and off we went to the mall on a mission. a little apprehensive since we haven't really left the jungle in a while. the mall was bigger and better then the ones in the states. expensive stores everywhere. fancy people wearing makeup and nice clothes. it felt strange. it felt like everyone could tell we came right from the jungle.

we felt ... dirty but we were part of the mix again, the rat race, the shopping culture, the christmas miracle. we let the kids pick couple small things and headed of to lunch. we asked them if they wanted to stay longer or go back home to the jungle. they chose the jungle.

in the evening, back at home, we felt free again. with more space around ourselves came freedom, to be whomever we are, to be ourselves. we are not part of a rat race anymore. it felt good to be home, swimming in the pool looking at the beautiful sky, surrounded by the smell of tangerines and kids giggles.

i have not grown up with a large amount of christmas presents like kids do in the states and i tried to give my kids the same modest christmas. always buying things they need and very few. in the states we lived close to grandparents who wanted to spoil them at christmas. so kids grew up not expecting a lot out of santa but expecting something large from their grandparents. this year it will just be santa. 

i didn't need this trip to show me that we need little "stuff" to make us happy. matt grew up with large christmas mornings so he had a hard time imagining that our kids will be happy with a small box of legos and a couple of books but they are. and he sees it too.  he actually said this morning he likes the tiny house we are living in. watching facebook, seeing stressed out friends crossing off the christmas to do lists makes me feel even better about not having to do it this year. christmas is not about presents.