Middle age expat

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There is always so much to be grateful for! I am taking a few moment to reflect upon things as I hit the big milestone of 45 years of age today! It’s my birthday and I will cry if I want to!

Reflecting on these moments is vital; taking inventory of just how far we have come in this crazy thing called life.

My kids have brought me infinite amounts of pride and joy. Everyday they become closer to independence and for the most part it has nothing to do with me at all as their parent. They just happened to be amazing! Genetics, came out of the shoot that way, not sure… How lucky am I right? But the truth, we can try to change ourselves, activity conscious of our change and throughout a lifetime perhaps change a few degrees in any direction. I know I have tried! Children are no different. They are born with an innate character, passions and abilities and to deviate from their true selves is a hard feat. Perhaps the influence of a few great circles of friends and family in three different countries that love them play a role in them feeling secure, or maybe it has to do with the fact that we are always home for their questions and needs; don’t know exactly know where they get their confidence from, but we are all very close. It makes me feel incredible appreciative to have the luxury of flexible schedules to carve our life around them to give them that security and that soft place to fall at the end of each day that allows them to be exactly who they are. No more, and no less. The are perfectly who they are supposed to be. Unconditionally. 

These past few years becoming a teacher have been the most fulfilling thing I have ever done in regards to work. Who knew that teaching teenagers English would be my thing, let along the one thing that makes me feel like I know exactly what I am doing. Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I started off as a teacher. Though I am convinced that I would not have been this happy or positive of their raging hormones and the energy in my classes, or have the patience to deal with those with learning disabilities. I believe those exploration years searching were needed to develop who I am at my core and to completely accept all my limitations and myself just as I am. Once I understood myself better, I understood the the human condition to some extent; how we all make mistakes, how we all have dreams and passions, and extraordinary disappointments that affect who we are to become, then I could open myself up to having something to share. It puts you in a very vulnerable place being so exposed, but also it comes with the most important responsibility to encourage and mould the development of young men and women. I draw from experience, and truly care about the young people who cross my path. I still wake up everyday incredible grateful for the opportunity.  My favourite moments are when someone comes to me and says I finally understand, or tells my how much they love my class. There is nothing more rewarding in life than feeling as though you are making a difference in some small way. 

Alfonz always spoils me rotten on my birthday. We went out shopping this week for a new outfit, and I bought myself a dark blue pair of jeans, and warm Christmas sweater with silver stars from Springfield. I visited the girls at THREEE here in district 2 and Panni highlighted and chopped my hair into a long bob which I absolutely love. Next year we are going to grow out the top, go even blonder and make it more extreme! Looking forward to the plan. Anna did my lashes, she put in a single row on the top, and it is surprisingly more comfortable than the double lashes she did for House Hunters for me.What a difference in the mornings, I can just get out of bed and go! I already have definition around my eyes.  Great little tip! Lastly, I made sure the last of my weight was off by December 14th! I wanted to see if by changing our diet to the keto high protein/fat, low processed carbohydrate diet would do the trick! With a little extra exercise of just 30-60 minutes cardio everyday, plus my normal regime of weights and yoga and I lost my 5lbs. I started in September so it took exactly three month! 

This year to celebrate we decided to stay close to home and decorate our Christmas tree. I love unwrapping each decoration, as they are all tied to a vacation and memory from the last 16 years together as a family. We have the births of our children 2003 & 2005, their 1st, 2nd and 3rd Christmases, our ski trip to Leavenworth, the little German style village just south of Vancouver B.C. Canada. Each Christmas destination all have little ornament souvenirs attached to remember all the amazing things we have done. One by one we hung them with care and talked about all our adventures. It is my favourite thing about Christmas.   

We are not big on Christmas as a religious celebration at all. We are hardly religious, but we do have a love of life in general and love any opportunity to celebrate and to make our own traditions that matter to us. A new tradition I wish to start is going out on December 25th for a  Chinese food lunch. Peking duck, chowmein, almond chicken, potstickers… all yummy and I don’t have to reheat leftover turkey for three days straight! The children are protesting! This year we are having a small bird for the 24th, chinese food the next day with leftovers, and on the 26th, my cousin Bori is coming over for chicken cordon bleu and broccoli stuffed chicken breast! now that’s yummy! The leftovers can be made into casseroles and pasta meals during the following days. Voila! Food dilemmas solved! I guess 45 comes with some wisdom! 

So my birthday meal was oven roasted chicken wings and staying in. Christmas music playing, we took turns singing along and the festive mood tied into the fresh cut pine tree smell. It was perfect!

Alfonz hanging the lights! What a maroon!! 

Although Alfonz did add in a little surprise. I was about to undress into pjs when the phone rang. He said that our neighbour Anita had ordered some furniture and the trucking company at 8:00 had just dropped it off and they couldn’t get the stupid thing up their stairs. So we quickly ran over to help. As I getting dressed, I did suspect something, so I put back on my nice new clothes and not my sweatpants, and when I got inside I found our neighbours, Dori, Levente, Balaint, Linda, Eva and their children holding lit candles and  singing Happy Birthday to me! There was champagne to follow. They are so sweet! 

Daniel 2018

After that it was movies until midnight. The rest of the weekend was trying to find some presents for these kids for Christmas. Today we are meeting up with my Bakanysarkany cousins for lunch and some gift shopping. All in all it will be a memorable birthday! 

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