The Beginning of the End

I have been MIA from this blog for a long while, but there has been a lot going on in our lives. We found out in October that we will be relocating to Houston in February. This is super exciting, but very stressful, as there are a million tasks to do in order to transition back into life as American residents.

Our Christmas holiday was spent finding a house, cars, and schools. We will travel back to Angola for just a few weeks to wrap things up there, and then it will be another series of 'firsts' for us in Texas!  I think this blog will naturally come to a close as we will no longer be so far from family and friends, but I hope that other expats might still benefit from some of my experiences here.

I have mixed feelings about going back to a 'normal' life. On one hand, it's a relief. The past two and a half years have been a struggle for me, and I have spent most of that time living way outside of my comfort zone. I will miss the people I've met in Angola, including our dear housekeeper, who I will likely never see again. I will miss the slower pace of life, and the wonderful vacations that we were able to take. On the other hand......America! I haven't let myself dwell too much on what I've missed in the last couple of years, but now it is so exciting to think about! Driving myself! Fountain sodas! Gorgeous, clean, affordable fruits and veggies!

I think it's always a good thing to have a new appreciation of your blessings, and I most certainly have so much gratitude for the gifts in my life. I hope I can take this grateful outlook with me, and continue to benefit from the lessons learned during our time overseas.