Winding Down

Settling back in the USA is not going to be easy.  It's like I've dropped off the face of the earth for some people.  It's the nomadic lifestyle.  You can't make lasting friendships because your job makes you move.  And when you are ready to leave, you have to say goodbye all over again.  Jason has a point and I'm glad he's chosen to stay.  Maybe one of us makes more sense than the other.  I've always been used to moving.  I've always had different groups of friends.  I came to depend not on one, but on many different people.  And maybe that worked for me..but not for everyone.

I'm still grateful for the many blessings.  Every now and then I stumble and fall, and God reminds what I need to do.  It's that spiritual workout I need, something that I wasn't born with.  But through grace, have gained through hard work.  Life was never simple or easy for me...I continue to do many things the hard way, not necessarily the smarter way.  Maybe that was (and is) the only way I knew how.  If it wasn't hard, to me it wasn't work.

Now as I get ready for bed, I have to work on being more content..Something not easy. I keep striving for better but I'm glad that coming here, I've got to do what I want to do, to show what I've got to show and to help those who needed help.

Settled at Home

It's been two weeks now nearly, since I've returned to Baghdad.  This time around, I have adjusted much faster than coming back the last two times.  This means that it's home for me now, and scary to think that I've settled in.  I have a few months remaining but this is what they mean about Foreign Service life -- it takes you a good six months+ to settle in.  It's new environment, new friends, new routines.  I went home, saw my family was out of routine.  And now I came back and it felt like I never left.  This is Foreign Service life.  Then, you start over again.

The last couple of days had crazy dreams centering on what I valued most and is taken away from me with each move.  Friendships especially and the closeness of relatives and family members in the states.  I know now why some people are resistant to this lifestyle and unfortunately until God opens a door for me, I have to understand and choose His will.

I have been busy in the choir, bible studies and worship as well as doing double-time exercising since I've missed that on vacation.  I lost a lb but now I've come to understand that slow weight lost is OK. Although now that I'm 40, time is ticking on me.  I have to choose to give up some of my favorite foods and I've done that before so it takes a little more willpower.

I'm not sure I'm going to have time baking again...but I will have to see.  I hope I will make extra time for my certifications, it will help me in my next job and increase our income.

I guess that is all to report as it's laundry Friday so time to get back to "the routine."