remembering back

this was william four years ago, playing around with the computer.  he loved taking pictures of himself.  the boys and i were at my mom's house for thanksgiving and greg was in denmark interviewing for a job.  so this was william when he was still 100% midwestern and not any parts danish which, i would say, has changed since then.  i can still remember how i felt during that thanksgiving trip, with the possibility of this big move in front of us, how i felt when i learned he got the job and we decided (via skype and in the span of a minute's conversation) to say yes.  'denmark' was only an amorphous, exciting opportunity.  we would be laying down a new and unexpected chapter in our lives and in our children's lives.  that was all i knew that thanksgiving...

it's been both easy and hard, depending on the day.  there's been an entirely unexpected and unwelcome chapter thrown into the middle of it all that has perhaps changed our lives even more. but from both experiences we have learned so much and grown, inevitably, and not just in that a three year old's round little face has thinned out as he's turned into a boy of nearly eight.

i am thankful we were willing to make the trip.