Made in Reykjavik: Springtime Reflections

Springtime in Reykjavik is very beautiful. It seems to come on all of a sudden...tiny buds on trees and bushes suddenly explode into leaves of green. When out walking you suddenly notice daffodils and tulips in front yards. Sidewalks that were covered in snow and ice just a few months back are lined with lush green grass. And you suddenly look outside at the bright sky and realize that it's 10.30 at night! The light is the most impressive thing about this season. It effects your body and spirit a lot more than you might think...In the winter, it is easy to go to sleep early and often; it feels like hibernating. The opposite is true in the late spring and summer. Everyone who has visited Reykjavik in the light season has undoubtedly experienced that sense of absolute shock and disbelief that it's actually so late in the day. Last spring, I remember waking up, taking a shower, and starting the coffee pot before I realized that it was 3am...not 7 like I thought! The soft light of midnight makes waking up to breastfeed very tolerable...Since I am the type of person who likes to go to bed early no matter how bright it is outside, I am thankful for the chance to appreciate the light of arctic spring with my hungry grunting baby on the boob (see me trying to stay positive about the fact that I haven't had more than 4 hours of sleep in a row in six weeks?!)

I recently discovered a new type of screen saver on my laptop; I can select a photo album from iPhoto that will randomly flash across the screen. I chose the album of pictures from my trip to the Pacific Northwest last spring, which may or may not have been the best idea. Seeing pictures of a trip to Portland I took with my mom, grandma, aunt, and lovely cousins, pictures from Riley's graduation celebration in Olalla, our vacation in sunny Lake Chelan, and just goofing off in the backyard at home has made me feel homesick for family, friends, and greenery of Washington. For as lovely Iceland is in the summertime, I am seriously homesick for the Northwest.

I find myself thinking back on this time last year. I was just finishing up with the second semester of grad school, and getting ready to go home for a visit and embark on my thesis journey. I spent my trip in the Northwest connecting with family and friends, drinking fantastic beer, and reading about education for sustainability in the backyard in Olalla while working on my tan. I was so impressed by the height of the trees and the ease with which plants flourished in Olalla; it was obscene! I had just felt so pleased with myself because my little herb garden on the balcony had grown a few centimeters when I stepped into my parent's garden and was assaulted by a rosemary tree (that's right, not bush...tree). When I left to come back to Iceland, I remember thinking I would finish up my thesis and then it would be time for Tumi and I to move somewhere else. I made a list of pros and cons of living in each country (dork) and was going to see which place would be better to live in. After a month in the Northwest summer sun, I was resolved to leave Iceland just as soon as I could. Needless to say, my mind was changed a few months later, probably due in large part to planning for Elsa María's arrival. The conclusion of my pros and cons list (nerd) was that there are good and bad things about both places, so instead of deciding which place would be better, I chose to to focus on the good things about wherever I ended up. Hence the positive thinking about Icelandic spring and desperately trying to shove down feelings of homesickness for the Pacific Northwest.

When I reflect on life a year ago, I am struck by how very much my life has changed. Of course, having a baby changes everything about your daily life, but it is amazing how quickly it changes not only everyday activities, but your whole life plan...Last year I was ready to pack up and leave Iceland, now I'm planning on being here for at least the next few years. Last year I had the flexibility in my schedule to leave for a month and a half, now I am uncomfortable being away for more than an hour or so. On my last birthday, I was out at a summerhouse with my friends and got drunk and jumped in a lake at midnight...not likely to happen this year (although I suppose it might be possible if I decide it's really how I want to celebrate). Last year I was gearing up to start my thesis, now I'm officially an MSc and not sure at all where my life is going professionally.

With all those reflections bouncing around in my head, I look forward to this summer. We have a series of friends and family coming to visit over the next three months, and I am excited to see familiar faces from home and show off my new baby and country! This year, instead of visiting home, home is visiting us :)

Family...take your positions for the World Cup, please! Thank you!

This is the face she makes when we put her in her little bouncy chair. I call it the "Where the hell did you just put me?!" look.