Laurel Elisabeth Stevens

I just realized that I was already logged in to Blogger, and the words were all in English.  It didn't say "Jetzt anmelden" anymore. Someone I had just met last week asked me, "Aren't you just thrilled to be back?"  How to explain in a sentence the mixture of emotions and memories and thoughts within? This container traveled over the ocean: Hannover, Bremerhaven, Port of Houston, The Woodlands We're moved in to our new home.  There's a long story there, but I don't want to rehash it anymore, except to say that in the last couple of months we've had too many moments of realizing that lots and lots of things have gone wrong for us.  We took turns telling each other that it is simply part of the process.  It's a big transition.  But often we really felt besieged.  And frustrated and irritated and wanting to blame someone.  Really most of it wasn't our fault.  But some of it was our fault.  And sometimes there wasn't anyone to...

Things I've learned on the packers' first day: It is customary to give the workers coffee while they are here. Too bad I'm all out of coffee and just got rid of my coffee maker.  I should not try to make jokes in German.  Watching everything get packaged up is easier the second time around.  I'm more relaxed today than I was last week.  There's always more I can find to throw away in my kids' rooms--when they aren't looking.  8 suitcases take up a lot of space.  If you designate a small utility room as a "do not pack" room, you will keep adding to it until it is full.  If you tell your kids they can bring more in their carry-ons because they aren't going on the train, they will fill them so full that they can't carry them. The prospect of a 13 hour travel day makes me not care how heavy the bags are.  The tape rollers make a really squeaky noise.  Seeing my friend's new garden makes me look forward to setting up again, ...

Tomorrow will be the 2 week mark of our re-entry to the U.S.   I would like to be writing more, but in the meantime, here are just a few of my re-entry quandaries: Even the laundry detergent is proud to be American.  I'm finally used to identifying myself when I answer the phone, the German way, but when I answer the phone here as "Stevens" or "This is Laurel" there is always a long pause while the caller orients himself.  Much like I was orienting myself over the last 2 years. I tend to yield to traffic coming from the right. I have at least once opened the freezer door to cool myself off. I crave recycling. When the kids tasted the tap water (Leitungswasser) in the apartment they both exclaimed, "Cool!  The water is sweet!"  Um, glad you think so, kids.  Tastes rather minerally (or worse) to me. I found it is easier to speak German than Pig Latin. I get nervous at restaurants, afraid that they'll bring the check too early and ruin t...