Reverse Culture Shock is not fun :(

Before we left Hungary, everyone kept telling us be prepared for reverse culture shock! How can you prepare for something like that? Besides, I was reading to go home. I missed my family very much, I wanted them to be with Brooklynn, I was ready for a break. Yet here I am almost a year later sometimes in tears whenever I see a picture of Budapest. I find myself often wishing I could hop a plane and go back and then I think have I gone crazy? I used to be in Budapest wishing I could hop on a plane and go home and now I'm home and I want to go back? Have I actually finally lost my mind?

It is a strange feeling to return back and find everything and everyone so different. For some reason you come back thinking everything will be just as you had left it 3 years ago. But instead America has changed, our friends have changed, life moved on without us making us feel behind and lost. The church plant we had started 2 years before we left had closed its doors. The Bible study group we had been so close to was no longer together. Friends had since had babies, moved, or were changed by life's circumstances. We missed many weddings, funerals, and important events. Ryan finding work has proved to be harder than planned and trying to start over with a new baby has been difficult. And did I really forget how hot it is here?!

The lifestyle is so different, but its what I grew up with, so why is it so hard? I miss walking. I miss being able to walk everywhere or take the subway. I hate being back in the car all the time. Or that its so hot, I can't walk very far, and even if I could, there's no where to walk to. There's no beautiful, shady parks close by for Brooklynn to play in, no lovely bakeries or cafes to walk to and sit and enjoy talking with friends and looking at the beautiful scenery. I miss walking with friends across the Danube and enjoying festivals together. So I sit here in my little air conditioned apartment not sure how to get out of this sad feeling funk we're in.

So we have lately been trying hard to stay close to God. We think we have found a new church family and we are very grateful for how they have been so welcoming and friendly and taken us in. The church has several ministries involving reaching internationals and we are quite drawn to that as well as the closeness of meeting in group homes. We have also tried to make some changes in our walk with God like dropping everything once Brooklynn is in bed and having some time alone with God or together to talk and pray together. We decided to make Sunday what it should be, a day of rest. Which means no working on projects, no computer, no facebook, no tv, no nothing. Just come home from church and rest and be together as a family. Its not always been easy, but we can tell its making a huge difference and that God is really working some changes in us.

Change is never easy and though there is still much uncertainty about the future we are relearning to trust God on daily basis and seek him first and all the uncertainties of life will work itself out. So for those of you who have kept up with our journey, please continue to pray for us as we are still making so many adjustments. We are very thankful for all of you who have been so faithful in praying for us all these years!

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." Matthew 6:33