A few more reasons

The past week has been a healing time for me. I am enjoying reconnecting with people and being reminded of all the goodness in America. They say people who live overseas experience a "honeymoon" period when they return to their home country. And that's exactly how it's been. I go on my daily run and feel so grateful with each breath of air. I eat my breakfast of raspberries (fresh! not frozen), chia seeds, and greek yogurt and it makes me so happy. I start my car (thank you Joe for finding us a winner!) and look forward to driving on the rule-obeyed, orderly, clean roads.

Here are just a few more things, even though they're so very simple, that bring me joy:

1. "Look mom - no worms!" (Charlotte on eating American broccoli)

How strange (but wonderful) it is to NOT have to pick through my broccoli and cauliflower looking for little green worms. And just look how white the cauliflower here is!

2. Greek Yogurt

The last time I found and purchased greek yogurt in Jakarta, I think I paid the equivalent of $5 for one this size:

I found this on sale (oh sales are good too) for less than a dollar a carton. Chobani every day!

3. Lagoon!

We've been on a three year amusement park diet. Yes, we took the kids to water parks in Indonesia, but I steered clear of rides. Too risky. The safety standards in Indonesia were too low (or non-existent) for me to trust having my children ride the big roller coaster rides. So to end our diet, we spent 11 hours at Lagoon amusement park. The kids rode 8 rides in the first hour, and then I stopped counting. Charlotte LOVED the bumper cars and any other "big kid" ride she was tall enough to go on. 

We only had two "incidents" which is pretty good for my family. The first was when I decided I could handle a ride - wrong! By the fifth time around I had to yell to the attendant, "Stop! I'm going to be sick!" I required only one hour of recovery in the car (yes, I earned the lamest mom award!). And the second incident occurred when Charlotte got too scared and once again I had to ask the attendant to "Stop the ride, please!"

The rest of the day was filled with squeals, screams, laughter-to-tears moments, and tons of big roller coasters!

4. Grass

Who knew the grass in America was so soft? It tickles my toes, it cushions my bare feet, it invites me to sit down and linger in the shade, and it smells fresh and clean. Oh American grass! It is one of the best parts of summer.