Time really does fly

I have not posted on this blog in three years and now I deeply regret it.   We have had an amazing three years in Germany and we are now getting ready to move onto our next adventure in Alaska.  I even just realized I had written a post when we just moved into our house three years ago and didn't publish it!!!  Social media and everything about the internet is a constant challenge for me I have a love hate relationship with FB and am trying to decide if I should permanently delete my account. (I have temporarily deleted it in the past and it was always fantastic.)   I love  staying connected with friends, especially given our lifestyle of moving all the time, but at the same time it can be an unhealthy distraction from the things that are truly important. How do people handle the constant influence from social media!?!

Back to the main topic.  Every time we move it is a constant reminder to me about time and the fascination about how it does really fly by.  It feels like just yesterday we were making the exciting move to Germany and we were all learning how to adjust. (Really I have felt like we have been on vacation for the last three years.)   We have been able to travel to 23 countries, the kids all speak Deutsch and read at their age level, and we have made so many wonderful friends. It has been an amazing experience but has also come with challenges.  I often wonder if putting the kids into German school was the best idea and I hope that they are thankful for it later on in life but as a parent I always wonder.  Should I have focused more on music?  Will they miss out on the patriotic programs at school that are so American and all the other activities that I cherished as a kid?  Will being the minority help them later on in life or will it hurt them?  The last is my number one question. 

The concept of time is so interesting to me.  We spend so much time planning and looking forward to the future and then it passes so quickly. Moving every few years really puts things into perspective.  Last night was our last Girl Scout activity with an amazing Girl Scout community that the girls had the privilege to be apart of and I was able to be a  brownie leader.  We made so many memories this last year that I am so thankful for and now I look back and they all happened so quickly. (Once again I did not take enough pictures of the awesome Bridging event.) 

And then this morning was Nathan's last cello lesson with his first teacher.  I still remember calling multiple teachers to find him one for the short period of six months.  One teacher would not take him on because she knew that we would be leaving soon, a constant struggle living this life, and then the next was willing to teach him even though his schedule was full.  But we were flexible and I could not have asked for a better start to what hopefully will be a long and most importantly a fun cello adventure. 

So for now I will continue to try to live in the moment since I spend so much time planning for the future.  And I need to constantly remind myself to enjoy those moments that I spend so much time planning for.  Between practicing for the next lesson or recital to planning for our next family adventure and everything in between.

Rosalyn will still be a brownie so was able to welcome the new Daisies into Brownies.

Elizabeth bridged and became a Cadette!! 

(The only picture since Rosalyn snatched my phone) 

Nathan's last cello lesson with Mr. Ruetlinger.  A teacher we will cherish forever.