Day 6 - Play, Pie, and Park

One of the things I've been looking forward to this visit happened today.  Dash and JackJack's Easter program at school was this morning and I, Gigi, was able to be here for it.  When you live in the same town as your grandchildren, you take for granted the ability to be there for the important moments in their lives.  When they live halfway around the world, it is more than an honor to be able to share one with them.  The boys' school is a public school operated by the Church of England, and while England has one of the lowest percentage of Christ-followers in any developed country in the world, it considers itself a Christian nation.  And in a Christian nation, it is totally acceptable and expected that any program on the subject of Easter would include the good news of the resurrection.  I'm happy to report that this one did.  Besides a play about a little chicken who invited his friends for Easter, asked for help but was denied, and wound up ignoring the advice of his mother who said forget them and eat the food yourself, there were poems and recitations celebrating the King who rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and rose from the dead.

The front of the program...Year R (Reception) is like K4 in the US (with a K5 curriculum) and Year 1 is like K5 (with a first grade curriculum).

 Some of the recitations.  

 JackJack and Dash were in the back row and hard to see with my little camera, but here's a shot of the Year R and Year 1 classes.

 After the program we were invited to the Year 1 classroom, where the children shared the toy museum they had put together.  The parents of the Year 1 students loaned the *ancient* toys from their childhood and the children manned different stations to explain the toys and invite the guests to observe or play.  JackJack and his classmate demonstrated  the scooter, which I suppose has been around awhile.

 Dash demonstrated an English game of tag involving a wolf and some chickens.  I believe the dad in the photo was the wolf.

 Baby G took in all the sights.

The toy museum/the boys' classroom

Next stop, Deddington.  We ate lunch at the Pudding Face, an authentic English pie restaurant.  Not like Baker's Square, mind you, English pies are filled with meat and vegetables and served with mashed potatoes and gravy or chips (fries) with vinegar.  After lunch Elasti-girl had her 6-week postpartum check-up at the Deddington clinic, and then we headed home.

 Yes, I know this is a picture of a rock wall.  I can't begin to imagine how long it took to build walls like this, but they are EVERYWHERE.  All the fields are surrounded by rock walls or sturdy hedgerows.

Today was beyond beautiful.  I'm not sure why I've been so blessed two years in a row to enjoy warm and sunny weather, but I am grateful.  After picking up the boys from school, we took a walk to the village park and soaked up the rays.  They say we're in for some more seasonal chilly/wet weather over the next few days.  I got in on the good weather at home before it turned cold again, and feel doubly blessed here.

 Dash was determined to hide from me once I pulled out the camera.

 He thought he was hiding, but I stuck my arm as high as I could reach over the edge of the slide and snapped in the blind.  GOTCHA!

 Daddy and JackJack playing *football* on the basketball court.

 It was a very full day and Baby G says it's time for bed.

Nite nite, Baby G.  Nite, nite, world.

Day 4 - A *Quiet* Day at Home

Dash and JackJack coughed all night last night, and I offered to keep them home today rather than dragging them on the train and sitting in the Embassy for hours.  It was a good decision.  Mr. Incredible and Elasti-girl said the whole thing took much longer than expected, but at the end of it all, Baby G was pronounced an American citizen.  Elasti-girl asked the woman who assisted them if Baby G is also a British citizen, but she didn't seem completely sure.  So, who knows?

The big boys spent the better part of the day on the couch playing computer games.  You'd think I could figure out how to build a bridge, but apparently now.  Mine caved in every single time.  How embarrassing.  We also got outside for a bit - I was hanging laundry and they were having a Nerf war.  JackJack showed off his two-wheeler skills and we baked chocolate chip cookies.  So, along with some power cleaning,  it was a very productive day.

I think I'll be going to bed early.  :)

 www.coolmath-games.com is ALOT of fun!

Dash waiting for the perfect shot.  

JackJack shooting from the 2nd floor window.

Day 3 - Day Trip

Tomorrow is the big trip to the American Embassy in London to register Baby G's birth.  In preparation for that, Elasti-girl, Baby G and I took the bus into Oxford today.  Baby G had to have passport photos taken, so we made a day of it.  Any excuse to get back to Oxford works for me.

Here's the day in photos!

First, a bath for Baby G.

Next, a bus ride to Oxford.  It amazes me that roads not really wide enough for two cars will somehow accommodate two buses.  Just when I am convinced a collision is inevitable, the moment is over and the buses have somehow magically passed one another without incident.

A walk around the downtown area, with memories of having seen these amazing structures last year with Flyboy.  Missing you, honey...

Next stop, passport photos.  The nice ladies laid Baby G on a white backdrop.  One tried to keep him looking straight ahead while the other stood on a crate shooting time after time until she finally got the shot she was looking for.  Baby G was cooperative but curious, laying still but looking in all directions at the same time.  After about 25 tries, success!

A lunch break at Pieminister in the Covered Market..  My yummy bean pie was served over mashed potatoes with gravy.  Delish!

We walked some more, stopped in a few shops, and landed here at the Natural History Museum.  The structure was as amazing as the exhibits (in my opinion).

Tomorrow, London!  We're leaving at 0-dark-30 to catch the bus.  The appointment at the Embassy is at 9:30.  We take the bus in, and then will walk about a mile to our destination.  I, for one, am hitting the hay early tonight.  

Here!

Outside a little nap (see photo below), I have been awake for a very long time.  My plane left O'Hare last night at 10:30pm and arrived in London at 11:30am England time (which was 6:30am CST).  I was greeted by my two favorite six year olds (and their parents) and met our new grandson Flynn.  After lunch and errands, we finally got back to the house about 3:30 in the afternoon.

Note to self: when traveling across the ocean, one might think that leg room is the most important consideration when choosing a seat.  During the daytime, this may very well be true, but on an overnight flight, being able to lean one's head against the window is much preferable, lending to much needed sleep.  I can say this with conviction, having observed the girl next to me sleeping while my head was bobbing, awakening me every five minutes.  I will remember this next time.

After 36 hours without much sleep to speak of, I'm not entirely cogent and cannot be held responsible for rambling.  So instead of carrying on, I'll get to the stuff you want to see anyway - PICTURES!

But before I do, I would just like to comment that driving through the English countryside sort of felt like coming home.  Maybe it's all that English blood that courses through my veins.  There was just one thing conspicuously missing - Flyboy.  I miss him already.

 Gigi and Flynn taking a snooze.

 Carter wasted no time constructing his lego dinosaur.  He IS a clever boy.

Way to help with supper, Elijah!  Washing skewers for grilled kebobs.  He was so proud.

Senior Shopping

Peanut's first birthday is this weekend, and we headed to Target after supper to pick out a gift for her.  And a card for Flyboy's pastor friend whose birthday is tomorrow.  While Flyboy was looking at the cards I headed to the toy department.  I've had in my head that I wanted to get Peanut an upholstered chair just her size that is sturdy enough for her to climb in and out of without tipping it over.  I've searched every store in town and had this itty bitty hope that Target might be having some 60% off sale or something, but alas, the beautiful baby wingback chair in pink was still $80 and seeing that Peanut doesn't even know it's her birthday or what that even means quite yet, I think that's a little more than we want to spend.  I knew this already, but the instinct was confirmed when I showed it to Flyboy and he gave me a look.  You know that look.  It says, "have you lost your ever-lovin' mind???"  This was after he searched and searched for me in the toy department, not knowing I'd been drawn like a magnet to the furniture department on the great chair hunt.  Ever the funny guy, he was carrying an ab machine for Peanut when he found me.  I gave him the look.  He knew exactly what it meant.

In the meantime, two lovely little old ladies were at the end of the baby doll toy aisle on the red phone looking for a cashier in electronics.  One was explaining her dilemma to the person on the phone while the other was trying to find the ringing cell phone in her purse.  The ensuing conversation was precious:

Lady #1:  Isn't there usually someone at the electronics counter?  How am I supposed to check out there when there is no one around?
Lady #2:  I know I heard my phone ringing but I can't find it in my purse.
Lady #1:  Maybe you left it in the car.  I think you did leave it in the car.
Lady #2:  I think you're right.  I must have left my phone in the car.
Lady #1:  But you heard it ringing - it has to be in your purse.
Red-shirted clerk: May I help you ladies?
Lady #2:  I lost my cell phone.  I heard it ringing but I can't find it.
Red-shirted clerk:  Did you need some help at the electronics counter?
Lady #1:  Unless you can find a missing cell phone, no...
Red-shirted clerk:  Um...okay...well...if you need anything else, I'll be right here.

Unable to settle between the wingback chair and the ab machine, we finally found something soft we could both agree on.  We checked out, got a couple of lattes from the in-store Starbucks and made our way to the parking lot.

Where we found our two ladies looking for their car.  They had enlisted the help of a passing-by driver, who suggested they hit the panic button on their remote to locate their vehicle.  And it worked.

Gigi:  Well, that could be us in a few years, you know...
Flyboy:  I certainly hope not.  Just shoot me now.

Passports - Check!

Our passports arrived today in the mail, two weeks and six days after we made application.  That's a relief!  We are one step closer to our upcoming trip to England, which is now just over five weeks away.

Unbelievable.

Can't wait to hug on all of them.

Funny story...overheard this past week between Dash and JackJack:

JackJack:  If bad guys came and wanted to hurt us, I would punch them in the face.

Dash:  If bad guys came and wanted to hurt us, I would stay in the house.

If any conversation ever personified the marked differences between these two little guys, it's this one.  And how interesting to ponder the difference between nature and nurture...  JackJack loves super heroes and Star Wars and wants to play rugby when he turns five.  Dash cares about people, and when a friend recently had a fire at her flat, his first question was, "is she alright?", which was followed by, "she could stay here at our house with us."

Being so far away has been hard, and we are missing out on so much.  But at the same time, knowing it was God Himself who led them, who made the way plain, who has guided them along the way and supported them (even in especially in the hard times) makes the distance bearable somehow.  We will be celebrating JackJack's birthday, as well as his sweet mama's, and seeing places with our own eyes we have only dreamed of.

Next on the agenda: an itinerary.  The Incredibles have things they want to show us, and we are taking any and all suggestions from anyone who has been there.  What would you recommend?

Lessons From a Baby

Yesterday, I enjoyed my Gigi-duty of caring for Peanut during second service at church. She could undoubtedly go to the nursery, but this is *our time*, and I'll enjoy it as long as her parents will let me. As always, she was a little angel, contentedly looking around and taking it all in. Even when she started to get sleepy there was no fussing, she just laid her head on my shoulder every now and then, popping it back up again to make sure she wasn't missing anything.

Finally, during the potluck after church, right in the middle of the gym, when the level of conversation noise made it hard to think, Peanut decided it was time to go to sleep. She conked out right in my arms, and slept there for a good long while. Her other grandma, Betty, came over to visit and commented on Peanut's ability to sleep right in the midst of all the noise and activity, and mused there was a lesson there for all of us. Again I was reminded of our need to stop and rest - even in the middle of the busiest time of the year.

Peanut looked blessedly serene as she snuggled in my arms and slept. What better, safer place is there to sleep than in the arms of One who loves us and not only would - but did - give His life on our behalf? This afternoon, following a stressful week I'd just as soon not repeat for awhile, I think I'll climb up into my Father's arms and enjoy some tranquil, peaceful rest. I'm safe there.