At last we headed out for a well-earned vacation back to the States, which started with an epic family reunion--a houseboat on Lake Billy Chinook at the Palisades (in spite of the engine trouble); then we showed the kids our stompin' grounds in Bend and Redmond, roadtripped to Crater Lake and the redwoods and Gold Beach (for the first time with My Man), built sandcastles and went clamming in Newport, and then headed back to Redmond where we missed our first ever flight thanks to a bag left at the hotel in Bend (no pointing fingers here, there was plenty of blame to go around--though it is amusing to hear everyone's excuses)! We spent most of the next week camping, skiing, swimming, and hanging out with friends and family at Deer Creek Reservoir, fit in two college visits, and stuffed our bellies with Mexican food. Yum. Too soon we headed back home to Kyiv with a one-day stopover in Amsterdam where we saw the canals, cute houses, Anne Frank House, and more, though we were so tired and jetlagged we may not remember much. Before we knew it, school was starting back up again and the kids were keeping us busy with scouts, sports, activities, and more--Darling Daughter played soccer, joined the robotics club, started horsebackriding lessons, played basketball, and participated in speech and debate. Young Man played soccer, Ultimate Frisbee, knowledge bowl, served on Student Council, started a table tennis club, and grew his portrait photography business. We ran a few family 5Ks, celebrated a few more birthdays, and then headed to Egypt for the most epic scuba diving of our lives and a chance to ogle the great pyramids and catch some sun with friends before the long dark winter (Young Man opted to head to Israel with his soccer team for a tournament there instead, where he swam in the dead sea, toured Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and walked through the ancient city of Jaffa).
Funny Guy skipped a year in math (way to go!), Young Man headed to Budapest with his soccer CEESA team, and Darling Daughter played on her soccer CEESA team here in Kyiv. My Man and I won best couple's costume at the embassy Halloween party this year with our bee keeper and queen bee costumes and Funny Guy won his entire school costume contest with his epic "kid in a box" illusion costume (it was awesome!). My Man and I snuck away to explore Rome, Naples, and the Amalfi Coast for a weekend (one last chance for sun!) and then the snow was already here. After a whirlwind of end of semester activities (concerts, courts of honor, etc.), we kicked off the holiday season with a family trip to Bratislava and Vienna (where got to go ice skating at the Rathausplatz Ice World rink, visited five different Christmas markets, wandered old cobblestone streets, saw a castle and palace, and even caught a few English movies in the theater!). Young Man was selected as a finalist for the competitive KEYS science internship program (breathlessly awaiting the final word!).
The finale of the year was a traditional Christmas Eve. Though we wish we could have shared it with family, we invited friends to join in the fun and enjoyed all the traditional foods and games and stories and songs that make the evening special. Today was a cozy wintery Christmas day, hanging out as a family in PJs, talking, playing games, eating leftovers and candy, Skyping with family, and reflecting on the generosity and adventure of the previous year. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. Sometimes I feel like we pay a high price with missed memories and opportunities so far from "home." But mostly I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to make each new place our home, adding new traditions and friends to mingle with the old, learning new things, exploring new places, and doing our part to make this world just a little better as we journey through.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our home to yours!
