Home Again. Home Again

We got home yesterday afternoon and all I can say is it has felt surreal to be back after leaving so abruptly six months ago. A little jungle in the kitchen greeted me and it was the best surprise after three days of travel. It was such a blessing to have my local friend take care of our apartment and tend to the plants 🪴 while we were away. 

Not a whole lot has changed here. Work is slow for the local people due to covid-19 but there is still honking, mooing, and children playing cricket in the street. The dogs are just as insane after midnight as usual, barking with passion as if their little furry lives depend on it. The house is cold, especially when the warmth of the afternoon sun isn’t easing the chill. We warmed up a microwavable neck wrap and put it at the end of our bed to warm our feet for the night. 

It took me several hours to clean part of the kitchen, wash veggies (including spinach) and make a tiny bit of granola from what we had left of the oats in the cupboard. I found a plethora of bugs and maggots (dead, thankfully) and threw a lot of food out—- bags of noodles, nuts and seeds, and dry spices to name a few. A lesson I learned was to clean appliances, like the instant pot, very thoroughly before I leave for a few months. Also, make sure to launder the oven mitts and tea towels—if any particle of food is left on them, it will mold. Eww! 

We are blessed to have several local friends who brought us some staples and have offered to get us food while we are in quarantine.

I’m especially grateful for the amazing husband God gave me. We both woke up at 4:30 am from jet lag, he put on his down jacket and beanie, and went to town making pour over coffee. He had to wash several items in the frigid sink water before he could even get started. 

Me head is still spinning with tasks that need to get done before the house is fully livable and to build our pantry and freezer food back up. But, there is time. The bugs will get cleaned up and vacuumed, the mold covered treasures will be scrubbed, the meals will be made from scratch again. Rather than getting caught up in the to-do’s, may we enjoy the simple joys of life overseas and take it little by little. It can’t all have to be done in one day. 

Simple Joys of Today 

• both of us waking up at 4:30 am (hello jet lag) & enjoying a much needed extended Abide time 
• pulling back the blinds and seeing the valley below and the mountains above
• listening to worship music while we cleaned 
• fluffy homemade crescent rolls

There are many places in the world that feel like home to us but we are glad to be in this one and know it’s where we are supposed to be!