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kojodesigns

settling into island living…

August 8, 2014

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settling in, saipanAs we pass the two month mark of arriving here in Saipan, I thought I’d post a little update on how we’re acclimating to our new home. I know many of you who are interested in ‘real life’ updates follow us on instagramย (currently our Saipan-update channel),ย so some of this will already sound familiar.

settling in saipanThis move has been both fabulous and really difficult! Luckily, we seem to have rounded a corner a couple weeks ago and are living mostly on the better half of that equation.

Since it is pretty labor intensive to just make normal life happen (gathering groceries, or paying bills, or making dinner, or doing errands just take so many extra steps here!), there is a steep Saipan learning curve.

settling in, saipanHowever, within the last couple of weeks, the extra steps started feeling normal to me. Five markets or grocery stores to get food for dinner? Sure, no problem. Farmer’s market every single Saturday, and often on Tuesday night as well? Totally normal. Paying all of our bills in person? That’s just how it goes here. Seventeen trips, five forms of ID and three notarized documents to figure out our account with the energy company? Well, that still makes me kind of nuts, actually.

settling in, saipanPlus- and this is huge- I just keep realizing, over and over again how lucky we are to be here.

settling in, saipanWe get to pay off Adam’s dental school loan… and spend tons of time with each other… and live on a tropical beach… and spend so much time outside (snorkeling! hiking! beaching!)… and travel around Asia (can’t wait to finalize our fall travel plans, and then share them with y’all!)…

settling in, saipanGod has been extravagantly generous to us (and, I should note, is also extravagant in His generosity even when the end result is not living on a beach and traveling around Asia). I have just been so very thankful forย this season.

settling in saipanNot to say this place is not quirky and frustrating and just so different than Denver- it IS! In fact, I should make a good-bad-funny Saipan list for y’all sometime. But the beaches are helping us muddle through. More to come…

personal 10 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Janet says

    August 9, 2014 at 3:44 am

    Thanks for the update. Looks beautiful. Love the beach especially ๐Ÿ™‚ Happy weekend!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 9, 2014 at 5:48 am

      Janet, glad you like the update! We are loving the beach especially as well… ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
  2. Annie Warren says

    August 9, 2014 at 9:20 pm

    Kirstin! This is crazy!! I have been following this blog for a super long time, but haven’t really gotten on in a long time. So I just now saw that this is YOU!! How cool. I feel like I know a celebrity. ๐Ÿ™‚ It sounds like things are going well for you guys. I’m glad! It all starts feeling normal soon enough. I’ve found myself missing the ways of Saipan life as I get readjusted to the mainland. Miss ya!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 9, 2014 at 11:16 pm

      Annie, that’s hilarious! I hope you guys are having a fabulous time- enjoying Target and Sonic and all of the awesome things the mainland has to offer. And I am with you- FOR SURE there will be a whole list of things we will miss when we leave! Miss you guys too!
      ps- Trying to explain a ‘blog’ to Helen, Agnes and Shirley was so very funny. Wish you would’ve been there!

      Reply
  3. Leigh Anne says

    August 10, 2014 at 8:26 am

    So happy things are looking up!! I can only imagine the culture shock! It pays to look on the bright side like you’ve done in this post. We all have so much to be thankful for. But those beaches, I could really be thankful for that! Haha!

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 12, 2014 at 12:32 am

      Haha Leigh Anne- the beaches are the best. ๐Ÿ˜‰ And YES, I feel like it might help to look at the bonuses of wherever you’re living you know? Something I hope to do a better job at when we don’t have the beautiful beaches as comfort. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
  4. dayna says

    August 14, 2014 at 8:35 am

    HOLY BEACHES, BATMAN! So glad to hear you guys are finding your groove. I cannot imagine the adjustment (especially with the two littles) but it sounds like you’re more than making it work. I’m going to go turn on the ocean sound machine now…

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 16, 2014 at 4:25 am

      Dayna, haha, yes, the beaches are gorgeous right???
      And yes, AD.JUST.MENT. ๐Ÿ˜‰ But like I said, I think we’re finding our groove. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Reply
  5. lynn says

    August 15, 2014 at 12:42 pm

    You have such a great outlook. So glad I found you. Looking forward to

    all that is to come.

    Reply
    • Kirstin says

      August 16, 2014 at 4:24 am

      Thanks Lynn!

      Reply

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