He’s In, Baby!

Woohoo to you, America!  You let a good one in.  I’m grateful and giddy for your decision (really).  And you were so gracious and accommodating about the whole process (not).  Anyhoo, JD has his Green Card and that’s all that matters for the moment.

And so, what does this bright-eyed, bushy tailed new American resident have to look forward to here in the Pacific Northwest?  Let’s find out.

1. Me

His wife.  Won’t it be lovely to actually be in the same hemisphere again?   I’m dancing around the house to Zumba music using soup cans as hand weights in sheer delight. I. Can’t. Wait.

2. My Our family

They’re great.  The American relatives are still farther away than we’d like but less -er than before.  Gonna be awesome to have them in (nearly) the same time zone.

3. New Friends

They’re great, too.  I’m collecting them like bottle tops.  Not really.  But I am sincerely impressed by the people I’ve met here.  For a town of less than 8,000, I’m proper chuffed to meet so many interesting, kind and worldly bru’s.  I dig them and hope JD will, too.

4. Mother Rocking Nature.

She’s incredible here.  Seriously, stop being so stereotypically gorgeous, Washington!  The mist rises over the pine forests.  The ocean is deliciously deep blue.  There’s even an eagle nest in our yard.  Oh, come on!

5. Being Healthy

Let me quickly put down my McDonald’s to type.  The air is clean and fresh and the hiking/ biking/ wandering trails are never ending.  Here it is cool to spend Friday evening kayaking and then to get up before 8 (AM) on Saturday to go outside.  Definitely a shock to the system, but wonderful.

6. Small Town Charm

It’s not how big the town but how we use it.  Here in my terrific, tiny town there is an impressive number of clubs, organizations, restaurants and people who are happy to be here – and want to get out and do stuff.

7. Fall

Seasons, how I love thee!  For the first time in nine years I’m buttoning up my overcoat and anticipating connecting knife to pumpkin.  JD will miss our most celebrated national holiday – Halloween – but will be here in time to enjoy our oversimplified rendition of history in the heart-warming experience of Thanksgiving.  Fall is here and betting on gaining a new fan.

8. Winter

Oh ya! [think Kool-Aid man voice].  Winter may be the black sheep of the seasonal family for many, but after living in the tropics it is just so wonderful to not be hot.  All the more wonderful to know that we will get to flirt with snow, look at Christmas lights and deck the halls with pine tree branches.

9. Language

How wonderful it is to speak English among English speakers!  It seems almost embarrassing to be able to know so much about others just by eavesdropping.  After half a decade in a continent where communication has been difficult (our fault for not learning Vietnamese better) it’s a decadent luxury to just…converse!  How easy it is to meet people!  How fun it is to use idioms with reckless abandon!  How dangerous it is to know people around me can actually understand what I’m saying!  Bring on the chit-chat.

10. Dog

Be he Bongomuffin or Agamemnon, JD and I have anticipated the arrival of a dog to our small family the way most look forward to a baby.  Huda/ Fido/ Spot is on the cusp of actually becoming a panting, shedding reality now that there is house and yard and expectation of staying here more than a year.

It was among the best moments of my life to hear JD’s card was approved.  After much work and wait, it’s like meeting a Green celebrity.  Here, I truly believe, we get the great opportunity to begin a new chapter of American adventure among a place and people I love.  And hope he will love, too!  Yebo, America!