Top ten things that I hope to take from Finland

Today is the 2 year anniversary that my family has lived in Finland. It seems like its been a short/long experience depending on the day. We plan on moving back next summer and I am already missing things here. It is always hard leaving a place that starts to feel like home. I have created a top ten list of things I have learned while in Finland

And hope to take with me to our next adventure. 

1. Learned to bake from scratch. 

They do not have the convenient ready to make boxes here like they do in the states, but I am happy to say I like the real homemade items better. Doesn't mean I won't use the ready to make from time to time. :)

2. I don't have to take my car everywhere I go. 

I have learned to live without a car for 2 years now and have seen and experienced parts of Finland that I never would have if I had a car. I hope to remember to take that adventure with me where ever I live next. 

3. Hershey's chocolate will never be the same. I have seen the light and have experienced Fazer chocolate. I will have to get regular shipments when we move back.

4. Patience.  Take a number. Wait in line for very long periods of time. Get cut off in line. Doctor office waits(hours). Wait for next bus because there is no room for the stroller. Even with all these frustrations and many more I rarely see a Finn get frustrated. I hope that I can take back with me this form of patience. Just to let day to day things roll of my back and not let it bother me. 

5. Endurance. 

The winters here are very very cold and dark. They are beautiful when the snow comes,but long. I am truly amazed at how the people here keep going every year . Weather is not an issue here, no snow days, no hibernating. Life continues not only in just getting through the winter but they rise to the occasion and experience winter. Ice skating, ice fishing, wind surfing on the ice, cross country skiing, sledding, ice swimming ( on my bucket list), the list goes on and on. 

6. Independent. 

I do feel that giving and receiving service to one another is vital in life, but I am a strong advocate for one to be self sufficient as much as possible because I feel it helps a person to feel accomplished and happy. I have seen so many elderly people pushing their heavy duty off roading walkers around. One man I saw had two by fours strapped to his walker and he was on his way to go build something. The Finns have an amazing strength to them and they just keep doing. It's something I admire. 

7. Silence

I had a difficult time with this when I first moved here( ok still do), but have learned that you don't always have to make small talk. Sometimes it's nice to be sitting in the bus after a long day and you don't feel that you need to strike up a conversation with the person next to you. When you do have something to say it has more meaning. ( not saying I don't continue to ramble). Silence is sometimes nice to have so that you can sit and ponder or meditate. Silence can even sometimes be nice to share with someone else. :)

8. Honesty

If you lose something. 99 percent of the time you will get it back here in Finland. The people here are so honest in that aspect. Even things that you are trying to lose keep turning up. I don't think I have a problem in this area, but its another thing that I find amazing about Finland.

9. Kids can be kids. 

It is so refreshing to be able to have my kids go run and play without as much worry here. They have so many wonderful things for kids here for recreation. The Finnish kids are always outside. Weather to them is nothing. I remember it being like that growing up for me. I hope to continue to get my kids to be outside. Enjoy the things around them. 

10. I buy only the things I need. Food, clothing, etc are very expensive here. So I don't spend a lot of money on things I don't need. I hope to remember that just because its on sale doesn't mean I should buy it.  (this one I fear may be the most difficult to take with me, but fingers crossed.)

I feel like I am writing a goodbye already to Finland, but it's more of reflecting on why I love Finland so that I can take the time to really enjoy the time left we have here. My kids have changed so much in the last couple of years here and I really hope that they have learned a lot as well.

                           First Christmas here 2011 Ezra still has his binky

The photo below was just taken a couple months ago. I can't believe how old they all look now. 

No more candy for you

Yesterday was one of those life altering days. The kind of day where you are going about your daily routine and then your world is turned upside down. The kind of day that changes the days in front of it.

My oldest daughter Alex was diagnosed with diabetes yesterday.

Before she was diagnosed I had the mommy sense that something was wrong. She was not acting utterly sick, but was not herself for the last couple weeks.

Looking up her symptoms it pointed directly to the disease, so being the overly protective mom I brought her into the hospital to have the doctors reassure me that everything is ok and that she is just fine and to go home. Instead my concerns were confirmed and she was indeed tested positive for type 1 diabetes.

So many things have gone through my mind. How do I take care of my daughter? How do I give shots, what kind of food do I make for her, how is she feeling, could I have done something different so that she didn't get this disease.

Even though its been a day it seems longer.

Among the midst of all the emotions and the overwhelming knowledge that is being poured into my brain I have felt a strength that I know is not from me.

When my daughter is crying, when she grips my hand while getting pricked or poked from the needles, when she makes a decision whether or not something is worth it to eat because she will have to get a shot for doing so. I am able to make her laugh, I am able to give her shots( even though I hate needles), I am able to comfort her without crying. I know this is because Heavenly Father is there lifting me up to be there for my daughter.

I know that the loving hands that are so willing to help are a blessing from above.

I know that the treatment that she is being given is a miracle.

I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that even though times are difficult sometimes he is there lifting me up when I don't have the strength.

Jäätelö

 Jäätelö (yaa-ti-lu) My attempt to sound out ice cream for English speakers

I wanted to make a blog post about ice cream in Finland . I absolutely love ice cream and am glad that the Finnish do as well.

They have a lot of yummy berry ones to choose from and have put some flavors together that I never would have thought to put together.

Lemon and licorice

pear

salmiakki (salty black licorice)

This summer while out with my kids I was people watching. The Finnish are normally very reserved with their facial expressions, but I noticed when they are eating ice cream their demeanor changes. I wanted to capture this and took my camera around to take pictures of random people enjoying their ice cream.  

I know I am not an amazing photographer and I realize now I should have taken the photo first and then asked to post it, but it was fun.

 Before I took this families photo, the sweet mom in the background of these two pictures was pushing the stroller with her elbow, holding an ice cream in one hand and a child's hand in the other.

I had to purchase the for the first time the ice cream sold at the little kiosk. Very expensive and knowing I can go around the corner and buy a box for about the same price we have never tried it, but taking all the pictures of people eating ice cream couldn't resist. 

I have yet to see a Finnish child with as messy a face as Ezra when he eats ice cream.

It was such a hot day it was melting before I handed it to him. He didn't really have a chance.

Serenity is getting better at it.

Act natural. :)

His girlfriend did not want to be in the picture

I don't think I could act natural either if someone was telling me to act natural. lol

This boy's clothes are bringing back into the 80's. Is the neon coming back into the states as well. Man I am getting old.

I was impressed by these two. Ice cream almost the same size of their heads and most of it made it into their mouths.

It was very sweet of everyone to let me take their picture. They all seemed happy to do it.

Just like the sauna, ice cream is enjoyed all year round, whether it is negative 25 or a blistering 80 degrees. 

God has angels everywhere

Wednesday night I began to feel ill. I thought oh no I am getting the flu or food poisoning! I really wasn't worried about me. I was just worried about the rest of my family catching it and the amount of vomit I was going to have to clean up over the next couple of days. blah.

Well as the night went on I was feeling really sick. I mean really really sick. My stomach would not let up and I knew something else was wrong. I was waiting for Steve to get home and by the time he could I was balled up in the fetal position in my room while I had the kids watching a movie in the other room. 

He called an ambulance and 20 minutes later I was being taken to the hospital. I was in so much pain. When I arrived at the hospital they gave me pain medication that helped so much, but I still had an ache in my side. I kept thinking I hope this is not contagious, I hope this is not contagious. I would hate if my kids had to go through this.

Finally the doctors mentioned something about my appendix, but they were still not sure because my high fever and the pain seemed a little too far spread. 

So they kept me that night to run some tests and kept giving me pain medicine (so nice).

The next morning they told me they were going to operate because they felt it could be my appendix and if not it would still give them a good idea to what it is. 

I was sharing a room with three other women, they all only spoke Finnish.

Thursday morning before my surgery, I don't know if it was the pain medications, the high fever or the fact that I was going in for surgery, but I just broke down into tears on the phone to Steve. I could not stop sobbing. Wishing he was there, but happy that he was home with the kids, because they were all a little nervous to why mom was being whisked away in the ambulance. 

After the phone call they rolled me away on the bed, the nurses all introducing themselves to me, all looking about 20 years old. Scared me a little to see how old the doctor would be. As I laid on the table I ask, just to make sure "is it going to hurt?", of course the reply no. I just had to ask though. 

Then the anesthesiologist said he is going to count back from 30. As he does I think oh no I am not getting sleepy...zzzzzzz.

I woke up after the surgery feeling great!! My stomach had stopped hurting. It's funny. I looked up a picture of an appendix and to see how one little thing can cause so much pain is beyond me.

When I returned to my room, the sweet little lady in the bed directly diagonal from me had bought me a rose. She was so sweet she kept showing me her battle wounds from her surgery and I showed her mine. We had our conversations with each other with how much Finnish I know. She had the warmest smile. I was so grateful for her, she was my angel that Heavenly Father had sent to me, so that I could get through this time. 

I am home now and am so grateful to know that god has angels everywhere.

A year in Finland!!

Today marks one year that we have been living in Finland. Wow Time flies. I have been looking at past photos because I wanted to do a brief summary of the Binches first year here and can't believe how much my kids have grown.

My first impression of Finland was a rough one. We had been flying for 15 hours and neither Ezra or Serenity had slept(The last two hour flight was a nightmare for everyone aboard). When we arrived the airport was very quiet and looking for a place to get a cab was not that easy. We were lugging around 6 suitcases, 2 carseats, stroller, and a baby bed plus all of our carry ons. When we finally found a cab to fit us all we were able to take in the surroundings. It was a cloudy dark day. The leaves had all gone from the trees. Our taxi driver had not said a word and we hoped he would really take us to our address that we handed to him on a piece of paper. The ride seemed like an eternity because of the miles that we had already traveled with two very cranky children. We pulled up onto the sidewalk(thought the pedestrians were goners)of our new temporary residence and the cab driver began to unload our items. Steve found the tiny 2 person elevator that would take us to our new place and began making several trips hauling our luggage upstairs. As I was standing there guarding the luggage the cab driver was about to leave and the first words that I hear come from him was "I went swimming last night under the full moon".

I think I was overly tired because it was overly funny to me, but probably something I won't ever forget.

The next few weeks were extra cold and confusing and exciting all wrapped into one. With having to figure out what groceries to buy, which bus to get on, and how the school system worked here. Like any move though it takes adjustment, but we have settled into familiarity.

We have been through all the seasons here in Espoo now and there is something good to say about each. The fall  is beautiful with all it's colors. They have a pretty word they use for autumn colors which is "ruska". It is one of those words I like to say because I can actually say it and be understood by someone who speaks Finnish. I have a short list now of those kind of words. It is a short list. haha.

Steve was chopping up some firewood at this campsite so that we could roast marshmellows. We had gone to a place in Nuuksio national park. The colors were simply amazing. The only thing in Finland is that it tends to rain in the fall or at least this fall it has and so after we had put together a nice fire,the rain began to pour. We did find shelter under a nearby tree and managed to save one bag of marshmellows.

Spring is beautiful, the flowers here are amazing. I really am not sure when they started to show up if they were more towards the beginning of summer or the end of spring. It didn't really warm up here until the middle of summer. I will have to say the plant life here is very strong though. It seems like it can survive the coldest of weather. Strong just like the Finns.

The summer here was amazing!! Many people complained that it never really warmed up, but after experiencing Georgia's hot humid summers Finland summers felt like heaven. Nuuksio national park beautiful!! They have some amazing trails.  I am glad we didn't run into a lot of the wild life. Bears are not my favorite. The kids loved it.

We tried to explore as many islands as possible. (Finland has hundreds of mini islands off it's coast. Some you need to take a fairy to and others are just a bridge away.) My favorite island is called Suomenlinna. It is a sea fortress that has an amazing history behind it. Lots of places for the kids to explore. The Baltic wind can be pretty cold even during the summer.

Traveling by bike, boat and bus is what we did the whole summer. Exploring what we could of Helsinki and Espoo. We favored the outdoors more than the museums and indoor activities with kids it was just so much nicer to be where they could run and be as loud as they want.

Ezra was obsessed with bike riding!! He would say bike in his sleep and first thing in the morning he would grab is bike helmet. I have never seen him so content as when we went for bike rides.

There is a beautiful seaside close to us that I loved to run alongside during the summer and fall. It was my favorite get away and best place to go to do some meditation. I had read a couple of literary excerpts of authors that spoke about Helsinki and especially the sea air in Finland. I cannot quote exactly their writings because I don't have the books anymore,but I agree with the way they described how the sea air has healing powers and it is good for the soul. Something about breathing in the cool sea air just makes you  feel alive and seems to bring a feeling of serenity.

Ice cream(jäätelö)

It is a favorite in Finland. All summer long there are stands that sale ice cream by the scoop. They also had wonderful fruit stands with strawberries, snap peas, blueberries and mushrooms. I cannot wait until next year when those return.

Winter(Talvi) in Finland

Out of all of the seasons in Finland I would have to say that I think Winter is the prettiest season in Finland. 

The first time I saw the snow in Espoo I realized how beautiful Finland is.The Finns make it enjoyable. Weather is not an obstacle for the Finns no matter how cold it is or how much snow is on the ground. . I am very impressed by their resilience to the cold. The bus drivers don't even skip a beat. They drive the same way they would if snow wasn't on the ground.The kids are outside playing in -20 degrees weather. 

At school my girls were able to bring ice skates for recess. We also have an ice skating rink by our house.

Serenity got up a couple times on her skates. I think this next year she will be a pro. 

Cool zipline at a local park.

They have some cool kid parks. A lot of cool playground toys that you would not find in the States for fear of lawsuits. lol.

The one thing that was the hardest thing to get used to is living so far away from family. I am so grateful that we were able to have some visit us this year. Crystal and her family came and stayed with us and then Nana and Papa. 

Alex was so excited to learn some baking skills with Nana that she wanted to make a fancy frittata. It was a really nice yummy frittata, but little did Alex know before she had ever tried frittatas that later she would find out she isn't really a fan of them. I think she just liked the fancy name. 

It was so fun to be able to show them around. Just having them around was nice. :)

Crystal and Kyle came to visit. I loved seeing cousins playing!! So much fun.

Even though it can be rough sometimes not having family close, it is nice that we do have each other. I know I am going to go on a cheesy moment,but I love my kids and I love that they have so much fun together even though Alex and Josie won't admit that. I am so grateful that I have been able to share this experience with them and it is amazing how much they all have grown up so much in just one year.

These two are inseparable!!

Today is Father's day in Finland and I am happy to celebrate 2 times a year. Steve is an amazing dad. 

We have had a great first year in Finland.

Oh and the chocolate here is AMAZING!!