A little homesick?

We are in a good routine; life seems almost normal now.

We walk the girls to school, we see the same parents going through the same routine, rushing kids to school, wiping their faces or buttoning up their coats. We are stared at less but receive about the same number of smiles and nods. We have grown accustomed to our hot oatmeal in the morning with hot yo-tou (chinese fried dough) as our pre-school chaser. Even the afternoons of badmitten, walks in the neighborhood or visits to the store are enjoyable, relaxing, if somewhat mundane. (We still do take notice as kids pee in the streets or something really unusual hangs in a window (like a duck head) but we feel comfortable and relaxed here.

This is obviously good; we feel safe and we more relexad.

At the same time, it means that our life here is much less of an exciting adventure. It's not as fun when kids still call out your name and circle around you, as they do with Julia, but you can't understand all of their whispers. She tells me that she hears "American" "American" in Chinese all the time. What could they be saying?
It is certainly not as cute when you hear echoes of "hello" "hello" "what is your name?" as you walk down the street. We know now that there is little sense responding because that is usually about all they know or want to say.

Hana admitted last night that she was starting to miss people. I guess when the excitement wears off, it is natural to miss your house, your bed, your grandparents, your friends...and all the familiar people and things that you take for granted.

I too miss seeing the faces of parents and teachers at Everett and the people I have come to love at First Plymouth. What I wouldn't do for a random hug from someone on the street or a friend to just call and say, "hey friend, how about lunch today?" "Are we going to the gym tomorrow?" What I wouldn't give for a bonding session with my sister or one of my sister in laws ....with a glass of red wine in hand.

I never thought that I took my family and friends for granted, but today I just can't help thinking that I probably have. I wish I hadn't....

We are off this weekend to a town called Pingyao that is supposed to be like a historic Chinese village...hardly changed or affected by modernization or communism. We shall see. We will experience an overnight train and I am sure many adventures.

Hope you are all well..!