it is 950pm mountain time and we are in silver city, new mexico. we are a long, long way from bishkek and more than two months since our last post. it seems overwhelming and intimidating to try and get caught up. so much has happened between april in central asia and july in the america southwest.
i am determined to go back and chronicle the highs/lows of the past sixty days but for now i will just give the short and skinny. this blog is really intended to be a family diary - and it is important to me that i keep up with it - so i feel bad and stressed about the big blank in our story as our life has really taken a new course. we have taken tons of photos - mostly of olive as she has made the big leap from lounging around 8 month old to won't sit still 10 month old. so as i go back and (post date) posts - i will make sure to include a montage of our growing little person.
so here is the short and skinny.
- revolution was scary shit.
- things came back to normal surprisingly quick.
- shops reopened. people in the parks and sidewalk cafes.
- but it seemed liked no one was really in charge.
- people (or maybe it was just us) were always looking over their shoulder.
- spring arrived and the weather was warm and lovely.
- lots of picnics in the mountains and walks in the parks.
- i am always in job search mode - but it took on a bit more urgency due to the uncertainty in kyrgyzstan.
- i had a couple of interviews.
- then a second and third interview. then was offered a job.
- executive director of a non-profit in baltimore, maryland.
- great opportunity. small organization (i am the only full time staff at this point).
- wonderful mission. raising awareness for cancer prevention and treatment.
- speaks to me on a personal level because of my dad.
- speaks to me on a professional level as well.
- the job will allow jen to be a stay at home mom.
- i get to work from home on most days.
- as much as we love bishkek (even with the revolution) and love being overseas - we decided to take it.
- really hard transition. we LOVE nina the nanny who cried, cried, cried when we told her.
- she held on to olive and almost refused to let go.
- hard to tell friends and say good bye to them.
- NOT hard to leave the school. this will be my last teaching job ever.
- ethnic violence started up in the south. estimated 2000 people killed in a matter of days.
- found a dog sitter for boone.
- nina is working on a visa to bring him and herself to the states in late august.
- she has never been outside of bishkek - so we are really excited for her to come and visit.
- sold our car and gave away most of our stuff.
- long flight home. 30 hours of travel. olive was a superstar.
- 10 days in houston with my mom.
- driving out to california as of this post.
- jen will spend three weeks in california visiting friends and family.
- i will be there five days and then i flight to seattle to visit randy.
- we are going to bike tour the san juans.
- then i flight to salt lake city where i join the 4k as they bike the last leg from baltimore to san francisco.
- i will be biking for almost three weeks.
- jen will meet me in san fran.
- back to socal for a week.
- drive to houston.
- get our stuff and move to baltimore (we have no idea where we will live).
- sigh.
maybe i won't get caught up with the blog until september. but i am going to try to get current starting today. or tomorrow. or september.
