Fun with friends

Our time with the Saxbys was short, but I think the kids would say we had saved the best until last. They got to spend the morning playing and although I had anticipated leaving earlier, they were having so much fun that we ended up staying for lunch too.

All five kids playing together.

 What is it about boys and cars? Do they ever outgrow it?

 I FORCED them to stop playing, for maybe 10 seconds to get a group shot. This was as good as it got, they had much more important things to be spending their time on, thank you very much! Still cute!

 There was more chess to be played and everyone wanted to get in on the action.

 That camera is in my face again!

 Finally the little ones could get down to business, very serious business, just look at that concentration!

Unfortunately, we did have to end up dragging ourselves away. Of course I had to get a quick couple of family shots on our way out...who knows when we will see these guys again?

 Goodbye dear friends, we miss you already.

We were headed back to Grandad and Nanny Pam's where a wonderful roast dinner awaited us, before our final hectic day in England.

The answer is 'Yes!'..finally!

This was our sixteenth day in the UK. We have been able to catch up with friends and family and each time we would visit a new house the children would ask, hopefully

"Do they have children?" to which we would have to reply "No".

Not once had they complained, although they had always been a little more excited when a house we were visiting might have toys. Well today when the question was asked, we were finally able to say "Yes!". Their excitement was contagious. We bundled up in the car again and off we went to visit the Saxbys in Derby.

Mark and I met back in the summer of 1996. We were both on the YWAM outreach to the Olympic games in Atlanta. My very first memory of him was on the underground, where he was making some sarcastic comment about a girl's name. You have to understand that the English sense of humo(u)r tends to veer towards sarcasm, and this girl's name was 'Chastity'. Sometimes it can be misconstrued as mean and although I thought he was rather funny, I was also concerned that he might be misunderstood, either way, he had made an impression.

James and I were already engaged at this point and Mark had a girlfriend and I think that is why we became friends to easily. On these types of trips, with many (often younger) singles there inevitably ends up, crushes, people sometimes get together, or even just wonder...well we did not have to deal with that. We were both happily involved with others and so there was a freedom to be ourselves. At least I think that is why it all worked. Mark may have a completely different point-of-view (and probably much funnier).

Anyway we kept in touch and remained friends, visiting each other, attending weddings. Outside of our family they are the only visitors who have made it over to see us in the States, not once but twice! Our visits may be few and far between, but I feel like we pick up where we left off, no awkwardness or weirdness, other than what is there in our natural state. It just works. I wish we could see them more often.

We arrived in time for lunch and the girls within minutes had a new friend, it was very sweet. They both loved having a new little girl to play with and of course her toys did not hurt. Soon it was time to walk to the local park and pick up Sam from school. Kate stayed with us in the park, whilst Kerry went across to get Sam.

New best buds!

Back at the house the boys settled in to a game of chess and the girls got down to serious business.

Then the kids had dinner and got settled down for the night, Arran in Sam's room and the girls with Kate so we could have adult time. A lovely dinner, some wine, good conversation and laughter and friends, until we were so tired we could not last any longer. Amazingly all the children lasted through the night without waking up or coming wandering to look for us. Maybe jetlag was finally over and done with, only a couple of days before we were to fly home.

Hoo Farm

Today Grandad joined us as we went on a fun outing to Hoo Farm. We had been before when Arran was two and Bryttain just a baby. There was so much to see and do, that to be quite honest, I left exhausted! So many animals, not just your common old farm animals.

 The children got to pet this huge rabbit, a skunk, a ferret, and a meerkat.

 They each got to feed a lamb.

 Bryttain milked a (not-real) cow, while Asia petted a calf with daddy.

 It is lambing season so there was a barn set up with all the pregnant ewes and those who had given birth. The kids also got to gather eggs.

The picnic areas had trampolines, swings, a zip line, all sorts of climbing apparatus and these giant enclosed sandpits. We literally had to order the kids out of the sandpit, they would have stayed there for at least an hour, but we had more animals to see.

 They loved getting to feed so many animals.

 Good times.

Another day, another park

We went on a little shopping expedition this morning as we had promised the kids they could each buy a little something to keep them entertained. This afternoon we wanted something a little more active.

We have been so incredibly fortunate with the weather for our time here in England. We seem to have escaped rain, and although at times it has been cool, it has been bright and cheerful, making it easy to spend time outdoors, which the children love.

This afternoon we took a drive out to Ironbridge to find another park for the kids to burn off some energy. It was a cute little town and although the park was on the smaller side it was perfect for our quick outing. I love that we have had all this time just to spend together as a family, it has been so great.

Precious times

What a lovely evening we had with the Poulsons. There are people in this life who you are blessed to know and call friends and Tom and Jill are those sort of people, not just with us but everyone they come into contact with. They are family, maybe not by blood, but in the deepest sense of the true meaning of the word. The children viewed them as family too, it was amazing how they were, immediately, so comfortable with them.

We talked all night, sharing our hearts, catching up for all the years we had missed. It was a good time and we are so grateful for who these people are.

Today we walked to a local park to play and feed the ducks, so of course the kiddos were happy. English parks have been a hit.

Asia took the picture of me!

All the parks we have been to have had one of these zip-line swings, which have proved to be a favorite...they are pretty fun.

Sweet Jill doing most of the hard work, James helped a little too.

Bryttain loves the monkey bars, she feels very empowered and fulfilled.

Feeding the ducks (and geese), Asia may have worried Jill a little.

On our way back to their house Brtyttain collected daisies and we made daisy chains. Asia kicked a ball all the way home.

My old best friend, Sarah, joined us for lunch (Tom and Jill are her parents). It was so nice to see her again, the last time I saw her was when I came over for my brother's wedding, on my own. I had been completely jetlagged and missing my family on that occasion, but here we all were together - so amazing. She has not changed at all, just as funny and sweet and wonderful as ever, my only regret is that it was a short time and she left before I had the chance to take a photograph. Although I did manage to get photos of Tom and Jill with the kids. Then it was time to leave.

I can actually be quite funny in real life...at least my kids think so!

It was a long drive and we had been planning on stopping somewhere for dinner and a break. We finally passed through a town and found a Chinese restaurant. English Chinese food is definitely different than American Chinese food (as were the exorbitant prices). We were tired and hungry and our poor waiter could not actually speak much English and just seemed to know the items on the menu phonetically, which meant a little frustration as well as polite attempts to contain our mirth, but we left him a nice tip, which he seemed surprised and happy about. We finally arrived at Grandad and Nanny Pam's, far too late and past all the bedtimes, but the kids soon settled in and were ready for a bedtime story with Nanny.