Let's take the train!

I love public transportation. I'm serious. In Oregon, we had two cars - mine and his. Here we have one car and we are so blessed to even have that; most families do not have access to a car at all. It is just too expensive. So I use public transportation to get around and it suits me fine. Today, lucky me, I used the three major ones: train, bus and taxi.

Train is by far my favorite method of travel here. It's well marked, well announced, well mapped out, cost effective and you can pretty much get anywhere. I have no problems walking a little ways to get to a train station. (Although the bus might be better during the rainy season.) The kids and I have been consistently using the MRT for months. Cade even misses it now that he's gone back to school during the week. Elise loves people watching and there's always someone trying to get her to smile. I'll be the first to suggest taking the train and I love going to new stations. I can easily say that it is one of the best things about living here.

This morning my daughter and I ventured out to try to learn the bus system. I hadn't used the bus yet because of one reason: you have to fold up your stroller. Have you tried holding a squirming 15 month baby and a diaper bag, making sure a five year old doesn't run in the road and folding up a stroller while a bus driver waits? No thanks. Alas, after watching her big brother get on and off the school (aka tour) bus for the last week and a half, Elise was excitedly pointing to every bus that went by. So I carried her as we rushed across the street to catch the next number 158. The bus system admittedly isn't hard to use and it's very cheap. Although the stops aren't announced so you do need to know, and watch for, where you are going. We ended up back tracking a bit when I decided 'oh shoot, I think we wanted to get off back there and hey, lots of people are getting off here, we should too.' And we walked a bit farther because we got on the number 12 instead of the 31. Elise didn't care, she loved looking out the window and proceeded to point at every bus there after. Once we learn how to navigate the system, it'll be great.

But I'm not a fan of taxis. I'm really not! That's the go-to for many people here but honestly, I think they are expensive and stressful. For example, I was in a taxi on the expressway (yes, Singapore has expressways) when the alternator went out and all power to the vehicle began to shut off: the air conditioning, the power windows, the meter, the radio, etc. We were lucky to pull into my destination. It was scary and you know both the driver and I were praying! On top of that, it was the first time I'd gone by myself and left Ross at home with the kids. Ok, so that example wasn't an expensive one - the meter wasn't working so he couldn't charge me. But it was stressful!
Then there were the taxi drivers who got 'lost' trying to find our destination because we obviously didn't know where we were going. That's when it starts to get expensive. Lesson learned: map out the route before you get in the cab. Or, as I do now, warn the 'uncle' that your baby starts screaming if you are in the cab too long. That'll get you the quicker/cheaper route.
Or the creepy drivers who ask too many questions about your children or just look at you funny.
Or the uncles who lecture you on how you really shouldn't take someone's cab even if it was an accident and you already feel guilty enough as it is.
Or the worst, the drivers who, no matter how long they've lived here or how well they speak English, cannot understand where you are trying to tell them to go. Dude! My condo has been built for 10 years. It's not new. It's not hard to find. (Truth be told, this is the one of the reasons I love the train so much. I don't have to talk to a soul if I don't want to and everything is announced in very proper English, along with several other languages depending on the line.) 
This video is hilarious to me now and very accurate.
But this afternoon, I needed to get somewhere more direct and a bit quicker. So I hailed the next available cab and was able to pick my son up from school and return home for $10. I'll admit, that may have been worth it.

I still vote to take the train.

Q & A with 'experienced' answers

We've been here for almost three months! That is incredible and so hard to believe. And we have learned a great deal in that short(?) amount of time. So here's an update to the Q&A (original post here) I posted before we moved to Singapore . . .

Q) Where is Singapore?

A) Smack in the middle of Southeast Asia - you can actually see Malaysia at the north side and the lights of Indonesia from our windows at night.

Q) What type of political system do they have?

A) There's a President, who seems cool after seeing his photo every where and watching him on the National Day broadcasts. There are ministries for EVERYTHING: Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Communication, you name it.

Q) What language do most people speak?

A) We've heard it all. The signs are mostly in English and thankfully the train announcements and signs are in English. But we hear Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, along with French, German, I even heard Finnish. There are so many different people here from all parts of the world.

Q) Are their special limits to women like dress code?

A) I haven't really noticed sexism here as much as I've noticed racism and religious beliefs. Woman dress according to their religion and tradition.

Q) Are there nice beach areas with snorkeling and diving?

A) East Coast Park has a nice open water area that Ross swam in for a triathlon recently and a nice beach area for Sandcastles. Sentosa is also known for beach front activities. There probably is snorkeling and diving but we still haven't found that.

Q) Beach bungalow or city high-rise?

A) We picked a mix of both! We live in a condo that's fairly low for high-rises, in a quieter neighborhood tucked a little out of the way from East Coast park. I love it! Easy access to shopping and the train, lovely amenities and the best part, making friends from just a few floors over.

Q) How bad is the pollution?

A) The pollution is not an issue. Even during the 'haze', it was nothing compared to the wildfires of Oregon. And there's often a rain storm or breeze that keeps the air moving.

Q) How does the cost of living compare to here?

A) The short answer is that everything costs at least double what we are used to at the store. Real Estate, schooling and cars are ridiculously expensive. Part of the adjustment has also been moving from a small sleepy town with not much to do to a big big city with lots going on. Having a life and shopping costs money.

Q) How much acid rain do they get per year?

A) I sure hope it's not acid rain because I often get caught without an umbrella and I love feeling the warm rain on my skin.

Q) I'd love to know more about holidays celebrated there.

A) National Day was fun! I love all the decorations that people put up to celebrate the country's birthday. And now that we are in Chinese Mid-Autumn celebration, Chinatown is decked out in fabulous colorful flower lanterns. I love that there always seems to be something for someone to celebrate and the pride that everyone takes in their holidays.

Q) I'd love to know what the schools and education is like!

A) Oh schools! How different that has been for us than what we anticipated. Foreigners are not allowed to attend local schools without approval from the Ministry of Education and that's a process. Locals are not allowed to attend international schools. We ended up putting Cade in the Canadian International School closer to us. He started this week so we'll see how it goes. He loves the quick bus ride and I'm excited about the variety of things he gets to experience.

Q) If I was a local, born and raised, what might I do for hobbies/entertainment?

A) It's all about food here. Have you eaten? Would you like to eat? Let's eat. They also like to celebrate holidays.

Q) Is there a vast difference between in the city and other areas?

A) There are definitely distinct parts of town and it's great that you can have all these different experiences within a short amount of travel time. Want to be a beach bum, go to East Coast Park and rent a bike. Want high-end shopping but more local, go to Orchard. Want high-end shopping but total tourist, go to Marina Bay Sands. Want the resort life, go to Sentosa. All these areas feel so separate but realistically, they all run into one. My favorite area to explore right now is Bugis on the edge of Chinatown, Clark Quay and the Arts District. It's where the National Central Library is located.

Q) Is Ross going to get caned?

A) Saying prayers that this doesn't happen. So far, knock on wood, he's been ok.

Q) What kind of animals can you find there in the wild?

A) We see tons of dogs, cats, birds, butterflies and lizards roaming around. The zoo and safari are awesome! But we liked the aquarium even better. We still need to go to the bird park.

Q) Why is gum outlawed?

A) The buying and selling of gum is illegal here and I have only heard you can buy it from the pharmacy. There are mixed reports on if it's illegal to chew gum. I've had two or three pieces since moving here but I'm very careful to chew with my mouth closed and dispose of it properly. I don't want to get 'Stomped'.

Q Is there a type of alcohol/drink they are recognized for and a must try for visitors?

A) All the tourists and expats say you have to have at least one Singapore Sling. But it's an expensive drink. I liked it though. The local 'Tiger Beer' has become a regular, especially the Radler with lemon in it. But alcohol is extremely expensive here so sometimes it's not even worth it to bother. Everyone drinks kopi (instead of coffee), milo or sjora, and lots of tea.

I know it's been quiet on the blogging scene from me. Can't believe how quick time flies by! Comment with your questions and I'll try to get them answered. Sending love from this part of the world.

Toilet Paper

When we were preparing to leave the United States, one of my biggest concerns was if I was going to be able to find the toilet paper we've been using for the past nine years. I knew this wasn't a big deal because really, I'd be able to find something for us to wipe our bums. But the true question was if I'd be able to find the things to which my family had grown accustomed.
Focusing on this 'little' worry helped keep my mind off the big issues: would I be able to figure out where to buy groceries? would we make friends? would we find a home? would we be financially stable? would the kids adjust to being here? would customs take all of our belongings? would we be lost in a sea of people we didn't understand or who didn't understand us? There were so many worries running through our minds.
God has addressed many of our concerns. There's a decent grocery store within walking distance and a good website I can order pantry items to be delivered. We found a place to live that we actually love. Customs wasn't an issue at all. We are making friends at church and at our condo. We all seem to be settling in OK. Don't get me wrong, we still have plenty of things we worry about but today, almost two months after moving here, I bought a pack of 'our' toilet paper.

Say What?

A little while back my friend asked me: "How are your children adjusting to a world where most others aren't speaking English? Have they noticed much, since their parents are speaking English?"
Thankfully we've moved to "Asia Light" as people like to call it and most people here speak English. So I'd say that language seems to be no issue for the kids so far. Their interaction with people is limited to those providing customer service or passing-by neighbors. And since everyone does their best to speak English, especially to little blond kids, they haven't noticed. At least Cade hasn't made any comments. (Unlike when we were in Oregon and he'd constantly ask me about the Spanish speaking people at the next table over.) Then again, Cade is very confident in his English speaking abilities and believes that everyone should be able to understand him.  
Elise sounds like she's babbling in Hindi or Mandarin most of the time as it is.When we were staying in the hotel apartment that had housekeeping services, Elise loved to see what the housekeepers were doing. She'd babble to them and give big smiles. One housekeeper said "My English not too good" and pointed at Elise. I said, "That's ok--her's isn't very good either." She is starting to talk more and she loves dancing to music-regardless of the language.
We've found the TV channels from the United States (Disney and Nick Jr.) so the cartoons are in English. One of Cade's favorite cartoons right now is Ni Hao Kai-lan. It's a Chinese cartoon similar to Dora that teaches Mandarin phrases. After Cade watches, he likes to use his new phrases to people. I sure hope he's not offending everyone with his cartoon-Chinese. He's excited about learning Mandarin at school in the fall. He's even started watching Asian TV with Daddy; but I can't tell if he likes it because it's in a different language or because he gets to watch TV with Daddy. He doesn't seem to care if the radio station is in a different language either. Thank you Ross for developing a fondness of Hindi music.
We are slightly concerned that the kids will have difficulty with spelling and grammar as they grow up. The "Queen's English" is bound to cause a few errors on a spelling test if we move back to the States. And the "Singlish" language is not well known for proper grammar. We are also trying to keep the children from adding 'lah' to the end of all their phrases. That might be a bit harder once they are in school and around more kids.
I'd love to answer more questions. Just let me know--lah!

Quick update! New HOME

Now that we have internet access again, I'm hoping to be more regular about my blog posts. But wanted to let you know, dear reader, that we are in our new-to-us condo. So far so good! Friday we got the keys and took care of the logistics with the furniture rental and the delivery of our air shipment. So nice to have stuff both new and old. Yesterday we checked out of Shangri-La Apartments and tried to explain to Cade that this would be the last move, for a little while. Then we watched the National Day practice fireworks last night from the comfort of our living room. Today we went to church (that'll probably be a post all it's own about the church we found and how we found it). Feels nice to have a glimmer of hope that we'll be able to settle into our new place and our new routine. Tomorrow I think we'll go explore the park down the street and have a picnic lunch. Really can't complain right now.

Feeling Blessed

I joined a group online of fellow expat wives that is very helpful. I've learned the best places to find things, recommendations for churches/restaurants/activities, events going on and even met potential friends through there. It's truly a lovely resource.
But today I feel like shouting: DON'T YOU SEE HOW BLESSED WE ARE?!?
One of the heavily discussed topics is helpers. In Singapore, it's common to have a live-in helper. Even our condo has a 'room' for the helper. I didn't take photos because it's more of a utility shower and laundry room. Most helpers in Singapore are from the Philippines or Indonesia and are diligent, conscientious women who are working to support their families back home. (<-- taken from this article) Helpers are nannies, housekeepers and chefs rolled into one.
I'll admit that this does sound very helpful and for some people it makes a lot of sense. Especially for families where both parents work as the costs seem comparable to full time childcare. I'm still trying to decide but personally I'm thinking I won't be employing a helper. I've got my own reasons and I joked with Ross that it has something to do with being raised in the west with pioneer spirit. But I certainly don't have a problem with anyone who hires a helper. To hire or not to hire is not the question.

It occurred to me this morning, while reading through the debate on both sides, just how truly blessed I am to even be able to consider this option. What a blessing that my husband found employment that allows us the opportunity; that we don't have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet; that I don't have to leave my children each day to live with and take care of a family other than my own. I'm feeling a bit humbled and very much grateful.

Can you guess?

• Your weight in Kilograms.
• Your height in Meters.
• The temperature outside in Celsius. 
• The temperature to set the air conditioning to in Celsius.
• The amount of deli meat you'd like in Grams.
• The distance to the store in Kilometers.
• The time nap should end on a 24 hour clock.
• How tall your child is in Meters.
• How much soda you drink in Milliliters.
• What day is 12/05/2014? Is it December 5th?

Nothing is measured the same here. I'm sure there's an app for that, but I haven't found one yet. It's a bit tiring trying to relate things to what you are used to. Too many math problems! If it's 32 degrees Celsius outside, the walk we went on yesterday was a 2 kilometer loop, the AC is set to 24 degrees Celsius, nap ends at 15:00 and I'm going to enjoy my 330 ml soda, what color is the sky?

Fidgets

Last week in Cultural Training courtesy of Cartus, one of the many things I learned was where to take kids to play. You'd be surprised how this lovely bit of information helps with settling in and getting adjusted. On the list was Fidgets in Turf City (now known as the Grandstand--but don't tell that to the cab driver.) There are three locations from the website. The one we went to had a toddler area and didn't seem to be too far from us.
So after some not so pleasant days stuck in the apartment together, today the kids and I ventured out! Ross has the car on work days so we chose to travel by taxi. Here are some things I have learned:

• Using the baby carrier is great when traveling via taxi or public transit. This eliminates fussing with the stroller or worrying about always finding lifts and ramps. This option works best when we plan to stay in air conditioned malls and places. It gets a little warm being in close contact.
• Try to avoid using taxis before 9:30 am on the weekdays as there is a surcharge during the morning commute. While definitely not the cheapest option, taxi is the most efficient and worth it for the occasional sanity-saving activity such as this. We didn't need the extra adventure of the bus or train along the way today.
• A crying baby makes for a faster cab ride. Huh, the taxi drivers didn't seem as 'lost' today.

We arrived at the Grandstand and followed the signs for Fidgets. There is quite a bit of construction going on there so it was kind of a maze to get to the place. But there were plenty of directional signage and no major hurdles. Not much was open before 10am but we were on a mission so it didn't matter.
The closest thing I can compare Fidgets to from back in the U.S. is a fast food playland. The comparison applies only to the fact that the play structures are similar with padded climbing, tunnels and slides. Here are the differences that make oh so much sense!:

• We had to wear socks (thankfully we could purchase as I was unprepared.) Unlike what I got at McD's, the socks were cute and comfortable. Cade didn't want to take his off when we left.
• We had to use hand sanitizer to even come in AND they took the kids' temperatures to make sure no one is running a fever. Oh what a thought! They actually enforced that play is only for well children. No passing tons of germs. 
• They issue a card (kind of like an arcade card) to use at the cafe for snacks, drinks and lunch. This way you can lock up your wallet in a locker and only have the card. At the end of play, you settle your bill before leaving. Plus, the food at the cafe was actually good! Passion-fruit iced tea and an egg salad sandwich with side salad for mom. Yes please!
• There were sandals to slip on outside the rest rooms so you didn't have to go in there in just your stocking feet. And there was a playpen set up in the bathroom so I didn't have to hold the baby while I tried to go. Genius!
• There was a toddler area that'll be nice once brother is in school. He really wanted to be able to play with his sister so the three and under rule was tough to abide by.
• There is a no-kidding ball washer set up so you know the balls in the ball area are actually cleaned on a regular basis. I do confess that the baby tried to put them in her mouth, but at least it wasn't terrifying.

We didn't spend much time exploring the rest of Grandstand/Turf City. Just popped back in the queue for the taxis and came back in time for nap. The added purchase of socks, snacks and then lunch plus cab fare both ways did make this fall more into the 'occasional outing' category instead of an every day thing. But I'd say it was well worth it.

Now we know

Here are some things we've learned so far in Singapore . . .
* You have to deposit a dollar coin into the grocery cart (I think it's called a trolley or buggy) to use it. Luckily I had a coin on me. Now I try to always have a dollar coin.

* Queue = line. Longer queue supposedly means it's better, whatever it is.
* Lift = elevator. And it feels like a game of how many will fit, then add one more person.
* Travelator is a weird cross between a ramp and escalator, and I still cannot get my balance.
* Top off = refill.

* Pram = stroller.
* Cash card/ERP = ipass or toll booth card. Side note: this is a very efficient and smart system used to pay road tolls and parking garage fees, among other things. Just a prepaid card but much easier.
* Giant supermarket is the closest I found to Wal-Mart. (The actual name of the store is Giant.)
* Ikea = Ikea! It was such a relief to be somewhere completely familiar.
* Food courts don't take credit card, cash only. And they don't give out napkins. You are supposed to have your own; which you can use to reserve your seat while you order food.

* The smallest bill is a S$2. See note above about the dollar coins.
* Taxi drivers always seem lost, possibly so they can make a little extra.
* Tipping is not culturally acceptable. (Perhaps why taxi drivers get 'lost'.)
* The hot water doesn't work if the heater switch isn't turned on for that bathroom.
* Life does not begin before 10 am, on Orchard at least. Feels a lot like the time I went to Times Square NYC.
* Singapore is actually Singapura and it means Singa = lion, pura = island. Because the first person on the island saw a lion. But some historians believe it was actually a tiger.

An Interview with a 5 year old

I haven't had much time lately to write a blog entry so I thought a quick interview with my son might be fun. Keep in mind, he's five.

What's your favorite food here?
Chicken Rice (Chicken rice is just that: rice cooked in chicken broth with boiled or roasted chicken sliced and laid on top. It's got a bit of flavor but very tame in comparison to other foods. Surprisingly, it's a national dish and we can find it almost everywhere.)

What's your favorite drink?
Guava juice! (My son would drink guava juice all day long if I let him. It's sweet, has a creamy texture and really is quite delicious.)

What's your favorite thing to do?
Go swimming. (Disclaimer: his idea of swimming is splashing around in the shallow end, but hey! being in the pool cools him off and keeps him active.)

What is the coolest thing we've seen so far?
Mmmmm, the coolest thing so far is two things: the ferris wheel that lights up and the Merlion that shoots out water.

What is weird here?
The car that was parked in the turn lane. Because we were walking along, minding our business and look straight -- we saw a car parked right on the side!

What else do you want to tell people about Singapore?
Nothing! You are asking me too much questions. 

A little game

Let's play a little game, shall we?
What does Singapore *not* have?

Is it:
A) Ranch Dressing
B) Wal-Mart
C) Netflix
D) Pandora
E) Graffiti
or
F) All of the above

Ding, ding, ding, time's up!

That's right, All of the above!

Boy, I sure miss listening to Pandora and now I just won't be able to catch up on Grey's Anatomy. Oh well, guess there's better things to do around here. :) But once I get a proper mailing address, I'm probably going to ask someone to ship me some ranch for my fries and salad. Curry and chili sauce just aren't the same. Oh the things we miss!

People

There are so many people here. I love to people-watch and this place is amazing for that! Today we wandered around Ion Orchard and Wheelock, with the kids in the morning and then by myself in the afternoon. (Much better without the kids, thank you hubby!) Here are some 'field notes' from my outings today.
~ Walking through the shopping places on a Saturday, especially by the MRT (subway) exchanges, is insane! There are sooooo many people. It's a sea of faces. Thankfully, everyone is about the same height as me here; I feel like I can swim along instead of drowning.
~ Kids zip around on scooters if they aren't being pushed in a stroller. Cade now has a scooter.
~ Lifts (elevators) are very much like cans of sardines. Smaller sized cans of sardines. And of course the person at the very back is the one that needs to get off next. Today an elderly man didn't want to get into the lift with a group of people. A younger man made a comment that it was odd and perhaps the man was self-conscious. To which I commented something to the effect of "Singapore is the wrong place to have claustrophobia." According to the young man, Hong Kong and Japan are much worse. True but it's sure a heck of a lot more crowded here than it was in Illinois or Oregon.
~ I'm pretty sure that was not a girl in the tall bright red high heels and skirt walking down the street. I cannot confirm this suspicion though. She did go into the Orchard Towers.
~ There is an IISS Summit being held at the adjoining hotel this weekend. Every type of uniform, rank and high level person is in that lobby. Too bad I had to look like I knew where I was going instead of just looking around at all the dignitaries.
~ I'm starting to see the tourists among us. I'm not sure if I count as a tourist or an ex-pat. But I noticed the cameras, pointing and selfie-takers a lot more today.
~ I saw people holding hands! I thought PDA was strictly prohibited here so I was pleasantly surprised and a bit relieved.
~ The shopping centers, specifically the Ion, have aromatherapy piped through the air conditioning. It's fairly subtle but quite lovely.
~ A group of people are having a surprise party across the hall from our apartment. While I was feeding the baby tonight I heard "Happy birthday!" followed by singing. It's tempting to go join in. I think I'll just call it a night instead.

Day 2 Observations

Day 1 was spent in a haze of exhaustion so we might as well skip over it. My main observation yesterday: it's beautiful here! I'm especially obsessed with the building across from our apartment. It has large gaps in the building specifically for gardens and greenery. The picture I took with my phone does not do justice for the awesomeness of this building. I even think I read about it in a magazine one time.
Day 2 has been mostly spent hanging out around the apartment and running short errands. Here's what we have noticed so far:

• You push the light switch down to turn on the light.
• It's going to take a little bit to get used to the different way of saying the date (day then month), the temperature in Celsius, weights in kilograms and distance in kilometers. 
• The toilets, at least at the apartment, flush straight down -- no swirling toilet water here. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with being so close to the equator.
• I still don't know which side of the sidewalk to walk on; the cars drive on the left but people walk anywhere they want. Which reminds me, cars have the right away if you aren't crossing at a pedestrian light.
• There are no panhandlers.
• Groceries and food seem to be double the cost of what I'm used to or half the size. For example, my small frappuccino yesterday at Starbucks was $7 and the package of spaghetti noodles today was over $2.50. The supermarket I found does not carry milk in gallon size. We might have to get away from our cereal for breakfast every day.
• It's surprisingly easy to get dehydrated here given how incredibly humid it is.
• The food options are unlimited! We haven't even made it to the food hawker centers yet. We drove past one last night and it looks delicious. Kinda reminded me of the food aisles at the Fair, except cleaner.
• There are flowers and orchids everywhere! And lots of greenery. So beautiful!
• All the street signs, shop signs, etc. are in English. So helpful. 
• The city reminds me of a combination of Portland and San Fransisco. But that's my frame of reference for big cities. Luckily I'm a fan of both places so the reminder is a pleasant one. 
• Elevators are considerably smaller than I remember.

It's still pretty surreal that we are here and there's so much to take in.

In the Waiting

This post is for my friend Laura's blog (see it here). 

I don't consider myself a patient person. Oh sure, waiting in line to check out at the store or waiting for the light to change is fine. I can handle those. But waiting for the 'next big thing', that's hard for me to do! And the way my husband and I are, we always have a something in the works. Recently we've been thrown into the 'next big thing' and the swirling chaos of a big move. But before that all happened, it felt like I was waiting for-ev-er. 

In October of 2012, we decided it was time for us to move. What had started out as a quick 2-year stop to get our foot in the employment door had turned into an eventful, yet overextended 9-year stay. We had never intended to be in Klamath that long. The hard drive through mountains to get to a mall and the lack of family support started to wear on us. I had been laid off, twice, and we worried about the future for our children. The employment opportunities, education options and general health of the basin made us nervous.

So I interviewed for jobs in the Portland area. (We had honeymooned there and I have a soft spot for that area.) We anxiously put our house on the market. We set our sights on moving and waited to see if anything would happen. Well, nothing did. A few showings, one offer that wasn't serious, but no luck. It was frustrating! We had blinders focused on moving and I just didn’t understand why it wasn’t happening NOW. That's when God decided it was the perfect time for us to have a baby (that's a story about waiting all itself.) That’s not moving! Looking back, of course it's easy to see that moving then was our idea and not what God had in mind.

After a year of having the house on the market, we decided to let the listing expire and enjoy our holiday season with a little less stress. After all, we just had a baby so wasn't that big enough? We also decided that I would stay at home with our daughter instead of paying for two kids in daycare. When our very independent son was a baby, I had a pretty great job doing marketing. Now that the economy had down-turned, it wasn’t quite so great. I took a deep breath and let go of moving and a career, for now. I struggled to accept that I wasn't going to be a working mom any more. I struggled with what that meant to my identity.

Our little girl, it turns out, is much more content to cuddle at home with mom or go out shopping, even if just for groceries. She was easily overwhelmed by situations and needed the security of being home. So I joined the mommy's group and started reading blogs and books about being a homemaker. I was going to accept this shift in thinking and embrace it.

But still I was waiting.

We needed the ‘next big thing’. It wasn’t until I learned about creative prayer in late January, that I really started to talk to God about His timing. I’ll be the first to tell you that I think his timing is terribly inconvenient. Can’t he just tell me what is going on so I can make plans?! And then the figurative dominoes God had put into place started to fall. I made a vow to myself to “pray about it more than I talk about it.” But it was so hard to wait even while God was doing something. But He was making things happen! My husband found a job to apply for, he got an interview, he got the job! Our house sold and everything came together.

This move is beyond my wildest imagination. I had ‘thrown it out there’ in my prayers about living in another country (done!), living by the ocean (done!), having better educational opportunities for my children (done!), experiencing the bigger world out there and so much more. Had things happened on our time frame, we would probably be struggling to make ends meet in a town that might not be quite the best fit for our family with very little support from family or employers.

It’s easier now for me to say “It’s ok to wait—God’s working on something bigger and better.”

Found on Pinterest (of course)!