Ode to Scotland

I have been trying to compile a list of what Scotland is like. Needless to say, it is a daunting task. I know as soon as I hit "publish post," I will think of 20 (million) things I'll wish I had mentioned. Anyway, here's my shot at giving you a picture of what life in the UK is like- in no particular order.

Money
Every ATM machine I have ever been to has at least one person in line waiting to use it.

Obviously, everything is in pounds sterling and pence (rather than dollars and pennies/cents or gold). So, if something is 1 pound and 40 pence, you'll hear 1 pound, 40. If something is just 40 pence, no one says pence. They'll say 40 p, as in the letter "p" as an abbreviation.

Everything is in change until you get to a 5 pound note. Notice that it is a note and not a bill. Anyway, they have a penny, a 2 pence, a 5 pence, a 10 pence, a 20 pence, a 50 pence, a pound, and a 2 pound coin. I have only seen a 5 and a 10 pound note. No idea what's beyond that. Probably will never know.

Weather and Daylight

It doesn't get above 70 in the summer or much below 30 in the winter. It did snow and ice a bit, but it didn't last long and everyone was complaining about it, which makes me think it was more than usual. The winter days were very short- light at 8am and dark at 3:30 or 4pm at its worst! The summer will be backwards- lights at 4am until 10pm...yikes! We still need to find blackout shades for Luke's room, but the others are okay. As for actual weather- it does rain, just not really hard or for that long. The basic rule of thumb is it can rain at any point- every day is subject to modd swings, more than I saw in TX- the temp range doesn't change as swiftly as Texas did, but I have never seen sun, rain, clouds, sun, clouds, rain change so much in one day! The upside is that it's always green!


Church

There is only one service. It is an hour and a half. The kids 3 and under stay in one room together. The five minutes before the service starts is meant to be silent, as you meet with the Lord. There is no worship pastor- everybody just knows when the songs start and roughly how they go. However, if they don't, it's a train wreck. :) Anyway, I digress. No one directs you to stand up- everyone knows when the lyrics are about to start and we stand up then. This happens for each song- no prolonged standing. :) Also, the pastor prays like 4 times- I kid you not, he's a prayin' kind of guy. Josh remarked how you can really tell the depth of his relationship with the Lord by his prayers. What he prays for and how (not to mention a great British accent) is inspiring. At the end of the message, there is another song and a benediction we say together (we also do the Lord's prayer) and everybody knows to sit down after it and wait until the music changes from organ to piano. At that point, you are not a heathen, to rush to get to your children.

Driving

Obviously- on the other side of the road, which means everything you know about driving is worthless- or at the very least, backwards. If you want to drive fast, move to the right lane. If you want to exit, move to the left lane. If you are on a roundabout and are taking one of the first 2 exits, stay in the outer lane. If the 3rd or 4th exit, go to the inner lane and turn your right blinker on, even if you feel like you're going the opposite direction to get there so that people know you're not exiting. Then, use your left signal (even from the inner lane) to exit. Sounds easier than it is.

We might be the only people with an automatic and maybe one of 5 who owns a Honda.

Our Honda sedan is considered a "bigger" car.

I actually think the road signs are great- each roundabout has a visual that shows you where each exit is headed. You cna always find signs poitnign you toward the right place.

On the flip side, I guess it's hard to be creative with naming streets- they find one name and run with it: Powis, Powis Terrace, Powis Crescent, Powis Rd., Powis Lane, etc...this is challenging when going somewhere new.

Phrases and translations (this could be an endless list- this came from the top of my head)

creche=nursery
messy play=playgroup
nursery=preschool (which starts at 3 and is free)
primary=elementary school
secondary=high school (which ends at 16 for soem and 18 for those who choose to stick with it and not enter a trade immediately)
buggey=stroller
pram=a stroller where the baby can lie down flat
trolley=shopping cart
pants=panties/underwear
trousers=pants
vest=onesie
nappie=diaper
dummy=pacifier
Uni=University or the U
partner= spouse or life partner
She is called=her name is
cling film=plastic wrap
golden syrup=corn syrup
wingy, unsettled= fussy
windy=gassy
sick=spit up
sponge=cake
pudding=dessert as a general term
sweeties=treats or candy
cuppa= a cup of tea
tea time=dinner or a snack
soured cream-sour cream
soft cheese=cream cheese
no such thing as iced tea
biscuit=cookie
roll=our biscuits
bacon=ham
streaky bacon=bacon (but not really, it's incredibly salty)
bicarbonate of soda=baking soda
drinking chocolate=hot chocolate
bum=bottom
hiya=hi, hello, hey (R LOVEs this)
Is that you done and back?=Have you already gone and are you already back?
"zed"=the letter "z", as in x, y, zed


Fashion

GREAT boots and jackets here. Seriously, since you wear them so much, it's common to have awesome outer wear. Definitely a European flare abounds. Lots of fun colors, especially red and purple. Lots of wallpaper (also red and purple, carpet and ceilings and drapes, too) and no one takes the paper down before painting. Bizarre.

The Scots like a challenge

It's freezing, rainy, and windy all the time, let's wear skirts and call them kilts....and let's hang our clothes out to dry- crunchy clothes are awesome....and let's walk everywhere....and let's make our appliances as small and inefficient as humanly possible....and let's eat haggis and blood pudding.

Parenting

Scotland (and the UK, I presume) is very supportive of parents. Maternity leave is a long time (months, sometimes a year) and is well-paid in my opinion. Nursery is free at 3 years of age. We live in a government-funded flats (ours is privately-owned, but most are still for the impoverished). Anyway, I was shocked at how nice all the buggies were in the neighborhood. Kate told me that they get a generous stipend from the gov't. Figures. :) (Kate's site has a great list of what she loves about the Granite City)

Labor

Scotland is also labor-friendly. Lots of holidays and shorter work and school days from what I can tell. It's great until you want a cuppa or a shopping trip post-5 pm. :)

Schooling

This is from our experience with master's and PhD. The PhD does not have course work, but does require a 2-year residency, in which you research and write. Hence, Josh is completing a second master's because an American masters does not always give you the research background you need. The masters is taught and has grades. Rather than A or B, it is something like "First Class with distinction" etc....The grades are from 0-20, with 18-20 being the best range. That's what Josh got last semester- he's a smart lad. For exams, the University professors or lecturers actually grade them themselves (rather than a TA). Then, the U sends them out to an outside grader or two for verification. That way, it's incredibly fair. If there's a discrepancy, there's some sort of system for figuring it out. While we're on professors- it's actually a higher title to be a professor than a doctor. There is only one professor per department, but there might be multiple doctors. Everybody else is a lecturer. So, if you are deciding between calling someone Dr. or Professor, go with Professor if that's true of them. Another funny difference, is that they switch thesis and dissertation. Josh is writing his dissertation this summer (for his master's) and his thesis will be his work for his PhD, starting in the fall.

Time/Seasons

If something is at 11:30, you would say, "half 11."
Annoyingly, some places use 24-hour clocks and I still have to subtract 12 to figure it out.
Fall is autumn.

Around the flat

All appliances are tiny and a dishwasher and dryer are rare. You have to pull a cord in the bathroom to get hot water, but it's there immediately. We have radiators in every room, minus the kitchen and you run the heat as little as possible. There is no AC- that's what windows are for! Flats are pretty small and have few built-in closets- mostly dressers and wardrobes.

Free Cycle, Charity Shops, and Gum Tree

Josh's theory is that due to little storage space, Scots are prone to giving things away more than Americans. Through Free Cycle, we have gotten a TV, 2 strollers, toys, and who knows what's coming? Friends have gotten all kinds of great stuff, including clothes! We also shop at the charity shops- kind of like a consignment shop, you buy used goods, but each shop is run on donations (you don't consign and get money) and by volunteers for a specific charity. the charities range from animals in need to cancer to research, etc. They're very cool. Gum Tree is like Craig's List. We have gotten all our car seats, 2 highchairs, and a GREAT food processor for minimal cost.

Socialized Medicine

Everything is FREE: going to the doctor, delivering babies, birth control, and prescriptions for kids under 16. YEA!!! I do NOT know why Americans are so resistant to this, like socialized medicine is from the devil. I know taxes cover it, blah blah blah- what a wonderful place for your taxes to go!!!!! How much do we spend from our pay checks to cover it in the US- and we're still scared to use it?! Do not tell me this isn't greatness until you have experienced it for yourself.

Random things I appreciate

Did I mention I like socialized medicine?

It's beautiful. No doubt about it. I finally see why people want to live here. I have loved even the tiny bit of exploring we have done.

Everyone is fair-skinned. However, I realize that Luke and I are beyond pale when even the Scots comment on it.

The weather doesn't stop anything. You still do as planned, you just dress appropriately. I aprpeciate anywhere that doesn't allow your social life to get trampled.

Nobody judges you for being out at nap time. Nobody cares about nap time. By golly, if it's 2pm and beautiful outside, you might get judged for missing it!

I love that people give things away they could sell. they even bring them to you sometimes.

Having a small fridge helps me inventory very well. I rarely forget something's in there. Therefore, we generate less waste and use our resources more efficiently. If I love anything, it's efficiency!

Scots are proud- they are happy to tell you about their homeland and help you find where you're going or what you're looking for.

Of course, the accent- very charming!

Living on the sea has made me like fish! I eat breaded haddock and love it! This is HUGE! I tried it again for the sake of my family. Josh LOVES fish and it's the only thing I don't cook frequently. Plus, I think it's ridiculous that we expect our kids to be good eaters when we're not. So, I want Rebekah ad Luke to to embrace culture and ethnic food (rather than burgers and fries everywhere)- they, in fact, eat what we eat (even Luke!), which now includes the local catch. (Yes, I am feeling very high and mighty right now, but I have worked hard with the kids and myself in this area!)


When we moved here, if you read between the lines, you could tell I was miserable. I cried for at least a month and Josh finally had to (sweetly) tell me to try not to in front of the children. :( I could NOT imagine ever enjoying it here. It was a matter of survival. Now, I am happy to say that, while I am counting down the days until we return stateside, I am happy here, too. It's no coincidence that the days are getting longer, it's getting warmer (I could live outside), and Luke is leaving infancy- all of these things make me very happy indeed. However, I really have found a nice little niche here.

THANK YOU, LORD! Only YOU could do such things.

Dinner Club by Emily

Okay- some friends asked for recipes and I hate typing (yes- the irony is that i was a teacher and have an online writing job), so this is a labor of love. I expect my faithful readers to share delicious recipes with me as well. These were from the last week.

Chicken Helen (There is a scene in Madeline that where Chicken Helen (very French pronunciation) is served- Josh and I decided this was my version.

You need:

whole chicken

rosemary

olive oil

6 or 8 carrots- sliced

10 red potatoes- quartered

2 onions (maybe less)- sliced

a few stalks of celery- sliced

1 or 2 lemons- quartered

Prepare the chicken- take out any gizzards or yucky stuff like that. Stuff the chicken with the lemons and celery. Make sure you stuff it tight so that the lemons squeeze. Not all will fit. Put carrots, pot's, and onions (and any left-over celery) and smear with olive oil. Arrange around chicken and squeeze any left-over lemons. Sprinkle rosemary on chicken and veggies. Cook 425 for 20 minutes. W/o taking chicken out of oven, turn down to 350 for another hour and 20 minutes. Altho it takes awhile to cook, very little prep time! Great to get going while kids are napping. Also good with buttered bread/rolls and sald or green beans.

Mediterranean Chicken

You need:
4 chicken breasts, raw- sliced in strips
1 1/2 c raw basmati or white rice
3 c chicken broth
olive oil
tomatoes- cut in big pieces
cucumber- sliced and then halved
red onion- sliced
Feta cheese- a package
Mediterranean herbs (at least oregano)
lemon
1 T balsamic vinegar
Greek style yogurt

Okay- heat skillet and drop in some oil. Coat chicken with oregano or whatever Greek or Med spices you have. Squeeze some lemon on it, too. Cook chicken in skillet til done. :) At same time, put rice in a pan by itself with a tablespoon of oil. Stir it up so each piece of rice is shiny. (makes good rice). Add broth (instead of water) and cook according to directions on pkg. On side, combine tomatoes, onion, cucumber, 1 T balsamic vinegar and 1 T olive olive oil. Toss to coat. Sprinkle Greek spices and Feta on top (can mix feta in). Add some lemon juice (maybe juice of one lemon0 to yogurt and sprinkle a few spices on top. Toasted pitas are delicious but mine had gone bad so we compensated with rice. The chicken can go on a pita or by itself. Either way, the yogurt is for the chicken. We also like Feta and the tomato salad on the pita with the chicken. It's up to you!

Chicago-style pizza

I don't have the energy to type the cake. If you want that recipe, ask for it in the comments!

Pizza- you need (I am breaking this into steps, so keep reading for rest of ingredients):

Dough:
1 t sugar
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 c warm water
3 c flour
1/4 t salt

Disolve sugar and yeast in warm water in a bowl- let sit for 10 min. Combine flour and salt. Add 1 c flour/salt to yeast mixture and stir w/ whisk. Stir in 1 3/4 c flour until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes- you wnat smooth and elastic, slightly sticky (put flour on hands to prevent stickage). Add most of remaining flour as you need it and as it gets sticky. Put dough in alarge bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour. Punch it down after an hour and let it sit for 5 more min.

Topping:
4 links Italian sausage
1 onion, shopped
1 pkg sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pkg pepperoni
olive oil
1 T tom paste
1 t dried oregano
1/4 t fennel seeds (this adds spice)
a few chopped basil leaves- fresh if you have it, or 1 t dried
you cna make your own sauce, but it's easie to use jarred pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce and just jazz it up as I suggest :)
1 T cornmeal
1 pkg mozzarella
2 T shredded Parmesan

Okay- here's what I do- squeeze the sausages out of their casings and cook in a skillet with onion and garlic. When nearing being done, add mushrooms and all seasonings (oregano, fennel, and basil). then, add sauce.

Take a 9x 13 pan (the recipe says to use an iron skillet, but this is what you can do w/o one- I used an oval dish b/c it's hard to fine 1, much less 2 9x13 pans in the UK and I already used it for the cake! Anyway- take your dish and spread cornmeal on it after spraying with Pam or greasing it with oil. Once dough is done (after 1 hr, 5 min), spread it out on pan- it should stretch out to fill it. Sprinkle mozzarella, then do sauce, then do pepperoni, then do Parm. (That's what I hear is special about Chicago-styloe pizza- the sauce is on the top and the main cheese below it). Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. Great with Caesar salad and garlic bread if you like carbs!

Chicken Pot Pie and smashed potatoes

Crust:
3 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 c crisco
8 T cold water

Mix flour and salt. Add crisvo- use pastry blender or fork to cut in the crisco and mix up. Add water 1 T at a time and toss it in as you go, 1 T at a time. Make into a ball. Divide into roughly 2/3 and 1/3. Roll out each part on a floured surface. use 2/3 for bottom and sides of a 9x13 greased pan. (1/3 will go on top after filling).

Filling:
3-4 chicken breasts
3 1/2 c water
frozen mixed veggies
1 onion, chopped
4 T butter
1/2 c flour
Boil chicken in water. Meanwhile, saute onions in butter. When chicken is done, save broth and dice chicken. Add chicken, all of broth and flour to onion. Then, add veggies (maybe half the bag of frozen will be enough...). Use a whisk if lumpy. Add mixture to pan. Top with rest of crust. Cut slits. Cook 35o for 1 hr.

Smashed pot's:
make your normal mashed pot's and add cheese, cooked bacon, and sour cream- then use a mixer to get it all smashed in there.

Things heard round the flat...

Stuff we say that Rebekah has adapted for her own use:

Telling on herself

If I'm not gonna be careful with this cup of water, I'm just gonna give it to you, Mom. (LOTS of Moms and Dads these days... :( )
I took toys form the other children. They were sad.
I'm gonna go to my room since I'm crying.
Are you going to pop my bottom? (always a bad sign)
I've been picking my ear in bed...every time.

To comfort Luke
It's okay, Buddy. Mama's gonna be riiiight back.
It's okay, Lukey. (moving to sit next to him) I'm right here.

To talk smack

(to Josh) Mom said yes!

(to me) Dad said yes!

To help Mommy
I'm your helper (unloading every utensil from the dishwasher, even in the right spot after surveying where the right spots were by pulling a stool over to stand on- actually, she has gotten quite resourceful with the stool- sometimes a good thing, sometimes a bad thing!)

Just funny Rebekah stuff:
I'm a baby again. I'm crying. (Why are you crying, Baby Rebekah?) Well (there are lots of well's now), I'm just a baby, so I cry.
I'd like to wear the jewwies (the jellies- a summer shoe for sure; funny to see her preferences come out).
(from big girl class at church) We had fuuuun!!! There was a story...and it was about Jesus, God....who was it about? There was a big storm and they were fishing and then we watched a movie. (What was the movie about?) Praying at home.
Actually....(to correct me)
Well...(typically begins an explanation or a self-defense)

I'm writing myself a note...about Powis Crescent...(me mouth open that she somehow knows the name of our street!)


Our typical day:

Morning:

Rebekah wakes up between 6:30 and 7:30 and Luke between 7 and 8. Josh gets up with them, I get up at 7:15 or 7:30 more likely and jog. (Yes, he's a good man!) I get them dressed and we go to the HUB every morning- rain or shine. This statue is outside Josh's building and Rebekah wanted the statue to hold her. She settled for sitting on his lap.

Luke literally lives in a plastic bubble- keeps the wind and rain off him. Seems pretty content to me!

Luke naps 9:30 or 10 until 11 or 11:30. On Mondays and Fridays, R goes to a free creche and I work from home. TWT's, I play with R while Luke naps- you may not know that we have a magical hallway that becomes an airport, a church, or even a restaurant, where the finest food is served.

Afternoons: Josh usually comes home for lunch- sometimes, we go out, like last Friday! This was on our way to Rustico- GREAT Italian food for 5 pounds! Rebekah flirted her way into some more bread, even tho Josh and I INSISTED not to bring anymore....

Obviously, it was raining- all of Scotland should be postmen because NOTHING stops them (or this crew) from getting out and about.

I try to keep the kids up until 2pm before naps for 3 reasons: 1) it gives us time to eat with Daddy and still do something, such as run an errand or see a friend, 2) it's the only way R might actually nap- we're about 50/50 on naps, altho she goes to her bed every day, and 3) I need L to nap later so we don't have to give him a 3rd nap that we wake him from.

After naps- the kids get up about 3:30 or so and we hang around here or get anything done we need to.

Josh comes home around 5 and he hangs with the kids while I make dinner and we eat b/w 5:30 and 6. This week has been the first week Luke hasn't taken a consistent 3rd nap. We're trying to get him off it b/c he was fussing over it and then we still had to wake him- so it didn't seem fair. So, instead of sleeping 5-6:30 and then going down again at 7:30 or 8, we keep him up and put him down at 7. R goes to bed at 7:30 if she didn't nap and at 8 if she did, tho it takes her a long time to fall asleep if she did nap.

I work during all sleep times. At night, Josh and I watch downloaded shows and I work while I watch. :) We often eat ice cream or cookies. And that's my life!

This was my lovey this morning after church- I told my mom that when we picked her up from her Sunday school class and I saw THIS precious pigtailed, rosey-cheeked wonder skipping towards me, my heart just about melted. I thanked the Lord that these are my children.

After seeing her pigtails and her bouncey little attitude, Josh's new nickname for Bekah Bear is "Beki Longstocking"- aka Pipi.

What's in a name?

If you ever wanted an open door for talking to people, just borrow my kids. Seriously, we have so many campus friends now from going to the HUB every morning. The workers there are especially fond of sweet Rebekah because she chats with them. Everyone we pass smiles at me presumably because my children are so precious. There are 2 workers there with whom we are on a first-names basis. One of them remembers our names because he has a Becky and his 10-month-old grandson is named...Luke! They spoil Rebekah with attention and try to give her treats. :)

Anyway, on the way to the HUB this am, we passed a woman whom I have seen before. She smiled and smiled at Rebekah and chuckled at R's comments. We caught up with her and began to chat. She lives in our complex (translation- she's poor- our flat is nicer, but most are for what we would call wellfare) and is from South Africa. Everyone else I have met from South Africa has been "white," but she is not and has a lovely accent. R asked her her name only to find out it was Emily! Emily proceeded to tell me that Emily means Esther, at which point I told her that Rebekah's name also came form the Old Testament. She didn't hear me, I don't think, b/c she was excited b/c, she, too, has a Becky. In fact, she had 9 children, 7 surviving. She apparently grew up very lonely w/o siblings and prayed at the age of 14 for 9 or 10 children when she got older. It was the first time she had ever prayed and she never told anyone about it. Then, when she was on her 6th child, Jonathon, she was frustrated with how hard things were and was just wishing he could walk, etc... (sounded familiar to me ::). Her 10-year old daughter woke up early that day and came into her room and told her that she had dreamed that God had told her to comfort her mother and to remind her that she had prayed for many children. Two things happened: First, Emily quit complaining about her children. Secondly, she believed in God. At this point, I was tempted to leave the conversation alone. However, three things crossed my mind: First, we had an unbelieving office mate of Josh's for dinner last night and it got me really thinking about Christ and sharing Him. Second, my best friend, Shannon, just got to share the gospel to 250 young college women Monday night and will again soon to another sorority. Shannon has been a strong voice for the gospel of Christ as long as I have known her. Third, my mom is trying to spearhead an evangelism movement in her church, also being a champion of the faith for as long as I can remember (much to my embarrassment as child). Anyway, I decided to probe a bit by saying, "We believe in God, too. We believe in the God of the Bible and His son, Jesus Christ." At this point, her whole face lit up- "You are Christians?!"

I really think that Luke woke up a bit early this morning so we would meet her and encourage her on her way to work. Foolishly, I did not think to have her over (in retrospect, I realize she is lonely with her family still in South Africa- she is working to send kids to college for a better life) until she was gone. I tried to find her, but what did we learn? God is a God who answers prayer. I am praying we will find her again soon and give her some fellowship.

I teared up as I walked away, convicted to my soul how little I share my faith, and how boldly this woman shared her story with a stranger. Had I not been a Christian already, I can only imagine what my thoughts would have been, but way to go, Emily, my new friend, for putting yourself out there for a Savior you obviously adore.

Anyway, while Josh and I picked names we liked for our children, we didn't worry about the meanings, like so many do. However, in spite of us, the Lord has already used our names for His kingdom. Way to go, Lord- your resourcefulness always impresses me. :)

Luke Duke is 10 months!

My sweet little man is not so little anymore, but he sure is sweet!

Some of my favorite Luke things:

He only says "Mama" and is very sure of what he means when he says it!
He laughs from his gut at Rebekah.
He listens (so far) when I say no touch.
He loves to watch tv. (Don't judge me until you've had a colicky kid AND a toddler)
He is awesome at chasing down Cheerios and stuffing them in.
He sticks out his tongue to try his food before committing to open his mouth.
He is an awesome sleeper- thank you, Jesus!
He only uses his paci at sleep times- thank you, Jesus, again!
He looks like he's swimming when on his tummy.
He loves to throw himself backwards- whether there's something to catch him or not. (He does not love it when there's not a pillow to catch him)
He loves being roughed up and thrown around.
He is incredible ticklish- especially the palms of his hands, his thighs, and under his arms or at his neck.
His cheeks.
His fat little feet.
The grin he gives me when I enter a room or get him up from a nap.
The satisfying weight he is on my hip.
The way he leans his head on me when he's tired.
His sweet personality- very fun and sometimes quite laid-back.
The way he loves touch- especially when I rub my forehead against his (great tip, Dad!)
How brave he is (my dad would add, "....when in his mama's arms") with Rebekah and getting knocked over or having water dumped over his head in a bath- this might be more of a
commentary on Rebekah's lack of bravery, which is my only point of comparison.
His sturdy, compact not-so-little body.
The way he manhandles toys.
His fascination with my earrings.
His sweet face in the rearview mirror.
(Just today, I think my heart literally swelled as I looked back to see what was making Luke giggle so hard- his sister was playing with him and they were locked in on each other. Smile.)
How he's always up for a walk in the stroller or a play time at the HUB for the benefit of his sister.
His softer than soft skin- seriously the softest baby skin ever.
How pale he is- you know he's fair when the SCOTS remark on it. Yikes. Sorry, buddy- that's from me.
How he smiles when you put him to ebd, as if to say, "Finally, Mom, this is what I want."
His gorgeous eyes- maybe the prettiest I've ever seen.
How he loves balls- so boy!
How I hear him giggling in his crib and I didn't even know he was awake.




I love you, Buddy. You are my sweet boy and I am so proud of you already.

Random pictorial update

This was last Sunday- Rebekah wanted to look like Mommy- so we matched as much as possible- LOVED it! (She wanted to know why she didn't have a brown thingy with straps- aka a camisole- is that really starting already?)

Pig tails!!

Love to look down and see this handsome little fella!

Yea for the sun! This is the highest it has been in quite a while- we have day light 7:30-after 5 now!!!!!! It was weird to realize that the sun wouldn't be high with such diminished day light.

This is a new fave- Mothercare!!

Does this bring to mind any Hugh Grant movies??

Hint: Look at the car seats at the back of the store...

Luke enjoyed trying out the gear.

I LOVE how they organize the clothes according to color scheme. I could live in this store. We went to get a Valentine's present for R: an art smock and messy mat for painting. She also got a carseat for Mickie. (answer to question: About a Boy where Hugh Grant buys a carseat and smashes chips in it to look like he really does have a kid- GREAT flick!)

This is for you, Nana! She looked lovely- until she jumped in a big puddle...oh well! At least it was on the way home.

Sisterly Love

I've said it before, but I am still delighted by the way Rebekah treats Luke...most of the time! (The other day, she smacked him on the head with a toy and pensively said to me, "he never seems to like that."- in her defense he does smack himself all the time with toys and usually giggles...granted it's self-inflicted...such a BOY!)

Anyway, Rebekah wanted Luke in her "tent" with her. He obliged and this is what she did.

The last 2 are of our budding musician...I think she really just digs that there's another spot she can hide things.

In other news, sweet Luke has tonsillitis! Josh convinced me to take Luke in due to excessive head shaking. Besides that and slightly shorter naps, he seemed fine. Bless his heart- we make some brave babies!

I keep meaning to mention that we measured R on Target's height chart for sizes in January. She was 39 1/2 inches tall!!!! That put her 2 1/2 yr old body at 4T for sizes! I brought back some 3T shirts that I am so wishing I had done in 4T- she barely fits in the double stroller- her head touches the cover and her knees are by her chest...bless her heart!

More than you wanted to know....

25 random things about me as seen on Facebook...
1. I like socks. Not just white ones- actually, I am appalled at the thought of white, tan, navy, or black socks. I love colorful, sassy socks and I make my kids wear them, too.
2. Having children has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
3. I could spend all day outside. I love it.
4. I am task-oriented to the extreme. I have a hard time putting people (even my family) above tasks on my to-do list. I love the feeling of accomplishment when they are done.
5. I love cleaning and organizing, but ONLY if there is a noticeable change.
6. Quite the opposite of being indecisive, I make impulsive decisions that I usually regret, tho not to the point of losing sleep over them. If given a 50/50 shot of getting something right, I’ll more than likely get it wrong.
7. I frequently am unprepared b/c I didn’t feel like being prepared- such as putting the kids and myself in warm enough clothing…
8. I thought after teaching a foreign language for 5 years, I would be more excited about living abroad. I find I have become that person who longs for the comfort of “home.”
9. I love being a mom and I love working. I wish I could somehow do both full-time. Weird, I know. I prefer being with my children, tho.
10. I count things- a lot.
11. Similarly, I trace shapes mentally and am fascinated with fonts and stuff like that. However, I get impatient when on the computer and rarely change fonts.
12. I feel somewhat proud that my son favors my side of the family. As if I had anything to do with it.
13. I am the only one in my immediate family of 4 who does not have blue eyes.
14. If you wanted to torture me, all you’d have to do is make me listen to one of my kids cry. Yours don’t bother me at all- not even annoying. As a result, I am a great babysitter b/c it doesn’t faze me too much.
15. My favorite days are busy days!
16. I often find myself wondering what my dad thinks about me. Does he like the woman I’ve become? Is he proud of me? Does he think I’m a good mom? Does he wish I were different, better? I guess it’s proof that every girl craves her daddy’s approval.
17. I could cook all day long. I am not a good baker.
18. I hate the idea of using a recipe- it slows me down and curbs my creativity.
19. I am NOT a perfectionist. At all.
20. I am rarely sympathetic to sick people. Suck it up.
21. Like my dear friend, Carrie, my favorite part of being preggers is delivery (can I get a woo hoo for epidurals?) and the days in the hospital.
22. I LOVE my husband- I think he’s really funny and smart and he loves me, too!
23. My kids are pretty smart and I am really proud of them- look at my blog if you’re not sure.
24. I have lived in TX, OK, Spain (short), IA, and now Scotland. Iowa is my favorite. Shocks even me.
25. Looking at my friends, my husband, and my kids, I have to assume that I am a pretty incredible person…how else could I have such amazing people around me?

So, that got me thinking. I like some of those things. I am embarrassed of some of them. I'd like to change a lot of them. Aside from the Holy Spirit, that's not going to happen. However, I just made some realizations recently. I realized that the Lord is working in and on me.

How I know:

I am content.

I feel quite satisfied with who I am.

I am proud of what I bring to the table- literally and metaphorically. This week, I have worked at least 4 hours a day and still put homemade meals on the table for dinner. For example, I made chicken pot pie (thanks, Phyllis for the recipe!) and mashed potatoes and salad tonight. Last night, we had Honey Molasses Drumsticks, steamed veggies, and tomato-basil rice (Thanks, Shannie for the chicken recipe and Tammy E. for the rice!). The night before, we had spiced lamb and veggies over herbed rice (Thanks, Josh, for pushing me to try this and for finding and overseeing the execution of this recipe). The previous night we had Sour Cream Chicken (thanks, Mom, for the recipe!), broccoli, and corn casserole (thanks, Phyllis!). The night before that we had Minestrone (thanks Cooking Light for the base recipe and Josh for all your insight as to how to improve it with tomato juice and your Italian sausage)....the list goes on. I will admit, I am proud of this accomplishment. Not in a bad way- in a I'm glad I'm a wife and mother kind of way.

I am feeling more confident about my mothering abilities- I am seeing wonderful fruit in R's life. And the way she treats Luke, as well as her baby dolls, echoes the love I give them, which delights me. I have few regrets with Luke...I have MILLIONS with Rebekah :( where I wish I could go back in time and treasure her more. I feel like I am FINALLY learning my children for who they are and have reasonable expectations for them. (The other day, Luke looked at me, grinned the way only he can and said very clearly, "Mama."...sigh of contentment...)

For the first time in my life, I don't weigh myself or look in the mirror often. Yea for 1 tiny mirror in the flat!!

I can look at the future and not cringe in anxiety. This is HUGE!!! (I still grieve what we left, but that will heal one day...right?)

So, like I said, that's more than you wanted to know. Thanks for humoring me!

Let it snow she said...

We have had lots of snow the past few days...our little snow bunny likes the idea of playing in the snow more than the actuality of it...however, she does like scraping the car (yes, I meant car and not windows)...we have this great get-up from Cousin Emilia- thanks, guys!

I don't feel like reordering these, so here is a snapshot (pun intended) of Luke Duke's room. I realized he was always sleeping when I posted pics of the flat. I will not comment on the decor, other than to say I love the 123's I hung on the wall. :)

The front of the flat- we are the middle set of windows on the left. (The farthest right window is R's room, the middle one is our room, and the farthest left one is Luke.) The living room is opposite L's room on the back side of the building, the kitchen is opposite our room on the backside, and the bathroom is opposite R's room on the backside.

Josh's campus.

All of these were on campus yesterday.

This is St. Machar's, a public school that is right next door to our complex. The hooligans who go there are responsible for breaking or stealing a good number of things in our neighborhood.

A fun game to play with our kids is to try to find them in the background...we used to play that game with Samson, our dog we gave away when we moved here.

The sun glasses from Nana have been a major accessory of late. She also wears them to keep the snow out of her eyes. :)