The past two years have gone by in a blink - 2012 done, 2013 gone.
Here is a brief summary of the first year.
Our first year back, 2012= adjusting, challenging, comforting
The
"excitement" of being home wore off pretty quick, I would say a matter
of months. I stopped my Mandarin tutor about six weeks in. No desire, no
goal and I didn't look forward to my "classes" so I had to ask myself,
why am I doing this? Culture shock was part of life once we moved back
home, but after the first couple of months most of the shock wore off.
I am so happy we were in the states for the birth of my niece in the spring. It would have broke my heart if I did not get to hold her and be with my sister during the beginning of her new life. Visiting LA every couple of months kept me going, and we spent time together over the summer.
Nicole was invited to a "Micheal Jordan" camp with a friend whose father works in the Jordan division for NIKE. That was exciting! We certainly hadn't been able to send our kids to sports camps the past three summers! Going to Megan and Jess' wedding where we saw Dalian friends was one of the highlights of the summer.
The first fall (we had been back eight months) was fun because of the back to school buzz and soccer again! I got to start coaching basketball again, and had so much fun, I LOVE coaching!
Our second year back= predictable, good, indistinguishable
The second year home seemed to breeze by. In many ways it felt like we had been home for a long time, sometimes as if we hadn't moved.
Youth sports has been a big part our life since we moved back home, we went three years with absolutely no organized sports and we are making up for it. I'm glad we moved away when we did, the kids were young enough that they've been able to "catch up". We came back in the middle of fifth grade for Nicole and third grade for Trejan. The culture of youth sports is extremely intense and competitive, our society has pressure for young kids to choose a sport and focus early on getting good. We are encouraging the kids to play multiple sports so they don't get burned out. I don't like how competitive I am as a mom, I'm trying to lighten up. Perspective is not easy for me, I compare, I try to keep up with others and I constantly need to remind myself that the goal of youth sports is for it to be fun.
Nicole's love of basketball has continued and she is catching up. The January when we first got home she ended up playing on a fourth grade boy's team who needed players (and they were awful). It was disappointing that I couldn't find anywhere for her to play with girls her age. Every league I could find told me that we missed the deadline for registration and it was not going to be possible for her to play. You know your kid likes a sport when they want to play no matter how old the kids are, if they are boys/girls and if they don't know anyone who is on the team.
It has been exciting going with Nicole to watch high school girls play. She can't get enough of it! Unbelievable, she even wanted me to drive her to Medford to watch a game! (I said no.) We live in the school boundary for one of the best high school girls programs in the state of Oregon! Nicole is playing for the feeder team for Westview High School who placed second and fourth in state the past two years. Thanks to a Tennessee recruit, they have a chance to be up there in the top again this year too.
Nicole started lacrosse for the first time last spring and will continue with soccer as well. She is doing great in middle school, excellent student and has a lot of good friends.
Trejan has continued with soccer and has decided that he loves basketball too. The youth soccer in Portland has many levels of competitiveness, and Trejan made the decision that he wants to play for fun, and not join a competitive club. Basketball also has a variety of levels of competition and he wants to be very competitive in basketball. Soon he will be playing with some great players, we found a program whose coaches personality match very well with Trejan and I am so excited to see where he goes. Track last spring was a new sport to try, he has always loved running. Watching him run the 400m was so much fun! Piano playing isn't his favorite pass time but he practices and continues to improve. His teacher is great at bringing out the talent God gave him.
I like America and I am glad we live here. First and foremost, we are near family and can help our parents when they need us.
One of my goals when we returned was to put my blog into book form, with pictures and pages you can physically hold. I have barely started. After two years I am finally over "culture shock" aka fast internet, fast food, fast everything. Honestly, it hasn't taken two years to adjust to living back in America, but I think I am ready to make my blog/book.
Perhaps that is why I am writing this last post. Good bye! Zai jian!
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