Across the Pond...: December 2013

We just received a Christmas card from a friend who said, "I'm missing your blog lately!" Then I peeked online and realized that our last entry was from our trip to Paris, which was just days before school started in September. And now, here we are, the day after the Christmas term has ended.

I will try to give a brief overview of the last three and a half months so I can be caught up before the holidays!

Lane started Year 5 and Ryan started Year 3 in September. That puts her in the Upper School and him in the Middle School at St. Piran's - a big step up for each of them. Lane sees over a dozen teachers in a week now, as she now shuffles around the campus for each of her subjects. She is loving her new afterschool activity - the bell choir. Ryan has moved upstairs in the main building and is really being stretched in all academic areas! He is really stepping up to the challenge and ended the term well by being chosen as the boy from his year group to do a reading in the school's Christmas carol service.

Just two weeks after school started, Lane went away for a residential week at Osmington Bay - five days packed with educational field trips and fun excursions. We missed her terribly, but she didn't seem to miss us at all!

In October, we were happy to have a visit from my dad and stepmom and also be able to see Chris and Karla as they were all across the pond for my step-cousin's wedding. (Note... We love guests, so just let us know when you want to come for a visit!)

Then we were off to Rome for the half term break. I don't know if it was because the kids are getting a little older, or because we are all getting used to traveling together, or because of the fantastic weather, or maybe the amazing sights and food - but I think it was our best adventure to date! It also helped that Ryan has been studying the Romans this term, so he was very interested in everything we saw. (I will also now plug the FREE Rick Steve's Audio Tours app, which kept the kids interested at a lot of sights and had us exploring some really interesting neighborhoods!)

We were back just in time for Halloween and another fun little gathering at our house to trick-or-treat on our sweet close and watch Monsters University with friends.

We had another lovely Thanksgiving celebration - complete with all the trimmings - at our house with our family friends, the Ottos and the Dales. It's a time of year that we really miss all of our family as they are sledding the sand dunes at Zuma Beach, but it is so much fun to share some of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions with our friends here!

I had the opportunity to talk and sing at the St. Piran's advent chapel service in November. It was a really wonderful chance to speak to the kids about preparing for Christmas and, in addition to sharing a new song with them, I wanted to give them a gift to take home to continue celebrating through the Christmas season. With last minute help from Liberty (artwork) and Victory (graphic design), I recorded the song and sent them all home with CD singles. (If you go to my website you can download the song for free.) The response was really overwhelming and I am feeling so blessed to be part of the community at St. Piran's.

John has been traveling like crazy. (Over the last five weeks, he was in the country for thirteen days!) Today, he came home from a trip to L.A. (with three bags in hand as he did a massive gift exchange - and, of course, some shopping - while he was there). Now, he is home for awhile and we are all happy to have him here as we continue to prepare our hearts and home for Christmas!