2 Months

Today we celebrate 2 months of living in East Asia.

It's been a ride already, and i know it's only the beginning.

If i'm going to be honest, it's been hard. Much much harder than i ever imagined or anticipated. Daniel and i had both lived overseas before and had relatively easy adjustments. We both weren't ready for the big changes that came into our lives so suddenly.

I've never moved overseas married. I didn't realize that moving on a semi-permenant basis would look so different than knowing a specific time frame, like i knew before.

In the last 2 months, we

- searched, found, and signed a 2 year contract on an apartment
- prepared the apartment to be lived in : paint, cleaning, bedding, misc. furniture,
- learned how to cook in a toaster oven (still a work in progress!)
-tried and failed miserably at making my own ricotta cheese
-rocked my own world with the amazing homemade crescent rolls i made
-completed 6 weeks of intensive language study
- faced with feelings of guilt and exhaustion
- living thru moments of being constantly overwhelmed and defeated
- made and spent time with local friends
- learned more about marriage in 2 months than in 2 years
- enjoyed amazing time with Father and seeing Him work miracles
- soaked up fellowship with our community around us

I could go on and on. Each day can consist of a variety of emotions. This past weekend has been such an amazing blessing! Daniel and i have been so eager to make local friends in and around our community to share life with. In the last 2 days there have been wonderful opportunities for both of us in this area. Even today, i met a new friends for coffee. We've both been able to have meaningful conversations that are priceless.

One thing that Daniel and I are blessed with is an amazing community of other foreign friends that support us. I moved to East Asia in desparate need of community, to share life with those around me that 'got me.' I am so grateful for the old relationships we've reconnected with and the new ones that have enriched our lives so much already.

I know in the big picture 2 months is not a long time. But i want to remember this part.

I know it's the very beginning of what will be an amazing, rocky, life changing, difficult, and yet beyond rewarding part of our lives.

love

Laura