My Firsts

After I posted about Owen's firsts I realized I never got to all of my firsts (not that they are as interesting as Owen's.)  Being here is the first time that I have truly traveled out of the country.  It is definitely the first time that I have lived outside of the US.  The hardest thing is the language barrier.  You do start to get used to it after awhile.  You just need to learn one key phrase.  Я не понимаю русский язык  (I don't understand Russian.)  After saying this I will have one of the two responses.  Either I continue to get a lot more Russian spoken to me or they get all mad and wave their hand at me and exhale loudly.  You learn to except either response.  I do have to say that there are many things I took for granted living in the US and after living abroad I will proudly say and say loudly that I am proud to be an American.

This is also the first time that I have not worked.  I have worked as long as I can remember.  I remember going to mom's store and working and helping dad out at his office during the summers.  I thought it would be an easy transition but boy was I wrong.  I truly admire the stay at home mom.  I am still not sure how they do it all.  I am glad to not be working and not having to stress about the money being raised or doing a good job.  I know that Owen loves me no matter what and that the two of us will learn everything together.  I guess this is a good way for us both to learn patience.

It is the first time for me not to have a car since I was 16.  And I LOVE it!  I love not being car sick when David is driving.  I love not having to deal with his road rage.  I love not having to drive and worry about getting in wreck.  I love not having to fill my car up with $4 gas all the time.  It is absolutely great.  And my waistline loves me not having a car as well.  I love pushing Owen in his stroller and going for walks.  There are tough spots to get around with the stroller here but after a week or two you figure it out and make do.

I would say these are my major firsts.  There are many small things that I have done for the first time but I can't seem to think of them in enough importance to write about them.  I do enjoy being here.  It is a great experience so far.