we are those people

When we first moved to East Asia, we stared with reverence at the people who had been here a "long time" (more than two years).  They were not, like us, just passing through on their way to their real jobs and real lives.  These were their real lives.  Their teenage daughters had all their best friends here.  Their sons were in boy scouts here.  Their kids got their braces adjusted here.  It was all so bizarre.

Then somehow, along the way, the nursery magic happened to us (sorry, I read a lot of the Velveteen Rabbit).  Almost without our knowing it, we bought a stand mixer and a real vehicle, and now Daniel is taking an exciting direction that could see us into 2020, or beyond.  I guess we settled in.  It happens.  Settling.  Even when we don't plan on it.  Like a divorcee moving back in with her parents and never leaving.  The three of them get used to drinking their coffee together in the morning and none of them wants to change the arrangement.

Of course our lives are more than just taking what comes, I realize that.  We have asked the L0RD very fervently, all along the way, if he still wants us in East Asia, and his answer has always been, "Yep."  We aren't complaining, either.  Things are going really well here and we love the fact that we get to do this with our lives!

So here we are, apartment-hunting in a new city that has lots of smog, Subway sandwiches, an IKEA, and loads of good people to be friends with.  It probably even has a scout troop, and a good orthodontist for all we know, and just like that, we are those people.