How long an MK?

It's been two years since we've lived overseas as Missionary Associates in Armenia.  After having lived in a foreign country for two years, our kids have now been back in the states two years.  We are settled in pretty good.  They are in their second year of school.  All four of them have great grades and have made friends.  We're involved in church.   Sometimes we are just Americans.  Nice.  But other times they are still MKs.  For better or for worse.

Our kids have had experiences that other kids here just are not exposed to.  They spent time each week at a special needs orphanage.  They put on a puppet show there in the Armenian language.  They did ministry with balloon animals, play doh, face painting, etc.  They went to dance and basketball in a different culture, with teachers who spoke only Armenian.  (Besides the word "stOp" in dance class!!)  Our neighborhood was comfortable and we knew others who spoke English but at any given time we could have someone come up and not understand what they were saying.  All of the kids spent time in Turkey, growing with other MKs.  Doing new things.  Seeing new things.  Understanding in ways that kids in the states just don't get the opportunity to do.  I'm so proud of them and glad that God had that as part of His plan for us and for them.  Who knows how He will continue to use that in the future!?

But one of the downsides of our years away was that we also missed stuff here.  Our girls missed out on awards at dance this year that were given to the kids who had spent 5 years in dance.  Well, they have danced for five years, just some of that time was not in this country...  Hannah also missed out on being an Honor Star at church.  I didn't realize it as the year went on but when two of her friends were crowned, she shared her disappointment with me.  You need to spend 3 years in the Stars program and we were only states side for one and a half of those years.  Missed it.  There I sat with my arm around her thinking that I wasn't expecting to have MK issues still.  Now her little sister is working toward her Honor Star goal and we are remembering again how she just missed it. 

Benjamin played baseball last summer, too, after not even having a bat to swing those two years.  He almost just said forget it, even though he loved baseball.  He felt way behind.  But in the end he decided to try and did well.  He'll be playing again this summer, I'm sure.  Elijah might give it a go this year, too.  He didn't get to do t-ball or anything so he hasn't been sad about what he missed out on...  he doesn't know!  Heh.

We get settled back into life here but our kids will kind of be MKs forever, I guess.  Good or bad.  God has a plan for them and their tender hearts.  They missed stuff here that they just can't go back to redo but they also did tons of stuff overseas that I wouldn't want them to miss out on either.  All their experiences will be worked out for good.  And Armenia will forever be engrained in our hearts.  I like that part...  :)