The Po Show

We Have Returned

Hmm, I really did mean to post before I left for CA. I had a lot to say, about Matthew's summer school experience (which had a lot of bumpy moments but overall was an incredible success that made me so proud I cried), about Tessa's summer camp experience (which was also wonderful and the first time she was in an all-day activity). About my decision to give up my eBay store, which was very sad. About a bunch of stuff.

Oh well, since then we spent almost a month in CA and that's all old news. It was a great trip, the best ever. Matthew calmly adjusted to being there, instead of going through an obnoxious transition period. The kids loved being with their cousins and played wonderfully with them. We spent many days in the water, at the nice little water park up in Ojai and at the beach. My mother embraced us all, as she always does, in her love and her happiness to have us there with her. I got to hang out a lot with my nieces and my sisters, which always makes me feel like I'm truly where I ought to be.

The kids felt CA was where they ought to be as well. Matthew got tears in his eyes multiple times during the days leading up to our returning to NY. Tessa said repeatedly, "Oh, I wish we still lived in CA!" They still think of themselves as being from CA, though Tessa has now lived the majority of her years outside the state.

Ross and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary, in separate countries, actually on different days much of the time, due to the 16 hour time difference. It's hard to believe, how the years have passed. If our marriage was a person, it would be an adult.

Matthew turned 9 years old, which is unbelievable as well. How could he be nine? Everywhere he goes, people remark on how tall he is. He still often acts like he's 5 or 6 (that's not putting him down, just a statement of fact), but then he shows himself to be so mature, so considerate of others (especially Tessa), in ways that I would have thought very unlikely when he was younger. His instantaneous grasp of mathematical concepts and his mental arithmetic skills blow me (mathphobe that I am) away. He still loves science, especially space sciences. He's still all about video games and plays them with frightening prowess. I take solace in knowing that video games are still an aerobic activity for him, since he jumps up and down so much as he plays. He's just beautiful, and is still Mommy's boy.

So we enter upon our third year in NY. It may or may not be the last. We're mired in uncertainty as always, and I hate that as always, but I continue to try and roll with it. But it's hard, being here and wanting to be there. And not knowing where the next here is going to be, only knowing that it's probably not going to be there.