful for and it has been a wonderful space for us to start our adventure. We are able to stay here until Dec 31 so we are always looking for another place to settle into for the rest of our time here, but because we can stay here for a few more months, we are looking for the "just right" fit for our family.

We know that there will be constant learning going on as we live in a different culture...so many things that we don't know or have yet to understand.

Here is an example:"Mom, I need a notebook for math" I go to the papelaria and get a notebook. The child comes home, "Mom, I need a different notebook for math. You got the wrong kind." Me, "What is different about the notebook that you need?" "Mom, math notebooks have SQUARES!" Well, who knew? Not me.

It makes me stop and think of all of the cultural intricacies that we have in our lives that seem strange or hard to figure out to someone just arriving in our country.

Our favorite times are when we go on adventures and get involved in the traditions of Mexico. Today is Dia de la Independencia, so we got to learn all about this Mexican holiday. Its fun to participate in the celebrations and hear the kids make comparisons about this holiday compared to how we would celebrate something similar in our country. We LOVED exploring Valladolid last weekend. We tried some new foods, enjoyed the town square, found a new cenote, visited the local market, etc. As Solvei and I were floating on our backs under the waterfall last weekend, she said, "This keeps me going. When I am at school and when I'm missing my friends and I just want to go home to Minnesota, this is the kind of thing that I know is a once in a lifetime experience."

So, we are more than fine. We are together. We have laughs every day. We are making priceless memories. As we watch many of our friends send their kiddos off to college, we are so glad that we are spending this precious time together. Our kids still push each others buttons, that is for certain, but they are relying on each other as friends more than ever. We will never get this time back so we feel grateful that we can spend it figuring out a new way to live in a different culture as a family...playing cards, swimming, exploring, watching the entire Marvel series, walking to get marquesitas downtown. We are grateful to be doing this rather than running different kids to different practices, rehearsals, and meetings all over town and beyond 24/7. We feel like we are using this time wisely, time we will never get back.