March 2012

Spring is here! It's been so nice lately. Really the winter wasn't all that bad except a few weeks where it was really cold. But it is really nice to have nice weather where you don't have to find everyone's hat, scarf, and gloves before heading out the door.

I feel like I'm catching up with life lately, which is great. There's still some things to get for the house, but it's all things we can live without until I see a good deal. Now I'm able to focus more on the interns and keeping up with what's going on with them, and being more involved with school and church.

Thursday March 1st was World Book Day and students could dress up as their favorite character. Adelaide was Clara from the Nutcracker.

Later that night we had interns over for dinner before they had the ARCU Apologetics Seminar that night. It was a little chaotic, mostly for me I imagine, getting dinner ready, taking care of kids and managing kids while trying to talk to the interns. I decided I just need to lower expectations when kids are eating with us, and have some later dinners once they go to bed so we can have an adult dinner around the table together.

Friday March 2nd, Angeline (intern) offered to babysit for us; so we went to see a movie and dinner out at the Mill Pond which was really nice - our table was right beside the old mill.

Saturday, March 3rd: I went out to ride bikes by myself, and decided on a Dawes Geneva (7 speed hub gear) at a 2nd hand shop. I had tried it before, but it wasn't comfortable. After riding it and taking it by another repair shop to see if I could get a child's seat put on it, they saw the problem and fixed the seat and handlebars for me. After that it was much better, so I finally made a decision and bought it! He was going to add mudguards, chain guard, kick stand and basket to it, and check on 3rd gear because it was catching on me when I rode it. So I couldn't take it home that day, but SUPER excited to be getting a bike!

We had a couple from church over for dinner that night, at 7:30 after kids were in bed at 7:20. That worked really well to have a later dinner, although we didn't finish until after 10! It's good to be able to get to know people better and feel like we have time to visit for an evening.

Sunday, March 4th a neighbor couple had us over for tea and cakes in the afternoon. They have a little baby so the kids had a great time playing with all his baby toys! So far that's the 5th neighbor we've gotten to know.

All that week, March 5-9, David had ARCU Mission Week (Anglia Ruskin Christian Union) so was gone most of Monday and most every night. He and the interns were really encouraged by the interest the CU's have taken to them, and how much more confident they (interns) are with communicating their beliefs.

I picked up my bike on Wednesday, the 7th with both kids. David had taken the trailer up to the bike shop on Tuesday morning to have the mechanic take a look at it and make sure it would fit onto the bike. The kids and I walked into town with our helmets, and then I rode the bike home with the kids in the trailer, all for the first time. VERY nervous but I did it, and managed to navigate a double round-a-bout. 3rd gear still catching, and no kick stand though, so will have to go back.

Thursday, March 8th Ranald offered to babysit for me so I could go to the Life in the Round lecture on Art and the Passion. It was nice to have intellectual stimulation for an hour!

Saturday, March 10th was busy! I had bike lessons that morning for over 2 hours, which was costly but I think worth it to help me know what to do and give me experience and confidence. I think I would have eventually gotten there on my own, but I'm that much farther ahead and can tackle most intersections now.

From 2-4 Adelaide had a birthday party; most parents drop off so I had 1.5 hours to myself in town! I needed a little rest after all that biking earlier on - 9.2 miles and legs feeling it!

Then another mom and 4 kids between us both walked to the school's family fundraising dinner near our home (actually it was where Adelaide's party was, just upstairs in the bigger area). It was a Ceiledh, I think a Scottish dance/dinner party so they had a band and a caller - lots of fun dancing with everyone!

Jon (intern from Alabama) had two friends stopping in England for 2 days before going to Paris, so they stayed with us. Jon and Meredith were at our home when we got back from the dinner, so we had a good time visiting with them that evening after the kids went to bed. Megan, the other friend, got in later that night.

Monday, March 12th Adelaide's class shared in Assembly, with Mother's Day as the theme. It's March 18th over here instead of May. They recited a poem and then showed pictures of their mom and each one told something special about their mom. Adelaide did really well - not shy at all!

I took her to the dentist that afternoon; very different over here. You see the dentist who just gives a quick overview but not a cleaning. If he thinks you need a cleaning, then he writes you a prescription to see the dental hygienist. And no toothbrush and travel toothpaste kit in a little bag for you at the end. All of this is free for kids, but not at all for adults. It made me miss our dentists back home a little! Just have to get my mind around a new way of doing things.

Had two lunch meetings that week with Chairman of the Board to hash out money situations, taxes, reimbursements, etc. etc. It's very incredible how much time he's spent in getting us (and keeping us) over here.

Pui (intern from Hong Kong) had a friend from London coming to Cambridge for a medical seminar who needed a place to stay. So she stayed with us Wednesday March 14 - Friday March 16. Phoebe was a delight to have, very sweet and easy to be around. The kids love having company here!

Wednesday was my birthday; David made me a very nice breakfast of bacon/egg croissant - my favorite. While I made dinner, the kids made me a special birthday cake.

In the late afternoon the kids and I met David in town after work and we walked by the Mill Pond (picture below) and the Backs - behind the colleges, which is beautiful this time of year with crocus and daffodils blooming, and this time of day with the sun setting and shining on these beautiful buildings.

Thursday I picked up my bike (took it in Monday to have gears fixed and kick stand added), pulling Schaeffer in the trailer all the way into town. It would be handy to have those new trailers that can turn into a buggy, but hopefully this won't happen too often. He, of course, fell asleep on the way. 3rd gear, and now 4th, STILL aren't working, and no kick stand either.

Friday night (16th) Christian Heritage hosted a jazz band from the States on tour for "Heaven in a Night Club: The Spiritual Roots of Jazz." I got to go and even went early to help with tickets! It was nice to feel a part of Christian Heritage in a small way like this. It was well attended and a great evening!

Saturday, the 17th, we borrowed the Townsend's (Chairman of Board) family car. He offered a few weeks back and so we took him up on his great offer as a way to celebrate my birthday, Mother's Day and, why not, St. Patrick's Day! We went to some small, medieval wool villages about an hour SE of here in Suffolk. Had a great time in the car together seeing the area in which we live - Schaeffer said, "I see England!" Amazed at all the old old old timber-framed buildings.

Pictures don't quite do it justice. I'm sure there's a dozen or so puzzles that have been made with photographs of Lavenham! The pub we ate lunch in was built in 1360. The Guildhall in one village (Lavenham) had a display on the wool trade, which made these little villages very wealthy back in the day. Since then, we've all been pretending to be making cloth - shearing the sheep, combing the wool, spinning the thread, and weaving at the loom. It's fun to see the impact this made on the kids - or rather, on Adelaide who gives us all our roles for the current drama selection!

Sunday, the 18th was Mothering Sunday here. Angeline and her Mom came over for tea and cakes that afternoon - great to have time with them!

Monday, the 19th I took my bike in again for the 2nd time to get gears fixed and kick stand. I picked it up Wednesday and the gears have been just fine since then - thankfully! But no kick stand. I had to go back Saturday but it's really too short. So I'll have to go back another day this coming week so he can put a longer one on. I'll get settled with it all someday very soon, I'm sure of it! It is nice to have, though - I rode into town to shop at Sainsbury's and would not have had enough time to do a shop if I was walking. Plus it's just fun, especially with the lovely weather lately!

Tuesday, 20th Angeline and I went for a run after David got home. Nice we can do that since it's light 'til 6:30. We ran all the way to the Orchard in Grantchester, and back home - just under 6 miles. Wow, I haven't run in 6 years, so have been recovering all week from it! But it was a really great time to chat with her.

Wednesday, 21st, Schaeffer and I went on the Nature Walk with Adelaide's class (since I completely forgot I had signed up for it the week before! So sad!). They've been learning about insects so we kept our eyes open for some - lady bugs (lady birds here) and bees were everywhere! Fun to see creation through the eyes of 16 little 5 year olds!

Thursday, 22nd the interns came over after Life in the Round event, so 7:30 ish. I managed to cook, do homework, feed kids, and get them all ready for bed by the time they got here - success! I made chickpea curry and it was really good!

Oh, that morning Schaeffer and I cycled to the church's Bible Study in a village about 4-5 miles away. I got terribly lost on the way; I took the cycle routes but the directions were confusing and the cycle paths aren't marked. FINALLY figured it out and showed up 1.5 hours late, but still glad we made it and now I know how to get there - and it was a beautiful day to be out! We went two weeks ago by train, but that was also confusing - the train guy i bought the ticket from told me to go to the wrong platform (which of course was on the other side so I had to take the lifts, etc. across the bridge), and by the time I figured it out I had missed the train I needed so had to wait, which made us late. Then coming back, I missed the train by 5 minutes and the next one didn't come for 55 minutes - only every hour. I probably could have walked home, but just sat there with Schaeffer and thankfully it was a nice day. And how often do I get (or take the time) to just sit there with my little boy and look around, up at the sky, the trains going by, the road gate coming down, sing songs, etc.

Saturday, 24th was more cycling - my legs are really sore by now! I probably did about 7 miles though, so not 11-12 like Thursday. Our church had a kids special event this morning, so Adelaide went to that. Schaeffer and I went into town to get the kickstand and had a nice time at Fitzbillies while we waited. It's a really posh cake store in town - a big treat!

David went to London to meet up with 3 former high school students of his from Montgomery. They came to England for their spring break, and got tickets to a Chelsea football game, and invited David to come as well! They're coming up to Cambridge Monday - Thursday, 26-29th. We're looking forward to having them!