Hello, sweet Blog. It's been a while.
Let's catch up by hitting the highlights... The Christmas Season in Oxford was absolutely beautiful. We enjoyed city festivals and Christmas markets, children's parties complete with gifts from Santa and (of course) face paintings, Christmas carol concerts, the traditional mulled wine and mince pies at parties, a Cookie exchange party, the Christmas Gala for the MBA students and several other Seasonal "get-togethers" among friends. To top it off, Oxford received the most snow it's seen in decades... What a treat!
In a brief window of good weather, our flight was cleared for take-off and our family hopped over to Holland a couple of days before Christmas. We got to spend a wonderful week in Enschede, Holland, with some of Collin's family in the childhood home of Collin's brother-in-law, Erroll, who is Dutch. Erroll's parents were incredible hosts! They spoiled us with their hospitality and the girls fell in love with them and their sweet Springer Spaniel named Jup. (Pronounced "Yoop.") We enjoyed walks to the market and bakery, strolling through the snow in the park and holding 2.5' icicles, sledding down the hillside, meeting "Sinterklaas" (Santa Claus) on Christmas Eve and having hot chocolate with him, shopping the village market, eating yummy things like Gormet, kibbling, kaassouffle, good coffee, good chocolate, some kind of amazing coated peanut things... and sharing it all in good company.
After spending some quality time in Holland (with a day in Germany for fun) we broke off as a family of four and took a trip to Barcelona. Just 24 hours before boarding the flight, we decided to be spontaneous and purchased tickets for the trip. We knew nothing but that we were going, and we would figure out the rest as we went. A completely fun thing to do!! ...borderline CRAZY to do such a thing with two kids in tow... but fun, nevertheless. Needless to say, it was a family bonding experience we will never forget. Barcelona is every bit as beautiful as you have heard. We absolutely recommend a visit.
And, since it's been a while, read on if you're curious about specific little updates on us as individuals. (I guess that coffee has kicked in... Click on the pictures to enlarge, if you would like.) :)
- Doing well and really enjoying school. He's loving the diversity and fascinating conversations between classmates who hail from 50+ countries, and he's also very impressed with and energized by the lectures his professors give. (He's in his element.)
- He's continuing to receive compliments on his leadership in the position of Consulting Club Chair within in the Oxford Business Network. He's supported by a great group of individuals whom he appointed as his team of officers at the beginning of term.
- Became a member of the Oxford Union Society and has enjoyed the unique culture of the group (a debate society) which dates back to the 1820's. It's humorous, he says, and debaters receive heckles from the crowd which only adds to the spontaneity and intensity of the debates. A wide range of guests Collin has seen so far include those such as the President of Columbia, a US Senator and Tommy Hilfiger. (Tommy handed out nice canvas tote bags with leather handles when he came-- I was sure happy when Collin came home from the Union that night with a gift in-hand!) :)
- Did well in Michaelmas Term and is geared up to begin classes for Hilary Term on Monday! (Michaelmas, Hilary and Trinity are the names of the 3 terms here at Oxford. No clue why, but I'm sure I could google it.)
- Loving the adventures that accompany life abroad! I am still discovering new aspects of this small town every week and I love how Oxford unfolds and unveils new and interesting surprises the more I look into it.
- Enjoying the Monday Mums group I attend weekly at St. Andrews Church and have found it to be one of my very favorite things about this entire experience. The women there are lovely and their faith encourages me as a Mom and as a believer.
- Just recently, a friend of mine and I decided to do a little "Mom trade-off" with our girls, so she will take Avery and Julia once a week and I'll have her daughter, Annie, on alternate weeks! That way the girls get to play together and we get a few hours of hands-free time during the week. (Win, win!)
- I am working on getting the girls registered for preschool now/primary school for Avery in the Fall, and preschool registration obstacles HERE are every bit as challenging as they are in the States. Finding a good school, fighting your way up the wait list while praying someone moves to open up a spot and seriously considering bribing the Director are all common threads. (I'm hopeful about one or two preschools at the moment, and praying God works my girls into a spot! They need it as much as I do.)
- For fun, I am going to try my hand at gardening. I purchased a variety of bulbs at the flower shop around the corner and I am keeping an eye out for a place to buy seeds for herbs and vegetables. Excited to get planting. Maybe by Spring we'll have some color on our window sill, and by Summer, perhaps, some fresh veggies!
- Avery is 4 years and 3 months old, now.
- Loving life in Oxford, but still asks about Dallas on a regular basis.
- Enjoys attending the Creche (childcare) at St. Andrews Church while I go to the Monday Mums Bible Study, and she particularly enjoys her Tuesday afternoon ballet class.
- She is really getting the hang of her new scooter she got for Christmas and loves to take it for a spin any chance she gets.
- She still enjoys art and music and is really blossoming in both. She also loves to cook and helps in the kitchen whenever she's allowed. (However, small kitchen with a hot stove makes Mom a worry-wart, so I usually just let her stir!)
- She's interested in reading, so we're working on that a little at home. Nothing hugely regimented-- I'm just trying to take advantage of her curiosity while it's here! Last night she was sounding out the letters to "H-i-d-d-e-n V-a-l-l-e-y" on the Ranch bottle. (Thanks to our friends and family for recently replenishing our supply!) Today she sounded out the letters on my rain boots. I think she's enjoying the new realization that there are letters everywhere and they actually mean something. (How will Collin & I talk about them IN FRONT of them when they can spell?!) :)
- Encouragement is definitely one of her Spiritual Gifts. She is such a blessing in our lives.
- Julia is 2 years and 9 months old now.
- Loves pretending and roll-playing with anything and everything she gets her hands on: Dolls, markers, forks, spoons, leaves... Everything is suddenly personified, and usually looking for it's Mom. (Is my 2-year-old afraid I'm going to lose her?)
- Julia also enjoys the Creche and St. Andrews on Mondays and the fantastic Tuesday afternoon ballet class. She is the youngest member of the ballet class, but keeps up with the group very well.
- She has a spunky spirit combined with a very tender heart, and she is definitely a snuggler! Julia brings us to fits of laughter on a regular basis and there are often times when I'll cross the room just to give her a squeeze because she's being so stinkin' cute. (She's at that age, I guess.) She is a delight to our hearts.
- A recent milestone for Julia was learning to spell her name (she used to say it "L-A-R-G Julia", for some reason, but now she will usually say, "J-U-L-I-A Julia" when asked)
- She is really absorbing the British accent and it's too cute.
Pictures of an Oxford December, a Holland Christmas and a Barcelona New Year to come!
Hugs and Happy 2011!
