Just Like Home

This weekend showed BigGuy and I that we are pretty much settled in. Yes, you would think that after almost a year we would be settled in - but there was a lot of change that all 5 of us have had to go through to get to settled. The biggest change for us (as we say in many blogs) was/is being away from our family and friends. It is very hard not to be part of everything that those in STL are doing - yet at the same time it is overwhelming to think about trying to participate in it and to think about the fact that we aren't participating in it. However, these days (with the average price of a gallon of gas being $3.90 here) it is easy not to want to spend the money to drive there - then we have only the guilt of not even wanting to try.



So why do we feel settled in? Well, Friday after school SuperStar and Spidey had playdates over. Yes, we have had playdates (many) within the past year - however somehow SuperStar fanagled 3 playdates to Spideys 1 playdate. That had 6 kids running through the house. Then the girls from SuperStars group and Spidey all wanted to invite the two boys across the street (this was not a crush thing I was assured, although one did admit to a crush on one of the boys from years ago when they were only in Kindergarten). So that added 2 more =ing 8 altogether. The chaos of Sunny eating the sweet treat I baked for all these kiddo's made it seem like there were yet a few more kids - heck, the noise they made seemed like there were at least 20 kids - but the point to it was that it was like having the huge gaggle of kids that we used to have in STL. Then, after they were picked up and the boys across the street took Spidey and SuperStar with them - BigGuy and I were left with Babers and we went for a walk. Just like in STL when our children were kindly taken by friends for a bit. While walking we met some people who just adopted a toddler from Africa and made new friends. After finishing our walk we landed at the neighbors to collect them - to find that more friends were there with their kids getting ready to set up for a garage sale the next day - drinks were given out to the adults - more adults arrived - other friends were phoned and showed up for a beverage and the next thing you knew it was an unplanned get together with friends we were enjoying. Just Like Home. The next morning we walked the yard sale and the kids ran off with the others in a gaggle around the neighborhood.



After a short rest SuperStar and I walked the rest of the yard sales. We stopped at a friends house, got a drink of water, set up some walking dates and hung a bit. we weren't expected, but we were welcomed. And it was nice. A little later Nanny showed up for a visit. She bestowed gifts on the kiddos and then after a bit sent BigGuy and I off to do nothing in particular while she held down the fort. Just like she did when we were in STL. Later the kids did a little playset circus for us all and we went to dinner. Later still BigGuy and Nanny took the olders to see movies and stay up super late. A treat for all of them I think. It was nice. Nanny kept her video camera around and took pictures of things - did crafts with the kids - loved their noise and craziness. BigGuy and I loved that there was someone else to be the target of their never ending noise and affection.



Nanny and my mom often took the kids so that we could do things that weren't necessarily needed - and now whenever they come to visit they do the same - we went to dinner when my mom was here last week - we went shopping this week. It is a nice treat. And it felt Just Like Home. In all the weekends are starting to feel very much like they did a year ago. Friends that we can just drop in on, people who don't care so much what we look like, but rather just that we are there - children that our kids can run with and we feel safe they are playing with - and our family hanging around and not wanting anymore then to spend time with us. It was very nice - It is very nice - It is Home.