Expecting....

That's me!

It's been a crazy couple of months around here. My boss went off for some fairly major surgery so 3 of us were left working most of the shifts. Nate has been working some long hours on school work - but he's finally done! Just a dissertation now, no biggie. His mother and grandmother hopped over for a rather lengthy visit that managed to draw us out of this little city and across the border to merry old England! Heathrow doesn't exactly count as "seeing England."

So we saw York and it was wonderful. The Minster is breathtaking, ancient and still holding services for it's parishioners. We even attended one! There is nothing quite like a psalm by Tallis when sung by an all male choir in the cathedral. Also fascinating were the Roman ruins recently discovered underneath the structure - including a still working drain!!! If you ever decide to come this'a way, plan to stop in York for a day or two. Wonderful city.

The Moms also spent a week in St Andrews with us, touring about and tasting all the pub food we could get into them, plus some delicious Italian dishes. You really should come visit since we now have all of these tried and true places to take you. You'll love it! Easter was superb as well as we not only enjoyed a supremely tasty meal prepared by my Nate, we were able to attend services at sunrise at the edge of a cliff at seaside, directly beside ancient cathedral ruins. And we took communion inside said cathedral, exactly as they would have 500 years ago. There is nothing better.

All of this chaos was certainly fun and, due to that recent discovery, very tiring. I have never been so willing to sleep in all of my life - that's saying something! As we go to print, I am now 9 weeks pregnant! I am a Mother-to-be!! I daresay I'm surviving this first trimester with flying colors as the sickness is at a minimum and all that I can truly complain about is being tired. But who can really complain about that when the next logical step is to announce that you're going to bed? I think I'm ok with that. I will however, be rather glad to stop working. It's just too bad I can't take off now and just work the summer since that's supposed to be the good time. Here's to the fall! And here's to hoping that a Stateside summer vacation works it's way into reality!!

December Again!

This is such a favorite time of year - the pine scents wafting through the house, the sparkly decorations, hot chocolate on a daily basis, frost on the red berries outside. It's so lovely!

It would seem that St Andrews knew that today was the first of December. November had its chilly days and sometimes I didn't dress warmly enough but there were still plenty of nice, sunny moments with a warm breeze playing in my hair. Not today! I didn't venture out of the house until 11am but frost was everywhere, gorgeously glistening. The pond in our neighborhood had little patches of ice and the ducks were nowhere to be seen. I was bundled in my supremely wonderful green, wool sweater, a chunky brown scarf and my super cute burnt-red jacket but I was still just a little chilly. That may have had something to do with the fact that I was wearing a mini skirt and leggings but such things happen on laundry day. I tried to make up for it with thick socks and my fuzzy boots. :) It worked. Style happened.

I think we can legitimately move to Christmas now too, as we had our wonderful Thanksgiving last week. Time to break out the Christmas music!

I find myself keenly aware of passing time. The end of October is somehow upon us already - a whole month and then some gone by since we first set foot in this country. There is still so much to do! So much that we want to see, explore, discover - I wonder if we will have time for all of it.

Perhaps this is most notable to me as one year has already passed more swiftly than I thought possible. Each month I found myself marveling at the rapid pace yet I still looked at the coming months as plenty of time in which to accomplish what I wanted. How untrue that proved to be! The end of the summer was filled with rushing and scurrying about, never having enough hours in the day. I don't want that to be repeated this year. Somehow, I want to take it all in. Absorb it and breathe it and live it. Truly experience what we have in front of us.

The question will always be how. How to deal with the tasks that come along with being out in the world as an adult while still seeing the magic that is in the surroundings. How to juggle schoolwork and play time. How to see the world while living on a shoestring budget. A great many how's in this world and rather less of the answers. Perhaps this awareness will come into play. Perhaps it's just recognizing the whirlwind before it sweeps you along. At least you can see the ride for what it is.

Fall Means ..

caramel apple cider
brightly colored leaves
fluffy scarves with matching hat and gloves
warm, fuzzy boots
wearing a cute jacket everyday
hot chocolate
sugar cookies in seasonal shapes
M&M's in fall colors
apple pie
pumpkin pie!
Thanksgiving
red noses and cheeks
football!
warm blankets
festivals
apple dumplings
cozy fireplaces
scented candles
pumpkin seeds
apple picking

*sigh*
I love this time of year.

Hooray for Fall!

This is one of my favorite spots to pass on the way into town. It's so incredibly simple and beautiful!

25 Things I Like About Scotland

The first in a four part series of 100 items.

1) Abundant rose gardens
2) The possibilities for misty days
3) Advertisements for "wellies"
4) The cabbies
5) Brightly coloured doors
6) The ancient feel
7) The expectation of tea time
8) Using the train!
9) Anticipating Elizabeth Bennett around every corner
10) Little old ladies driving
11) Little old ladies taking their cart to market
12) Bikes with baskets
13) Teensy dishwashers
14) Weekly shopping
15) The wind
16) Scarves!!
17) Pastries, particularly the little chicken pies
18) Well behaved dogs
19) The bunnies
20) The Botanical Gardens
21) Double decker buses
22) An actual history
23) Cooler and milder weather
24) Posh fashion
25) The hedgerows

An Unexpected Adjustment

I need to make some bookends and it's like this - I love this country. I love exploring new places with my husband, being young and doing things we won't be able to do once kids come along. We are on such an incredible adventure!

Amoungst all of the excitement however, is an unrest and slight dissatisfaction. I feel almost ashamed to type it but there you go. I had not anticipated the confining nature of being married and attending graduate school, didn't even see it coming. Certain freedoms seem to be lost. We are in such a lovely place with new things to try while having the most constricting budget - it's frustrating. I want to make our home beautiful and must instead live under regulations from our housing authority. I want for us to look the part of graduate students and find that such a transformation is not yet possible.

I didn't realize how anxious I would be with such constraint. Frankly, I never expected to have such binds placed upon us. The day when schooling is behind us and steady income is at hand will be a glorious thing. To be able to govern our own home to suit our own tastes is a gift with a value I never realized. I cannot wait to have that.

Truly, St Andrews is a marvelous place. The atmosphere of the town suits us very well and we're excited about what the future here could hold. We're settling in, making wonderful friends, learning the town and making routine. Life as a whole is good.