Changing Church

For the last 3+ years our home church has been St George's Tron in the city centre. The teaching, fellowship and Gospel-oriented heart of the church has been a huge blessing to us in that time. Most of you know that we have recently moved back to Calvary Glasgow, in an effort to serve and support the ministry there, but we are still members at the Tron and we still attend Sunday evening services there whenever possible. Despite loving where God has placed us in serving at Calvary Glasgow, much of our heart and many of our dear friends still remain at the Tron.

Several months ago, in response to recent developments within the Church of Scotland, the congregation of the Tron voted unanimously to leave the denomination. After months of meetings and negotiations, the Church of Scotland decided not to allow the congregation to remain in their church building and rejected offers to lease and buy the building. Instead, they plan to appoint a new minister and install a new non-existent' Church of Scotland congregation to 'carry on evangelical work in the city centre'. It was a painful, but not unexpected blow, especially since the congregation had invested £2.5 million of their own money on renovating the church building a few years ago.

Last Sunday morning we attended the last service in the old building. It was an incredibly sweet service- a chance to refocus our hearts on what really matters and look to the future. As one of our friends put it, 'As of today our church has a new name, a new place to meet, and in many ways a new beginning. We don't have a new God, a new Gospel, a new message or a new task. Some things have changed, but the important things have stayed the same. In the middle of persecution, loss, disappointment, we go forward in the arms of the  unchanging God.' 

Unfortunately, the congregation's attempt to move on quietly and peacefully has been met with further hostility from the Church of Scotland, who took legal action against the minister and church leaders, interrupting a prayer meeting to serve them with papers claiming that they 'illegally' removed hymn books, bibles and the organ from the church building before leaving. These men will now have to waste their time/money in court proceedings in order to demonstrate/prove that these items were purchased separately by the congregation and have never been Church of Scotland assets. If that were not enough, the Church of Scotland has also reported the minister to the charity regulator, accusing him of failing to 'act in the interests of the charity' while he was a Church of Scotland trustee. (A more detailed report has been written by a Dundee minister. You can read this here.)

Sadly, all of this drama has been playing out in the national media- because journalists love reporting religious hypocrisy and accusations of corruption. These developments are disappointing and serve as a red hot warning of what happens when we place any institution, organization or denomination above the Gospel in our hearts. It would be easy to feel beaten down by ungracious actions of the Church of Scotland, by the war of words and the legal red-tape, but every time I feel weighed down, I am given gracious glimpse of how the Lord is building his church in the midst of what appears to be ruins. 

Just a few weeks ago, we had the privilege of welcoming more than 50 new members to the congregation. Among those baptised that night were two Iranian asylum seekers- just two of a growing number of new brothers from that closed country, who fled to the UK searching for political freedom and personal security, only to be introduced to the person of Jesus Christ and the real freedom He brings through the cross. The congregation will temporarily hold their services in their old church halls (now owned by Cornhill Scotland- a pastors training institution). The building cannot accommodate the growing congregation for long, but the leadership were recently able to purchase the property next door, which gives the church the ability to expand and maintain their vibrant city centre ministry. It will be cramped quarters for a time, while construction and renovation take place, but then the congregation is well versed in dealing with renovation projects. Our minister recently reminded the congregation that buildings can sometimes constrain ministry, so while we are saddened to walk away, it is incredibly exciting to see what the Lord will do in this next chapter. 

I could share so many other examples of the Lord at work through this mess, but since this is already a long post, I will leave you with two quotes I've had on my heart while mulling over this week's events. The first is the last verse of a hymn we sang on Sunday:

"And though they take our life,

Goods, honour, children, wife,

Yet is their profit small;

These things shall vanish all:

The City of God remaineth!"

(Martin Luther)

And finally, I end with an awesome promise from Jeremiah 17: 5-8:

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,

    who draws strength from mere flesh

    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;

    they will not see prosperity when it comes.

They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,

    in a salt land where no one lives.

 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,

    whose confidence is in him.

They will be like a tree planted by the water

    that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

    its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

    and never fails to bear fruit.” 

There are certainly days when it feels like a year of drought, but how sweet it is to rest in knowing that if we trust in the Lord, He will still be at work, allowing us to bear fruit in this difficult place.

Embarrassing moments

I bought my first official piece of maternity clothing today. The stretched and weary button on my trousers is probably relieved to know that it will have a break soon. I'm a bit depressed that I couldn't manage without a bit longer- I'm only in week 15! However, I've been told I should expect to gain around 4 lbs a month from now until May, so I've only got more 'growth' to look forward to.

To ease my pain I've been helping myself to loads of orange and pineapple slices from the fruit bowl in the main office, which was leftover from a seminar. I love it when there are leftovers- it really helps stretch my lunch money and the fruit was a nice replacement for the out-of-date yoghurt pot I had in the fridge. (It had gone lumpy, but I was actually debating about whether or not to try it when the fruit bowl arrived. Perfect timing!)

I've been trying to go out for walks on my lunch break instead of working through like I so often do. Today I was walking down the stairs at pretty good speed when the girl walking directly in front of me stopped in the middle of the flight of stairs. She stopped so suddenly that I didn't have time to stop. Had I not been holding the handle I would have ploughed her over, but instead I was able to stop myself. Unfortunately my purse kept going and smashed into her rear end. She was obviously annoyed at what I'm sure she assumed was some strange come-on, but she didn't seem phased enough to stop her text or continue on down the stairs. Not sure what the appropriate response is to smacking a stranger's rear, I said a quick 'Excuse me' and continued on my way.

My balance and coordination skills seem to be diminishing lately. I don't know if this is also a result of pregnancy, or if I am just becoming careless. Normally train surfing isn't a huge problem, but this morning I accidentally lost my balance and nearly sat on a gentleman, who was sitting innocently in a nearby seat, reading the Metro. Fortunately, I was able to grab a hand-hold in time and right myself, so that I just ended up knocking his paper down with my butt.

At least he was a stranger, which made it less embarrassing than trying to explain to my boss why I was on my knees cleaning cream cheese off my office wall and carpet...again. (It had something to do with a flying bagel.) Mercifully, an even more embarrassing moment from this week had no witnesses- but as it involved wiping my own pee off the bathroom floor in the ladies room (those stupid pee sample cups are too small!), it was still a pretty unpleasant experience.

It is only Wednesday and I've got a Thanksgiving meal to cook for guests, so there is still time for a few more embarrassing moments...

I'm going to see if there is any more pineapple in that fruit bowl.  

Wish Away

There is an almost weekly occurrence in my office. Someone will moan, "I wish it was the weekend already." And someone else (usually older and wiser) will warn, " Don't wish your life away."

It is such an easy thing to wish your life away, to always be living for the next big moment. We seem to always be looking forward. Whatever we have, we always seem to be looking for something more or different. While daydreaming about our future vacation/house/job/spouse/children/etc can be fun, it can also be a waste of time.

I find myself in zoned out, daydream or 'if only' mode quite a bit and I am never more guilty of it than during my commute. That 30 minutes to and from work is often purely a means to an end- it is about arriving at my destination and heaven help anything that gets in my way. I suppose a lot of us shut off in these little moments and there isn't anything really wrong with that. But this week, I started to wonder how much better my attitude would be if I stopped rushing through my commute and actually appreciated it.  That 30 minutes to and from work everyday takes me through the heart of the city centre, past dozens of nice statues and buildings, and most importantly past thousands of opportunities to engage with other people.

While life definitely holds those big moments, most of life is full of the mundane and even tedious, the everyday getting up and going to work, buying groceries, cleaning the house, bathing, paying bills. We are so quick to try and move past these aspects of life to get to the more exciting or challenging moments. But I think my coworkers are right- in doing so, we wish our lives away. Life isn't all Fridays and weddings, and when we aren't fully present in the more mundane parts of our lives we can miss the opportunities, blessings and little obediences that prepare us to handle those big moments with grace and peace.

If only I can live this lesson a little more frequently...

October

The courses I administer started Friday, which means I've spent most of my week fielding emails and phone calls from confused students. After a few years working with students and having been one myself not long ago, I've decided that 'student' is pretty much synonymous with 'incapable of reading instructions' (in my experience this is true regardless of age).

I might be good at complaining about it, but I actually enjoy my job. I love knowing the work I put in is contributing to other people being able to achieve their academic/career goals and there is always plenty to laugh about (like the reference for an overseas applicant which declared the applicant's 'skull and scraneum are above medium order'- I'm not sure exactly what this means in terms of suitability for the course, but it is obviously impressive).

Honestly our lives are pretty boring this time of year, consumed mostly with the three W's of work, weather and wishing we could stay in bed. We had a week of beautiful crisp and clear autumn weather, but now the days have descended back into darkness and damp. For me, there is nothing as depressing as the short days of winter. My energy levels just sink, along with any desire I might have had to get out of my cozy bed in the morning. Fortunately, I think we will have a couple more weeks of autumn colours before trees go bare and all those shimmering yellows and reds keep me smiling.

Cooler, wetter, darker days also mean that I can justify cooking some of my winter comfort foods again- chili, stews, pot pies, and anything with baked apples or pumpkin. (I've tried unsuccessfully for three+ years to get Ross excited about pumpkin... sadly he just doesn't see the appeal.) Now that we are well into October, I can start planning our Thanksgiving festivities too! I'm already counting the days.

Now that we don't have any international travel plans for a while, I think I am going to start the expensive process of applying for citizenship. Since they seem to raise prices each April, it is in my best interests to just get it done- before the price doubles or triples! If I can push myself to put my application together, I might just be able to have my citizenship ceremony before Christmas. (The pamphlet says that the Queen often presides over citizenship ceremonies, but I suspect mine will be presided over by some random civil servant instead.) 

Berlin Blues

We took a couple days off last week in an effort to get one last break before the next academic session starts. In theory a long weekend in Berlin was a wonderful idea, but it didn't turn out quite the way we'd expected.

Reichstag- German Parliament Building

What was great about our trip was Berlin itself- the sights, the atmosphere, the food, etc... Since I had never been to the city, we spent a bit of time exploring the main tourist sites around Potsdamer Platz on our first day, including the Reichstag, the Tiergarten, and Brandenburg Gate. Outside the rail/underground station at Potsdamer Platz, you can see actual pieces of the Berlin Wall (covered in gum and graffiti) and throughout the city they have marked out the path of the old wall in colored stones on the pavement. I was amazed to see how close it came to the Reichstag building itself. There was no need for travel guides because Ross can tell you pretty much anything you would want to know about the Wall and East/West Berlin.

Ross and the Brandenburg Gate

We also visited Checkpoint Charlie, which was full of tourists and tour buses. The museum at Checkpoint Charlie, which displays artifacts and stories from the division of the city and fall of Wall, was definitely worth the visit. Being married to Ross, I've read so much about the Wall and the GDR, but seeing photos of the people and protests and reading their individual experiences gave me a deeper understanding of Berlin's scars.

The holocaust memorial and museum, near Potsdamer Platz, was also well worth the visit. Having studied Jewish History, I've been to my fair share of Holocaust memorials and museums, but I like how unique each one is in presentation and design.

Cathedral and TV Tower

My personal tour guide, Ross, showed me around Wedding, the area he lived in while he was in Berlin for his postdoctoral scholarship. (It is an increasingly Turkish area, and we were excited to hear from a couple doing ministry to Turkish immigrants in that neighborhood when we visited Ross' old church on Sunday.) And on our last day we went up into the old GDR TV Tower, for an awesome view of the whole city. This was one of the few things Ross had never done and I'm glad we saved this for last, because after walking all over, I actually had some frame of reference for what I was viewing from above.

In between sightseeing, we took advantage of the various restaurants, bakeries and cafes- eating bratwurst, soft pretzels, kebabs, some awesome dinners, and, of course, apple strudel.

What wasn't so great about our trip?- First, I ended up sick with a cold and some stomach problems before we left, so I wasn't feeling great to start out with. Unfortunately these problems just got worse as the weekend continued- at one point I ended up nearly passing out in the street from severe stomach cramps. Despite being exhausted, I don't think I slept more than a hour or two each night, instead spending hours in the hallway bathroom (which I am pretty sure was just a closet they converted to a bathroom by installing a toilet). Being sick, meant my energy levels were nothing close to normal, so we often had to end our days early so I could rest.

Ross had booked the 'hotel'. When he said we were staying at a hotel, I envisaged something along the lines of the Holiday Inn. Instead we arrived to find a remnant from the 1960's, complete with separate twin beds, mildew smelling sheets, a shower in the bedroom (with a broken shower head that we had to hold up with one hand the whole time we were showering) and a shared toilet in the hallway. The breakfast included warm milk, stall cereal and partially boiled eggs (I say partially because when I opened mine only part of the white was cooked). I thought it was a joke when she first showed us our room.

We were both less than impressed, but after the Russian lady running the place had helped bandage Ross' finger on the first night (he managed to cut his finger pretty deeply and we couldn't stop the bleeding) we didn't have the heart to go somewhere else. She also helpfully suggested that we could push the two beds together if we wished (we did try, but the shape of the bed frame meant that even pushed together there was a gap between the beds of more than an inch).

We managed to have a laugh about it all, but by the time we got back to our flat on Sunday, we were both thankful to be home. I would definitely like to visit Berlin again, but minus the health and accommodation issues!

Bread Challenge #4

I have not fully returned to my bread baking routine since our trip in June, which is probably fine since we haven't gotten back to our gym routine either! I could make excuses, but really I just haven't made the time for baking. My creative kitchen energies the last few weeks have been focused on making smoothies, which we have been sipping while watching the Olympics, and buying, chopping and freezing fruit for future smoothies.

However, on Saturday I found myself with a couple of hours and a few old bananas. It was the perfect opportunity to make a tasty quick bread. Since I am not capable of following a recipe without substituting, my version of Banana Nut bread becomes Blueberry Banana Bread. The mix of banana and berry is pretty hard to mess up. Add to that a little lemon zest, plain yogurt and the slightest bit of ginger and cinnamon, and you are starting to create my favorite quick bread. The best part though- I didn't over cook it! No dry saw-dusty, I-really-need-a drink-with-this banana bread.

I didn't manage to get picture of the whole loaf, since I ended up pulling it out of the oven just before we dashed off to make it to a friend's wedding and by the time I got to it on Sunday morning bits of it were already missing. Here is what it looked like when I enjoyed a slice for my lunch:

p.s. That nectarine was so juicy that I managed to get juice all over myself, my desk, and computer screen. Most of this lunch break has been spent eradicating the sticky.

Summer in Scotland

Summer in Scotland arrives in batches- days of dryness and sunshine interspersed with days of wetness, flooding and grey skies. This week what the weather man describes as high pressure has brought a lovely streak of decent weather. We haven't seen a drop of rain since the heavens split and let loose a torrential downpour on Sunday- many of the streets near us flooded, leaving us struggling to find a clear route home from church.

But overnight the pools of water and heavy clouds disappeared, replaced by bright blue skies. The chance to wear t-shirts and sandals (and to potentially get some colour) brings the city to life. The main streets fill up with shoppers, sun bathers, out-door cafe/restaurant seating, and teenagers savouring their last few days of freedom before school starts again. Instead of umbrellas, trench coats and wellies, the crowds are clothed in a sea of sandals, sleeveless shirts and swishy skirts.

Today I am sitting in my office enjoying the warmth of the sun and listening to the sounds of bagpipes floating in through my open window. The annual Glasgow Piping Festival is under way- adding kilts, tartan dress and tourists to the mix of those wandering the roads of Glasgow. Since my office is just a couple blocks from George Square, we've been treated to a steady stream of piping demonstrations, drumming and tuning all week. The sound of bagpipes and drums have become the background music to my workday and it is a nice change from the jarring sounds of the construction site across the street or the normal stream of 80's music, which my co-workers turn up in an attempt to drown out the drilling. (The bagpipe tuning and practising over and over of the same musical phrase has been less enjoyable, especially when it took place directly below my open window.)

Sunny days in Scotland are few and far between, and I have come to cherish them in a way I never thought to do when I was enjoying the year round pleasantness of California. When you live through days and weeks of soggy shoes and ominous skies, a little sunshine makes any day a good day.

Hedges and Umbrellas

Lately I have found myself getting really irritated by hedges (not so much the hedges themselves as the people who plant hedges in their front gardens and then don't bother trim them). Some of the hedges I walk past on my way to the train station have seriously gotten out of control and are actually starting to take over the side-walks. These plants are so massive that I can no longer fit between them and light poles in certain places and as I walk down the side walk, my umbrella is constantly getting stuck. (I even whacked Ross in the eye one morning with my umbrella when I pulled to dislodge it from a particularly beastly hedge.)

It is this hedge-umbrella war that really gets the blood boiling. Summertime is normally the time for overgrown foliage in Scotland, as the warmer weather and longer days spur on the growth of greenery. And normally in summertime, I wouldn't need to worry about the right of way for my umbrella. But I live in Scotland and this summer has been a particularly wet and dreary and, did I say wet? The use of my umbrella on my daily commute has become a necessity, and not being able to walk down the road with it up is a real frustration.

Still I was starting to get a little concerned when I found myself muttering and even bordering on shouting at hedges on my way home from work. But I was sure my craziness was the fault of the neglectful hedge owners- I mean they surely can see the impediment their hedge growth is causing for pedestrians!

Until I was humbled last week, when my umbrella became royally stuck walking between the light post and a perfectly trim and tidy hedge. It got me thinking...

Maybe my umbrella is too big?

Vending Machines

There are several vending machines at work located near my office and they are a source of endless laughter and frustration at work. Dealing with students is never boring, but throwing vending machines into the mix definitely adds to the load of ridiculous questions/requests we receive.

I think that most people would agree that vending machines are less than reliable and that you use one at your own risk, but apparently students are not most people.

You might think, from the long stream of students coming in to complain about vending machines, that our office was labelled ‘Maintenance’ or ‘Complaints Department’. My co-workers always try to be helpful and polite, but occasionally listening to the long stream of complaints- about how 'the machine ate their money', how 'the coffee was too hot' or 'the coffee wasn't hot enough', how 'there isn’t a decaf hot tea option', how 'the machines are out of coke', how 'the soda wasn’t cold enough'- is enough to make you feel like beating your head against a wall would be a better use of your time.

We tell the students that we will contact the company responsible for maintenance of the machines, but that we can’t fix it ourselves, nor can we issue refunds. And then they complain that we aren't being helpful or suggest that somehow we are too lazy to deal with the situation.

The best story of all though, is the lady who came in and rudely interrupted the whole office to announce that the hot drinks machine was not working properly and had eaten her money, and she 'demanded to be compensated immediately.' She became belligerent when we explained that our office wasn't able to issue a refund, and she suggested that one of the staff might have the money in their purses to reimburse her. (She was pretty offended that no one jumped up to volunteer.)

We asked her which machine she had used and she responded, 'It was the hot drinks machine with an out of order sign on the front. The sign was covering the coin slot and I had to remove before I could put my money in. I saw that the sign said 'Out of Order', but it is the only hot drinks machine on this level and sometimes people put signs up like that even when the machine is still working...'

Vacation Recap

It seems like ages ago now, but our trip to California this year was awesome. Since I've already posted about 'auntiedom', I'll use this post to share just a few of the other highlights of our trip.

1. Orange County- Every year we travel back to Orange County to catch up with our friends and family there. I am always thankful for a few days to enjoy with all my grandparents- I know we talk through email, skype and on the phone throughout the year, but there is something so sweet about just getting to hang out in their living rooms, look through old photos, laugh with Curt, pick oranges and talk like we did when I was growing up.

This year during our stay Ross experienced his first earthquake! We also discovered Portola Coffee Lab, I took Ross to Watson's in Orange, and I was able to hang out with my Treegroup School friends. (I love that we can meet up after months of being apart and still have a laugh together. I am really blessed to have such crazy, loyal and generous friends, and to have had them in my life for so long! I love you guys- thanks for always making time for me.)

2. Celebrations- June is a month of celebrations in my family. Ross and I celebrate our anniversary and my birthday during our visit each year.  This year Ross and I enjoyed lunch and a frozen banana at Balboa for our anniversary, then Grandma and Grandpa took us to Cheesecake Factory for a celebratory dinner. We also had a tasty family dinner at my Aunt Barbara's to celebrate my birthday (thanks to all the Nobles and company for coming out). 

3. Rodeo- Mom and Dad like to ensure that Ross experiences something new each visit. This year that new thing was the rodeo in Reno. You'll have to ask Ross if he liked it, but he still keeps talking about wanting to ride a bull...

4. Feasting- We always eat WAY too much during our trip. This year was no exception, as we stuffed ourselves full of fresh fruit, strawberry pie, Mexican food (especially carnitas), Belgian waffles, dill pickles, and, of course, Dad's bbq chicken.

5. Togetherness- I am blessed with an amazing family and living halfway around the world from most of them most of the time, makes me cherish those few days I get to spend in their presence each year. For me, there is no greater gift than the chance to sit surrounded by the people I love most, talking, laughing, playing, eating and just resting.

It really is the simple things in life! 

Auntiedom

Being an aunt is pretty sweet. Unfortunately, living halfway around the world from my siblings means that I don't get to enjoy the perks of auntiedom very often.

Throughout the year there are phone calls, emails, Christmas cards and Skype dates complete with lots of waving and watching as a certain niece stares at herself on the screen. And then... June arrives and I finally get to immerse myself in my auntly duties. For two or three weeks, I get to play, cuddle, kiss, sing, feed and, of course, change diapers. 

Larry Matthew Garcia

This June visit was made even more special by the perfectly timed arrival of a nephew, Larry Matthew Garcia. Matthew decided to appear shortly before my plane landed in Sacramento, giving me just enough time to see him while he was still in the delivery room.  (I know I am biased, but he was pretty darn cute for a fresh-out-of-the-womb baby.) 


His timing meant that I was able to take part in all the chaos, exhaustion and joy involved in welcoming a new baby into the family, including babysitting big sister, trip after trip after trip to the hospital, and getting to sleep over to help out on that first night home from the hospital. Having been halfway around the world when Lydia was born, it was really sweet to be a part of things with Matthew.

Holding Matthew

Plus, with Jess stuck in the hospital and sorting things out with the new baby, I had plenty of 'auntie dates' with Lydia. (Thankfully it didn't take Lydia too long to decide she approved of my as a playmate.) Since our last date was a year before when she was only 6/7 months old, it was fun to see how much she's changing and how much her personality is coming through. 

Playing with a green bean

Since Lydia isn't mobile yet, a lot of our dates were spent carrying her around while Lydia pointed where she wanted to go next. She is a very tactile little girl (most little ones shove everything in their mouths, she likes to touch it, rub it between her fingers, smell it and then won't move on until you've done the same). Together we explored most of Grandma and Grandpa's garden, we explored all the house plants, we explored the chicken coup, and the chicken feed. We demanded to go visit the mean rooster and got slightly perturbed when a certain aunt said no.

Scrunchy face

We attempted to say new words (many of which came out sounding the same). We sang songs, danced, read Country Living magazine (because we wanted to read what Aunt Jennie was reading and the shiny magazine pages were WAY more satisfying than baby books). We played toss, peekaboo, and a series of games that involved laughing every time something was thrown into the air. We ate a ridiculous amount of fruit and cheese, and we did not eat any vegetable, especially avoiding green ones (a certain child takes after her father...). We made turtle faces, scrunchy faces, whispered tiger roars, and waved a lot. We took all our toys out of the basket and put them all back in the basket, remembering to clap for ourselves each time we put a toy away, and we found every cat hair and piece of fluff on the carpet we could (sometimes even imaginary ones). We got excited every time we saw Daddy, Grandpa or Grandma enter the room. We enjoyed lots of kisses, hugs, and high-fives. And most importantly, we prayed for Lydia's tiny heart as she adjusts to life as a big sister.

It is a lot of auntie moments to squeeze into three weeks, I'll admit, but I am incredibly thankful that I get the opportunity to have these moments each year.

Appreciating Saturday

Today was one of those days that I wish I could slow down  or stretch out so that it doesn't come to an end. The weather was perfect- a balmy 80+ F, with a clear sky and cool breeze. Ross and I slept in and made our way out to the West End for brunch at Kember & Jones (Toasted brioche with greek yogurt and berries, and a cappucino). After lunch we meandered our way around the West End, enjoying the sunshine. We drove with the windows down and I did not do a single household chore (I may regret this next weekend when I'm rushing to clean the whole flat before we leave, but today was just about enjoying each other and the beautiful weather.)

I chilled out at home and wrote a little, talked to my family (where would I be with the wonders of long distance phone calls and Skype?) before making a tasty cold and spicy asian chicken/shrimp salad for dinner with loads of veg. Now Ross is watching the recap of the England cricket match and I am enjoying the view from our bedroom window.

It is nearly 8pm and the sun is still shining and it is still warm. I think we will go for another wander outside this evening before snuggling in for the night.

- Perfect weather
- Good food
- Loving family
- The chance to rest
- Amazing husband

We have the most blessed life!

Scottish Summer

It is after 5pm and it is a bright, pleasant 27 C/81 F outside.

No, this isn't a dream- I am pleased to say that summer has arrived in Scotland and we have enjoyed nearly an entire week of beautiful, sunny, above freezing weather! After enduring rain, cold, wind and hail throughout April and most of May, the sunshine and heat are a welcome change. I am not sure I believed it would ever come back again!

After waiting all Fall and Winter and Spring for some decent weather, my co-workers have spent much of the week moaning about how hot it is (yes- they melt at anything above 75 F). But I am in my own mini little heaven, where I get to go to work without a coat, where flip flops in the evenings and haven't needed a sweater or wrap all day. Plus, there is no doubt that I am a happier, more energetic person when the sun is out.

People watching in the city centre becomes a lot more entertaining on a warm day. Most Scottish people have cool/cold/wet weather clothes for work and warm weather clothes for the beach or vacations. Everyone has been scrambling around trying to find enough suitable clothing to wear to work on an 80 degree day, especially when most buildings aren't air conditioned. The outfits some people have opted for are interesting- like the girl wearing a bikini and sarong as she waltzed through town (because bathing suits are appropriate anywhere, right?), and the number of normally well dressed working women trying to match very short, often torn, with pockets hanging out of them, shorts (when did it become fashionable to wear short so short that the pockets hang out the bottom!?) or mini skirts with button up blouses and blazers.

Warmer weather has my mind filled with thoughts of watermelon, avocado, bbq chicken and iced tea. (Dad, if you were wondering what to feed me when I come...) Why are all seasons/life events associated with food in my mind?

Wait, I take that back. It isn't just food on my mind. There is another thing stirring up my summertime senses- the sweetly familiar smell of sunscreen wafting through the air. Add in a hint of chlorine, cut grass, and the sounds of water sloshing around a pool, and I've travelled back in time to the summers of my childhood.

I am just hoping this nice weather sticks around for another week to carry us through until we leave for California. (Is five whole weeks of sunshine in one year too much to ask?!)

Happy Mother's Day

Mom,

Thanks for being such an awesome example of what it means to be a godly wife and mother, for being a friend,  teacher, supporter, counsellor, financial advisor, encourager, pen pal, hostess, party planner, organizer, shopping buddy, chauffeur, back scratcher, problem solver, laundress, cleaner and general care giver for the last 26 years.

 I love you infinity.

Sneezing the day away

I hate taking sick days. For some reason I feel really guilty recuperating in bed when I know how much work is waiting for me. My mind somehow thinks of sick days as something you should only use when you are near death. Thankfully I don't often get sick. In fact, it has been well over year since my last sick day (due to a case of strep last winter)and I think my only other sick day took place the year before that (due to a bout of food poisoning).

I could accept taking time off for strep because it is contagious, and because they weren't going to let me stay after I passed out in the hall at work. And the food poisoning I accepted because, well, getting to work on public transport would have proved problematic...

Then I took Monday off because of a cold. I woke up determined to go to work, showered, dressed myself and then when I went to put my coat on all of the sudden I started to feel...sick. Ross helpfully pointed out that this is because I was not well, a conclusion he reached after listening to me croak, sneeze, sniffle and cough all weekend. At his urging, I went back to bed and phoned in sick. I convinced myself that one day of rest would give my body enough time to heal.

Determined to tackle the emails, problems, and mounds of paperwork waiting for me, I went in to work on Tuesday, despite feeling pretty gross and discovered why they tell you not to operate heavy machinery while under the influence of cold medicines (They should include a warning about operating computers or responding to emails too.). Let's just say my work was than impressive in a number of ways.

I have remained unable to shift this virus all week and I haven't even seen any improvement. Apparently the cold virus can't be overcome by sheer force of will. So I sit here during my lunch break in a haze of congestion and aching, accepting that my evening plans will once again include my bed, a box of tissues and a jar of vapour-rub.

I might even do the unthinkable and go home early.

Early days

One of the things I love about Facebook are the photos people post. For example, this one of Ross' Primary Three class:

Can you find him?

Guests!

I love being a hostess, welcoming people into my home, providing a space for people to relax and enjoy themselves. Even the cleaning and food preparation beforehand is fun for me (cleaning afterwards is not as great, but I am still up for it). If I had it my way, I would have people over all the time. However, some people like their home to be a quiet sanctuary in their otherwise busy lives. Since I happen to have married a boy with this preference, I try not to overload him with requests to have people over.

The last couple weeks have been quite an exception though, as we have had a revolving door of guests, which was perfectly timed with some very unScottish sunny days.

The Key family came to visit us a couple Saturdays ago. (Scott and Dani are originally from SoCal, but now are missionaries in a village in Scotland.) We took their two little boys (2 & 4) to the nearby park to let them run, play and enjoy the sunshine while we enjoyed some adult conversation. After a couple hours, when everyone was hungry and dehydrated, we wandered back to the flat for some food and further play time with new birthday toys. We shoved the coffee table over and all laid out on the rug in the living room to join the boys with their lego pirate ship and hex bugs. Everyone had so much fun that we lost track of time and only realised it was past the boys' bedtime when the meltdowns started. After an argument about shoes (apparently tired four-year-olds and shoes don't mix well after 7pm), we sent them on their way with their exhausted kiddos.

The following day,Sunday, played out much the same, with the Tattons' and their two kids coming for a lunch date after church. Martin and Mattie have just taken over the ministry at Calvary Chapel Glasgow and it was so sweet to hear what God has been doing. After some lasagne and salad, we headed out to the park to enjoy the sunshine, playground and the plethora of blooming daffodils. A few hours later, we sent another tired family on their way and had just enough time to put a few things away before heading back to church for the evening service.

Then on Monday afternoon, these two arrived for their week of Scottish fun:


It was sweet getting to spend time with Anneliese and Nolan, and getting to provide them with a place to sleep in between adventures. They may not have believed us, but they seriously experienced the best weather we've had in Scotland for several months- it was warm, dry and sunny all week! We took advantage of the decent weather and took them out to Ross' favorite place. Just look at all that blue sky!



The minute they left the cold weather and snow returned...

Bread Challenge #3

This weekend I opted to move away from loaves and try out a new pita recipe. I fell in love with pita bread during my year in Israel, where I basically lived off the freshly baked packs of pita from the local supermarket (throw in some humus and fresh veg and I'm a happy girl).

Sadly the pita you can buy at the stores here are often thin and bland. So I decided it was time to try making my own. I attempted making pita once before and the results were okay, but they came out a bit dense and doughy. With this in mind I only made a half batch (or 8 pitas) using a new recipe from my bread book.

After eating my pita sandwich with mustard chicken, tomato, lettuce and cheese for lunch yesterday, I'm sorry I didn't go all in and make a full 16. They definitely baked up better this time. Not all the pitas separated to create their signature pocket (but I discovered that my oven wasn't hot enough after I'd put them in), which left my sandwich with bits of lettuce and mustard squishing out the middle, but every one of them was fluffy and tasty.

Ross and I have enjoyed pita sandwiches for lunch the last two days and I am tempted to make up another batch tonight, so we can have lunch for the rest of the week too!





Today's pita filling was cream cheese, red pepper, cucumber, tomato, topped with a little fresh cilantro. It inspired me to actually stop and take my lunch hour, instead of working on through.

Why a Sweet Boy makes all the difference...

Last week was one of those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad weeks. It started off okay, with a sweet skype date with a much loved and much too far away friend, but then it steadily declined. I'll be honest and admit that I was tempted to stage a nutty when 6pm Friday rolled around and I was still at work. I had planned to leave early on Friday, but there I was in a dark and empty building at 6pm, babysitting an exhibit stand (don't ask), moving into certain phases of dementia due to stress and exhaustion, and desperately wanting my work week to end. Needless to say, my mood was less than cheerful.

After a long tiring week of feeling like a complete failure, I arrived home to discover that the trash had been taken out, the kitchen was clean, all the dirty dishes were washed, the shopping was done, and there were chocolates, wine, kisses and a massage waiting for me.

After a relaxing Friday night, we slept in Saturday, went to the gym and then I was treated to lunch at our favorite cafe (I had a perfect bowl of cullen skink soup and Ross had a drool worthy platter of smoked salmon, beetroot salad & soda bread- come visit and we'll take you to our culinary happy place.), followed by a wander around the West End, where we each bought a book. When our muscles started to stiffen up, we headed home to read and rest, before hunkering down for an afternoon of skype dates with the family and more chocolates from the Boy.

Sunday was even better than Saturday and I walked into work this morning feeling rested, as if last week never happened.

All this is just to say that I have a wonderful husband!

Thank you, Ross, for being so encouraging and thoughtful, for going out of your way to make me smile, and for wanting to spend time with me even when I am less than stellar company. I am very blessed to be your wife.

Bread Challenge #2

Saturday has become bread baking day in the Campbell household, thanks to my new resolution to make more of our own food from scratch. So far this is a much more rewarding goal than I anticipated.

Baking bread is such great stress relief. (Maybe this is because I haven't experienced the disappointment of a total bread flop yet.) There is something so calming and enjoyable about the whole process. From weighing out the ingredients (that's right I am baking as a Brit using a scale and everything)and kneading the dough, to forming the raw loaf and watching it crisp and brown in the oven, each step is satisfying and contributes to the final product.

Last Saturday I made my usual foccaccia (for Ross). Then I used the last sprinkles of wholemeal flour, strong white flour and some plain white flour to experiment (I had to combine the three flours just to get enough for one full loaf). I mixed the wholemeal and white flours together, added a dash of honey, some raisins, almond flakes, pumpkin seeds, and linseeds.

The result wasn't perfect- I forgot to spray the loaf with water before baking and I probably could have kneaded it for a bit more, proved it a little longer and let it bake for another 10 minutes- but I just ate two hearty slices for lunch and the girls in the office all came to investigate the source of the sweet smells.

I'll have to try a version of this bread again with fresh ingredients and a little more care.

Bread Challenge #1

The last couple years I have become more aware of all the processed junk that gets added into almost everything you can buy on the supermarket shelves. I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, but seeing the high rates of sugars, salt and added preservatives in the stuff I used to buy has encouraged me to try and make more of my food from scratch.

I decided to start by baking my own bread regularly (by hand- none of those bread machine contraptions in my kitchen). The obstacles I face are limited time (I work full-time) and lack of skills. I have made my fair share of cakes, cookies and pie crusts, but I am by no means an expert on anything food related, much less bread baking.

Earlier this year I bought a few books about bread and was enlightened about all sorts of bread-related issues, like how the type of flour you use affects the rising and how to properly knead dough. It is fascinating stuff.

Since Ross has been patiently enduring my new obsession, I let him choose a recipe for my first bread baking session. His choice: Foccaccia with Rosemary and Sun-dried tomatoes

The foccaccia was so tasty that Ross has requested it three times since the first trial. It has come out perfectly each and every time.

The New Flat!

We moved into our new flat way back in November and are loving our new home. Many of you have already received the free tour via Skype, but I promised to post some photos.

Our new home is on the Southside of the city (before we were in the West End) and with two bedrooms, a dining kitchen and large living room, it is twice the size of our last flat. Once again we are just renting, so who knows how long we will end up staying here, but for now we are content.


Our flat is on the 2nd level (or third story) of our building, which means that we have a few more stairs to climb, but this really hasn't been an issue.

The entry way has wood floors, which I love. Our last flat had cream coloured carpet in the entry way, which was constantly being dirtied by muddy feet and greasy bicycle tires. With the wood floor, all it takes is a quick sweep or vacuum and the occasional good scrub.

Having more space is great- we can easily walk around both sides of our bed. We no longer have mattresses and boxes 'stored' in our kitchen, and Ross no longer has to worry about cleaning his office space, which used to be in our living room, when we have people over for dinner.

Another plus is the fact that the flat was refurbished only a couple years ago, which means the floors, carpets, paint and wall paper are clean and shouldn't start falling apart for a while. I can honestly say that while we were suffering through the ongoing mold problems in our last flat, I was easily sold on this one when I walked into the bathroom and saw clean white tiles and breathed in the fresh air (not a hint of musty, moldy, mildewy grossness). Four months in and I still haven't discovered any mold.

The kitchen is big and bright, which I really appreciate. Our kitchen is way more than a place to cook- we use it as a dining room, bakery, craft zone, garden and drying rack and laundrette. I especially like that the windows in our kitchen easily open, allowing us to air out all the cooking smells and to use our dryer without having to worry about steam. Our dryer set up is not uber sophisticated- the dryer sits in the corner of our kitchen and when in use, we hook up the dryer hose and hang it out the window... The sight of a long plastic drying hose stretching across the kitchen may not be pretty, but it works!


Our lounge/TV room/Library is much bigger than the living room in our last flat. In fact, our tall bookshelves look small and a little pathetic when set against the high ceilings and bare walls. We definitely need to get some pictures up on our walls and I would love to get an armchair or ottoman to help will out the living room more. The danger with having a bigger home is that you buy more stuff to fill it and before you know, the next move requires two moving vans instead of just one! (I am trying to resist the urge...)

Over the holidays we did go in for a nice rug to help warm up the room, which is all wood flooring. I went for a traditional pattern with a bit of color to liven up a room that was very neutral; white, cream and brown. We were both surprised at how difficult it was to find a rug that was the size we needed. (Apparently not a lot of people need rugs bigger than 6ft X 8ft).

We ended up ordering one online and just hoping that we liked it when it arrived. Considering how little we paid, I wasn't expecting much. Thankfully, the rug has exceeded our expectations. The rug is actually well made and has a nice pattern, and it definitely helped warm up the cold wood floors this winter.

(Notice the Christmas decorations as evidence that I took these photos ages ago):

I realise that I haven't shown you the bedrooms, but it is always good to leave something to the imagination. You will just have to come visit and check them out for yourself!

Hairstylings

Ross and I are creatures of habit and like most people we tend to sit in the same row every Sunday (unless we happen to be on the welcome rota).

Recently a very cute and very well behaved toddler (and her parents, who are apparently also creatures of habit) has taken to sitting in the row directly in front of us in church. She sits quietly with her parents throughout the service and occasionally flashes a sweet smile at the people nearby.

Last Sunday our toddler friend staged the scene for our most recent cultural miscommunication. As she was taking her seat Ross turned to me and pointed out that the 'quiet tiny one' was back and that she had 'bunches'. I was immediately surprised because, while I had no idea what 'bunches' were, it sounded to me like some horrible disease (think- measles or chicken pox). However, the little girl looked perfectly healthy, so I asked Ross to explain.

His very helpful explanation was, 'She has bunches in her hair.'

'In her hair?...You mean pigtails?'

'No, bunches. Little girls wear bunches and plaits.' (Translation: pigtails and braids.)

Bunches and plaits- two more words to add into my growing Scottish vocabulary.

The phases of freezing

I got to work early this morning and thought I would use my extra 30-40 minutes to write. Unfortunately I can already tell that this is not going to be a very good post because I've been trying to write for about ten minutes now and all I can think about is the cold.

It is a nice balmy 0 degrees Celsius outside today and my office is not much warmer. Apparently they've taken to switching the central heating off over night, so that we can all start our day in rooms that feel more like meat lockers than offices or classrooms. So I sit here freezing, huddled over the space heater bequeathed to me by the other ladies in the office (who took pity on me after seeing me typing at my desk with my coat and mittens on).

Despite the little space heater working it's hardest, I have moved onto phase 2 of freezing, where I start abusing the electric kettle and its magical boiling powers. I'm not looking for a cup of tea or coffee; I just want to defrost my frozen purple fingers in the hot steam... I know, it's sad.

During Phase 3 I become delusional and start obsessively searching for the open window that I'm convinced is responsible for the cold draft in my office. It will usually take 20 minutes before I give up and concede that the windows are just thin.

They say that after you live in a place for a while you get used to the climate. It's been two and a half years and I don't know what 'getting used to the climate' entails, but I don't think it has happened for me. The only thing left to do is take another trip to kettle and put the coat, scarf and mittens back on until the heating clicks on.

Train surfing

Technically train surfing involves riding or climbing on the outside of a moving train, but any city commuter using public transport will probably have experienced a different kind of train surfing- the it-is-rush-hour-and-there-is-no-space-left-on-this-train-much-less-a-free-hand-hold kind of train surfing.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it is likely that you spend your commute in a properly air conditioned (or at least ventilated) car, rather than packing yourself tight as a sardine into a train/subway carriage, where you have to stand with your face in some one else's armpit for the journey home. Or, more likely, you are from California and the only train or subway you've experienced is in an airport or movie.

Yesterday, I had to leave work on time (5pm) so that I had time to buy, make and eat dinner before heading off to our bible study. When I left a few minutes after 5pm, because I just couldn't tear myself away from that last email, the race was on. I ran to the nearest grocery store, only to find that they didn't have any of the things I planned on buying, and with lines forming at the tills, I quickly opted to ditch our dinner plans for Plan B (take out from the new burrito place, which is mercifully located on the way to the train station). Grabbing our burritos and salsa, I ran and arrived at the train station sweating, glanced at the departure board out of the corner of my eye and hurried my way to the platform for my train, which was set to leave in just 30 secs. Since I rarely catch the train home so early, I had forgotten the crowd of people that awaited me, all just as eager to get home as I was.

I barrelled my way through the station, swerving to avoid umbrellas, strollers and loitering packs of teenagers (you may think I'm being sarcastic here, but seriously the train station is apparently the place to be if you are 17 or under). I just made it as the doors started closing and realised that my only option was to somehow squeeze myself into the masses of people already packed onto the train. Then as the train took off, smashed between Girl-with-extremely-large-bag and Man-with-kindle, I realised there was not a hand hold within arms reach (or at least not one that wasn't going to require extreme 'twister-like' skills to use). I was going to have to train surf my way home.

My version of train surfing means maintaining your balance on a moving train, while holding all your belongings and obeying the complexities of train etiquette, which prohibits the touching of other passengers and requires that everyone mind their own business and try as hard as possible to stay equal distances apart. Man-with-kindle clearly hadn't mastered train surfing, because he was so engrossing in his book, that he kept drifting my direction and jamming his elbow in my back. I tried to adjust my position to avoid him, but Girl-with-extremely-large-bag was taking up the space of at least 2 people and I wasn't left with much room to maneuver. There were two strollers filled with crying babies behind me (along with a dozen other train surfers), people opening newspapers up into other passengers' faces, and the sheer volume of screaming and loud iPod music made my head ache, only I couldn't raise my arms enough to rub my temples.

To make matters worse, the heating was stuck on high again (a phenomenon that only seems to happen on warmer days), which meant it was stuffy and everyone was sweating. Some one asked an old lady to open the window next to her and let some fresh air in, but she didn't want to sit in a draft...

Twelve long minutes later, I made it to my stop, stepped into the fresh Scottish air and left the commuting chaos behind (at least until morning).

All I can say is, thank God for public transport- driving home alone in a car must be so uneventful!