So I’ve had a few days to recover from the flight, get my body on West Coast time, and relish in being all together again.

Phew.

It’s been an overwhelming time for all of us, the kids especially, and we’re still settling in. The flights out here were definitely hard but could have been much worse. Jack took a couple of short naps and Ella’s independence was a huge help to me. She was content to switch between drawing and watching shows. Jack was, um, less content but still, could have been much worse.

Reuniting with Matthew was a little bumpy, we couldn’t find each other in the airport and I was completely exhausted, but once we got everybody in the car and they all fell asleep, this huge wave of relief washed over me. Not only was the traveling over but the my summer alone was finally done. We were all together again.

Ella seems to be adapting quickly, though she usually does. She’s asked a few questions about when we’re going back to “that other house in Carolina” but other than that, she’s been amazing. Jack has been much clingier than normal, and he’s already a pretty clingy kid, so that’s been challenging. But it’s been a lot of change for him and every day, he’s gotten a little bit better.

So I really can’t complain about the kids and it’s been so great having Matthew’s help again. I love when he walks through the door after work and immediately takes the kids outside, getting all their energy out before bath time. Though he’s been giving them their baths and Ella’s hair has suffered a little bit– those ringlets he loves so much do require a little maintenance and he goes nowhere near them (I’m pretty much the only one who dares it). But hey, after the last two months by myself, I’ll take a few tangles.

I’ve started venturing out into our neighborhood a little bit and I have to say, Petaluma is a cute little town. It’s really walkable and there’s a relaxed vibe. Classic cars, creameries reminiscent of the midwest, and a lot of parks. I especially love the houses here: so many cool and vibrant colors, picket fences, and rose-covered trellises line the streets here.

It’s cool how with every new place we experience, I’ve learned to hit the ground running quicker each time. When we went to Switzerland, it took me two weeks to get up the nerve. When we moved to North Carolina, it took me about a week to start going to play groups and playgrounds by myself with the kids. Coming to Petaluma, I needed one day to just settle in and the next day I took the kids out. It feels good to not waste time and it feels good to soak up this experience. Petaluma seems like a cool place so far and even though we won’t spend a lot of time here, I’m excited for the adventures ahead.

xo

eb