Letters from the Kingdom of Fife ~ May 2014

Tim wrote up a little update about his work and our life here in St. Andrews 
over the past few months that you can read here.

But as always, I'll add my two pence ;)

~ Believe it or not we are 4 months away from having lived in the UK for 3 years! It's been quite the adventure. We are starting to feel really settled here in St. Andrews after our move here from Aberdeen last August.

Rose and her dear friend Anna Jane going for a walk. 

Maddy is absolutely loving life in primary 1.  She has great friends and enjoys her teachers and the social aspect of school as well as the learning process. That's my girl! I'm so proud of her ;)

Maddy and her P1 friends over for a tea party ;)

And Rose started preschool (nursery) in November and loves having her own space for learning and exploring apart from Maddy (bossing her around) ;).  We are feeling quite happy and blessed!

I won't lie though; autumn and winter were pretty rough for me as it took some time to adjust to a new town, a new house, new people, and kids in school!  Not to mention that it was getting darker each day! I struggled with depression and anxiety in a deep way as I have only faced one other time in my life.

But God (as always) was faithful to carry our family through those dark days. Our church and divinity community were a wonderful support to me. And we are also thankful for good and FREE medical care here that helped me get back to feeling myself again. Needless to say, that's why I took a break from the blog for several months. I just didn't have it in me to share what was going on at that time.

A friend passed a video onto me that I found very helpful during that time.  It's called, "I had a black dog and his name was depression",  a helpful resource for myself and my family and friends about what it is like to live and struggle through depression and anxiety.  Even though it only scrapes the surface of the struggle and doesn't go into the spiritual ramifications of the illness, it does a great job of explaining what the battle is like to someone who has never faced it themselves. And IT - IS - A - BEAST!  I'm so thankful for my dear husband who is a rock and walked through each anxious and sad day with me. I couldn't have done it without him. He is a gift from God to me for sure.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 

Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I'm happy to say now that I feel settled and very happy in our little village. I've gotten to know most all of the mums at Maddy's school and we chat on our walk to and from school and at the park after school while the kids play. Her school is p1-p7 and has only 85 kids. I love it! It's quite a lovely little community. I've also gotten involved with 2 ladies Bible studies through the Divinity School here which I am thoroughly enjoying. As well, we have settled into our church in St. Andrews and are feeling quite connected to that body of Christ. God is so faithful to care for us wherever we go!

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

  He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.[a]

 

    He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]

    for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]

    I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

    your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

#021 You Might Live in Scotland If...

...this is what you look like after walking to and from your daughter's school to pick her up in the rain ;) Yes, I have a car - but why would I drive it 5 minutes down the road silly?!

#reallifeselfies

# 020 You Might Live in Scotland If...

...You find 3 MINI Coopers parked right next to one another. 

#019 You Might Live in Scotland if...

           
 ... your daughters are asked to wear tartan to school to celebrate Burn's Day!

Love our wee lassies and this chance to appreciate another culture. 

There are also many Burns Night Suppers held to celebrate the day throughout the UK which traditionally include haggis, Scotch whiskey, and recitation of poetry by Robert Burns.

One of his most famous poems is the Addresss to Haggis. 

Don't ask me what it means - I have no idea ;)

1786

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o' the pudding-race! Aboon them a' yet tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy o'a grace As lang's my arm. The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin was help to mend a mill In time o'need, While thro' your pores the dews distil Like amber bead. His knife see rustic Labour dight, An' cut you up wi' ready sleight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin', rich! Then, horn for horn, they stretch an' strive: Deil tak the hindmost! on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive, Bethankit! hums. Is there that owre his French ragout Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad make her spew Wi' perfect sconner, Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view On sic a dinner? Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckles as wither'd rash, His spindle shank, a guid whip-lash; His nieve a nit; Thro' blody flood or field to dash, O how unfit! But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread. Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll mak it whissle; An' legs an' arms, an' hands will sned, Like taps o' trissle. Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer Gie her a haggis!

I attempted a meal like this for our family last January. I know a lot of people who really like haggis. I don't believe I will be one of those people. I tried. I honestly did! 

However, I did liked the mashed neeps and tatties ;)

Front: Neeps (turnips)
Back:  Tatties (potatoes) 

Sliced haggis ready to fry. Although I am told that I should not have bought it already sliced and maybe I didn't buy the right kind?! To be honest, I'm not sure it would have made a difference :)

Haggis cooking 

The final product: tatties(left), neeps(right), and haggis. 

I'm glad we tried it nonetheless. It was quiet the experience. 

And Tim actually really liked the whole meal!

#018 You Might Live in Scotland If...

                 .. your 3 year old asks you for beans on toast for lunch :)

Apparently she has it at nursery (preschool) as a snack 

and now it's her new favorite! 

#017 You Might Live in Scotland If...

...this is the view from your kitchen table on a rainy day. 

We are beyond blessed!