First Impressions of America

We are in America! We flew into Dallas on the 4th of July. I must admit I got a little teary-eyed when the pilot welcomed us to America. The land of the free and the home of the brave. Let's hope we're brave enough to make the most of our new lives as Americans.

I think I blogged more in India because I missed my family and wanted to connect with them. Now that I'm staying with all of them in turn while we wait for a place to live, I guess I don't need it so much anymore. Here's a blog I started last week for your reading pleasure. Will blog more when I've got my pictures in one place again and our own place . . .

ON DRIVING AROUND

Russell: "Mom, drive faster! You can drive as fast as you want in America!"

Isaac: "Mom, look at the clouds! Mom, see that big one over there? Can you drive under it? I wish I could drive. I would drive under the big clouds if I could drive." [I guess I hadn't thought about it before, but in Delhi the sky was so hazy that it was rarely clear enough to see blue sky or clouds--my kids didn't really know what clouds looked like!]

Graham: "Look, a COW!!" [This came after about five days of driving around and we finally saw a cow . . . he said it like he finally felt at home!]

We may not have a home yet, but we did buy a car. Everything we own in America (minus what is now living in Dad Cutler's attic and Aunt Liz's garage) now lives in our new Honda Odyssey. We really wanted the more sporty, turbo-charged Volvo xc70 wagon with built-in booster seats, but in the end it made more sense to get the minivan that everyone and their dog seems to think is the greatest. It is pretty great, I must say. And nice to have at least one thing decided for the moment. Nice to drive too. Though I've had too many sleepy driving moments lately that remind me that I really do miss having a driver.

ON FOOD & THE GROCERY STORE

After checking into our ExtendedStay America hotel in Austin (with cigarette burns in the bedspread and a sticky kitchenette floor--but a nice hot shower and a fridge and microwave!) Wednesday night we went to the local grocery store HEB to scare up some non-fast-food dinner. The kids' first trip to the grocery store.

Russell: "Whoa, in America the grocery stores are HUGE!!"

Isaac: "Look Mom, they have frozen peas! Can we get frozen peas. Pleeeeease?"
[We had dinner at Mark & Cherie's house Tuesday and had frozen peas and the kids looked at them like they'd never seen them. I told Isaac I used to feed him frozen peas as a baby and he thought they were candy. Even after trying them frozen, he still thinks they are a treat! Woo-hoo!!]

Russell: "Look Mom, they have broccoli! Can we get broccoli?"
[I'm beaming now.]

All Three Boys: [in front of the Ben & Jerry's shelf trying to pick our ice cream flavor] "No I want my OWN ice cream!" [I'm not beaming anymore . . .]

So we came home with Mac & Cheese, frozen peas, a frozen Indian food TV dinner, frozen pizzas, broccoli, strawberries, baby carrots, corn-on-the-cob, string cheese and a little Ben-and-Jerry's for each of them. Happiness. Graham was especially happy to get spicy Indian food again. I've really got to settle down and start trying to make it for him before he loses the taste for it.

It's not that you can't get any of this stuff in India. It's just that having it all in one place without having to bargain or fight off beggars or die of heat is a pretty neat treat. Beautiful, in fact. Who knew that I'd ever think HEB was beautiful!