We're back :)

I guess that I should write that "we're home", but right now I'm wondering WHERE home is. Madison doesn't really feel like it, but it's nice to be back. We don't live in Belfast anymore, so where is home? It's not that things her ehave changed, but that we have. We are different people in so many ways from the ones who left in early August. I'm missing Jaffa cakes and digestives. I've unpacked the tea pot, got a kettle, and have my fav tea mugs handy. We had a good flight, minus a few drunk people from Italy in the row behind us! E was a star, he is such a good traveler. I'm missing school in the UK, tea breaks and hour long lunches. Most of all I'm missing the wonderful people. Oh, and the sea! I can't believe that the usix girls are heading to FRANCE tomorrow. Have some yummy stuff to eat for me! E is very sad and has cried the last two nights for his friends.
xoxo,
Michele

Thank you!

To all those amazing people who have helped, made us feel welcome, or just been there. Words alone will never express how lucky we feel to know you. Thank you. (and sorry if we forget anyone)
Muriel: The aging gazelle. For being there, listening, cheering.
Joan: The travel buddy. We'll always have the drive to Dublin and our trips to Ayre and Exploris.
Margaret: Thanks for getting us past the hard first few days.
Heather: For knowing how to fix just about anything.
Jennifer: She who glides :). For E's Santa at Christmas, knitting, making me laugh and think, and Wed. lunches, coke with ice and toasties.
Pat: For keeping me on my toes and on track. Ed visits were amazing. It's great to see a woman in power who loves what she does :).
Viv, Susan and the Mod Squad, for being the most AMAZING dept. a girl could every hope for! I'll miss you loads!
Fiona: AM and PM trips to and from school, Santa train, tea (and TEA!), the kids, future in-laws and too much to even thank about!
Paul and Louise: MANY, many, many cups of tea. smiles and laughter, TEA, TEA, TEA! Shopping trips to MandS and TESCO :0, Mr. Tesco. Chocolate and biscuits and biscuits and chocolate. Fuses, lights and Paul standing on a chair.
Girls: You are the most amazing bunch of people I've ever known. Thank you for letting me spend this year with you. You've taught me tons!
xoxo,
Michele

Saying Goodbye to Belfast.

Here we are. It's Friday afternoon. I'm packed. The house is clean. We're ready to go. The last few days have been really hard. I don't like to say good-bye. I hope we'll be back soon to visit. I had a wonderful teacher-parent-principal meeting at E's school yesterday. My wonderful neighbours came over for a cuppa yesterday night so that the boys could play. I'll write soon about my last day at school, but for now it's just a bit too new. I made another trip into town today and picked up levels 3,4,5 of Ethan's reading books. I want him to be on par with his P1 classmates at the end of the year. Thanks for everything. Thanks for teaching me, letting me explore. Thanks for letting me play with two languages, not one. That, I think, is the amazing thing about being a linguist (I about freaked otu the first time Muriel called me that. sounds much better than language teacher) is our love of words, language, and playing with the two. Thanks for the memories. BTW, early in the year I read about using your ipod to create a soundtrack of your life. loved the idea. must say that I've got almost all leaving/sad songs on there now.
xoxo,
ML

Two days.

We leave in two days time.
I am sad.
This place, once strange and different has become "home" for us.
A sea of faces, into friends, unique and special.
"The girls" into "my girls".
From unknown to known
Bumpy places. Tears
Smiles.
Thanksgiving, in more ways than one.
17 people sitting all of the house celebrating an American holiday in the UK.
A four year old who started school, doesn't remember what the US is like because THIS place is home.
Friends.
Trips. Paris weekend. Ayr, Scotland. Mt. Stewart. Causeway. By train, boat, bus and car.
Friends in North Belfast. Friends "across" the sea in Bangor.
School. Amazing. Professional. Care. Smiles.
The house. The neighbours. Crisps. Chocolate Digestives. Jaffa cakes. The Chippy! Fiona and crew. Early morning and late night drives. Rushing to the trainstation for the 7:37 train.
The Mod Squad. Wed. lunches. coke with ice :).
The aging gazelle. The one who glides.
Jacket potatoes with taco chicken.
Indian. Chicken tikka.
TEA! at least a zillion cups a day.
The cranes.
City center; corn market, Marksies and the BBC shop.
Quality TV-thank you BBC!
Waterstones.
The Vicar of Dibley.
knitting.
Where has the time gone. When did Belfast become my second home and the North my adoped country? When did I start to care more about staying then going? When did I get so close to so many?
The packing is all but finished. The house is just about clean.
It's about time to go.