On May 13th 2011 I re- entered the United States as a resident. We were worn and ragged from the initial move, the subsequent 5 days in temporary living, 8 hours in general travel, and 14 hours in air travel. As we entered the airport, our bodies buzzed from a combination of jet lag and lack of sleep. Sheer determination propelled us as we accompanied 2 jet lagged infants and 9 massive suitcases out of the airport. Despite all that weighed against us, I was full of anticipation for all that lay before us. Clean air, outdoor activities, safe food, and the ability to drink from the tap were just a few components in my American fantasy.
Shortly after returning to the US my fantasy began to crumble; and the reality of the life I left and the challenges of building a new one pushed in on every aspect of my life...
It's March 15th of the following year and I can say that I finally feel "normal" again. It's not the old comfortable normal of my life before I left, but a new normal for the life I live here now.
