Re-entry: Six Months in.

Believe it or not it has been six months since the Braykos re-entered Green Bay, Wisconsin from Hong Kong.  Honestly, time has flown.  It's strange returning to a place; you have changed and the place and people have changed. . . and yet, there are those things that haven't changed, too.  And that is what I find myself appreciating the most.

First, the sky, the clouds, the birds, the sunrises and sunsets.  These are somehow just as beautiful as they ever were but at the same time more so.  The sky seems bluer.  The clouds sometimes puffier or more perfectly "The Simpsons" in their drift.  The birds and the squirrels are a joy to feed and watch at the bird feeder.  I find myself having fun because they seem to be so happy themselves.  The sunrises and sunsets have been as glorious as any you would find in Cancun.

I have also enjoyed the change of seasons.  I haven't experienced a true autumn for more than seven years.  But even in Korea, the autumn wasn't very beautiful.  The autumn in Wisconsin can be stunning.  And it was.  I got outside every chance I could and took hundreds of photos! The color contrasts with the chill in the air. . . perfection. 

And then there are the seasonal things.  Halloween in the neighborhood here was especially enjoyable because we have two neighbors who go full-on "spooky yard"- RIP signs, corpses rising from the ground, fences with danger signs, creepy dolls positioned in ring-around-the-rosy.  You may not realize this, but Halloween is not a holiday celebrated in Korea.  So our tiny ex-pat community created something fun for the kids, but only our families and our kids participated.  Thus, having neighborhood after neighborhood with decorations and carved pumpkins out for weeks was quite the "treat".  

The same could be said for Christmas decorations now.  In Hong Kong the school decorated quite beautifully, as did the businesses in the city.  And friends would decorate their apartments too, with trees and decorations and all.  But again, seeing our own neighborhood decorated - outside lights and yard Santas and reindeer, and now a bit of snow, too, just makes me appreciate the beauty of the season in a new way.

Finally, Brent and I have been very much enjoying the Packer craze that permeates Green Bay, especially on game days.  We are taking advantage of our near proximity to the stadium by parking cars in our driveway and on our lawn.  We love the friendly "Go Pack Go!" exchanges with total strangers walking by in their warm Packer gear.  We love making chili and having a beer and watching the game from beginning to end in REAL TIME.  We love walking around the stadium itself the day before when thousands of visitors descend upon Green Bay in preparation for the big game.  We love hearing the local bands playing at bars just blocks away. We love the excitement in the air and the occasional free tickets!  I put on my green and gold coat, scarf, even slippers!  It's awesome and even better when shared with family; I happily attended the Washington v Packers game with my dad.

Each city has its own flavor.  Six months in and I am very much enjoying this place at this time.  I appreciate spending time with old friends, making new ones, and exploring Green Bay again to see what treasures arise.  Life is good and it feels like home.