Anything is possible.

I’ve been such a homebody this week. For good reason. This is the week I’ve looked forward to for approx the last 18 months. The week we have finally settled in to our new home. 18 months ago I had no idea where in the world, literally, that would be. Poland definitely never crossed my mind. I didn’t want to wish time away. I was busy trying my hardest to soak up the last few months with my oldest son, before we welcomed our new baby, and then busy enjoying every new, precious moment when that new baby arrived. But at the same time, I really wanted to skip ahead to now. There was a lot of unknown, a lot of solo-parenting while my husband was away extensively for work and a lot of hard waiting. Its been a year for the books and looking ahead at it all seemed like SO MUCH that I kind of just wanted to skip it.

But you guys, we made it. I got through with a lot of intentional contentment, focusing on being present and happy in the moment and not looking/feeling/thinking too far out. Now in addition to have a baby, leave for a months-long work trip, solo parent a newborn and a toddler and survive the Polar Vortex we can add “successfully moved our lives overseas” to the list of mountains we’ve climbed this last year.  Of course, we didn’t and couldn’t have done this past year alone. We’re blessed with an amazing support “village” and had a lot of help from our family and friends, for which I am eternally and deeply grateful.

Since arriving in Szczecin, I’ve had several people in various scenarios tell me “it’s not possible.” And for whatever reason, it strikes me. It shouldn’t, because some have been really silly instances, for example the grocery store cashier telling me “it’s not possible” to sign up in person for their store’s rewards program (must be done online). And ok, yeah, it might not be possible to sign up in person, but that’s just not a phrase I’m used to hearing. Some have been more seriously frustrating, like a doctor telling me “it’s not possible” to administer the due vaccinations to my child with the medical record I have provided from the States. Don’t get me started. I’ve been brought up in a culture that is constantly reminding you that anything is possible and after the year we’ve been through, I’m not likely to believe you when you tell me “its not possible.” Because I’m trying to learn Polish right now and I need to believe that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

This year has been intense. Any one challenge would have been a lot, new baby, extended separation, moving to Europe. But all three? Oy. This week has been my finish line. The week we can breathe a sigh of relief, settle in to a slightly more predictable and, dare I say, enjoyable season of life. I dove in to this week like you dive in to the comfort and warmth of your bed at the end of a long day. We are finally home.