Hence the title, I plan on this being the last post on this blog for awhile. Considering I haven't added a post for about a year and a half, it's become clear to me that when I have free time, it feels too much like work to update this blog. But the true culprit in my lack of updating interest is Facebook. Around the time I stopped blogging, I started spending more time on FB, and over time pretty much everyone in my address book is now in my network. And since FB allows you to easily post a whole photo album with brief captions, that's really all I need to feel like I've updated the world. And we talk to our families enough anyway where everything on here would be old news by the time it posts.
And in truth, I've noticed as an expat, the first 6 months you live someplace, you think all these new things you're experiencing are pretty cool, and others must agree with you. But the longer you are an expat in a certain location, you start to forget what it is about your life that people might find interesting because those everyday things that are different about living in Malaysia become common and a bit mundane. I no longer think, "wow, it'd be so different in the U.S." or "someone back home might find that interesting". I'm now used to everything being in the local currency or thinking of my speed in the car in kilometers per hour, etc. This is what they say about reverse culture shock, when you eventually return to your home country. That to some degree, it's difficult to reacclimate, because "home" has become such a relative term, and home, to some degree, now feels like Malaysia.
But I feel compelled to say goodbye and give a basic update, if nothing else because the last blog on here was of such a different time and a fair amount has changed. First and foremost, we're no longer "Rusie Family 4". We've added a member. Samantha Kate Rusie joined us on February 23, 2009.
The first picture is in the hospital right after her birth. Harrison had recently turned 4, Sydney was 19 months. The remaining pictures are Samantha at 6 weeks (in her solo shot, taken earlier), Harrison at 4 1/2 and Sydney at 2. These were taken in May 2009.
If you've found this online and you are my friend, and you're on Facebook, give me a holler. If you're a stranger just perusing someone's blog, and are curious about living in Malaysia, you might find it interesting or informational. If you're a stranger and perusing this blog, with no interest in Malaysia, then that's just a bit creepy. Nonetheless, hope you enjoy and maybe I'll update this thing if there's another move or kid or something. Adios...
