Leaving

One thing about living overseas, in my experience is that the expatriates around you are always coming and going.

And that's good and that's bad.

I won't go into details right now, but this spring will include more goings.  And the realities of these departures always causes me to reflect on the pros and cons of raising our kids in a setting where their friendship community is always changing.

Here are a couple conclusions I often come to when considering this reality of our lives:

1. Remember to invest in Ugandan rituals and relationships.  Attend fellowship, take sugar to our neighbor who's father died, try to invest in Ugandan relationships in more Ugandan ways (going to events that we're invited to; less coffee dates, more events. :)

2. Nurture the nuclear family; help our nuclear family (our marriage and our kids) relate well to on another.  Mark is a constant; prioritize time and friendship with him.  The kids will always have each other; help them be friends with each other.

3. Communicate with friends and family at home; the creation of this blog was born out of some coming and going conversations. Now that the kids are old enough we're hoping to be more regular in going home in the summers; for family relationships, for our nuclear family having that time away together, for connection to our home culture, etc.

4. Consider well and pray about what priorities matter over a lifetime-- for our relationships and for our kid's worldview and for their stability/confidence in relationships/community.

If I was cool, I would know how to have a list of "topics" that I write about that you could click on and link to.... but in lieu of that, I will say that this topic of transitions and relationships is a big part of my life-- and I can't quite compare it to what an American experience is, but i know it is part of our time in Uganda.