Thursday 29 January 2009

Roots

This week I've felt homesick for the first time. I'm actually rather loathe to use that term because, convinced as I am that God has called us to Chicago, this is our home now until He chooses to send us somewhere else. To be more specific, what I find myself missing is that sense of familiarity, almost safety, in my usual day-to-day life. I found myself just wanting to turn up unannounced at a friend's house, plonk myself on her sofa with a nice cup of tea (served with milk, not cream, lemon or half-and-half) and just to chat about nothing in particular. That's not to say that I find myself lonely here, because I've been blessed with many opportunities to socialise and meet new people, but it's exhausting starting from scratch. I'm so bored of my story about how we came to be here, how long we are here for (don't know), etc etc.

I'm fast discovering that I don't fit neatly into the ex-pat mould. Whilst I can have as good a moan as the next person about the fatty bacon, tasteless chocolate and ridiculous bureaucracy, I don't want the quest for a supplier of digestive biscuits to define my life. Neither do I want my focus to be entirely on what's happening 'back home', when my next visit is and when we are moving back. It was interesting to have coffee with a group of British mums on Monday, quite a mixed group, our only common thread being our roots. And that's what everyone says is ultimately what you miss most and the hardest thing to replicate overseas - a sense of being uprooted from that which is so familiar you can't even define it. For some it's the food, for some it's the humour - as one mum pointed out, Blackadder quotes just don't mean anything here - but underlying it all is the ultimately false feeling that the grass was greener.

As a Christian, I need to have a sense of 'just passing through' but that is ultimately forward-looking towards my eternal inheritance, not backwards. And whilst it's not wrong for me to miss things about the UK, I don't want that to hinder me from focusing on the job in hand and to miss out on the blessings of today. So, I will henceforth try not to moan too much or make too many comparisons between life here and there. After all, we have chosen to live in the US, however long or short our stay may be.

I suppose ultimately it is all down to where our securities lie. On the face of it there is little security in D's job here. Jobs are being cut all around - he had to let someone go just last week - and with the economic climate as it is, there are no guarantees of a job either here or in the UK. But ultimately, we believe that God will provide and we can feel completely secure in not only his ability to do so but also in his willingness to bless us.

So, here we are and for the timebeing at least, we need to get on with making things work. I am working out how everything works practically - I now have a system for food shopping which seems to work, school is going well and I am just about managing to keep all 4 loos clean. I may be the only at-home mum without a cleaner, nanny or both in the vicinity, but so far I'm still surviving. My next biggie to tackle is healthcare, but from what I've said above I'm not allowed to miss the NHS, so let's see what happens... So far I have managed to wean the children off ribena (the secret bottle in the cupboard priced at a hefty $7 is for someone else in the family). The only real sticking point to my resolution is Marmite but some things are just untouchable, n'est pas?

Tuesday 20 January 2009

Cookie, anyone?

I rather feel that I should have some profound comment to share on this historic day in history but this will probably disappoint! Maddy and I sat watching Obama's inauguration this morning and I did find it strangely emotional. It was fascinating watching all the living ex-presidents and their wives trooping in, stirring to see how many had thronged to Washington to witness the swearing in. We watched documentaries last night about the White House and Air Force One and it is incredible what a well-oiled machine the presidency is (and the enormous cost behind it all!) but what has really struck me is that we are just talking about ordinary human beings like you or me. I felt a bit sad for Laura Bush, leaving what has been her home for the last few years and also felt sorry (though hardly suppressing a smirk) for Dick Cheney unceremoniously being pushed in a wheelchair after injuring himself while moving into his new home - if ever someone has been dogged by his ill health, it's him!


I hope that Barack Obama will bring great changes to this country, even to the world. I celebrate the fact that he is the first African American president and this has hit home even more as I try and explain to my children just why his election is so significant. But ultimately, he is not the solution to the problems of the age and I think it is sad that so many put so much faith in a mere man. But it is surely an interesting time to be living in America, perhaps especially here in Chicago which, as Obama's home turf, has been the centre of attention for the last couple of months.


We are excited to be hosting our church group in our house for the next few weeks as we really start to pray to see God's plans for this great city and to reach out to those around us. As a family we are beginning to make contacts and the children are being invited to play dates and parties. With the first two birthdays of the year out of the way, we are beginning to feel a lot more settled in (and we are even getting used to the weather!). Now that we have our social security numbers and driving licences, D and I are feeling like 'real' people - which is good, as being an alien can be tough at times!


Here's a little glimpse of the Obama mania which has taken over ....


Thursday 8 January 2009

Happy 7th Birthday Isabel!





Wednesday 7 January 2009

News from the Mid-West

I just thought I'd post an update about how we are getting on. There's nothing amazing to report (!) but we are plodding along and getting used to our new daily routine. Is and E started school on Monday and we've been very proud of them. In their own, individual ways, they seem to be getting along fine. Is came home bubbling with excitement at how many friends she had made, how she already knew some of the French they had done in her lesson and didn't stop talking for ages. E was quiet and had to have it drawn out of him but he seems to be enjoying himself, even though he can't remember the name of the boy he sits next to (or anyone else, for that matter!!!). He has been invited to a party next week so I'm really hoping this will be a good opportunity for me to meet some of the other parents.

The weather really thwarts any plans I may have had to make friends quickly - people drive everywhere, drop off and pick up the kids straight from their cars and basically stay indoors unless it's absolutely necessary venture out. I finally spoke to our next-door neighbour this morning (as oppose to waves from a distance) as we were both simultaneously clearing snow off the decks in our back gardens. She was in a rush to get to work but at least we spoke for a couple of minutes.... The morning routine is certainly a bit more rushed and I think will be a struggle once the initial novelty of new uniform has abated. I have to jump out of bed at 6:45 to breakfast the children and oversee them getting dressed as we have to be out the door by 8. I was always heard screaming, "Wees, shoes, coats" to try and hurry them along but now the list is endless - "Wees, snow boots, gloves, hats, trousers, coats (are your school shoes in your bag?)" somehow doesn't drip off the tongue as easily! Then there's the problem of clearing the snow and reminding E not to leave his shoes/gloves/hat at school and not to throw away the spoon with the yogurt pot, etc etc. I have found a spot where I can park the car and walk them up to the school door which seems nicer than flinging them out of the car door. At home-time I do the car pick-up unless there's a meter space available - $8 to park in the car park next door is a bit steep on a daily basis!

But then, after that flurry of activity, by 8:20 M and I are free agents with the whole day ahead of us. On Monday we dropped D to work after taking the older 2 to school. So we drove to the centre of the financial district on a Monday morning and got him there well before 9. That would never happen in London!!

Being January, it's birthday season so I am making a cake for Is today. M and I have spent most of the week sorting out practical matters so I haven't had a chance to feel too lonely but reality is beginning to hit as I realise it's not much fun being just the 2 of us - she really needs to be in preschool as she gets so bored when I'm doing all the mundane tasks that are necessary but not much fun, and then is distraught when I can't attend another Barbie birthday party! We joined a gym today so, once I can convince her that the kids club is fun, I am hoping to a) get a bit fitter and b) meet some people. There is a pool and a climbing wall so plenty of potential for family indoor fun and kids' swimming lessons. Who knows, I may really get into spin classes - there is one with a live DJ!

I'm still waiting for my social security number and this is holding us up as far as buying a car is concerned. We still can't decide what to go for but I think we may go looking this weekend. Our tenants move into our house this Friday so I'm really hoping that goes smoothly, it's been unsettling to think of it empty.

Right, time to make a masterpiece out of sugar fondant, watch this space for pictoral evidence!!

Friday 2 January 2009

The joys of being a legal alien

I have to say I'm not the biggest fan of New Years Eve celebrations - not just because as a parent staying up past midnight has serious sleep deprivation issues by the 7am wake-up call. There is so much hype and then a huge fall when everyone realises that it really is just another day and that another year has gone by without much really changing. This year it was odd to be behind the UK - the only other time I've been overseas for the New Year was in Australia and so at least then we got to be ahead!! We attended via Skype several celebrations at home at the far more reasonable time of 6pm and then we were in bed by 11!! We watched the spectacular fireworks over the London Eye which a friend had uploaded for us and it was then that it really hit me that we will be away from friends and family (bar visits) for the whole of 2009 and probably the whole of 2010 too... so I have to confess that I did start the new year on a bit of a downer!

It doesn't help that we are gearing up to start school on Monday and I am struggling to work out all the practicalities as the subtle differences are mounting up. One of the frustrations is the complicated drop-off system that operates around the school. You can drop your children off on foot but it seems no one does and you still have to negotiate your way past all the queuing cars and then pay large parking fees in the adjacent multi-story. I am hoping that, at least in spring and autumn (when it's neither too hot, nor too cold) we can walk from home, however that is less than straightforward due to the way the blocks in-between are laid out, gated communities barring the way, etc, etc.

Another problem is that the PE uniforms haven't turned up yet so I may have to find some creative alternative for the first week. And did I mention that Is says her new uniform is "the most uncomfortable ever"?!!!! Grrrr

So, this week I am mostly missing the school playground, M&S (for easy uniform) or Woolworths for that matter - and in that I'm not alone - and also the NHS. I have actually always been a huge fan of the NHS despite it's evident weaknesses. It's easy to knock, but where else in the world do we have free access to medical care? Though we have been eligible for D's work healthcare plan since yesterday, we are so far not covered as we can't work out which option to sign up for. We've both read the details carefully but they make almost no sense at all. And then there will be dental and vision plans too.

Actually, there's probably more than a year's worth of admin there to be tackled, so maybe I'll catch up with you sometime next year.......!