To answer a few questions...
>> January 28, 2009
We have a family website that I have been very lax in keeping updated the last few weeks. The first thing I had to do was update my blogs. Thankfully very easy as all I had to do was cut and paste from here to there. I'm also wanting to get back into keeping up with my blogging more regularly as I want a place to record all the fun and strange and unexpected things we keep coming across here in the UK. First though, I thought I'd post the following 'News' item from my website as it sums up a few things of where we're at currently. I still have to tell the story of how we got here. It's coming, I promise. And I have to go through all the pictures I finally downloaded off my camera. Two months worth. Looks like naptimes are going to be busy for the next few days.
Yes, we are most definitely here. We arrived in our little house almost two weeks ago now and are settling in quite nicely. There have been some bumps along the way, but we're getting used to things here and, as they say, getting it all sorted.
Now before you start yelling at me for having been here for two weeks and only just now updating you, remember that we didn't actually have internet for a whole week (I know! how did we survive?). I would say something witty about that being the longest week of my life, but Asher was a week late, so...ya.
Now to answer the other question on everyone's mind: Is it all very exciting and wonderful and all that? Well, yes...and no. It's mostly very surreal, because it's not like being on holiday where you are packing every day with sightseeing and activity because you want to see as much as possible in a short amount of time. In truth, I've seen very little of Oxford. Jeff's seen a bit more because he's been to work. Our first Saturday we ventured into city centre a little bit and then out to the outskirts to hit a Babies 'R Us and then last Saturday Jeff's cousins took us out to a pub in the middle of nowhere and then to the little town of Whitney to look at some shops. Other than that we've seen the same half mile stretch of road that runs from our house to the nearest bunch of shops half a dozen times or so as we keep running back and forth for groceries. (It's amazing how quickly you go through food when you only buy what you can carry!)
But it is very exciting. I mean, dude! We're living on a whole new continent, well, island really, but still. I'm starting to get used to the direction of the cars already. Sort of. They don't look like they're on 'the wrong side' so much now, but I still look the wrong way before crossing the street. I think. I get very confused about that. It's fun to hear all the accents on the street, in the shops, and on tv, but my brain gets a little fuzzy after a while. As for my accent, well, it comes and goes. Mostly comes when I've spent the day with the tv on in the background for company and goes when Jeff gets home and gives me the evil eye for talking funny. Jeff's cousins (who will be referred to as Pam and Duncan from here on out) don't seem to think there's anything wrong with my accent. They think it's charming, a bit muddled, but charming. At least I know I won't be offending people too much.
And to answer the last question (well, usually the first that people ask): Asher is doing great. He's settled in really well, only took a couple days to fully adjust to the time change (thank You, God!). We pretty much stayed in the house all of last week so we could establish a schedule and I have to say he's been napping better here than he was back in Chicago. Two full hours in the morning and a good hour and a half or more in the afternoon. Now we just have to get the night-times back in order. He does sleep, from about 7:30/8 to 7 in the morning (kid is like clockwork with his mornings within 5 minutes of 7am every day), he just wakes up half a dozen times a night. We've given him a lot of grace though considering all the upheaval he's had for the last two months. But all that is about to change. Pray for us, we're weaning off nighttime feedings starting this weekend. If you don't hear from us for a few days (or several) you'll know why.
So I hope that answers some questions, at least for now. I'll try to be better about updating in the future as we settle in.
Originally I started writing this great long post about our entire adventure, but it was bordering on the ridiculous in length so I'm just going to save this entry to answer everyone's question: Are we there yet?
Yes, we are most definitely here. We arrived in our little house almost two weeks ago now and are settling in quite nicely. There have been some bumps along the way, but we're getting used to things here and, as they say, getting it all sorted.
Now before you start yelling at me for having been here for two weeks and only just now updating you, remember that we didn't actually have internet for a whole week (I know! how did we survive?). I would say something witty about that being the longest week of my life, but Asher was a week late, so...ya.
Now to answer the other question on everyone's mind: Is it all very exciting and wonderful and all that? Well, yes...and no. It's mostly very surreal, because it's not like being on holiday where you are packing every day with sightseeing and activity because you want to see as much as possible in a short amount of time. In truth, I've seen very little of Oxford. Jeff's seen a bit more because he's been to work. Our first Saturday we ventured into city centre a little bit and then out to the outskirts to hit a Babies 'R Us and then last Saturday Jeff's cousins took us out to a pub in the middle of nowhere and then to the little town of Whitney to look at some shops. Other than that we've seen the same half mile stretch of road that runs from our house to the nearest bunch of shops half a dozen times or so as we keep running back and forth for groceries. (It's amazing how quickly you go through food when you only buy what you can carry!)
But it is very exciting. I mean, dude! We're living on a whole new continent, well, island really, but still. I'm starting to get used to the direction of the cars already. Sort of. They don't look like they're on 'the wrong side' so much now, but I still look the wrong way before crossing the street. I think. I get very confused about that. It's fun to hear all the accents on the street, in the shops, and on tv, but my brain gets a little fuzzy after a while. As for my accent, well, it comes and goes. Mostly comes when I've spent the day with the tv on in the background for company and goes when Jeff gets home and gives me the evil eye for talking funny. Jeff's cousins (who will be referred to as Pam and Duncan from here on out) don't seem to think there's anything wrong with my accent. They think it's charming, a bit muddled, but charming. At least I know I won't be offending people too much.
And to answer the last question (well, usually the first that people ask): Asher is doing great. He's settled in really well, only took a couple days to fully adjust to the time change (thank You, God!). We pretty much stayed in the house all of last week so we could establish a schedule and I have to say he's been napping better here than he was back in Chicago. Two full hours in the morning and a good hour and a half or more in the afternoon. Now we just have to get the night-times back in order. He does sleep, from about 7:30/8 to 7 in the morning (kid is like clockwork with his mornings within 5 minutes of 7am every day), he just wakes up half a dozen times a night. We've given him a lot of grace though considering all the upheaval he's had for the last two months. But all that is about to change. Pray for us, we're weaning off nighttime feedings starting this weekend. If you don't hear from us for a few days (or several) you'll know why.
So I hope that answers some questions, at least for now. I'll try to be better about updating in the future as we settle in.
2 people had this to say:
Glad that you are all safe and settling in. I'll be thinking of you and praying for you as you take on the weaning process...we have to start doing that too as waking up 4-6 times at night to eat is just a bit much. I'm just afraid to make the leap! :)
Hi Heather,
I guess once you've setled in the UK, perhaps you can consider visiting Australia - end of the year maybe, cos then you can get away from the cold in UK. The reason we visited Melbourne is cos we've been granted 5-year visa - hubby being the skilled worker. We are to stay in the state of Victoria for 2 years out of the five before they'd extend the visa. I'm telling you these cos I read how you adjusted to your move from Canada to US, then US to UK - frankly I'm amazed. And you're moving with a baby in tow! I admire your gutsy spirit - you see, my hubby and I think of 1001 things on our migration. We worry if he can find a job in Australia although we hold the visa. We worry about our daughter's school, etc. When will we ever move before the visa lapses!!
Post a Comment