did he really say that?

down by the port of Gisborne, on a saturday morning walk with dad

Homesickness has settled in a little deeper for my boy.  I am surprised that he misses home as much as he says he does.  Still not sure I really believe it.  His fits of homesickness seem to coincide with something else, like getting in trouble or complaining about homework.  When I ask him what the problem is he claims that he just misses home.  Yesterday he said he was ready to go back to Minnesota "tomorrow" and the other day he said next time we go somewhere, "it will only be for 8 days or 8 weeks".  I am trying not to feel guilty about plucking him out of the life he knew, and Brett thinks I am making too much out of it - maybe I am, maybe I'm not.    I know Liam loves living on the beach and he likes his new school and is making friends  (which I still have to write more about).  Every time I ask him what he misses the most about home he says "Rico", which is just too weird, because Rico has been gone since August.  Sometimes he says "Minnesota", or his cousins, or his kindergarten class, but he is never really specific.  When I asked him if he was getting excited to see the rest of New Zealand, he answered with a big NO and told me he didn't even want to get on another plane (which is, of course, better than riding anywhere in the car).  Where did this boy with the lack of adventure come from?  Again, I am sure I am making this seem worse than it really is, but that brings me to the part of the story that has been weighing heavily on me.  As Liam was missing home and crying the other day, he mumbled something I wasn't sure I had heard right.... "this wasn't my dream".  Did I really hear that come out of my 6 year old?  I asked him to repeat it and he said "this was your dream, not mine"  Yee-ouch!!!   Still haven't figured out how I should have or could possibly respond to that.   And, I was totally crushed that this move could have such an affect on a kindergarten kid.

That moment has passed now though and today he told me he was starting to feel like a New Zealand boy, and loves going barefoot everywhere, and wants to learn to surf and buy a surfboard.   As for Phoebe, she seems completely unaffected about the move, with the exception of a few times she has realized a certain toy or piece of clothing didn't come with us.  Overall, I still believe in my theory of this being a good time in our lives to make such a big move -  now, if I can just figure out how to make it a good time for car trips, sightseeing, and hiking.