We're In!

We are finally in our house. Two of our loads showed up on Thursday--one a surprise. The day was crazy with me directing 5 movers and trying to take care of Lizzie (who had a fever) and keep the others out of the way.
This list of complaints will show you the mood I'm in: (Maybe someday my first response will be one of instant gratitude and happiness, but not today.)
-Broken things (so far--bookcase, entertainment center, clock, baby monitor, credenza and COMPUTER!!!!! You might be wondering: If I don't have a computer, then how am I doing this post? All I can say is thank goodness for work laptops and unsecured internet lines.)
-Trying to figure out how to work things in a new house (I LOVE my house, but everything comes with a thick owner's manual--even the bathrooms!!) And our phones don't work in this house!
-Boxes packed by those not thinking about the person who is unpacking it. Why are my pots and pans in the bathroom box?
-4 children who complain about being ignored and not fed
-Looking for toilet paper at 2 am

Friends

I have good friends--really good friends! I missed them--a lot--after I moved. I was so excited to be back in America because I knew I'd be able to see some friends and talk to others on the phone at normal hours of the day. My first week back was fun and showed me again why they are such good friends. Whether at the park or on the phone or eating yummy food together I have loved being surrounded by them once again. Let me tell you about them. They are great moms! They adore their husbands. They are intelligent. I'm inspired to be a better person and try a little harder after talking to them and being with them. I would love to get them all together (they're spread out everywhere) for a big book club because I like hearing their thoughts. They let me talk and talk when I just need to talk and talk! They like my kids and I like theirs. They have a vision for their future, and even if life goes a different direction, they remain positive. They make me laugh! They are fantastic people!
I like Emily's dilemma--can't we just take all the people we like with us whenever we move? I would live in the best neighborhood (one that's overpriced and with small houses, but who cares if my friends are my neighbors!)

Thoughts about Adjusting

It's the little things that are making me realize that I am back in America: driving, the plethora of choices of stores and restaurants, easily pulling into parking spaces and walking around in big stores with anything I could possibly think of right at my fingertips. England is feeling very, very far away right now. It feels like I took a long trip, and I'm wondering-did I really set up life there only to disassemble it so quickly? I read some books about repatriating before we left, so I feel somewhat prepared for this adjustment period. In my book reading I learned that friends/family have about a 20 minute attention span when talking about the overseas experience. (Thankfully, I have friends and family whose attention span lasts longer--must be a sign of higher intelligence.) I'm not a very sentimental person (much too practical for sentiments), so though I am missing some things about England, I'm seeing that I can incorporate "a bit" our British lifestyle here. I am missing my cute reusable bags that are sitting in a box somewhere. I am carrying things I buy instead of bagging them. (Every time Em sees a plastic bag she says, "Did you know that when plastic bags rot there's a chemical that comes out and it can give us cancer?")
I am missing my walking community. Walking around town gave me a purpose or a reward for my walking. I could walk to the grocery store, post office, clothing store, book store, gift shop, Blockbuster, library, bakery, toy store, dry cleaners, model village and be gone for just a short time. I know where the walking communities are in our CA area and I'm excited to explore them. The school is within walking distance and new bikes for the whole family are on the list of things to purchase soon.
We ate healthier and I definitely would like to continue that and here's why:
-food prices are up so why not spend our money on food that gives us the best nutrients?
-I started thinking about where our food comes from and trying to make responsible choices--free range eggs and meat
-I'm excited to find our local CA farmer's markets and support food that's grown closer to home and start a garden of our own
I also have thoughts about gas prices. Some positive things have come because of rising gas prices. So what if the motivating factor is money and not really wanting to save the earth? People are changing habits to use less gas, including me, and that's a good thing.
I have a lot of other thoughts as I begin my settling in process. I'm sure they will continue and most of them will be private, but these are ones that I'm excited about because it makes me feel like our experience isn't over.