Being an Expatriate and a Mom

It's so odd to me that now I'm the foreigner. I never thought I'd be in that position yet here I am. For the most part I'm finding it's not that much different than when you move to a new town in the States. The feeling of uncertainty and isolation are the same. The difference is that in Norway I'm reminded of it every day whenever I hear someone speak. Moving to Butte was a huge change. We didn't know another soul and we had never really even visited the town. So finding out the best places to shop and which Drs to go to proved a little bit of a challenge. The difference was that the list of Dr was in English and I had a car to take me to all of the stores. But we're figuring things out and slowly I'm becoming more comfortable. Although I really haven't broken out of my shell much. I've found that if I set small goals for myself each day I feel like I've accomplished something. Today it was emailing the cable company and working on a business plan I'm doing for one of Jeff's colleagues. Tomorrow it might be as simple as walking to the store or calling the cable company if they don't email back. Small things but you can't believe how much having a goal helps. More than living in a foreign country though I think I'm battling the most with being a stay at home Mom. Don't get me wrong I love it, love having time to clean the house and bake and hang out with Ave, however, when you're used to always going to work I think you start to believe that having a job gives you an identity. Lacy Kline, book keeper for Harley-Davidson now I'm just Lacy Kline... Mom. Like without a job you're less of a person because I've always been a Mom but now that's all I am and I feel guilty about thinking that way. I hate to say that but it's really taking some getting used to not having that part of my life. I am hoping that spending the next two years home with Ave will make me appreciate having a job that much more when I do get one again, and I will. I love being home but I'm finding that I'm not getting enough me time, time where I can just sit and think and not be interrupted by a three year old. So I haven't decided yet which challenge is greater, living in a foreign country or learning how to be a stay at home Mom. I know that sounds crazy but that's what I'm fighting with right now. I am really hoping that in a few months I'll excel at the stay at home thing and learn to appreciate it, I have learned to have a whole new appreciation for the women that choose this life over work. It's not easy, who'd have thought?

On another note, we went to Ikea and got a table this weekend, I'll post pics soon - very exciting! Oh and it's snowing - again. I swear it hasn't stopped for two weeks, either raining or snowing, where is my spring!!! Also my parents are coming in two weeks and I'm so excited and Jeff turns 33 this Thursday - wow we're getting old!