Moose and Blueberries

I'm finally allowed to officially break the news: The Carsons will be packing up and moving back to the USA this summer! We are not headed back to the good ole Tarheel State, however. Life's journey is taking us to Michigan. Ya'll know; the really cold one up there near Canada and all of those Great Lakes.

Just before he left for China a couple of weeks ago, George came home with the news that he had been offered a new and exciting job (with the same company) in Michigan. I think we all have mixed feelings about the move. As much as I have complained about the weather and the traffic and my dry skin and whatever else annoys me on a day to day basis, we really are quite settled here and have made so many lovely friends. It will be a bittersweet move.

Emma was immediately gloomy about the prospect of moving away from her friends and her comfortable life here. For some reason the first words that came out of my mouth in response to her hesitation were, "But Emma, did you know that Michigan has moose and wild blueberries?"

These were apparently the perfect words since her next question was, "Really?? Can we go tomorrow??" I think I may have a future working for the Michigan board of tourism. Do not underestimate the appeal of moose and blueberries.

Sophia, on the other hand, is raring to go. She is always up for the next big adventure, and since we moved to the UK when she was one year old, her only rememberable (our former president told me that was a real word) experiences in America have occurred when we've been on vacation. I think she is expecting life in the States to be like one big holiday, and to be honest, knowing her, it probably WILL be one big holiday for Little Miss Sunshine. Ask Sophie about moving to America, and she will tell you, "I can't wait to go to Target and Cracker Barrel." Can you imagine how impressed she will be with shopping malls and miniature golf? This is going to be fun.

There are no further details about our move at this point. I don't know the exact date ... or even an approximate date of our departure. We haven't been house hunting or picked out our matching Ugg boots yet either, but I shall happily keep you posted on our progress as it comes. Until then, I will savour my last few months here and dream of giant appliances, easy parking and American-style breakfasts that can be ordered all day long. Yee-ha!