26 July, 2010

Transition stress

Moving countries is hard. I've said it a lot of times and I know it. Now my body is telling me it. First my ear canals became infected and now, well, a Facebook friend said I gave To Much Information earlier, so just let's say, though I'm hungry, I'm not eating at present.

Today it is 4 weeks since we moved out of our house in Goodna, Australia.
It is 2 weeks since we arrived in Japan.

We have done an awful lot in that time and things are shaping up fairly well. But we have shepherded energetic boys through one of the bigger transitions of their growing up years. We've landed in one of the most trying seasons of the year in Tokyo - 30+ degrees Celcius with very high humidity. And we've downsized - this house, though big by Japanese standards, is smaller than what we had in Australia. The boys, particularly, are hovering between relationships. They've said goodbye to all their Australian friends and yet school doesn't start for them for more than 4 weeks. They have much to look forward to, but it is still largely unknown, especially for the younger two.

Aside from all the physical unpacking, we've been ploughing our way through other tasks - setting up the internet, setting up bill-paying, restocking the larder, adjusting to a the idiosyncrasies of an old house, operating in Japanese again for the first time for a year, negotiating the medical system, re-establishing relationships etc. It is probably no wonder that my body has packed up and said, "REST YOU".

Unfortunately life goes on here whether or not I'm well. Thankfully everyone else is well, including David, but I fear for him with the extra work that ends up on his shoulders when I'm down. Lord, please hold him up!

1 comment:

Hippomanic Jen said...

It's so easy to say, "take the time to rest," but for a mum the fallout hits onto others. I hope you can get the rest you need and that the family can keep everything going. Will be praying.