Jet Lagging

Ah, how sweet to be home.  Except that, instead of waking at 5 am as I did in Taiwan, I sleep until 7:30 or even 8:00!  That is way sleeping in for me.  I like to be up and doing early.  I'm having trouble retraining myself.  But I am happy to be back into something of a home routine.  Memories of Taiwan rest sweetly on my mind and I cannot resist the frequent wish that, somehow, our Taiwanese family could be closer by.

In spite of a rather lengthy readjustment time, our days are filling up with activities and assignments.  My little singing group is practicing once again for a Christmas concert series.  Layne is singing with us again.  That little group of ladies just love him.  Our leader has even gone to great lengths to find a Christmas song for his base voice.

We are also dancing in Nutcracker, in Oakland, CA, again.  Layne once again says this is absolutely the last time we will do this.  But I'm happy for it as it takes us back into familiar territory for a long enough time to reconnect with people there to our hearts' content.  We will even get to spend Thanksgiving with family.  I'm excited about it.

Our first time to be in charge of our Addiction Recovery group came this past Sunday.  Layne is in charge of the guys group; mostly addicted to porn.  I am in charge of the ladies group; mostly wives of the guys in Layne's group.  I was nervous.  But it seemed to flow nicely.  I am so impressed that this little group of women are willing to meet together and develop methods of forgiving and supporting their husbands or other family members.  They are a group of doers.  That is quite something to behold and admire.  It occurs to me that the 12 step program of recovery that the Church has established (after the pattern of AA's 12 steps) is a workbook on repentance.  I find it quite helpful in breaking down steps to changing behaviors.  I've decided to use it myself.  I love the emotional openness of my ladies.  They are willing to share their feelings so openly and frankly.  It is inspiring to me as I am so emotionally closed.  Just listening to them has helped me to explore my own emotions more honestly.  I think this assignment will be a great blessing.

It is getting colder.  The trees are mostly denuded now.  But the grass is still green and we have some mums in the front yard that seem to do best when it is cold, as they are full of blossoms.  I love being caught up in the changes of nature.  There are so many here.

Our front yard; note the bright, cold-loving flowers.

Our back yard with leaf-less trees.  Thank goodness for evergreens.