I don’t even know where to begin but first things first, I need to apologize for the insanely long absence. Since April we have been on departure-arrival mode and after visiting so many places and so many friends. We have now moved to Virginia and left South- East Asia. We are no longer in Jakarta and our heart aches for our friends and friends that became family that we left behind. Five years in the region will impact your life. The boys had never experienced life outside the tropical forest and concrete jungle of Jakarta and Bangkok and living in the suburbs is oh so different.

A fun day at a pumpkin patch.

Evan is getting so big!

We are so grateful to God for this opportunity to be back in the USA closer to our family but we certainly miss so many things about expat life. Although I still feel like an expat here as I explore my surroundings, learn to not be overwhelmed by the cereal aisle at the grocery store and immediately get drawn in by the international supermarkets and I try to recreate the food that feels like home. The funny thing is that for us the perfect meal now is som tam, sticky rice, home-made corn tortillas and al pastor pork. Evan, as the all-American boy he now is adds BBQ sauce to every single thing you can imagine and Josh wants freshly grated reggiano cheese over every meal.

Josh enjoyed strawberry picking in a farm in Georgia

For me, life has been oh so busy. I’m now a full-time stay at home mom and life in the US just seems so much busier than in Jakarta. Even when I was working 28 hours a week in the Big Durian I felt like I had more time! Taking care of a house is hard work and access to beautiful trails and parks right by our home means dirty rain boots and even dirtier floors. In any case, we are so happy to be back and I have come to realize I won’t be able to update the blog as often as I wish. With over 10 posts on my draft folder about life in Jakarta and travel in Asia I haven’t even gotten a chance to think about where to start here. We have been blessed to have visited Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok before leaving Jakarta and since arriving in the US we have visited the grandparents in North Carolina, enjoyed riding on Chuggington the train, visited Myrtyle Beach, and Disney World Orlando, plus all the beautiful places near our home in Virginia. I will take it slowly but will work hard to keep up posting. Perhaps once a week, perhaps once every two weeks.

You can do it!

Evan made a new friend…

A visit to Mt. Vernon

An excited boy!

As the fall leaves start to drop on the ground I am excited to see what God has for us in store for these next few years. This has been a season of many first for us as a family. The first time we live in the US since we got married, the first time the boys get to live in the US, the first fall, the first snow. We are looking forward to seeing God’s promises fulfilled in our lives as he “makes all things new” (Rev. 21:5).

Fall is here!