Where has all the time gone…? It just doesn’t seem fair that we are just now finding our groove here in Ireland. We have learned to navigate without TomTom (our GPS) and drive safely down the left side of the road. We have finally found good food, good weather and met some very good friends. We are getting used to the slow pace, slim pickins’ and life of leisure. We can finally understand most of the different accents we hear and have picked up some fun Irish phrases. We have learned to really appreciate and take advantage of sunny days. We have uncovered some magical places here. As Spring approaches, we are about to see the Emerald Isle shine its brightest. We have strengthened bonds within our family that only being together 24/7 can do and embarrassingly not have much of a life outside of each other. We can now hand over our change confidently without examining each piece and our US currency is starting to look like fake money. We have stopped trying to keep up on the latest music, news and sports and have embraced the music
that doesn’t make it across the Atlantic, follow the football (soccer), GAA and cricket. (OK, not really cricket because we still don’t understand it, and I do still watch American Idol twice on Saturdays although it is old news by then) We have found a thousand more places that we would love to visit and know that when we return it will be with jet lag and a rigid itinerary. We can really appreciate a good rain jacket, good duvet, warm slippers and hot cocoa. I don’t mind cookie cutter houses so much anymore as long as you have your own colorful door. I am just now finding the great destinations of mass transit and the power of walking to the neighborhood grocery store. I am finding out we are more the same than we are different. I am finding all these things as I find myself on the homestretch. We have packed our schedule to take advantage of every moment as we sense the close of this chapter nearing. But even with all the new experiences, feelings and people it doesn’t replace the anticipation of returning to the greatest country in the world, seeing old friends, spending time with family and just, coming home.
Where has all the time gone…? It just doesn’t seem fair that we are just now finding our groove here in Ireland. We have learned to navigate without TomTom (our GPS) and drive safely down the left side of the road. We have finally found good food, good weather and met some very good friends. We are getting used to the slow pace, slim pickins’ and life of leisure. We can finally understand most of the different accents we hear and have picked up some fun Irish phrases. We have learned to really appreciate and take advantage of sunny days. We have uncovered some magical places here. As Spring approaches, we are about to see the Emerald Isle shine its brightest. We have strengthened bonds within our family that only being together 24/7 can do and embarrassingly not have much of a life outside of each other. We can now hand over our change confidently without examining each piece and our US currency is starting to look like fake money. We have stopped trying to keep up on the latest music, news and sports and have embraced the music 
that doesn’t make it across the Atlantic, follow the football (soccer), GAA and cricket. (OK, not really cricket because we still don’t understand it, and I do still watch American Idol twice on Saturdays although it is old news by then) We have found a thousand more places that we would love to visit and know that when we return it will be with jet lag and a rigid itinerary. We can really appreciate a good rain jacket, good duvet, warm slippers and hot cocoa. I don’t mind cookie cutter houses so much anymore as long as you have your own colorful door. I am just now finding the great destinations of mass transit and the power of walking to the neighborhood grocery store. I am finding out we are more the same than we are different. I am finding all these things as I find myself on the homestretch. We have packed our schedule to take advantage of every moment as we sense the close of this chapter nearing. But even with all the new experiences, feelings and people it doesn’t replace the anticipation of returning to the greatest country in the world, seeing old friends, spending time with family and just, coming home.
