Well, Hello There

I could write a book about my hiatus in the blogging world, but to make a long story short...life continued and priorities changed.  Oh Normal Day has always been in the back of my mind, so much so that it was my 2015 New Year's resolution to jump back on the wagon.  I truly enjoyed creating this blog and long to keep it up as a form of self expression and documentation of our family's journey.  9 months later (from the resolution...who's counting from the last blog post)... I did it!  I was not going to let 2016 sneak up on me and feel like I failed at yet another one of these ridiculous resolutions.  Do you see how I'm somehow turning this into an accomplished goal?  Just go with it and let's get started!  We have some serious catching up to do!

Winter 2014 Highlights

Let's begin with this short video taken on Jan 1, 2014.  In many ways, this could pretty much be a metaphor for the year to come.

What was that?  Do you have something to say about our new minivan?  Believe it or not, it was Jamil who had to do some serious convincing on my part.  We'd been a 1 car family for almost 3 years, but it was time for us to unfortunately enlarge our environmental footprint.  Sure, the minivan made sense.  However, the deal was that he had to drive it until he got me pregnant with our third.  Then, I could justify the purchase.

 After being in our new home for just a couple of weeks, Gabriel rebelled against us and cut a HUGE chunk out of his hair.  WHAT!?!  Well...really, how could we blame him with so much change right in the middle of the holidays...new home, new school, new friends, new culture, new language, etc.  If there was a perfect time for a 5 year old to sneak scissors, cut his hair, and hide the strains in the basement, I guess this would be it.  This is the first military move where he's now old enough to somewhat understand what's going on, and I'm overwhelmed with guilt.  He too looks a little guilty, huh?  The buzz cut is looking like our only option...

Gabriel's new teacher puts on a parade to celebrate the Chinese New Year and adds and new class made costume to her collection each year.  2014 is the year of the Horse.  However, I seem to have missed it since I was distracted by this adorable tiger!

 In January, Gabriel began school at Bryant Montessori, where he joined a pre-K and Kindergarten mixed class.  He came to school just in time for a field trip where a parent chaperone of a girl named Nina (front of the tiger above) recognized him.  Listen to this...She had dinner at our home in Morocco while stopping through with her brother, Paul, who was an Olmsted Scholar in Lyon.  Now, is that a small world story or what!?!  They have been some of our closest friends here in Tacoma!  

Another family, The Chambers, quickly became our dear friends in Tacoma.  Will and Abraham got to play on the playground while watching their older brother and sister participate in the parade.

Jamil traveled back to Morocco to present his thesis and become the first American graduate of Mohammed V University!!!  Congratulations, Jamil!

My dad, Papa, came out to Tacoma to help us settle into our new home while Jamil was away.  We spent a lot of time at the amazing Morgan Family YMCA.  He got to see the boys in swimming and gymnastics and joined Abraham in his parent-child class.  Below, we walked along Ruston Way and threw rocks into the Puget Sound.  We even woke up to a sea of white...SNOW!

Thanks, Papa, for coming to visit and for all of your help around the house!

 We were welcomed into the 4th Airlift Squadron where Fish (above) and Anderson (below) were continuing the tradition of leading a strong and proud squadron.  Our first event was an amazing dinner cruise on the Puget Sound welcoming the squadron back from deployment.  Jamil returned to the jet and found that after 3 years away, he was now the old man on campus.  This was best confirmed in Turkey when a young guy on his first trip saw a Madonna video and said, "Oh, I get it! She's like the Lady Gaga of your generation".

I had to take a picture of this form of play...I'm not sure if it's a sign of creativity or OCD.

Below, Mimi joined us for Valentine's Day where we ate at Engine House no.9!  Above, Gabriel took Rock Star valentines to Bryant, and Abraham took outer space valentines to his new preschool at the Tacoma Children's Museum.  He was excited to take his teachers red velvet cupcakes.  I cannot say enough good things about this amazing school!  I thank God that we got a spot mid year!

Although we're absolutely loving Tacoma and our new home, we have found it true that a transition back to the States can be more difficult than a transition abroad.  I should probably create a whole new therapeutic post on the matter.  Until then, deep breaths and thankfulness for the beauty of the PNW will get us through.  Happy Winter!