Above slide show is an assortment of pics from places I’ve visited in April. It’s by no means all of the places I’ve been to during spring break. But, it has some goodies. I’m on spring break, and this year’s trip doesn’t begin until tomorrow. We’re headed to Spain where it is, hopefully, warmer and sunnier. Just this past Friday we had snow — our first snowfall this winter, but not our first cold or gray day.

My overseas life has blessed me with so many adventures and discoveries. A facebook memory from my spring break trip to Sri Lanka (sadly none of those pics are in the slide show, apparently my blog library deletes images after a certain amount of time — bummer) prompted me to check out all of my April posts. Had someone told me in 2013 that 2014 would be the beginning of so much new, I would’ve laughed. Don’t get me wrong, my life then was amazing too. I’ve always been blessed with the most wonderful people in my life who’d find adventure with me anywhere in the world, lol including our own backyards. And, I so miss that time as well. Alas, there is a gypsy in me who is always hungry to find more magic. Despite the fact that I have loved every place I called home.

I’ve been trying to work my way back to the states, so that I could be closer to my children and grandson, but another opportunity came up, and to be honest, the gypsy isn’t finished feeding yet. This might be her last hurrah though — then again who knows?

Anyway, once again I’m at that limbo phase in the overseas life. Our new jobs never happen over night. They always include a lot of paperwork and steps to go through before one can begin the new. This is my third time going through this, and it never gets easier. I am fully aware of how lucky I am to be where I am now, and I am inhaling every moment of it. I am melancholic because once again I realize that home will soon be a memory, and the job that I love will also become a memory. That said one of my personal mantras is to always move on before a job becomes just a job, and while that is not the case today; it will be tomorrow if I don’t move toward something else. So, I am. And oh my goodness I’m excited about it. Nervous? yep. Apprehensive because what if it’s not what I thought? yep. Torn? Most definitely. A risk worth taking? Absolutely (although is it really a risk?). So was the UAE eight years ago (although that job was certainly my most challenging). I’m having all the same feels as I did way back then, except the fear of the unknown. That’s something expats adapt to thrive on. We don’t fear the unknown, we embrace it (sometimes with a grimace). So that’s cool and all, but yeah I’m back to the bipolar part of being incredibly excited and incredibly sad at the same time. Perhaps those of us who live this kind of life are also just a little bit broken, but it’s who I am, so I’m cool with it.

Once again, I can’t share the details until all that paperwork is wrapped up, but I can say holy hell this time next year I have no idea what my home will look, feel, smell like — but I do know it’ll have its own adventures. And, my kids are looking forward to a new place to visit. My daughter helped me come to grips with this when she said it’s only a few years, and that when I retire, I’ll be 100 percent full-time Oma and mom. And, she’s right. LOL my retirement dream includes a compound of the coolest folk filled with wine, cheese, an amazing firepit and hot tub with a view, and lots and lots of story telling and laughs.

Until then I take in the new. Happy Spring Break everyone. This time tomorrow I see sangria and sunshine!