Hello??? Is this thing on??

So, I've been pretty quiet around here, haven't I?  I'm going to blame our move back to the United States, living in an extended stay hotel for six weeks and the two additional weeks it took us to get settled into the town house we are living in for a while.  Plus a few more weeks of adjusting to life, period.

Now three months post move (to the day!) I feel like my feet are under me...mostly.

Here's a secret for you--I was going to do the whole 31 days of blogging series hosted  by the Nester, as I have the last few years.  And then I decided...quit being crazy, Jenny.

BUT I had planned out 31 posts about how to be happy NOW.

See, I find myself thinking next year is going to be better and I will be more happy then, because I'm not going to be doing the whole repatriating thing.  {By the way, the repatriating thing?  It's not as simple as it might look.  A fellow expat posted this article on Facebook, it summarizes where my mind is right now better than I ever could.}

While my mind is thinking next year will be better, the rest of me knows I need to be enjoying the moment this year.

I need to be grateful for the several blessings I have in life:  an awesome husband, brilliant children, family and friends who I get to be around daily, and new friends that I can keep in touch with via Facebook and email.  Not to mention a great job, a comfortable home and and all the comforts of "home" that now surround me again.

All that being said to let you know...I'm back to the blogging game.  And I'm going to take those 31 days I had planned, and spread them out over the next few months.  What better time to focus on being happy now then during the holiday season?

Seriously--have you seen a four year old and two year old understand for the first time what Halloween is all about?

We've already got their costumes waiting in the closet.  And they've been there for a few weeks already too.

Those are the kind of moments I plan on enjoying now.