Have you ever moved somewhere new, gone on vacation, and returned only to find your home feels more “home-like” than ever? Something magical happens when you go home. All of the sudden, the things that were once so unfamiliar, and perhaps even strange, become beautiful reminders that things are back to normal.

Of course, for us nothing is really back to “normal.” I’m no longer a [pregnant] student, A is now an extraordinarily vocal threenager, and we have a new addition to the family. But I am excited to create our new normal in our home that finally feels familiar.

It would be off-brand for me not to first mention how much I’ve missed our heated toilet seat and bidet. Of course, T has commandeered our bedroom so I don’t get to use our bathroom very often, but I am still happy we have it back! (If you don’t know, it is popular in Chinese architecture, especially for hotels, to separate the master bedroom and bathroom with a frosted glass wall. Since we live in a hotel, our room is no exception. That means any light and sound from the bathroom can be observed from the bedroom. In short: we can’t use the bathroom while T is sleeping.)

As a mom trying to figure out how to keep two children alive, I am especially grateful for the ability to order groceries from my phone and have them delivered – by robot – for almost nothing. Granted, groceries are much cheaper at a wet market, but I don’t currently have the energy to devote to making that walk multiple times a week. I look forward to going to markets regularly when my newborn is a bit more predictable.

I was ecstatic the first time I laid down in our king-size bed upon returning home. Another funny thing about China is that the beds are incredibly hard. Our rock-hard bed really did a number on my hips and ribs while I was hugely pregnant, so we bought a memory foam mattress topper. This is the first time I’ve been able to appreciate its comfort because I’m not in pain anymore. It’s glorious!

I’ve missed the sweet doorman who always tries to get a “hello” out of A. And the cute ladies at breakfast who are such a joy to see in the mornings! They are extra happy since A finally has the will to speak to them. Ironically, they commented on how “guai” (well-behaved) he has become. Au contraire, kind breakfast ladies. Au contraire.

There are, of course, those things that we didn’t really miss but that we have to laugh about so we don’t lose our minds:

• The smell of outhouse that occasionally fills our apartment. (Something wrong with the pipes, I guess. It comes and goes.)
• The kitchen that is built for people much shorter than us, leaving us hitting our heads on lights and cupboards.
• The blaring music accompanying the water show that turns on at precisely 8:00 every night. It wouldn’t really be a bother without kids who are supposed to be asleep at that time, but that music is loud. *Cue me singing Beijing Opera as loud as I can.* On the bright side, I’ve learned a few of China’s most famous songs just by living in this apartment. A loves them.

Readjusting to our home here has been exhausting, somewhat comical, and exciting. Yes, there are those things that we don’t really love about living here, but there are many more things that we do love. Thank you for taking such good care of us, Guangzhou.

P.S. We hired a nanny to cook for us twice a week and look what she made for our first meal…!!! I’m in heaven.