What an adjustment...

Well, we've been here just a hair over two months now and all I can say is...it's been an adjustment! We have had our fair share of ups and downs. Learning to be a stay at home mom again, home school, not having a car or your independence, no dead lines or clocks to punch in and out...that's not something I've enjoyed in a very long time.

I thought I was prepared for the changes and knew full well what I was getting into, but the reality of doing it was not as easy as it sounded. For years I have been able to just jump in my car and run to the store or go shopping or just get out of the house and I didn't realize how much I took that for granted. It's the creature comforts of home, things you do on a day to day basis that you miss the most. Cody adjusting to working a 5 day work week with the stress of being "in charge" and having me and 4 kids home every evening when he gets here, I think was as much of a shock to him as not having anything thing going on was to me. We are finding our groove though.

We've learned to take cabs anywhere we need or want to go through the week. The drivers are great! They answer your questions and ask you a million too! All the taxi drivers we have had so far have been very friendly. One made it a point to tell me..."your husband very very lucky man!" Over and over! I made sure to tell Cody how lucky he was! Haha!

We are basically doing the same things here we would at home. School, cleaning, cooking, going to the grocery, etc. We have tried out all the local grocery stores and finally found the ones we really like and stick with them. They have everything we need or want to cook at home. We've managed to make just about all the same meals here we would at home. We've even found some pork! No sausage though. It's funny how when you move somewhere after you settle in, your routines don't change too much. We have pretty much gotten back into our old routines from home. It's so nice.

I will admit that I had some doubts in the beginning. It was hard, especially at the Puteri, where we had a poor excuse for a kitchen and literally no one to talk to or nothing to do. Now that we've moved into our apartment at Straits View, things are looking up and getting so much better. All the previous doubts and fears that I may have had run through my head are gone. I can honestly say with my whole heart that I believe I made the right decision in choosing to follow Cody over here and support him in anyway I could. :) I'm happy to be here, to be with him and am so lucky to have the opportunity to show him all the love and support he has shown me over the last 2 years. I can't wait to sit on our front porch when we are older and tell our grand kids about our year here...and also to tell my daughters and granddaughters to follow their hearts, even if it takes you 10,000 miles away! Show your boyfriend, husband, partner how much you love him, that he means the world to you and give him all the support, love and respect that he deserves. After all, he carries your heart where ever he goes. At least mine does...he took it to Malaysia last summer with him and that was the longest 2 months of my life. Coming here with him was a no brainer!

I believe that God presented us with this opportunity when the time was right and I am so glad we took it. I believe that we will all come out of this with amazing stories to tell and life experience both as a couple and as a family that we could never have gotten in the States. We will be a stronger family unit and a stronger couple in our future. Able to handle whatever life throws at us. So, now that we've gotten through our initial adjustment phase...I believe we are ready to start living life here...seeing new things, going on adventures, learning about the local culture and customs...the list goes on and on!