Thursday, December 30, 2010

New Year New Me

Ok not quite. But I have now ventured into Let's Dish today with my friend. The great part about it is that I now have 16 meals sat in my freezer for the month. My little guy had a great Christmas and has a lot of new toys to play with. I have totally enjoyed staying at home with my little guy maybe a little too much. But I am placing thoughts of Monday far away. New Year will be quite for us.

For the new year however I have decided to take up a challenge of reading the bible in 90 days. I will be blogging about it and feel free to check it out a God's Challenge.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Where is Christmas?

For about a month now my little boy has every now and again been asking "Where is Christmas?" It all started because we went to a store to purchase a little people Nativity scene which we love to discover a veggie trains train. This little boy hung onto that train all the way around the store. It was on sale and so I decided that he could have it as one of his Christmas presents. So I told him he would have to wait for Christmas. When we got home his first look was for his train which I told home no you must wait for Christmas. And so we had the conversation of "Where is Christmas?" "Well Christmas is a day where we celebrate Jesus' birth and give gifts!" "oh" he then went and looked for Christmas all over the house. Since that point at the mention of Christmas my boy has looked for him around the house. Tomorrow we will meet Christmas and I cannot wait to watch as my little boy begins to understand that Christmas is an event. We are not really going to do Santa in our household. He will be talked about but the main focus will be the birth of Jesus and why that is so important.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner. We gave up on the potty training as I got tired of cleaning the floor and my little guy just loved to pee on the floor. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year as my little guy is going to know what is going on. It is going to be great fun opening the presents and see his excited face. I have managed to get some great deals this season and so I have managed to spread the money and get him some great gifts. It is however amazing that I can never find a pair of scissors when I want them.

This little boy has got so much further in his language. We can have complete conversations and the other morning he said "Daddy why did you switch the light on when you know I am sleeping?" At times a truly forget he isn't yet three.

Time has been flying so fast. I am really looking forward to being at home with my little guy for over a week.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving

We are coming to the end of a long Thanksgiving weekend. I have had a 5 day weekend which the only bad thing about it is that it ends after 5 days. But I have had 5 days with my little guy. We had friends over on the Wednesday so we got play. Well my little guy played with his friends and I got to craft. Thursday was then the big day that I got my Christmas dinner cooked a month early and we had friends over which was great fun. My little guy got to play with his friends which was great fun as us adults got to eat in relative peace as they played. I also got some early shopping done on Thursday with some great deals.
Friday meant a new stage in our lives as the potty training began. To be quite honest my little guy just enjoyed running round and peeing on the floor a little too much. Two days later we have managed to pee in the potty a little but not a lot and most of the time we just pee on the floor. However we have got better as he now tells me he has. Hopefully we can conquer this soon as I am tired of cleaning the floor.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Knock Knock

Today I feel as though a couple of things have happened that just prove to me I no longer have a baby. First of them was that as I was sitting at my desk my little guy started to cry. A kind that means no pain just upset. I turned around to see if he was OK when he said "Don't cry fire engine, It's OK" and carried on with his game. He in many ways he has done this for a while but normally just the basics but tonight it was the emotion of being upset and he tried to make them OK. The other thing that happened is he told me a Knock Knock joke

Little man "Knock Knock"
Me "Who's there?"
Little man" Boo who?"
Me "Boo who who?"
Little man "Boo who I don't cry that's just a joke."


My little guy thought that this was the funniest thing ever and in many it ways it was. It was so cute nad funny to watch my little boy try and make me laugh. And laugh I did. Tonight was a night that makes all those screaming moments worth while.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Quarter One.

The first quarter at school has now come to a close. It is a job I can still say that I don't quite believe that I am doing it. There has been an a lot of adjustment for the family. As going from stay at home just 6 months ago to working a good 10 hour day means that things have had to change. Evenings and bedtime routines have become very precious to me as it is those few moments of one on one time will my little guy. My little toddler is now almost a boy. I have a feeling the the potty training is going to have to happen soon. Also at the end of the month it will be 6 years since I arrive with my husband in this big old US of A with three suitcases and feeling as though I was going to die as I drove around San Francisco and down to Palo Alto in a "small" American car on what I viewed as the wrong side of the road. Now 6 years later we have a child who is two and half, a house and I am now a high school teacher. Life could not have gone in a more different path than I thought but God knew what he was doing and so I trust him to know for the future as I can now truly say that God has blessed my family in ways I could not have dreamed.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

We lost Daddy!

To say that life has been madly busy is probably the understatement of the planet if not the universe. I am now working full time at a high school as a math special education teacher. I have four intensive classes and 1 co-taught class. So far I am OK with what I am doing just feeling completely overwhelmed with everything that needs doing.

My little guy has been going to a friends about 3 days a week. He has been adjusting really well. However for the last two weeks my husband has been away on business leaving me and my guy by ourselves. I can tell you that getting me and a two and a half year old out of the door for 6:15 am every morning is not what I call fun. The first few days went alright but as time when on my little guy notice that there was no daddy. Then the other day after screaming for 30 plus minutes for not being able to watch TV we settled down for dinner. At which point my little guy looked at me and said "We lost daddy." We then spent the next few mintues discussing that daddy was not lost and coming back tomorrow.

Daddy is now home and no longer lost. To me this was just another indicator that my little boy is growing up.

Friday, August 6, 2010

If

I was thinking just yesterday about my life and realised that I have a lot of times where I say "If you had told me x number of years ago that I would be about to do or would have done .............. I would have laughed till I cried." This is I feel just becoming the story of my life. If you had told me on my 18th birthday I would be married at 20 I would have laughed. I would have laughed even harder if you told me that 3 year later I would then move to the west coast of the USA and then 18 months after that move to the east coast. I would most likely have informed you that you where mad and should see a doctor. Now I must confess that I did see the child but not a child in America miles away from family. And then if you had told me 18 months ago that come the summer of 2010 you will be a teacher in math Special education and accepting a job at a high school I would have laughed until I turned purple. But yet here I am having just accepted a job at a high school. I definitely feel that God is leading me on a journey that no one would have predicted for me, my family can confirm that and I am sure any person who knew me when I was younger would agree, but I feel God just likes me to not be comfortable as it makes me lean on him. Throughout his process of looking to God back to work, I feel many times when I door could have so easily closed it was held open by God. I had decided that I wanted to work in a Middle school at the start of the summer and when interviews started coming out that is where they were at. Although others had hoped for High School started getting offers at Middle School I who wanted that Middle School got nothing. I went on interviews but after everyone there was something in me that said "No not that one" each time this happened and then I heard that someone else had got the job I wondered why I was not. Then I got a call for a high just 20 minutes from my house without any need to hit those high traffic roads. I could not really believe that this was happening. As I went for the interview I said they prayer I always say, "if this is right God let it be, if it is not then let there be no offer." All I can say is God was in that interview. The questions came and the answered followed. To say I answered everything right was an understatement. The answers were on point every time. 2 hours later after my interviwers talked with the principal, the came through that I had the job. Looking back on this people could argue that I just had got better as I interviewed at more places but for me I just see it as God closing the doors till I reached the right door. God is my guiding light and even out of my comfort zone he and he alone will give me the skills I need to be successful and glorify him in everything I do. That by no means means that it will be an easy ride as this summer has been tough but it is the right path and with God beside me who can be against me.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

A New Chapter

Our family has now moved onto a new stage as I am now looking for a new job as a teacher of Math Special Education. I am really looking forward to this new thing in our lives. My little boy is having a a great time playing his friends. I think that however we have now realised that we are two. My little guys language is jumping in leaps and bounds as he chats away with me as he can tell me what he ha done with his day. However we also have moments of no communication apart from upset and screaming. Fortunately however these are not to long and we can quickly move on with our lives.
My little guy has also realised that the cat and the rabbit will react to him. Sometimes allowing him to stroke him which I have to say is more the rabbit, that cat however runs away much to my sons delight. The cat just dashes up the stairs and then looks back at him with a follow me if you dare kind of look. It is all fun in this house.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

I put it in the bin

Things have been changing a lot in this house and have in turn been getting madly busy. However me and my little guy have still had time for some fun. My friend came over to watch a movie and we where tidying up before my little guy went to sleep. My friend told him "Put it in the trash." My little ones response was to look a her with a puzzled look of what are you talking about. I turned to him and said "Put it in the bin" with that my little guy ran off and put it in the bin before running back and chanting with delight "I put it in the bin" several times.

We have also some how managed to make the big step of my little guy now sleeping in his big boy bed. It has been a little bit of a see-saw but it appears to be swinging towards the big boy bed. We have now had two full nights in the bed and last night we slept through. The other nights we have woken somewhere between 2-3 and wanted to witch into the other one be it a crib or the bed. I really didn't want to push it as I know that it can be hard, but he has chosen and hopefully he will stay where he is meant to. Currently even when he wakes up he won't get out of his bed he just sits in it shouting "Mum" until you go in and say " Come on"

As for other things I am now out all day and my little one is home with daddy. I love the fact he is getting to spend time with daddy but yesterday as he stood at the door with tears streaming down his face as I left in the morning I found it heart breaking. I just wanted to run and pick him up and never let him go. But alas I had to go and I am hoping it will get easier for both of us.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

And so it carries on!

The year seems to be flying by without me really knowing where it has gone. June already? We have been having some fun now that the sun is shinning with playing out doors and running around. We have walked to the park and played in the back garden which I am loving. We are trying to slowly improve our lawn out front and reduce the bare patches so we planted some seed which meant we have had the sprinkler out with my little guy was having a blast with. I can't believe how much he is growing up. We can have conversations about things and the amount of information is is soaking up amazes me everyday. I am having to do some studying at the moment and so my little guy has been going off to a friends to play. He has taken to it so well for which I am very grateful, but still there is a small part of me that is sad he doesn't seem to miss anything. With the a/c coming on I am trying to reduce the amount of heat I add to the house which means reducing the amount I am using the oven and the drier. I hope that it will also reduce my bill a little. I can save the planet one dollar at a time.

The long weekend that we just had was great. We went over for a BBQ and hung out with friends. My little guy played to he could play no more with his friends and I got to chat and catch up with quite a few people. Sometimes I wonder how I am going to fit everything in once I am working. I am sure however that it will all work itself out and I will just have to be better with my time.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Is it really that bad?

We have had a lot packed into the last few days as I am currently looking to go back into work as so my little guy has been spending time over at a friends house who is going to be looking after him at some of the points whilst I am working. Part of me feels like I am just going to be missing out on too much but yet I know that it will help him grow in making friends, sharing and other things. Many kids are handed over to daycare from a few months old but my little guy has had over two years with me and now he is getting to hang out with his friend rather than a general daycare.

Now that my little one has passed that magical age of 2 people seem to think that I should be also onto number 2 child. However although I am sure that for a lot of people this will work well and I have seen it so for many of my friends work out well, that glove just isn't going to fit on my hand. I think that maybe some point in the future another child may take part in our lives but for now I am content with just one. I was teaching on Sunday with the Pre k-K class and when it was said that I had only one child one of the kids said that they felt bad for him. I said that I was an only child and so she also felt bad for me too. But is it really that bad to be an only child? Personally I had a very nice childhood. I did get a lot of attention from my mum and my dad because I didn't have to share with anyone, but yet I don't think I was spoiled. I know that we have always met that only child who was spoiled by mummy and daddy and is as selfish as anything but why feel sorry for me? I have grown up knowing nothing else. I had a happy childhood with loving parents. I think that sometimes people have a lot of opinions about only children and why it should not happen which I must confess baffles me. I would never dream of walking up to anyone and telling them that to have more than 6 kids is a silly idea (for those of you that do have more than six. I don't think you are silly) and that you are going to cause you children to not have a good standard of living and that you will never be able to give them the attention they need to be successful and the cost .... well do you know how much a good education costs nowadays. I assume that each family has thought out what they want to do and what is important for them and how it will work out, whether to stop at 4 kids or keep going to 20. Personally I know that I am not one of those people who has a desire to have 6 or more children, but I am also not going to tell you why you should stop at 4, so why is it that people think they should tell those of us with only one child to have more. Ask me the question of are you going to have more and that is fine but you must be willing to accept the answer. You can even ask why I am thinking of only one but don't try and talk me out of the answer as what works for you may not work for me. Children are a blessing from God and I do want as many blessings as I can get however blessings can be other things as well as children. For those of you with large families enjoy them and relish them but know that I also enjoy my family and relish every moment as at the end of they day we all want to be good parents with happy and successful children that will look different for all of us

Thursday, May 6, 2010

When did that happen?

Although many of my friends in the US say that I have a British accent anyone back in the UK would say well I guess it might still be there but it is hiding a little. So when did it happen that I became American or has it not happened yet. In someways I have had to adapt to the new culture I am in. There is no use me asking for a petrol station as all I seem to get is blank stares, so gas is what I now put in my car. And since I had my child in the US he is in diapers rather than nappies and sleep in a crib rather than a cot. But also I have noticed that my way of living has become more like the American. I drive everywhere, granted there are several times during the year that walking would just not work as either it is to cold or to hot and humid, but still why don't I walk on the days I can. The other thing I realised the other day was that I am always using my drier. Now I know that this is a very useful thing to have as, as I stated before drying outside in the cold or humid air doesn't not really help clothes dry, turn them into frozen shirts or even damper jeans depending on the weather yes. But again on those nice days when it is warm with a slight breeze why oh why am I using the drier. I used to love curling up in bed on fresh sheets, the ones that had flapped about outside. I am thinking I might just find that British person who seems to be berried somewhere and get a washing line. I guess also I am starting to view myself as I once viewed Americans as energy, petrol guzzling people without a care. Now before all my friends shot me down I do know this to be different. But still when am I using an item like a drier and a car because it is there or because I need to?

Friday, April 30, 2010

And then there was one.

We are now down to just one house guest of my husband's sister. All the rest got on a plane and it took them home. It was sad to see them go and I am very glad I got some extra time with them. me and my little guy have been trying to get used to the fact there are no playmates at the moment. I am studying for exams at the moment so we are trying to find a balance in who goes where. Today we took a visit to a pre-school as I was giving a talk about rabbits. My little guy fitted in like he should have been there even though he is a year younger then everyone else. He did find the sitting down to listen hard but once they were colouring and playing everything was fine. Since I am hoping to become a teacher at some point I loved being there with the kids and getting a taste of what life might be like for me in the future.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Where are you?

We are still enjoying the family at the moment. We have now also got my husband's sister staying so we have a house full for a couple of nights. This has meant that we a sharing a room with our little guy while everyone is here. The other morning my little guy decided that it was time to get up at 5.30am so I just picked him up and put him in bed with me. As he sat next to me and I tried to get to sleep at little voice could be heard "Where are you?" "I am here!" I replied since I was right next to him. "What are you doin?" Was the next question. "Sleeping." was my answer. Even in my half asleep state as I amazed that I was having a proper conversation with my boy. He truly is growing up.

We have also added another new thing that my boy has done and that was to take him to see a film. We went to see How to train your Dragon in 3D. They don't make child size glasses and so they where rather big on his face. There was a little upset in the beginning as we waited for the film to start but once it started he barley moved. This glasses did slip down his nose a couple of times, well a lot of times but he seemed to really love it. I feel that this now means that any kids movie I wish to watch I now have a little one to take with me.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Family, roller-coasters and volcanoes!


Over the last couple of weeks my family has been in town. My parents, grandma and my cousins entertainment has been 24/7 and my little guy has loved it. We went to the beach where my little guy found great delight in wear Grandma's hat. We thought it was some of the funniest things ever. We all laughed to we nearly fell over. At times he couldn't see out from under the hat and would run around until he ran into something. We have also been to Six Flags. My little guy went on the carousel and had a blast as I held onto him. He also was able to go onto a small roller coaster for the first time. He held on with a grin from one end of his face to the other with no idea what was going on but he loved it. I think we may have to become a seasoned traveler on roller coasters. I did myself managed to get on some of the larger roller coasters and some of the rides that you get soaked on.

It was sad when the time came for everyone to leave but since Iceland had a volcano so we had an extended stay. It has meant that my grass has been cut and my little guy has had a blast with extra time with his entertainers.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Offically a toddler!

I think my little guy started in the terrible twos a while ago with the throwing of fits and other joys that go with it. This week has been my little lad telling me that 2 is about to arrive. Up until now I have been blessed that although we have thrown many a fit in the home outside we have limited ourselves to just getting a little upset. However this week I did a terrible thing and that was I decided we needed to buy shoes for my little guy. Well I didn't know but the thing to measure your feet eats little boys feet and so we screamed and screamed in the store. The whole thing was very upsetting for my little guy. We did manage to get a guess on the size and I decided to put some sandals on hold while we took a break. Upon coming back to the store my little guy grabbed his feet as if it was the end of the world. I however did find some trainers (tennis shoes to you in the US) and tried them on his feet. It was a good job that I had the right size as they were not coming off once they were on and we discovered as he rain around the store they lit up. We both ended happy which was nice.

Yesterday my little guy became two. We had a birthday party and it was a blast. I set up a ball pit in the play room and I even made the cake and iced it. It was a train and I have to say it really didn't look too bad. It was great fun watching my little guy run around with all his friends and eating food. Due us all being tired we didn't do presents just yet that will be tonight so I guess that his birthday will last a little longer. Family is also arriving this week and so I am sure there will be another short birthday again.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Frugal Makeovers!

It seems that nowadays it is the new thing to save money and find new ways to make those pennies go a little further than before. I have looked into a lot of what has been said. Especially as my little guy goes through clothes a lot and shoes. Those growth spurts can be a lot. Also with toys going in and out of favour I am always on the look out for something good but not too expensive so that if it gets lost I am not too upset. I have to say though that a lot of things people suggest I already do. We have the energy saving appliances, we program our heating to come on or off. But what I am trying to do now is do better with buying food better. Aldi is now my regular place apart from the fact it feels like being back home as I add my quarter to get my cart. It also has great fun for my little guy as they are doing lots of work with diggers and other things. I am trying to get the better deals it has become a game. my little guy normally loves going around the stores seeing new people and things like that although today at our trip to BJ's there was nothing like fun as with our teeth trying to arrive my little guy just wanted to be held all the way round which really doesn't help when trying to buy stuff, I did inform him that it was all for him as it is for his birthday on Sunday but he was still not convinced about it.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The Last Week

This is the last week of having a one year old. As Sunday my little guy will be two. I can hardly believe it. In many ways he has stopped being a baby for several months but being two really seems to make it final. Over the last couple of months several things have happened that make me really realsie how far he has come. The language bubble has burst and we chat away without us stopping and somethings I can even grasp at what he is saying. We have also got some really nice weather and so now I can leave the back door open and he goes and plays out happily by himself. digging up dirt and kicking balls.
I can also see him now making choices some of them aren't quite what I had in mind but now I can tell him if you do that again you will get a time out and you can watch his little brain process and decided whether it truly is worth misbehaving. He will happily go and play with other kids now but I love that fact that he will still coming running when I go to pick him up. Currently my little guy is also working on his two year molars which really is not fun for anyone. But I guess that is just another proof that my baby really is now my little boy.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Hair Be Gone!

My little guy got his first hair cut. I felt with him turning two in couple of weeks it was time for it to happen. It had got very long but with him having such curly hair it was just growing around itself. But now my baby looks like a little boy and that he aged a lot. It is just another step as he grows up. Part of it doesn't feel real but now time to plan a birthday party!

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Spiders and Cobwebs

Today was what I would call my first day of spring. It was a lovely Spring day with sunshine and warmth. I must confess that the piles of snow out front that are resisting the thaw that is happening is a little strange, but me and my little guy got to spend some time outside in the back garden. We also took out Hamish our current foster bunny for a bit of sunshine. We had the great fun of a plane pass over several times and also a helicopter so my little guy was as happy as can be. We got the bubbles flowing and all in all had a great time.

This evening we had homemade drive thru as I got some oven cooked french fries and chicken nuggets. And then we had a family recipe of Spiders and Cobwebs for pudding. It is a little delight that I grew up on. Plain yogurt with honey and raisins added. I also add a touch of sugar too if the yogurt is not as sweet as I would like. It was a simple day in many ways but so many moments to remember of my little guy. As I already know that time just flies by a lot faster than I would like.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Fun Packed Month

Time really seems to be flying this year. I can't quite believe that it is march already or that my little guy is going to be TWO in a matter of a couple of weeks. This month is going to be packed full of stuff and already has. We had a fun morning of friends over for pancakes. I think including kids it was about 20 people. My little guy got to run around with friends while the rest of us got to have some great conversation. I have decided to make my little guys birthday cake this year and so I did a practice run. The shape is that of a train which is provided by a shaped cake pan but I had to practice my icing which I can honestly say I did years ago and nothing since. I was impressed it did look like a train so I am now ready to tackle the real thing at the end of the month.

At the weekend my little guy got to go to a party where he was able to spend I happy 45 mintues climbing over bridges, slide down slides, crawl through tunnels, catch bubbles and run under parachutes. It was great to watch him get a real thrill out of everything. He came home that night and collapsed into bed without a word. I can really see my boy grow in independence as he will happily run off and play around other kids. Even at church yesterday when we arrived he knew right where he was going and ran there leaving me behind. He didn't even turn to wave good-bye. Part of me was a little said about that but at least when I went to pick him up he was very happy to see me.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Moments of Life

After several more inches have fallen in snow we have managed to dig our way out to freedom. Me and my little guy did lots of thing that we have not really done before. We have a new game which is Ready, Set, Go at which point my little guy then runs and throws himself onto the sofa or the cover or even daddy and shrieks with delight. We also manage to build a kind of fort with a sheet and also some chairs which amused my little guy for quite a while. But all were glad when we venutred out to build a snow man meet up with friends and feel as though we were living again.

This morning I had a moment it was one of those which was small but I wish I could just package it up with a bow and store it forever. We had just finished getting dressed for the day and I lay on the floor and so my little guy came and lay next to me. I then propped up myself on my elbow and he tried to copy. As I lay my head back on the floor and he did the same we just stared at each other. I said "Are you handsome?" He nodded I said "I love you" and he nodded again. For a little guy who normally shakes his head no I was happy to get a yes. As we just enjoyed hanging out together in his room it was a precious moment to me that I know I will treasure.

My little guy still has his talk button press onto on and is learning a lot more words. We have traveled from dar to car, truck and bus. For a while we got It's a bus as he thought that was what you said for a bus. We have also got cat, dog and bunny. Lots more tumble out through the day although I seem to be being called daddy again.

Monday, February 8, 2010

The silence of snow.

We have just had the blizzards of 2010 this weekend with about 2 foot of snow. It has meant that we have spent a lot of time indoors and close together which considering I was feeling sick didn't make for the happiest of memories at times. However me and my little guy did manage to have some fun in the snow and once I had dug out the path he could come out with me without getting eaten by the snow monster. We have manaeged a short walk around the neighbourhood where we got to see a lot of people coming out and looking at all the snow and wondering two things...... Which lump of snow is the car? and Where oh where do I begin to dig?

My little guy has been really good over the weekend we have coloured, read, played trains, ran around and watched probably a little too much TV. At times I have had a headache but things have not been too bad to which I am thankful. I am hoping today that we are able to venture out a little way otherwise I think I will go mad with cabin fever even if my little guy does not.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

All in the timing

The other day I was reading Exodus 2. It is a chapter that I have read many times before. I have even completed studies on it. This time as I read it again I was hit by the fact that God is in control of timing. I know this but it really hit me again. God has a plan, he saved Moses. However Moses wanted to do things by himself which in turn lead to someone dying. Many people I know have ssaid how they wish they where like the men and women of the old testamanet but I feel we need to look at who they truly were. Sure God used them and did amazing things through them but at the end of they day they were flawed humans. Moses was murderer. I do not want to be one of those. Moses had all the right intentions but he needed to wait for God. God has a plan. Everything will turn out right in his timing and not ours. It will also be through his glory rather than any other beings. As God challenges me on my use of time and doing things when I should not, worrying about things when I have no control and doing nothing when I am doing something I need to remember that God has the timing of my life down. As long as I listen to him everything will go according to plan.

Friday, January 29, 2010

US soil

We are now back on the US soil. It was an eventful journey back but not for the reasons I had thought. My little guy was a star on the plane however I was struck with a migraine for about the last 2 hours of the flight and to say that by the time we landed I was so ill I could not move. I was sick and just about managed to get off the plane and into a wheelchair. My poor husband was then left to managed all the coats and hand luggage by himself and then of course the luggage that we had checked in. The guy pushing me in the wheelchair I have to say was not the most helpful of fellows. I left the airport having given the most horrible immigration photo on the planet as just looking into the camera made my brain want to explode. I did however make it home with our friend driving us back which I was very grateful. Several pain killers later and a sleep I did feel as though I had rejoined the human race.

As I look back over the trip I am in many ways so glad that we did it as my little guy got to see my country, the home that I grew up in and family and friends that otherwise he would not have met. I loved how it felt to be home, to feel at home in a way I have not felt for the last five years living in the US. In many ways I am sad to have left it behind. To not have the countryside of England at my door or drive to an old estate and roam around the grounds. But I hope that it will not be as long as it has been before me and my little guy get to go back. I think I have at least left part of my heart back there as it will always be home to me. But the US has it joys and I am looking to them as I miss my family, friends and British humour and tv. I am trying now to be more organised so that I can spend more time with friends here but not at the lack of not doing other things. As I watch my little guy run around the house and play with his ball I realise that a part of my heart is here also, so I guess to the answer of if home is where the heart is where is home? It is both England and the US.

Monday, January 25, 2010

The Last Few Days

The last week has flew by as we have dash here, there and every where. In many ways I have found myself feeling more at home here than I have in the 5 years in the US. Whether this is because it has been a time to catch up with friends and family or the fact I am in the house that I called home for almost my whole childhood I don't know. I have loved going away and popping back to see my mum and dad. I also love the houses that you get over here and the character, the old historic house that you can walk around the grounds of.

Last week we took my little guy off the the beach. It was like passing on a little piece of family as it was Formby beach that was the first beach I went on as a child and also my mum. S for it to be my little guy's as well just seemed right.

I have been enjoying munching on Cadbury chocolate that now ironically enough has been bought by a US company but hopefully nothing will change in the flavour. Maybe even the UK will become the US and then where will I call home?

Monday, January 18, 2010

Home is where the heart is.

I can't believe it has been over a week since our adventures. It all began with trying to fit enough clothes for three into suitcases to go to the airport. My little guy had no idea what was about to happen as we arrived and checked in bags. All I can say is when my little guy is not feeling comfortable in the airport when it came to removing shoes and coats. He threw himself on the floor and decided to then screamed. I have to say that people started to step away from the child and me and I believe started to pray 'Please don't let him be on my flight!' While waiting for the plane my little guy was running madly around and screaming at the top of his voice. I have to say that I began to question my sanity of having him on my lap for several hours but in answer to my prayers he was a star on the flight. Our second flight we were tired and so my little guy decided that getting out of his stroller was the worst idea on the planet and so not only threw himself on the floor but then rolled around as he screamed. However once on the flight he was again a star.

Upon arrival I found England to be covered in a blanket of snow. Even where I grew up had 5 inches which although to many sounds a little I think I can count on one hand how many times we have had over an inch or two on one hand. As I looked out over the snowy ground and the English countryside and winding roads came into view I confess I felt as though I was home. I was surprised of the amount of emotion I felt as I whispered to my little guy Welcome to my home!

Since landing on the ground I almost feel like my feet have not touched it. In the beginning everything was a little different but within a day I felt like everything was so right. My little guy has seen so many people. I would love to think that everyone was thrilled to see me but alas I think that my little guy has stolen the show and I am totally fine about that. He has taken everything in is stride winning everyone with his smiles and his giggles. We dashed over to Great gran to see all her friends, had photos. We then rented a car to dash down to London so see family and friends and yes it was very interesting driving on the other side. I was not quite sure whether it was the right side, wrong side or the left side. We had a blast meeting everyone and playing with toys catching up with friends and laughing until our sides hurt.

I am however left wondering if home is where the heart is where is my home?

Friday, January 1, 2010

New Year Goals

I was reading The Happy Housewife and decided that I to would set some goals. The question that then followed was what are they going to be? I don't want to set a million and miss on to many but I also feel that only setting two really doesn't create a challenge so I will try to provide a few.

  • Increase the amount I spend reading the bible.
  • Be better at taking notes on a Sunday or any other church meeting
  • To help my little guy learn his words
  • Set a better budget and stick to it!
  • To set a cleaning routine and use it (instead of fly by the seat of my pants)
  • Go to the gym 2-3 times a week
  • Lose the baby weight that really should already be gone
  • Complete School work with plenty of time (instead of last minute)
I think that is quite enough. I hope that and I pray that I am able to achieve these goals.