It's a different world out here! Or is it?

I know I’m long over due for a post, but we’ve been busy flying!   Jake and I finally made it to the States.  We had a wonderful week in sunny California with my parents (we even got to spend an afternoon with our friends Sue and Ginger that we met in Palau) and we’re now enjoying the solitude of rural Oklahoma with Andy’s family.   

Being here is kind of surreal because in reality, it isn’t that much different from being on the boat and in some ways, its even more isolated.  The nearest grocery store is a 20-minute drive away…if I had to walk like we do in Palau, I don’t believe I would worried about these extra pounds I’ve packed on!  The new cell phone I bought doesn’t get service out here…in Palau we even get service in the Rock Islands!  There isn’t a ton of outside stimulation so for entertainment, you have to either turn inward, or get back to nature.  Jake now knows the difference between a steer, bull, heifer and a plain old cow.  There seems to be a hostile takeover going on by the grasshoppers, so we spent one afternoon counting them in the driveway (well over 60 by the way) and trying to identify all the different kinds and putting a name to them.  We even saw a pair mating.  It’s a very peaceful place and while on the surface it seems to be a lifestyle in direct opposition of our own, it actually didn’t take that much getting used to.  Instead of dinghies there are four wheelers and tractors!

Unfortunately, my time here is coming to an end.  I finally received a start date for my job in Virginia and I’ll be flying out sometime next week, leaving Jake to enjoy the rest of his summer with his cousins, aunt and uncle and grandparents.  I would love to show you some pictures of all of the little people together but I left two key items back on the boat…1) my camera charger and 2) the card reader I use to upload to my computer.  So…those will have to wait. 

This will be the first time I’ve left Jake for more than two weeks.  I’ve no doubt he’ll benefit from the experience (I’ve already seen that happen in some of the ways the he’s resolving his conflicts), but I have to say, this mommy is going to need a few extra prayers.  I’m lucky that I’ll be distracted by a job as well as some old friends.  Now I guess I’ll get a taste of what Andy went through all those years on deployment (and vice versa…I’m sure he’ll be hearing a lot more “daddy, daddy, daddy” than usual ;) ).