GRATITUDE IS:

There are certainly times that being this far away is hard.  I miss my friends, the ease of reading notes sent home from school, (heck-reading the german directions to my second grader's homework assignment), "American" french salad dressing--which is totally different than "European" french salad dressing, understanding food packaging, cheap dry cleaning.  I miss picking up the phone and calling people-in English-who want to talk to me, having my own garage within steps to my house, friendly customer service people, ice, a regular sized refrigerator, and bread that stays fresh for more than one day.  I miss Target, and affordable kids shoes, and convenience food for the kids.  But most of all, I miss not being able to make it to special extended family (and friend) events like weddings, birthday parties, and retirements.  I was recently at a dinner party, and another expat who was there put it really well--all of the "big things" are good--our health, having such focused family time, the beauty of this country, being able to travel all over Europe…but all of the "small things" are hard--dealing with Swisscom and their impossible customer service, finding a new dentist, taking the kids to the doctor, identifying sour cream at the store, and having the products I'm used to cooking with at prices that are reasonable…There are days that I just long for everything to be easy and in English and familiar.  But, today is not one of those days.   And I am relishing in the goodness of the moment I am having.  The sky is cloudless.  The lake is shimmering.  The sun is warm, the breeze cool.  The boys are laughing in bed instead of falling asleep, and we had one of those days that make you feel like you want to every night as a parent…we dug in the sand, played at the park, walked along a long bridge to watch ducks dive in water so clear you could see them catch fish in the rocks at the bottom of the lake.  We had races, and played catch, and ate ice cream.  Their skin is bronzed from the summer sun.  Their hair is getting blonder by the day, and their laughter is full and sweet and carefree.  I just wish I could bottle up these moments to revisit them again when life isn't so simple and my boys aren't so young and adoring of their parents and full of innocence and happiness.  What I can do is revel in thankfulness for these days and not take for granted how lucky we are to have our health, our safety, our happiness and each other.  (Although we still do miss you all back home!)