One Year Ago Today

One year ago today, we landed on this little island to start a new chapter in our lives. It was a good year and a hard year. It was definitely the most well documented year and will probably hold that record for life. I asked Nathan what some of his highlights were of our first year in England and he said, "Being married to you." Yesss...


Whether you're new here or have been following every. single. post, I hope you enjoy the year in summary. 

From here...

We left on three jetplanes...


Landed at barn #1...


And then settled into barn #2...


Met our first English friends...


Did a bit of charity shopping...


Found some things that we quite like...


And rather dislike...


Spent Thanksgiving in Scotland...


And Christmas in Durham...


Were saved from winter blues by care packages...


And by sharing the American miracle of chocolate chip cookies...


Had another niece born...


Threw a birthday party for a stranger...


Had the worst school day of my life...


Was brought spring by friends from Atlanta...


Experienced the royal wedding bonanza...


Fell in love with Cambridge...


Got a job...


Turned 30...


Went on an Eastern European vacay with dear friends...


Started a new business...


And started training for a 10K...

To here...

These links absolutely do not cover other important relationships and visits and events with friends and family. Those were just too hard to slim down!


What has been your favorite post on the blog this year? What would you like to see/read more about? I'm curious...

Running Playlist

My last day as an unemployed bum....


We're going to look at cars today, seeing as how it's the last day we can legally drive Harriet. Prayers would be lovely. 


In preparation for this 10K next Sunday, I want to gather a little playlist for the race next weekend. Here's my current favorite. 





The best line is "Don't give up/You will make it". Just what I need to reminded of...

I'm off to run hills with Ashley. 

Do you have any inspirational songs to run to? I'd love to hear them... in every sense of the phrase. Leave a comment with your suggestions!

Nothin' To See Here

This is our new place completely empty. Just a lot of white walls and blue carpet. I'm tuckered out after day two of moving. Tonight we are having our North Barn neighbors over for dinner, and I have a bit to do before they come, so this post will be a little lacking in commentary. Sorry.

The Parkers' bathroom

Parkers' bedroom

Parkers' lounge

Nathan's office (so tiny)

3rd floor to 2nd floor staircase

McKenneys' lounge

McKenney's floor (lounge in the background, bedroom/bathroom in the foreground where Nathan is standing)

Kitchen

Pantry/laundry room

Dining room (foreground)/Living room (background)/Pamela's shoulder

View from second floor

Tired but happy to be eating dinner together in the new place

Our New Neighbors are Pirates

Sorry for radio silence yesterday. Nathan and I and the McKenneys spent a very long day moving to our new place. I will fill y'all in later on all of the details, but for now, the most exciting detail is that I think our new neighbors are feminist pirates.


Proof?

Counting Down

Tomorrow will be two weeks away from my first race ever, a 10K. My friend, Ashley, and I are doing a long run tomorrow - 5 miles. 


Gulp.


It's the farthest I will have ever gone. Every week I go the farthest I've ever gone. It's so scary. But when it's over, it's like... "That's the farthest I've ever gone!" I don't know what else to say!


Does anyone have any "long run" advice? Any race day advice? Any shin splint advice? Any running advice in general? Abby and Allison, that means you.

Wish me luck.

Y'all Are Quick

I heard back from the headmaster at my new school this morning. I will start next Thursday, September 1st, and he is sending me a job description in the mail for my comments and modifications. Praise God!

Back to school!

Exercising Trust Muscles

The past month has been lovely. The weather has been (mostly) nice, and I've had lots of free time. It's been a month of discipline: working out almost every day with Kristine or Ashley, training for the 10K on September 11th, eating more healthily. It's also been a month of waiting. It's the calm before the storm.


Now within view of this impending storm - a season of change - I wanted to record for myself and share with you a line from the devotional, Jesus Calling, from a few days ago. "Trust Me, and don't be afraid. I want you to view trials as exercises designed to develop your trust-muscles." 


This really hit home for me, as I've been exercising my physical muscles a lot lately. Having friends to run with has been the key to my consistency in the discipline of physical exercise lately and it's now time to exercise the spiritual ones as well. Who wants to be my spiritual exercise partner?

You do? Great! A few things for your prayers:


1) I was supposed to start my new job on August 1st to prepare for the international students, but it just didn't happen. Without yakking all of the details that have taken place this summer, I am still in the dark about what my new role will look like and when I will start, despite my numerous attempts to find out via e-mail, phone calls, and a stakeout in front of the headmaster's office. My contract says that I will start September 1st, so I will show up and find out then, I guess.


A few weeks ago I learned that the school retained the teacher I was to replace, which makes me a bit nervous. There are opportunities for me to develop the international program at the school which I am very excited about (marketing, recruitment, administration, etc.), but I'm not sure if I should be preparing a classroom or an office at this point. Will you please pray that I can get some clarity soon in my new role at the school? 

2) You might have read this on my Facebook status, but our car, Harriet, failed her MOT. An MOT is a full vehicle inspection. In the States you just  need a yearly smog/emissions check, but here you have to get a certificate that says the whole car, from bumper to bumper, is functioning perfectly. If not, you have to go to a government approved garage and get it fixed. Anyway, all of the repairs we need to legally drive the car (which is still driveable) will cost more than the car is worth, so after September 1st, the date last year's MOT expires, Harriet is officially totaled.


We were generously given the car for free, but now we are spoiled and have difficulty imagining going back to not having one, especially now that we are moving further out of town. It would take me about two hours each day to get to and from work on foot. To be honest, we do not have the finances to purchase one right now, so you can pray that God would give me grace and strength (and good weather) to walk to work and the patience to wait a few more months to purchase one (when I start earning) OR that we would get another one for free. :) Will you please pray that we can sort out another car soon? 

3) The back-to-school nightmares are back in full effect - which any teacher will tell you is completely normal - but I find myself waking up in the middle of the night with a pounding heart, struggling for breath. In the morning my jaw hurts from clenching it and the insides of my cheeks are indented. I don't feel major anxiety about this season of stress (moving, new job, lack of a car, living in debt until I start working) when I think about it, but my body is telling me that I am stressed. I claim a verse my dad gave my sister when she had trouble sleeping as a little girl: "I will like down and sleep in peace, for you alone O LORD make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8 Will you please pray that I will sleep in peace?

I bet I would sleep better if I had this sandwich. :)

4) We are able to move things into our new place on August 29th, which is next Monday. This is a huge praise because we didn't think we were going to be able to until September 1st - the day I start my new job and the day it will be illegal to drive our car. Will will move as much as we can over there (we've accumulated a lot of stuff!), and Cullen and Pamela will get things set up. Our lease at the North Barn ends on September 16th, so we will stay here until then. It's only about a 20 minute walk to work from here. Thank you Jesus! You can praise God for this early move-in date. 


Geez... I didn't realize this was going to be such a long post. Sorry. I hope I made up for blabbing on with interesting Pinterest pictures. :) And I would love to be your spiritual exercise partner too. How can I pray for you?

Because Halloween is coming, and it's never too early to think about your dog's costume.