Finally ready...

Yesterday Eryn was sick (ear infection), and we'll just say we had a challenging day and leave it at that. The interesting moment came around dinner time, when she had a classic six-year-old melt down. She was completely hysterical over whatever the problem was (I'm still not completely clear on that one, and neither is she), and I calmly invited her to go lie down for a few minutes until she was ready to join the family again without screaming at anyone. I even told her I loved her as she went screaming down the hall to her room. Of course she fell asleep within seconds of her head hitting the pillow and slept for several hours.

Why am I sharing this with you? I learned something VERY important. After five children and with our youngest being almost completely out of little-kid stage, I finally have occasional moments where I'm actually the mother I intended to be all along.

So, just for the record, I'm finally ready to start having children now. Do over!

Gratitude

I have a deep sense of gratitude to the Lord today for how blessed we have been the last few months. Who knew that living in a camping trailer on the side of a highway in Texas would be a precursor to living in London?!!? A year ago I never would have dreamed that any of these incredible experiences we're having were on the horizon, and now here we are globe trotting and learning so much about different cultures!

One of the things I'm most grateful for is how comfortable the kids are with the international school they're attending. In addition to it being the coolest school on the planet (beautiful old mansion with exquisite grounds), they're making great friends, learning a ton, and truly enjoying the experience. I also like that the school actually still believes that the arts are important. (Jess even played the key board in a rock band last night at the school's spring music performance.) AND, they seriously go on the most amazing field trips! Jess went with the rest of the 8th graders last week for three days and two nights to Stratford--Shakespeare's birthplace. While there they visited museums, saw a Shakespeare play, and were basically cultured 'til they dropped. (Both my literary side and my mother's heart think that's wonderful!) Aubrey left this morning for a three-day, two-night high adventure trip to a place called Marchant's Hill where she'll go rappelling, shoot bows, etc.--in fifth grade! Derik is headed next week to Cambridge--for "a field trip designed to enlighten the students and support the current course of study in geography and English. Had the kids been here to sign up earlier in the year, they would have gone this month to Spain with their Spanish classes, and the 6th graders went to Switzerland right before we got here for their big field trip. It just goes on and on.

I'm also grateful for the eye-opening cultural experiences the children are having. In addition to our traveling experiences, both the school and church environments are richly multi-cultural. It's hard to be quite as ethnocentric when you've been exposed to so many wonderful cultures, being surrounded by people from Africa, India, Asia, etc. In a lot of ways, the children are adopting a "that's just the way some other people do it" view point that I'm really pleased with. I think it will make them better people in the long run.

I'm even grateful for the things I miss and the things that make daily life challenging. I don't think I'll ever take roads that are wide enough for more than a cart and buggy, a high-capacity washer and dryer, cupboards and closets, a lack of lime scale on everything in the house, or living in enough space for a family our size for granted again. I'll also never look at a U.S. fridge or an actual garage and not think they look immense.

So I guess what I'm really trying to say is that "WE" AS A FAMILY AND "WE AMERICANS" ARE SO BLESSED! Even in a country like the United Kingdom where things are very modern compared to a great deal of the world, a lot of things are 20 or more years behind the U.S. Many of the conveniences we have at home simply are not enjoyed by people in other parts of the world, not even here. (Some of those conveniences I'm not sure if I need or want anymore, but others I'm REALLY looking forward to having again.) People live in such different material circumstances, too! We have families in our ward who are multi-generational in a smaller space than what we consider to be a very small town home in the states. We have other members of our ward whose "home" consists of a single, small room on multiple levels of a building and the connecting stairs and others that live in a tiny flat with only a couple of rooms for a whole family. Most Americans even living what we consider a very frugal life and in very modest circumstances have a much higher standard of living than a majority of the people here.

So, in the spirit of personal reflection, may we begin to see things for what they really are. May we never take what we have for granted. May we experience THIS day, realizing that this day will only happen once. May we never forget that the people in our lives are a gift from God and are our greatest treasure. May we love a little deeper and laugh a little longer. May we live a life of gratitude for our Savior and strive each day to become a more like him. May we make the world a little better for having been in it...

A Whole Lot of Nothing

This past weekend was a bank holiday (U.K. national holiday where pretty much everyone has the day off), so Kyle and the kids were both home on Monday. I had grand plans for what we were going to do with the weekend, considering taking the Eurostar under the English Channel for a day trip to France, going to a castle an hour-and-a-half north of here to watch a jousting tournament, going to Avebury to see a stone circle significantly larger than Stonehenge that you can actually get close to, etc., etc., etc.; there were so many options!

So guess what we did...nothing! Saturday the kids were all extremely tired from their week, Sunday I spoke in church, and Monday was cold, dreary, and raining like crazy. The children didn't want to watch a jousting tournament in the downpour--go figure! I think it would have been exciting and undoubtedly memorable...

But you know what? It was one of the nicest weekends we've had in a long time. We spent both Saturday and Monday resting, playing games, watching movies, bike riding, and generally having a very laid-back, stress-free time, even going out to dinner for Meditteranean food Monday night.

Sometimes weekends like that turn out even better than a jousting tournament. I sure love my wonderful family!

I still want to do those other things, though! Another weekend...

"STUPENDERIFIC"

Proud mother moment...

Jessie's final verdict on her international music experience in Scotland was "STUPENDERIFIC!" (Yep, she's definitely my daughter.) They practiced their hearts out, visited a phenomenally beautiful sea-side castle ruin (where part of the Hamlet that Mel Gibson starred in was filmed), stayed with the nicest people on the planet, and had an all-around wonderful time.

There were two highlights to the trip. The first was having her dad arrive when she wasn't expecting anyone from our family to be able to come. Apparently Jess was so surprised that she just stood open-mouthed while her friends laughed, finally getting over the shock enough to squeal and hug Kyle. (Now that was a good reaction!) The second was being picked by the director to sing a "semi-solo" (her phrasology--we non-teenage varieties call that a small group ensemble) during the concert. She felt very privileged to be selected, and she did a fantastic job. Her adviser from school kept referring to Jess as her "star," and Jess didn't quite know how to deal with all of the attention and kudos. (I can understand, though; all I ever want to do is run away when I perform so that I don't have to talk to anyone afterward...) In fact, she was partially glad to come home just so that people would stop congratulating her. She's still just young enough, too, that she actually missed us. I like that part--big grin.

I'm thrilled that she had such a wonderful experience and that my sweet Kyle could be there to see our not-so-little-anymore star shine! What a talented kid!!

She's Alive--Jessie goes to Scotland

Jess left for Scotland Wednesday afternoon, headed to the International Choir Festival she'll be performing in Saturday night. Apparently she had a successful flight (after a slight fiasco with no id and her not going to be able to fly without it, a maternal mad dash to the airport with her passport, a quick hug, and a "love you, Mom, see you"). Her adviser sent proof this morning that she is, indeed, still alive and is in Scotland:


She doesn't know it, but Kyle is going to fly up Saturday to surprise her. If only it would have been on a three-day weekend so that the whole family could have gone...

The kids spent the bulk of the day yesterday working on their music but then were rewarded with a trip to a seaside castle. Must be rough... (Why didn't I hide in her suitcase, again?)

Seriously, though, I hope she's having a phenomenal time!!! In the words of Mushu, "Our little baby's all grown up and saving China," er, "singing in Scotland." I'm so proud of her.