happy first Scottiversary to us!

Today marks one year that we've lived in Scotland. Woah.

This time last year, we were arriving to Edinburgh, 4 suitcases + 4 carryons  + 2 deer-in-the-headlights looks alighting the train at Edinburgh Waverley, [unsuccessfully] trying to roll our bags across the bumpy stones, exiting onto Princes Street with all bags in tow, only to be told we needed to go back through the station and exit at the opposite side (Market Street) to find a taxi. If ever there were two people who stood out as newbs, WE were those people that day. 

Boy did we learn a lot in the 365 days following that one. 

Special shout-out to my adventure partner D$, who has made even the
tough times of our first year in Scotland some of our best times yet.
Love you my hubsby! 

Moving abroad changes you. Really, ANY move changes you. I think it shapes and develops your character, your endurance, and most certainly your patience! Both times I've moved I'm certain God used it as a way to show me that he always provides for our needs. So often I seem to forget how faithful he is. But he shows himself true to his promises every single time. 

Here are a few of my favorite, unexpected gifts from this past year in Edinburgh: 

- the amazing New College community that welcomed us with open arms

- BOOK CLUB!

- two adorable Hewitt children that stole my heart (and now a third!)

- being able to practice Spanish with students from Spain to whom I teach English. :)

- all of our amazing, fun, out-of-town guests

- ... and so much more. This list could go on and on.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to live in Edinburgh. The first year flew by, so I know I'll need to cherish and enjoy every minute of our remaining time here. Don't forget to come visit... you know you'll have a place to stay! :)

oh, by the way, we moved to Scotland!

Yes, it's true. Daniel and I relocated to Edinburgh [ed-in-bur-uh], Scotland on 4 September 2014. If you're reading my blog (anybody?) you probably already know this. Because I post (as both the French AND South-Louisianians say) "beaucoup" pictures. 

We really like love living in Edinburgh. We think it has the best of everything you could want in a city... the greenest parks, the cutest cafes, the cosiest pubs, the friendliest people, and the list goes on and on. We love being able to walk everywhere. We love our "wee" flat, our friends, and everything about this beautiful country. *except for maybe the weather* I strongly urge you to come visit while we are living here. We'd be happy to host, and you would not be disappointed! 

About 8 months into our Edinburgh life D and I visited the US for about a month. It. Was. Great! We loved seeing friends and family while home. It was comfortable being in the culture we were raised in. We travelled so much, visiting north and south Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Kansas. I was thankful for that refreshing trip, seeing loved ones and eating too much Chick-fil-a. While we were home I spoke to several people about my #todayinedinburgh photos. It was amazing to see how many people were following our journey via social media. Helps me feel like my loved ones are less far away. People had nothing but nice things to say: "your pictures are so beautiful," "Edinburgh looks like an amazing place," "it's so neat to follow you guys in the UK." And also things like: "you guys are really living the dream," "how lucky you are to live in Scotland," "your life is like a movie." 

So, I'm writing this blog post to address the latter series of comments.

We feel so thankful that God chose to bring us to Scotland, because we really do love it here. We also trust that, no matter where we are, God will provide for our needs. And He most certainly has! Sometimes we'll say to each other (almost a year later) "Wow... we actually LIVE here!" because it's not something either of us would have ever expected. But, as the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. And in this case, while the grass LITERALLY is greener, I want to tell you that we have faced our share of hardships, but we are thankful for the hope we have that God will walk us through and provide for our needs. Take this, for instance...

When I post pictures of bright sun shining beautifully into our back bedroom it's because I've been inside all day and that was the ONLY 5 SECONDS OF THE DAY that the sun came out. What. The. Heck. Scotland?!?!

When I post pictures of tea and biscuits in bed, it's because I'm having hot tea under the covers in the middle of the day because it's FREEZING in our flat and we're too cheap to start using the heat in early October.

When I post pictures of romantic early-morning adventures with my sweet boo-thang, it's because the forecast for THE NEXT 36 HOURS is RAIN!!!!! So we better get out at 8am and enjoy the clear skies before it starts raining by lunch. 

When I post pictures of our roast chicken for #thanksgivinginedinburgh, I'm roasting a chicken because the only fresh turkey I could find was nearly $100. Heck to the no. 

When I post picturesque twilight silhouettes of church spires, just keep in mind that twilight in December was at 4pm. NOT. COOL.

Also 3:30pm sunsets in January..

When I post pictures of snowy fields, just remember that I usually WALK to work. about 2 miles, and yes, uphill. 

When I post pictures of gorgeous flower gardens, please know that it's the only 10 minutes of the day that the grey skies briefly shared with the sun.

When I post pictures of ancient castle ruins, bear in mind that the only reason we went there was because we won free train tickets and were able to enter at no cost. We packed a lunch. I don't even like packing my lunch.

The list goes on and on. Like, for example..
- Scottish Power is the UK equivalent of Comcast.

- I work 3 jobs, that, inconveniently, aren't close to one another. 

- Exciting things happen in the lives of our family members and friends back home, but we miss out. 

SO, what?

Here's the bottom line: most people nobody has a perfect/dreamy/movie-like life. We all have difficulties and hard times in life, regardless of what we post on social media for the world to see. And I've realized that, without meaning to, I've made my life seem like it's full of adventures and excitement. But in all actuality, it's probably a lot like yours! 

Love where you live, because God has put you there for a reason. Enjoy the little things, like sunshine, free day trips, bright colored flowers, delicious CHICKEN at Thanksgiving, etc., because they are so often the biggest blessings. And don't be too discouraged from the hard things in life [I'm preaching to the choir, here], but have hope and see it at work all around you.

peace & love

long overdue

I have not been a faithful blogger as of late. Things have been very busy... which leaves me with so much to update! :) Here's a brief post-finals review for your reading enjoyment. 

Firstly, I celebrated the 24th birthday of my sweet WDJ. I took him on a surprise date, which included an Italian dinner at Slice Pizzeria on Magazine Street, followed by a cup of yummy ice cream at the Creole Creamery. We laughed so much and enjoyed each other's company on the beautiful May evening. He's nice. :) 

24th birthday date night

This is the first summertime that I haven't done international missions... and honestly, it's a strange feeling. However, I feel like this is exactly where God wants me to be. And I've super enjoyed the free time that Daniel and I have been able to spend together. Here's a glimpse of our park visit:

afternoon in the park

Here's my sweet little Avery on the last day I picked her up. It was a bitter sweet day: I am so blessed to have Nick and Avery in my life, but I am sad that it's time for them to move on to another school and the next phase of their lives. I pray that I was faithful to represent Christ to them over these past two years. I love them both so much. I feel like this sweet little brown-haired cutie is my 4th little sister... and I am so thankful to God for her. Hopefully, should the Lord give me a special wedding day sometime in the future, this little lady will be a part of it! :)

date with Avery!

Speaking of sisters... MY LITTLE MEGGIE GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL!! :) I was so proud to see her all "grown up" in her cap and gown, looking back to only three years ago when I made the same step, and excited for the next few ahead for her. I pray that the Lord would reveal Himself to her in a very real way. I am so proud of my beautiful Meg! :) BONUS: going to see her graduation was also an opportunity to see my bab.. well, not-so-baby sisters, Emily Michelle and Hannah Marie. I cannot believe how grown up [TALL!] they are getting. I am sad when I see them, because I realize how much of their lives I am missing. I pray that they know my love, though from a distance. I pray that they would know the true Love, too. Here... please allow me to show them off... :)

Hannah

Meggie

Emily

Mommy with her girls :)

After returning to BR, my precious friend Becca Sloane CAMPBELL was married!!! :) Here are a few pics from her sweet, summertime wedding. Love you, Becca!

cute wedding date

beautiful bride

Later, I was part of a special group that celebrated the 22nd birthday of Christopher Mott. :) We had a BLAST! I am so blessed to have this friend in my life. He will be greatly missed come August, so I need to spend all the time with him I can over these next few months. Happy Birthday, Chris!

matchies!

with our Chris Mott name tags! hehehe

And now, as I sit here and write this blog post, I am at my Grandma and Grandpa's house in Florida with my cousins, spending time with people I love, wanting to live out the Gospel: in service, in Love. Here are a few photo-updates from our first day here... we have had a blast so far. Look forward to spending more time with Grandma tomorrow. :)

with Zack and Brett in the airport!

swimming with Brett and Papa

trivial pursuit: we are obviously NOT geniuses... lol

And here are a few pics from the in-between:

my cousin Zack, batboy for the Zephyr's!

at a Zephyr's game!

cool flower in Spanish Town 

our first BR farmer's market experience!

after church eating crew

pretty friends! :)

Thanks to Ann Voskamp, I have been joining with many others and counting my blessings day by day. Focusing on God's blessings reminds me of His faithfulness, and it also fills my heart and mind with His joy. Here are a few of the gifts from His heart I have seen this month:

1. Beach towels in the summertime

2. 1 year, 9 months

3. sweet conversation with Ms. Julie

4. my little Avery growing up

5. pointless errands

6. time to relax with my roomies

7. birthdays: evidence of God's grace

8. a full house :)

9. midnight finger blasting in the dark

10. deep washing by a heavy rainfall

11. sweet reunions with my beloved family group

12. afternoon peeping sun

13. His mercies are new every morning

14. beautiful bird melody

15. laughing times with D

16. warm embraces

17. Saturday morning cup of joe and daily dose of the Word

18. summertime cucumbers and tomatoes

19. cousin visits

20. a happy, newly engaged couple, Mr. Zack Lofton and Miss Kelsey Selene Gober, soon-to-be Lofton. :)

I am thankful. Lord, please help me to see and meditate on Your goodness daily. 

"If you are not striving for intimacy with Christ nor trusting Him fully, you will be swayed."
-Kevin Whitfield

blogspot, we meet again

Hello, blogging world!

It's been quite some time since my last post. In fact, a whole semester has passed, and the blog still looks the same. It's obviously time for a new post! So here it goes: 2010-2011 winter break overview:

-Watched Erica Kim Nguyen, my dear friend (and prima), graduate from college. :) Congrats, Erica, on being so smart and so stinkin' cute!

-Played the kinnect. (that's an understatement)

-Spent a lot of time with my mommy, mostly enjoying our favorite sushi spot, RawZ.

-Read 2 Francine Rivers' novels.

-Made over 8 dozen cupcakes, of all different shapes, sizes and colors. They were enjoyed (devoured) by many.

-Enjoyed a beautiful and blessed Christmas day with my family and friends.

-Lived with 12 super-fun junior high girls for a weekend at SENT Dnow.

-Got a visit from my sweet sister, Hayley Hollier!

-Anndd spent a lot of time with my favorite boy in the www (whole wide world), Daniel Jackson. :)

This break was greatly welcomed and well received, and now I can hardly believe it's over! I thank God for my beautiful family and friends. I really missed seeing my dad, stepmom, and sweet sisters over the break, but I look forward to seeing them soon! :) *Side note: Meghan turns 18 tomorrow... AHH!!*

The Lord has truly blessed me. I am really looking forward to some things throughout this next semester:

- spending time with my sweet roomies and friends

- new professors, classes, and a LOT more Spanish

- observing at a new school

- Bible study

- TNT

- spring break! :)

- and whatever else the Lord brings this way.

It is my prayer that we would be faithful to Him in all things, because He NEVER forsakes us. :) PTL!

grace and peace.

wrapping up a great week!

Week 3 at Hope For Tomorrow has been phenomenal! It was a busy week, full of activities, but it has been such a blessed time! I can actually hardly believe I’ve been here for three weeks! I know week 4 is going to be very different, because the team will not be with us; but, I pray that it will be just as blessed as this past week. I pray for more opportunities this week to talk about the Lord.

This week we celebrated the first birthday of sweet baby Moises. Oh, what a precious little baby he is! Here’s a little bit of Moises’ story: he was left on the “side of the road” when he was only days, possibly even hours, old. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like he was sort of “tucked away,” with chances rare that someone would find him. However, he was rescued and brought to a hospital, and not long after he was passed on to Hope For Tomorrow, his new home. He didn’t have a name, so he was named Moises, which translates to Moses in English. And what a perfect name for such a sweet child! Dropped off without much hope. Seemed destined to die. But then rescued and brought into a life full of opportunities. WOW! It’s impossible to not see the Lord’s hand already in the life of this child. It’s my prayer that the Lord would continue to grow baby Moi in His grace, and that he may be a leader for the Lord, just like the man after whom he was named. Here are a few pictures of his first birthday:

Today (Saturday), we had a nice outing with the children. We went to Pollo Campero, the HUGE chicken food-chain here in Guatemala. Their specialty is fried chicken, french-fries, and doughnuts. MMM… part of a nutritious meal, right?! lol. After a nice time out-on-the-town, we came back to the home. Some of the children helped wash the van, and others played on the brand new sensory table that the team built this week. We did a few arts and crafts, too! Here are some pictures from this afternoon:

After a week of service and nice time together, the team said their goodbyes and left. It was such a blessing to have them here! I thank the Lord for those godly men and ask for their safe return home. I played with the children for about an hour more before heading back to my living quarters. For dinner tonight, I made some mac and cheese with canned chicken… it was QUITE a chore! After finally finding a flame with which to light the gas stove, I had to open my canned chicken with fingernail clippers and a butter knife. Haha! I have never before realized my gratitude for a can opener! But it made me all the more thankful for my dinner tonight. The Lord does always provide, even if it’s in ways I wouldn’t expect.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow. It will be my first Sunday with the children. I hope to have a little service with them in the morning and then, weather permitting, go on a afternoon walk. Megan is coming in the later afternoon, and I’m excited about that!

I fall more and more in love with these children every day! Please continue to pray for them, that the Lord would reveal Himself to them.

“I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was Your gracious will.” –Luke 10:21

More updatage to follow. Happy Sunday! Please leave me a comment if you read this… it brings me great joy to know who is reading my blog!

estoy agradecida :)

These past few days have been so great! I am so thankful to the Lord for everything that has gone on this week. A group of five men from Kentucky came in for a week as a construction team. Throughout the week, they have been working on projects around the home, making it more “livable” for the children. While I haven’t been much of a construction help, I have greatly enjoyed getting to know these Godly men and talking with them about the Lord. It has been very encouraging to be around wise men that share the same faith in the same God that I do! I praise the Lord for bringing this team here. Here’s a picture of the crew:

Since a team is in town, I have been able to “get out” a little more. It’s been nice eating with them for lunch every day. And I was also able to go eat dinner with them on Wednesday night. That night, Kenneth and Diana so graciously let me stay with them, and we took the group out to Antigua on Thursday. It was such a nice trip. A few of our activities included: shopping in the market, drinking some Guatemalan coffee, trying on a $12,000 bracelet at the Jade Factory (ha!), getting in trouble for taking pictures inside a museum, a small hike up a hill for a full city-view, a nice dinner, Spanish lessons from Diana, many encouraging and informative conversations, a debate about the Spanish word “Limon,” and much time spent with my new sweet friend, Diana Sese (the wife of Kenneth).

I am very thankful to the Lord for Diana. What a wonderful and beautiful woman she is! She and Kenneth met when he first came to Guatemala, and they have now been married for 7 years. We’ve been able to spend time together every day this week. We’ve talked about SO much. I have heard from her heart, and I am very blessed by our friendship. It’s nice to have a girl here to talk and listen to! I pray that we will have more opportunities over the next month that I am here to spend more time together, and I also pray that during this time the Lord would heal her heart and restore joy in her life. I know that the Lord is the ultimate comfort, and I trust His ability and our inability. Thank You, Father.

Finally, I would like to share a few fun things that have happened at the home this week! With the group being here, things have been pretty… noisy. But, the kids are dealing with it well, and it’s been nice to have some new faces in the home. Despite the changes the children are stilli n school; and, in school this week, the children learned about bakers (panederos). So, they dressed up in bakers’ hats and made some fake dough. It was SO fun! Here are some pictures of the sweeties:

And going right along with the dough subject, I learned how to make tortillas (tortillar) this week! The home’s cook, Señora Blanca, taught me how to pat out the tortillas and cook them to perfection. It took a lot of practice (it’s much harder than it looks). But once I got the hang of it, I made a few dozen fresh tortillas! Although they were a little small (chiquititas), they were full of flavor! I can’t wait to teach someone when I come home. Hehe

I am excited for this weekend. Thank You, Father, for a blessed week.