I protest

From Nora



Whoever thought this holiday was a good idea needs their head examined as does mom for thinking that a bunch of grapes is a good costume for a toddler.








Being a butterfly was alright though.

Just because...

Laughter is good medicine.

Week-in-review

From Nora

Song: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (with motions)

Word: Ear

Activity: Feeding the ducks

Food: Eggs

Snack: Raisins

Low point: Being knocked over by a surprise wave and soaked in freezing cold water while walking along the beach.

High point: Being pampered by a repentant mom and dad after being knocked over by a surprise wave. ("Nora do you want chocolate? How about I read to you for the next 2 hours?...Poor girl.")

Cornbread

Today was a good day. I made a lot cornbread, and I ate a lot of cornbread. Yum.

You see, I had despaired of having any in the near future as corn meal is not sold in groceries here. But, thankfully, I know Americans here who have figured out a few things.

"Go to the grain and pet shop and you'll find 'finely ground polenta' which is essentially the same."

Once I got over the fact that cat food and cornmeal are sold over the same counter, I made my way to J.T Rodgers. Logically, the store, like other pet/grain shops, also sells specialty canned goods. So, I was able to get canned pumpkin (another item not readily available here). So, needless to say, pumpkin pie will be enjoyed by the Shipp family this week. I'll have to master whipping cream though in place of good-ol'-American Cool Whip.

An anniversary...

Four years ago, Stephen and I started dating. For some reason, I can remember this date easier than the date we got engaged (either December 14 or 17???). I remember "the walk" that changed our relationship adding to friendship, love. I am so blessed to have Stephen as my husband and still, as my best friend.

I love you, darling. And as you write your first St. Andrews paper tonight, I'll stay by your side...and try not to snore :-P

Christmas lights

...were hung in town today. Christmas lights! It's not time for that. Not time for co-workers to be talking about what they are buying their children for Christmas. I'm not mentally prepared for the holidays yet...

An apple a day...

T ry inigg tto sAY HOWW PRETy Sarah is . . .

. . .......but hARD TO type riiiight tnow

It's Sarah's birthday! See below for age . . .

Just kidding. I won't say. But here's a clue.

Polaroid moments in Europe

Our Europe pictures are uploaded at last!


There is some description, but if I tried to write more it would have been months before you saw anything! To view the pictures chronologically, start at the last one and go back :)

And above is one worth highlighting because it makes me crack up every time I see it. Talk about capturing the moment. Nora didn't know quite what to think of take off.

More on our home away from home

We have the best landlords. We arrived late on a Saturday night and they had fresh flowers and some groceries waiting for us.

Our flat has lots of natural light thanks in large part to the skylight in the main room.

An outside view...We live in the top level there with the three windows.

Our bedroom. Like the rest of the flat in resembling an IKEA showroom. We're grateful for such modern decor as most of the flats here are very outdated.

View from our bedroom window. St. Leonards (Church of Scotland) is down the road. The Stables and main house (where our landlords live) was once the manse of that church.

The Stables

View of the main room: Study (to the r.), Living room (to the l.), kitchen with bar (foreground)

I love the tile in the kitchen

Nora helps unpack her room...

Red has to be one of the best colors for a child's room! We recently returned the pack and play we were borrowing in our first days here and Nora graduated to the bed with a bed rail. I braced myself for a hard adjustment, but as the only change so far has been that she's added an extra hour of sleep each night, I think it was a good step up.

Both rooms have an adjoining bathroom. Neither has a bath tub. So not only does my baby sleep in a big bed, she also takes showers quite happily. Ah! Not a baby much longer...

For fellow bloggers...

Have any of you switched to the new version of Blogger in beta?

Benefits? Disadvantages? Would you recommend doing it?

Toddlers and worship

For any parents who read my blog:

Do you have any advice or suggested reading on how to train a child to develop a love, respect for and participation in family and public worship?

Sunday reading...

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

BUT

Grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of His Son: "ye were bought at a price," and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us. Above all, it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God.

-The Cost of Discipleship (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)


What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

-Psalm 116:12-14

Building forts and making friends...

Nora's new favorite: blanket forts...

Meet Nora's friends, Sam and Owen t.

They like to build blanket and chair forts, too.

Oops! Nora tore down the fort!

Boo! It's the sam monster...

Stock in Kleenex and settling in...

I decided today that it would be financially advantageous for me to buy stock in Kleenex. Nora's poor nose has not been dry since we arrived. I went to her toddler play group today, saw not a single child with a clean nose or mother with a clean sleeve and knew that was the place for us.

Nora was a bit clingy the first few days after arriving in St. Andrews, wanting to stay near me at all times even during church, which was a challenge. No longer. On Sunday, the pastor of the church we're attending walked up to me carrying Nora. I was quite surprised she allowed this without protest, then realized she had a guilty look on her face. "She was trying to go out the front door," he said fatherly (he has two grown daughters of his own and an obvious soft spot for Nora). Then I knew, the old Nora had returned. She barely looked at me at toddler play group today. It is fun to see her enjoy children her own age. I'd even endure an hour and a half of 25 happily screaming toddlers to give her that opportunity, and I did.

Stephen has enjoyed resuming the life of a student and meeting the challenges of a different academic setting. He is taking two “modules” this semester -one required overview course and the other a more narrow, directed research course. He also decided to audit Latin to refresh his memory on the courses he took at PHC. He's taking the learning by teaching approach and including me in the evenings. It's been stimulating and fun to do something like that together. I don't know what I think about him assigning me homework though: making his flashcards.

There are a number of American students here. Thanks to the draw of the theology department here for American seminary students, we find ourselves surrounded by young Christian couples, many of them with children. I've been able to plug into Bible studies, book discussions, play groups and childcare swaps, which has allowed us to feel more settled than we would otherwise have felt after just two and a half weeks. The wives in this community have given tips on how to adapt here and lent a number of items for Nora (pack n' play, rain cover for stroller). We are so grateful for that aspect of being here.

After looking for some part-time work one afternoon last week, I got a job offer the next day over the phone. Once again, God provided (why do I worry?!). I started working as a waitress/ cashier/ barista at a locally owned coffee and sandwich shop on Monday. Stephen is able to be with Nora most of the time I'm out, which is comforting to me. I was able to work out a child swap with a couple moms for the few hours that conflict with Stephen's class schedule. The people I work with are so nice, and it's been fun to get to know some people in the community. I'm starting to learn the names of "the regulars." Now if I can just start understanding them, so I can stop writing down orders phonetically...

Well, if you haven't been able to tell, we're quite busy here at "the Stables" (the name of our flat). I plan to post pictures of Europe, tell stories of some of my "what's different" experiences in the early days of being here, and post pictures of the flat as time allows.

Goodnight!

Last week, part II

St. Andrews Castle

St. Andrews Cathedral

View from St. Rules Tower. The only picture we were able to take before thick fog rolled in and blocked "the best view of the city."

Last week in St. Andrews...

The "Chariots of Fire" Beach

The North Sea

The castle ruins...

"The righteous shall be an everlasting rememberance..."