Answers Only Make More Questions

With the knowledge that we will remain in Shanghai until receiving the call from the State Department, a whole new crop of questions has emerged. In themselves, these questions are less stressful than the uncertainty we faced before. Still, the need to answer the question marks hanging in the air rather than wait for God to choose an option has created a new stress in our lives.

I wish I could make a diagram for you, but I am not so blogger-savvy. So here is an outline for you instead.

I. School
A. Tiny Tots
1. Pros:
a. Status Quo
b. Location - immediately across the street
2. Cons:
a. Miserable lack of education - nothing more than a playschool
b. The girls friends and teachers will all be gone next year
B. Julia Gabriel
1. Pros:
a. Strong reputation (the only school in Shanghai carrying a waiting list)
b. Location - within our neighborhood
c. All teachers have Early Childhood in their personal education portfolios
2. Cons:
a. Distinct lack of community
b. Location - 30 minutes via foot power
c. Corporate, franchise feel
C. SCIS
1. Pros:
a. Location - nearest international school to our home
b. Familiar - many friends send their children there
c. Future transitions - probably the most similar to future school in the states
2. Cons:
a. Commute - the girls face 20-30 minutes each way
b. Cost - sending them here would probably require we hire a car and driver again
D. The Wonder Center
1. Pros:
a. Do I have to tell you? I love this place!
How can I have this option and not take it?
b. Fantastic teacher, amazing program, beautiful Reggio Emilia curriculum
c. Likely strong community
2. Cons:
a. Location - we would have to change house
b. Location - we would have to live in Jinqiao, a weird
middle American wasteland on the outskirts of Shanghai

II. Home
A. Stay
1. Pros:
a. We have a lovely house, which truly feels like a home
b. Stability for the girls, and ourselves
c. Money - moving always costs money
d. Neighborhood - we live within walking distance of so much
e. Commute - our door is 15 min. away from Dave's office
2. Cons:
a. No proximity to good schools
b. No community for myself - I have no friends in this neighborhood
c. No community for the girls
d. Size - the family grows, but the house does not
i. No space for guests
ii. No space for baby
B. Move

III. Home Leave
A. Go home for the summer
1. Pros:
a. Family - a little Jake to hand around, and two girls who need cousins and grandparents
b. Isolation - Shanghai empties of expat families over the summer
c. Luggage
i. we're running out of staples like vanilla (paid $10 for this afternoon)
ii. all baby gear currently rests in a basement in Chicago
2. Cons:
a. Cost would be over $10,000
b. Isn't that enough?
B. Stay in Shanghai for the summer

Frustratingly, some of these decisions are made for us. We do not have the means to send ourselves home at the personal cost of $10,000 - when either the taxpayers will move us to DC on their dime, or Uncle H-- will send us home in the next fiscal year (October). Its really the schools and neighborhoods weighing on us right now.

Votes are welcome!