I didn't spend time writing a letter for our Christmas cards this year. So let this serve as the summary for all that happened in 2014.
AVA and KARSTEN-- Both kids have had a fantastic year. 2014 allowed them to settle in that much more, and really take root in Norway. Their language skills are amazing, and both are essentially fluent in Norwegian at this point. Speaking with a Bergen dialect and acting as if they've been doing this their whole lives. One of the greatest compliments re) language proficiency came last Spring when Karsten had a "meet your teacher day at school" prior to starting first grade. He spent the day at the school he would be attending in the Fall and spoke Norwegian to his new teacher that entire time. I met with her the following week to let her know our background, that we had been in Norway for only 8 months at that point, and what support I felt Karsten may need as he transitioned to school. Her response was, " I had NO idea he wasn't a native Norwegian student!"
The safety and freedom of life in Norway continues to be a plus and I am slowly learning to let go more and more and realize that kids here are free to roam, bike, and find their way home in the dark(which is a good chunk of the day come wintertime)with a reflective vest on. We would have never let them have the same level of independence in Atlanta and for that I am extremely grateful.
Karsten is thriving in First Grade, loves his teacher, has good friends and excels in school in all areas. He is becoming an avid reader in both Norsk and English. He plays fotball (soccer) and goes to Taekwondo one night a week. He loves to draw, is extremely creative and has real ear for music and all things rhythmic. He continues to be our sweet, sweet soul. We always say he has a heart of gold and that has not changed. Our greatest hope is that he will always be a thoughtful and considerate person who goes out of his way to make others feel good.
Ava is in Third Grade this year and sometimes acts like she is a teenager. She is growing up fast, and continues to be a very loving, funny, confident and sassy girl. She also is doing extremely well in school. We have been amazed just how good her Norwegian has gotten, she OFTEN provides translation for Mamma and does not skip a beat switching quickly between the two languages. Ava is a social butterfly and has been blessed to be surrounded by good friends who seem to LOVE being around her. We often have kids at our front door looking to play, or she is away at play dates and sleep overs with regularity, Ava also started fotball this Fall and is in the same Taekwando class as Karsten on Thursday nights. In addition, she has taken up the coronet (similar to a trumpet) and is involved in theater with her after school program. Her teachers are always telling us, "she is JUST SO dramatic!" No kidding.
TRAVEL-- We were fortunate to go on a handful of trips this past year. Visiting Hardanger Fjord in the Spring, Mamma had a girl's weekend in Sopot, Poland in April, as a family we traveled to Southern Norway, Denmark and Sweden this summer. Mamma made a solo trip to Atlanta and Colorado in August to visit friends and attend a family weding. We spent Fall break in Oslo and enjoyed a few stops in mountain towns in Norway on the way there. And now we all back in Colorado for Christmas this year. We are hopeful that 2015 will provide opportunity to see other places in close proximity to Norway--accessible travel around Scandinavia and Europe is one of the bonuses of living where we do. I for one would love to see a trip to Italy in the coming year, guess we will just have to see where the wind takes us....
JOBS-- I have looked for full time employment in Norway for a year and a half. After several applications and interviews with two different companies, materializing in no job offers, I have resigned myself to doing my own thing (at least in the immediate or until my Norwegian is up to a professional level). I will continue to do contract projects with companies in the US, I have connected with a company in Oslo that has a digital math offering that they are wanting to convert to English and target the UK and US markets, so I will do some freelance work for them. And then I may try my hand at cake baking/catering and just do some fun things on the side, that I enjoy and am good at.
John will start a semi-new job the end of January. He has been working for PWC (Price Waterhouse Coopers) the past two years in February and has been on a project with the Healthcare Directorate for many months now. They have been SO pleased with his work and his ingenuity that they offered him a three year contract to come on board with them full time, as opposed to them going through PWC to use him as a consultant. This will result in better pay, less travel, and a happier John. The Healthcare Directorate does a much better job of recognizing his value and making him feel appreciated and not like "billable hours" are all that matter. I am so proud of the accolades he has received in this role, meeting with the top healthcare people for the whole country and making major impact on some of the initiatives that they now have in place.
OTHER--- than that, life is good! Norway is feeling more and more like home. I am making connections with other parents and have some good friends that I am grateful for. I have signed up for Norwegian language classes that begin in February. It is time that I just do it and increase my proficiency so that I don't feel so silly trying to communicate with my limited vocabulary. Although I can get by and people are very encouraging of how I try, I want to be fluent and feel like I can carry on an intelligent conversation with the best of them.
John and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary this past July. Crazy to think about how quickly the time seems to have passed and in the same breathe feels like SO very much has happened in only ten years!
We are looking forward to the coming year and pray that all of those in our lives continue to be blessed with good health, happiness and a lot of JOY!
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