Happy Sunday

Good morning everyone, we are now exponentially more contact-able. We have our new phone with Skype/Blogger/Flickr/Magic Jack all set up for video calls and phone service to both the US and UK. Get ahold of us through here/email/facebook and we will get all of our new numbers and handles out to you.

30

Today I turned 30. I will say it hasn't been nearly as panic-inducing as I used to think it would be. If even 5 years ago I was told that today I would 1) be married 2) have a baby 3) be a stay-at-home mom and 4) be living in England, I wouldn't have believed any of it.

I feel that now that I'm 30, I should have something profound to say about it. Looking back, I'd say my 20s were all about figuring out what was going on in my head and learning to be ok with it. What I discovered is this: I am an introvert. I live in my head way too much and am way too comfortable there. I'm not shy. I'm not overly insecure. I can be social when needed or when I make a conscious effort, but it is not something that comes naturally. This explains it pretty well actually: http://sveidt.deviantart.com/art/How-to-Live-with-Introverts-Guide-Printable-320818879.

For the moment, my life is pretty together. I have an amazing husband that is perfect for me. He loves me and accepts me for exactly who I am- the good, the bad, the crazy and the ugly- and that is a really great feeling. I have a beautiful son that makes me smile til my face hurts. I have family and a handful of great friends that I love dearly. I'm at the beginning of this great adventure with my own little family that is going to allow us to spend the next 3 years exploring Europe and growing closer than ever as we learn to rely on each other.

It is because of all these things that I feel empowered today.

I know that I think and dream much bolder than I act. I don't take many risks or venture outside of my comfort zone very often. Turning 30 has me looking at what I want to make of the next 10 years. And I've decided that I want to be audacious. I'm not quite sure how to be an audacious introvert, but I'm excited to figure it out.

Peek-a-boo

Hello, Daddy Bear here. I saw an update request from some fish and decided my bit of insomnia would be spent here tonight. It has been a whirlwind two weeks here and waking up in the middle of the night seems to be my only chance to breath lately. I apologize for that repeat sentence structure there but I am going to move right along before my thoughts desert me.

 

Mama Bear has been an absolute trooper so far. I have been kept pretty busy working through all of the requisite paperwork and in processing leaving her on her own, in a new country, in temporary accommodations, for large chunks of days. Mama Bear, you have performed perfectly. You are a wonderful and dedicated mother whom I am proud to be sharing my life with. I could not ask for a better companion to be raising Baby Bear and having this adventure with. Happy Birthday. I love you.

 

As I was sitting in this same chair arranging bill payments Saturday night Baby Bear looked up from his wooden toy train and decided I looked far to serious and something had to be done about it. He picked his way across the floor past his rattly ball and wind-back fire truck. He pulled himself up my leg until he was standing behind the laptop and I prepared myself for him to haul back on the laptop screen (again). Instead he slowly leaned his [adorable] head out from behind the screen and absolutely lost it laughing when we made eye contact. I am pretty sure it was the absolute best thing that ever happened in this world, so here is the tail end of it. I admit I selfishly soaked up the experience and only thought to capture the very tail end (trailing off) so here is some video for you.

As our Facebook stalkers may already know we have found a house to rent and are working through the rental agreements and such right now. It is going very well and as good as done. We will move in approx. two weeks from now. As excited as we are to have found this beautiful home in the PERFECT area we are a little sad that we will be on loaner furniture and such for five to six weeks. I think we identify our "things" as a part of ourselves to some degree as well as having given them associations to all of our friends and family that have spent time with us in our home. While it is an unavoidable process, we look forward to sitting in OUR living room again, where we have played with Red Fish and New Fish, wrestled with our nephews, and come together as a family. It is not our top concern or even really an issue at this point, but I think it will go a long way towards giving us a more stable feeling in our new home.

 

One thing that has helped us feel a little more at home is our amazing ward here in Harrogate. We made it to church this past Sunday and were floored by the wonderful welcome we received. I am very grateful for how the Sisters welcomed Jill into the RS. She already has an invitation to a moms group with kids Baby Bears' age, a ride to a RS night this week, and half a dozen phone numbers for new friends rearing to help us with anything we could need. The ward is split almost 50/50 between British and "Rebel" members. As most American members are affiliated with the base this creates a high turnover with families constantly rotating in and out. The ward has a beautiful spirit of welcome about it and we already feel exponentially more welcome here. Of course I did leave my first Sunday with an EQ teaching assignment, but that's a small price to pay right?