I've always had a love affair with office supplies. It's sick, but true. Part of my apprehension about starting a blog was because of it's lack of actual paper. However, here I am. I hope my adventures bring you joy, laughter, and a little glimpse of the world.

For the record, please pronounce this "Blog" and not "Blaaaag".

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Keeping up with the Joneses


I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings so I will try to tread lightly. I'm not sure I'm good at being an American mother. Most of my concerns in Moscow revolved around the proper feeding, dressing, and educating of my four offspring. Suddenly I am laying awake at night worrying about which organized activity is best, whether my kids will make quality friends, and how in the world I can educate them on pop culture.

Realization: I am a homeschooler who has lived overseas for the last 3.5 years. No matter how I do it, my methods will never be the same as my friends whose kids are in a formal institution and have lived here their whole lives. My kids know world geography better than most adults I come across, but they don't understand jokes about Justin Bieber. In my short, five weeks in this wonderful town, I have managed to enroll Number 1 in gymnastics and youth group, Number 2 in baseball, bought three hamsters (or four?) joined a local aquatic center, and started attending Bible study. I think we're doing pretty well, but something nags at me that it's not enough.

When I've tried to get acquainted with other moms (homeschoolers included) I feel overwhelmed by their droning about who has to be where and when. In the evenings our family likes to watch Jeopardy (finally on at an appropriate time), read good books aloud, and play games. I like riding the bus and the metro. Though I drive a mini-van, I don't want to live in it. That's why we pay through the nose for a cozy apartment.

Consider this my deep breath.

Right now, I've still got to find us a mechanic, a doctor, a dentist, and stop using the GPS to get to church. I have to figure out the new budget and figure out how to cook when I'm running errands every day just to make our house complete. I'm also trying to get four people through 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th grade without too much trauma.

It's not them. It's me. I like us. I like our dynamics. It just feels different and scary.
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2 comments:

  1. PamFebruary 14, 2014 at 8:44 AM

    I think we often over schedule our kids and I appreciate that you don't feel the need to do so. I'm often asked what my kids are "doing" and the response is piano. That's it. There are other things thrown in here and there, but I don't feel the need to be driving my kids to a different activity every night. Hold on to being different.

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  2. maureenMarch 12, 2014 at 9:45 PM

    Stay different!! You are doing it right, no matter what anyone else says! You and Neil have a wonderful family and family dynamic. Do not CHANGE :)

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