A traveling we will go

These people just left our house after 10 days of trains, gardens, tea, palaces and road trips.

Front gates of Buckingham Palace

Jim and Debbie are Chris' dad and step-mom. This was their third visit to England but first to the south of the UK. We loved every moment of having them here with us. Madeline loved having grandparents to spoil her! There was no lack of hugs, cuddles and special treats from Granna and Grandaddy.

Along with enjoying the many exciting things Oxford itself has to offer, we traveled to London for the day and took a tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace. The tour included an exhibit of the wedding dress and other items from the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge this past April. It was splendid!!

Back garden terrace of Buckingham Palace 

Big Ben and Parliament

We also went to Blenheim Palace, home of Winston Churchill's family and where he was born. This was seriously one of the most amazing places I have ever seen. To think it is only 20 minutes from our flat. The palace is situated right outside of a village called Woodstock - we are thinking we might need to move there soon!

Yea, that is just the front gate!

We road the train to the gardens/playground.

Gardens

Front of Blenheim Palace

The next day we drove up into the Cotswolds and attempted to cover some serious territory in just a few hours. It was quite an adventure. First, we went to Stratford-upon-Avon where Shakespeare is from; second, to Stow-on-the-wold where nothing exciting has happened but there are some great pubs; finally, we stopped in Bourton-on-the-water which is quite possibly the most beautiful village I have ever seen. It took all four of us to keep Madeline from going swimming off of one of the bridges.

Church in Stratford-upon-Avon

William Shakespeare's grave in the church above.

Maddie having a cup of milk.

Bourton-upon-the-water

On our last day of traveling outside of Oxford we ventured to Bath. It took a little extra time to get there (couldn't possibly have been the navigator's fault!) but once we did it was well worth it. Bath is an amazing city. It is such a wonderful combination of modern shopping and restaurants with architecture from Roman times and since. I think I could live there!

Bath

Bath Abbey

Roman Baths

The Royal Crescent (people live here!)

Our travels around were wonderful! We also did some great things in Oxford, so part two to come soon...

My world

Love

Happiness

Contentment

Joy

Never-ending Energy

Kind

Sensitive

Independent

I have to be out by 8:30AM?

Two weeks into my new part-time job and I have had the following revelations:

- 6:00AM is really early, especially when your two-year old is having separation issues and insists you (only you!) lay in her bed from 2:00AM to 3:00AM. Thankfully, this only lasted for three nights but it was exhausting.

- My husband is much more fun than I am. Oh the things that the two of them have come up with to keep themselves entertained. I have heard about tree-top houses in the woods, pillow forts in the living room and some crazy chase game that doesn't seem to have any point outside of making a certain little someone very tired. She is loving every minute!

- How often does a person really need to dust? It is not like it is a hygiene issue like, say the bathrooms...oh, I better go clean the bathrooms!

- Even when you get up at 6:00AM you will spend the last 6 minutes before running out the door looking for your keys, your phone and quite possibly one of your shoes.

- Speaking of shoes. One half of my favorite pair of shoes has gone missing. We have turned the flat upside down looking for it with no luck. I am little bit concerned that Maddie keeps insisting that it jumped out the window and is now outside in the grass. While there seems to be no evidence that my pretty red shoe is outside our windows, it is quite possible that a very fashion-conscious badger is sporting a nice addition to her nest.

- Skinny heels work really well in Oxford. It will be all about my boots this fall.

- My love for all things Microsoft Outlook and Excel has not diminished at all. They make my heart go pitter-patter every morning! My new boss asked if I could fix some old spreadsheets to make them more user friendly and I couldn't say yes fast enough.

- A lot of people ride the buses into Oxford city centre. I mean, A LOT of people. I had to wait for four buses to go by before I could squeeze myself onto one. Even then I was practically sitting in the driver's lap. This could be why all the buses stop for me now. I might have a reputation.

- After five years I still love to see the Mrs. in front of my name. Sadly, there aren't many occasions for this outside of work so when emails to Mrs Ferebee come through I get a little smile. :)

- I have no idea what I am doing but we are figuring it out!

Go...cook these...now!

Ever get stuck in a dinner rut? Yea, I do all of the time. Somedays we have grilled cheese and fruit. Or macaroni and cheese and fruit. Or quesadillas and fruit. Hmm... there seems to be a pattern. Anyway, I recently came across these two recipes and after a few tweaks I think they are nearly perfect. I have single-handedly saved your boring dinners for the next two nights. You didn't know my love language is words of affirmation? Well, it is and I am not above begging. :)

Chicken Florentine

adapted from this recipe

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 tbls. butter

1/4 cup butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbls. lemon juice

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 cup half-and-half (or single cream in the UK)

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 

3-4 handfuls of fresh baby spinach leaves (real scientific measurement, huh?!)

6 mushrooms, sliced (whatever variety you have on hand)

4-6 bacon slices

1-1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F (175C). Saute the mushrooms, 1 minced garlic clove and spinach in the 1 tbls. of butter until the spinach is wilted. Spread on the bottom of a glass baking dish (I used a 8 inch round dish). Place raw chicken on top. Salt and pepper the chicken to your taste. 

Melt the 1/4 cup of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, Stirring constantly mix in the rest of the garlic, lemon juice, cream of mushroom soup, dried herbs, cream and Parmesan cheese. Pour over chicken. Arrange bacon slices on top of the chicken.

Bake 25 minutes uncovered. Take out and sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with rice. I like to put my chicken directly on top of the rice along with the spinach and mushrooms. Cover with the sauce.

Beef with Peppers

adapted from this recipe

1-1 1/2 pound Flank Steak, sliced very thin against the grain (if you are like me and can't find flank steak, any cut that can be sliced thinly should do the trick)

1/2 cup soy sauce

3 tbls. sherry

2 tbls. packed brown sugar

2 tbls. cornstarch

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. red chili paste (or a few dashes of red chili oil)

2 tbls. canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1 red pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

Mix together soy sauce, sherry, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and chili paste (or chili oil.) Place sliced beef in the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. When it is very hot, throw in the onions and cook for less than a minute. Remove to a separate plate. Return skillet to flame, allow to reheat, and add bell peppers. Cook for a minute, tossing, until peppers have brown/black bits but are still firm. Remove to a plate.

Return skillet to heat and allow to get hot. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add 1/3 of the meat mixture, evenly distributing over the surface of the skillet. Allow to sit for 20 to 30 seconds, then turn with tongs. Cook for another 30 seconds, then remove to a separate plate. Repeat with remaining meat until all brown.

Reduce heat to low. Add all meat, onions, and peppers to the skillet and toss to combine. Pour in remaining sauce and stir. Allow to simmer on low for a few minutes. Sauce will slowly thicken. Turn off heat. Serve with rice or rice noodles if you can find them. We also had steamed purple cabbage with this and it was a great compliment.

Bon appetite! 

Thank you

I wanted to take just a moment to say thank you to everyone who has written or called after I posted below about the miscarriage. The responses have made me smile and cry at the same time! I hate that others have experienced similar losses. At the same time, it is encouraging to hear how you have walked through the process and are continuing to heal and grow.

Last week I attended a baby shower for a friend. I would be lying if I said there weren't a few moments of hurt and at times I wondered if going had been the right decision. I came home a little sad and a little discouraged. That night I read an email from a friend who after years of unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant recently adopted a beautiful little girl. I thought about how she had been so present and encouraging when I was pregnant with Madeline. She came to my baby shower and smiled and bought beautiful presents. She followed every post and bump picture. She was the first to say congratulations when Madeline was born. In short, she put aside her own feelings of hurt and disappointment to be my friend and celebrate with me. I never heard her complain or say that she needed space.

That is the example of a friend who loves through her own pain. That is the example that I wish to emulate.  That is the kind of friend God has called me to be.

I wrote my friend and apologized because, at the time, I didn't understand what she was going through. I was not as sensitive as I should have been. I was naive and although at some level I knew she was going through a hard time I had no idea of the hurt she was experiencing.

I am a better person and friend today because of her example. I hope that I can be the same in someone else's life.

Small steps forward

I think I am finally ready to talk about the last 3 months in our lives. I have sat down to write these words so many times and yet, the words wouldn't come. It is weird because I have no problem talking with friends or family about our recent struggles. I don't cry when I talk about it with friends or mention it in passing as our lives move forward. For me, writing is so personal and putting my thoughts and feelings down on paper (screen!) makes everything feel more real. Writing gives me time to sit and dwell on my experiences and feelings which often leads to true transparency. With that in mind, please forgive me if this post gets long and wordy and quite possibly very untidy.


On 23 March we went to the hospital for the 12 week ultrasound of our unexpected but very welcome newest addition (Announcement) set to arrive at the beginning of October. I had been feeling all the normal 1st trimester sickness but at 12.5 weeks things were starting to improve. We were beyond excited to finally see this little one! We decided to take Madeline with us and looking back I will always regret that decision. The moment the technician started the ultrasound I knew something was wrong. I have seen plenty of ultrasounds and knew that everything looked too small and that there was clearly not a heartbeat. The technician quickly confirmed that the pregnancy was not progressing and that there was no heartbeat. I remember feeling like the air had been sucked from my lungs. I couldn't breathe. All I could see was my little girl excitedly watching the monitor hoping to see a baby and just past her head the screen was empty. What do you say? How do you explain what is happening through your own tears? How do you take in what the nurses and doctors are communicating when all you can think is that you must be dreaming? Of course, we then have to leave and walk out in front of all of the people waiting to see their healthy babies. The nurses and doctors were all amazing and sympathetic but there is nothing that anyone can say in that moment.


So much of that day is a blur. I do very distinctly remember sitting on the bus headed home. We had taken the same bus to the hospital just a few hours earlier. What a difference those few hours had made. The ride there had been full of laughter and joy while the ride home was quiet and tearful. So many things raced through my head - how were we going to tell people, should I have the surgery or not, what would we do with Madeline if I did have the surgery, why did this happen, did I do something wrong? The questions wouldn't stop.


We did decide to go ahead with the out-patient surgery. Not an easy decision but once it was made I knew it was the right thing to do. I am so thankful for my dear friend Betsy who offered to keep Madeline in her home all day while we were at the hospital. She has two little girls of her own and her husband was out of the country at the time. That is a true friend and was a huge blessing to us.


I could go on and on but the basics of the last few months can be summed up pretty easily - I recovered great, have a clean bill of health and we are moving forward. What can't be summed up is the emotional healing that comes in stages. I know that there is no perfect prescription for getting through a miscarriage. There are no immediate answers and no 5 step plans that can make it all better. No one can tell you when you will stop thinking about it or how you will feel every time someone announces a pregnancy. It is different for every person.


Initially, I dealt with all of the normal and probably expected emotions. Sadness, hurt, disappointment, anger all within a few short hours. I was surprised that after the first few days life seemed to settle back to normal. I didn't think about the pregnancy every minute of the day. Being a wife and mom took up my  time and I was able continue with every day tasks without breaking down. Then one day it hit me. We were at a function with friends and someone who I had only met that day excitedly shared that she and her husband were expecting their second child. Of course, in the moment, I smiled and said congratulations but inside I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. She had no idea of what we had been through just a few short weeks before. I couldn't be mad at her - it wasn't her fault. I knew what it was like to have such exciting news and to be about to burst to tell people. For the first time that afternoon (since the initial news and surgery), I completely broke down sobbing. It was what I needed. I needed to get it all out and say the things that you're not supposed to say. I was angry that I was the one who was supposed to be pregnant, I was the one who was supposed to find out the gender of our baby in a matter of weeks, I was supposed to be looking for summer maternity clothes and double strollers.


Since that day there have been plenty of opportunities to break down - pregnant women at the park, newborns in my moms weekly Bible study, when someone innocently asks if Madeline is our only child or if we are thinking about having another. Thankfully, the breakdowns have been few and far between and every day gets easier. I know that it is common and at this point there is no reason to think we won't go on to have more children. I know that I didn't do or eat anything wrong. I know that God has a bigger plan and for some reason that I don't understand this is the path that we are walking. I sent an email to a dear friend a few days after the ultrasound and said this:


"I keep remembering that God's ways are perfect and he is sovereign in all things. It is times like this when you go back to the basics - God loves me, God only wants the best for me, God is not surprised by anything."


I have held onto those truths through the past 3 months. I have seen God's mercies throughout the whole time. I couldn't ask for a better partner than Chris who has provided such strength and love. Madeline is as always the light in my life. Although I never thought I could love her more than I already did, I am so much more aware of how grateful I am to have her. Our families and friends have prayed for us and sent encouraging words from afar just when we needed them. I have a dear friend here who has stepped into my life and loved me exactly as I needed without pretense or judgment. 


We are taking small steps forward. We are very excited to be almost done with our first year in Oxford. Hopefully only 2 more to go! I have recently accepted a part-time administrative position at the university that starts in August. Chris has been able to work his schedule to stay home with Madeline for 2 days and she will go to a friend's house for another half day. It means some adjustments to our family but we are confident that this is what God has for us right now. I am excited about a new adventure. 


As always, we would appreciate your thoughts and prayers for our family. We are stronger today than we were 6 months ago but that doesn't mean that there aren't hard days as we make these changes.

A Few Small Improvements

We have been in our white cinderblock circa 1973 apartment for a little over 7 months. It has taken time to adjust to the new space (or lack thereof) and decide what we want to do to make it feel like home. There are always certain limitations when you live in rented accommodation especially when it is university owned accommodation. No nails, no permanent changes, no paint and no removing furniture - you get the idea. Not exactly the easiest place to decorate! 

To start, I added a collage wall of family pictures in the living room (living room/dining room/office). The picture quality is pretty horrible but you get the idea. I plan to find new mats for the 4 pictures that are currently stuck to white copy paper but other than that I am pretty happy with it. 

We don't have a lot of bookshelf space but I did manage to find room for a few more pictures.

There is so much left to do and it can be very overwhelming. I have been working on a list of items/projects big and small to work through over the next few months. 

- frame and hang our two prints of Durham city centre in the living room;

- hang my 4 cream plates (maybe buy some colored ones to include) above the table;

- throw pillows for the sofa and chair (3 white ones and 1-2 printed ones);

- curtains for the living room and both bedrooms;

- runner for the table;

- hallway rug;

- rugs for our bedroom;

- small mirror for above my dresser;

- 3 framed botanical prints for our bedroom;

- new shower curtain;

- fabric bulletin board for Maddie's room;

- 4 clip frames for Maddie's art display;

I am sure there is more! Writing out all of my ideas has always helped me to organize things in my head and hopefully accomplish them. We shall see! 

It is easy to become discouraged in an environment like this. I have to remember that it is only temporary. We are extremely blessed to have a roof, warm beds and a working kitchen. Amidst thinking through the the big projects, I received two small gifts that made me smile.

My mom sent me a yummy new candle! It not only makes the whole apartment smell wonderful but it also coordinates with the rug in the living room. I love it!

I found this cooking scale in a charity shop for...get ready for it...you won't believe it...

£2.00!!!

I had a small scale that I bought in Durham but it broke a few weeks ago. I used it almost every day and desperately wanted to replace it. New ones this size cost more than I am willing to pay. I love to go into the charity shops here (you never know what you will find) and this little baby was just waiting for me to take it home. 

Sometimes it is the small things that help make the big things not seem quite so overwhelming!

Since a blog post would not be any fun without a Maddie update, I have to post this picture of her new obsession. She loves to set the table for dinner. I think she does a pretty good job for a 2.5 year old. :)

 

Happy Easter!

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”

Luke 24:1-7

Welcome....Spring!

I have always loved spring. It is a new beginning for me. I love the smell of fresh cut green grass, full bouquets of fresh flowers and the early morning sunshine streaming through my windows. I feel like a person who has awakened from a long sleep.

That is what winter is to me - a long sleep. I don't enjoy winter. The only thing I find enjoyable about winter is the holidays. If it weren't for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve I would probably not leave my house from November to April. I want to like winter; I really do. I desperately want to joyfully run in the snow and be that graceful creature who ice skates in Central Park but alas I can't ice skate, am not graceful and snow requires far too many layers of clothing for me to joyfully run anywhere.

Spring is a completely different story. No matter what is going on in life I can always find joy in knowing that everything is fresh and clean and just waiting for me to embrace it. The simple things like bright yellow lemons in a fruit bowl or tender tulips in the garden bring a moment of peace to my day. It is these small things that remind me of God's grace and provision. It is he who designed the seasons. He orchestrated how each plant, animal, human and every unique detail would interact with his creation. The picture of the earth coming alive after a long cold winter is a reminder of God's care for every detail of our world down to when the trees will blossom and where the birds should make their nests. If he can see and know every detail in nature who am I to question his care and attention to the details of my life? He knows my every need before I can even express it, he knows my frustrations and my heartaches and more than anything he knows what tomorrow holds.  He knows I need spring and has given me the most beautiful days to enjoy and remember his provision.

M.I.A.

Just popping in to say that I haven't forgotten that I have a blog and that there is no point if I don't actually write on it! We have had some developments in our family over the past month that we are working through but not quite ready to share publicly. In case you are concerned, Chris and I are fine. No need to be worried about us.

Anyway, the last post date of March 11 was driving me crazy and I had to put something up so that it is no longer the first thing I see whenever I see the blog. Amidst everything I have taken quite a few new pictures of Madeline and been on a number of fun outings that I am planning to share when the time is right. Thank you for your patience.

In this quiet moment

Today I am grateful for...

sunshine, beautiful warm sunshine that streams through the windows and makes everything it touches brighter;

the miracle of new life;

a good first appointment with the midwife yesterday and answers to a lot of my questions;

my kindhearted, sensitive little girl who loves unconditionally;

Redbush tea;

a husband who doesn't complain when we eat store bought pasta two nights in a row;

new friends who remind me that this too shall pass and inspire me to be a better person;

Skype video;

and finally a few quiet moments this morning to reflect on the goodness of God and be reminded of his faithfulness.

Mommy guilt

Ugh, where to start? This pregnancy plus toddler thing is hard. I don't think I am more sick than I was with Madeline but coping with work was so much easier than this full-time mommy gig! :) When I was pregnant with Madeline I did almost nothing outside of go to work and sleep for the first 11 weeks - literally nothing.  The bare essential housework, no cooking, the occasional load of laundry once a week and that was it. I slept for something like 12 hours every night.

This time couldn't be more different. Life with a two-year old never stops. She can't live on peanut butter sandwiches and we do way more than 1 load of laundry a week. More than anything she just wants me and I am not me right now which is really hard. She wants to play and chase and go to the park. I want to sleep and not think about what to cook for the next meal because while the actual food doesn't make me sick the thought of cooking it does.

I consider myself fairly patient with her and understanding of her age limitations but lately I find myself with far less patience and a lot more guilt. I know she won't remember these days and I know that I will eventually feel better (or find a better way to cope!) but right now I feel like I am cheating her out of our time together. This is it...we have 8 months of just us before life changes and although I know that the changes are wonderful and will enhance our family I don't want to miss a single moment with my girl.

Don't get me wrong I am so excited about this baby. I know that Madeline is going to (eventually?) love having a brother or sister. I know that I will feel better at some point and if my pregnancy with Madeline is any indication that point is in about 4 weeks. I know that I am not scarring her for life nor diminishing her love for me.

That is my little pity party and now that I have written it all out and had a good cry I feel much better. This is a good thing since naptime is over and I need to make a valiant attempt at being fun Mommy for a few more hours (and do the laundry and the dishes and make dinner).

2011...A BIG Year

2011 is a big year for us with many exciting things to not only reminisce about but many to look forward to as well.

This year, actually just a few weeks from now, marks the 10 year anniversary of our first date and in May we will celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary. It has also been 10 years since we graduated from high school and six years since I graduated from college. In November Madeline will turn 3 years old and by December Chris will be halfway done with his DPhil.

The most exciting thing to look forward to this year is a new addition to our little family. Yes, we are expecting another baby due to arrive in early October! We are extremely excited and can't wait to have a precious little one again. It is hard to believe that it has been almost three years since we found out I was pregnant with Madeline - time goes by so quickly! When I think about all of the wonderful moments she has brought to our lives I get simply giddy at the idea of what is to come. I can't wait to hold a newborn and watch Madeline as a big sister. Although she doesn't understand what is going on she is "so excited about the baby"!

We do have some decisions and possible changes to make, namely finding a larger apartment/house, so please keep us in your prayers. We know that this is God's perfect timing and that he knows what we need and will provide it in his time.

To answer the questions that always come with this type of announcement:
Due date - Oct 2
I feel great just a little tired.
We plan to find out the gender in May.

So that is how our 2011 is shaping up!

PLAY

I came across this article and thought it had a lot of interesting observations. Maybe someone else will find it interesting/helpful as well.

http://www.parenting.com/article/why-play-makes-babies-smarter?page=0,0&hpt=Sbin

Little hands

I am working on an actual post to get up in the next day or so but until then...

Madeline has learned a new trick that she thinks is hilarious. I am not so enamored although it is pretty funny.

She loves to sneak up behind me and put her COLD hands on my bare back. She has gotten so good at the sneaking that half time I don't even know she is behind me. Once she elicits a scream of terror from me she laughs hysterically for 5 minutes before she sneaks up again.

Her new favorite line is "Maddie cold hands tickle Mommy!!!!" with a big smile!

If she wasn't so cute she would be looking for a new home. :)

Contentment and Perspective...big words for a Sunday afternoon!

I was reading a friend's blog earlier this week and was reminded (in a very nice way) of two things I really struggle with at times...

Contentment and Perspective.

You see, if you would have asked me 10 years ago where I would be today I am pretty sure, outside of married with kids, there is not much in my answer that would actually match up with where I am. The life I had in mind was fairly traditional, probably a little predictable and pretty much a carbon copy of my own family growing up. All great things but clearly not what God had in store for me. I never in a million years would have imagined the opportunities and adventures that I would experience in the past 10 years most notably in the past 5 years. I could not have seen how much I would grow by stepping away from the life I thought I was intended to lead and embracing the life that God intended for me.

Sure, there are things that I miss at times. I would love to have a house and paint and decorate and room for storage. I would love to not constantly be worried about the weather since my every day activities are determined by whether it is raining or too cold outside or whether or not something is within a reasonable walking distance. I would love a KitchenAid stand mixer but have you seen what those babies cost in British pounds? I think I will wait!

Is it hard not to look around at friends and even random internet strangers who have far more fascinating blogs and be a little envious of their predictable/stable/home-owning lives? It can be at times. It is in those moments when I am reminded that I have been given unbelievable gifts. Gifts can come in many forms and for me they have been experiences, lessons, people, moments in time and words of wisdom. Through those gifts I have learned that what we may think is God's best for us pales in comparison to what his plans entail.

I have no idea what God has planned for the next ten years (although I do hope there is a house and a few more kids in there somewhere!) but I find peace and contentment in knowing that it is all under control. In the meantime, I choose to live and embrace all that God puts before me and find joy in both the big and small moments.

Sick, sick, sick

Ugh, I have been sick since Wednesday of last week and am finally feeling like myself today. Mommies can't get sick - it just doesn't work! This is the first time that I have been out of commission with anything more than a headache since Madeline was born and it was hard. Although Chris does a great job taking care of Madeline and making sure we eat and the dishes are clean, it is hard to fight that Mommy instinct to get up and take care of things. I tried to on Friday and definitely paid for it by having to spend Saturday in bed.

I despise being sick! However, I am so grateful that I felt pretty good yesterday and really good today since Chris had to get back to school/work yesterday. He had stayed home Thursday and Friday and had rehearsals for an opera starting yesterday. Yes, an opera! One of his professors was commissioned to do an opera and asked Chris and a few other students to write some of the music. It has been a bit of a stretch for Chris but definitely a learning experience. I am also incredibly grateful that neither Chris nor Madeline appear to have caught the bug.

Oh, and before anyone asks (or even thinks it!), I was not pregnant sick! Just regular crummy winter sick. :)

Thinking of all of our family and friends in GA and SC who are covered in snow. Be safe!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We made it to a new year! There have been times when I have wondered if 2010 would ever come to an end and with great anticipation for what God has in store for us I am very excited about 2011. The past 12 months have seen big changes in our lives from me temporarily returning to work part-time to our big move to Oxford and Chris starting his DPhil. It has been a year of challenges and learning experiences but at the stroke of midnight the important things were still in place - our extended families are happy and healthy, we have a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs, we are happily married and down the hall a little girl was peacefully sleeping completely unaware that mommy and daddy had a hard year and there were times we weren't sure we were going to keep our heads above water.  She does know that she is greatly loved. She is happy and brings a smile to everyone that meets her.

So, goodbye 2010, God has taught us much in this year and we eagerly anticipate what 2011 will bring for the Ferebee three.

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!" Lamentations 3:22-24