be still my whining heart

The most amazing part of my journey to London has been the unencumbered quiet times with the Lord in the mornings. Recently I felt compelled to start working my way through the Old Testament, not really understanding the connection between all the prophets or how specifically it relates to Christianity. 

Currently I'm reading through the life of Moses and his love/hate relationship with the Israelites. I grew up knowing he was a cute little baby that was sent down the river, saved by pharaoh's daughter and subsequently growing up in royalty, then eventually renouncing that and demanding the Israelites be freed from slavery. Lots of plagues, like gross locusts and boils and eventually death. Tons of death. I guess I never put two and two together, realizing that his story continues through Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

All this to say that I'm feeling a bit like the Israelites in the desert today, in the sense that God keeps providing, He's clearly present in my life and in it for the long-haul. But it's so easy to slip back into the grumbling stage like the Israelites, who were one minute saying, "Yes, we love you, thank you for our freedom, we will do whatever it takes to get to the land you've promised us," and the next whining that they're tired of eating flat bread and having to move camp so often. God was so angry at their back-and-forth attitudes... it broke his heart that they couldn't see beyond their limited, self-centered lives. Even Moses, who was clearly successful in God's endeavor, (everything he ever asked for was granted!) continually slipped into his old insecure ways, crying to God, "Why did you choose me?! I stutter! How the heck am I supposed to carry the weight of these people? Kill me off and send someone else!"

My current situation is so finite, so unimportant in the grand scheme of life and the world. I have no right to complain about how slowly this moving process is taking because holy crap, I'm here, obtaining a job is not a life-or-death situation, and there are a million things worse than not having your people close by (like not having any people at all! So there.)  Yet, God is the God of grace, of love and ultimate understanding. He forgives me for being fickle and struggling with focusing on this day only, not worrying about whether or not things will fall into place in my own timing.

One day at a time, people. Life can be so much simpler if we stop stressing ourselves out over matters beyond our control and letting go. Trust that it'll all work out. And if it doesn't, move on and figure something else out.

Being on my own all the time means seeking out cool spots to work on job hunting. Like the cafe at the top of the Tate Modern.  Definite pick-me-up.

autumn leaves and BFFS

Reunited with our British BFFs at last! Michael and I took a much-needed excursion to Birmingham to spend the weekend with Dan and Martha. I was craving their friendship and, quite honestly, a break from the city. I know, I know, we've only been here three weeks, how could I possibly need a break already? Well, adapting to metropolis living will be a slow (but steady!) process for me. 

I'd much prefer the english countryside. If only it contained all the fun things to do in London and jobs and public transportation, we'd be set. 

(Disclaimer: This is not where Dan and Martha live currently. But, it's a sweet town called Shrewsbury that they'd one day like to call home.)

In true Hausfrau + boys style, we ate and ate and ate all the good things. 

Like Cornish pasties.

And ice cream. Always a good time for ice cream, says Mike.

 Shrewsbury is one of those quaint little towns that cause squeals of joy every time you turn another corner. Look at this little passageway! The fall colors! Beer called "Harry Porter!" I love it.

Looking forward to more adventures with our partners in crime!

Rachel's Day Out

Last week had some rough moments. Found myself home quite a bit, applying for jobs and settling in to this new place. Prone to fits of loneliness and desperate attempts of catching anyone for Facetime just to have human interaction. 

Had the most wonderful weekend with Michael as we explored the Camden markets, walking along the canal and through Hyde park, eventually making our way to Picadilly and the crashing on the couch. Pictures to come soon; forgot to bring the adapter for the camera so have no way of putting them on the computer.. boooo.

As for this week, I've made the decision to stop being a mopey loser and find a balance between applying for jobs and getting out of the house. Life's all about balance, right? I realized that I now have access to a multitude of museums, so if anything, I should be exploring them little by little. Then, after an hour or so, I can pop into a cafe and work on jobsjobsjobs. 

Here's how to have a perfect, Rachel kind of day:

Start in the National Art Gallery and swoon over the Monet exhibit. 

What a doofus, taking pictures with a bobo iphone. But, be still my heart!

 I know, pictures of beautiful, life-changing pictures are dumb and what Asian tourists do. BUT I couldn't help myself. This Seurat painting blew my mind with how big it was.. and who doesn't love a bit of Van Gogh to brighten up your day?!

After peeling myself away from the Impressionists I thought I'd pop into the church across from the gallery, St. Martin-in-the-Fields. When I entered I was given a program and had apparently stepped into a free piano concert that was starting in 5 minutes. Um, yes PLEASE. 24 year old genius pianist serenading my heart with Beethoven and Liszt? Did Jesus plan this day out just for me?

Meh, I have the time, might as well walk the three miles home. (Actually I had no money and my Oyster card was empty.)

Oh hey, Oscar Wilde. You're looking quite... erm... attractive this afternoon...

I walked along the river Thames to reach home, taking random pictures and stopping where the tide was out.

And I found the coolest items while looking for 'treasure...'

Apparently you can find broken bits of all sorts of stuff; a woman on the shore said these pieces were from the Victorian and even Medieval era (?!) How amazing is that? Thousands of years of history churned through and spit up onto the shore... I'm thinking I'll save all the pieces and mosaic them one day.

Back to the grindstone of applications :D

why all interviews will never be as sweet as the first

I had an interview today.

Pulled out the Banana outlet suit I purchased pre-Germany, eyes shut and praying, "Please, dear God, let me be able to button the waist after a year of bratwurst and schnitzel!" (Praise the Lord they did!)

Bought a nice button down shirt and nude nail polish, looked for my "Interview-and-Parent-Teacher-Night" shoes and realized they've been packed up with storage. Whoops.

Bought new shoes to wear with the suit. Put them on today, started walking to the station...they're too big, or I don't know how to walk in heels. Ladies with canes were passing me as I toddled along, thanking God that I gave myself an hour to get somewhere 20 minutes away.

The last time I interviewed for a job, I walked in and was greeted by the kindest woman who genuinely made me feel like I was meant to be there. I sat at a table surrounded by the entire sixth grade team, Peggy and Linda smiling encouragingly at my feeble attempts to make college teaching sound anything at all like real life, Della, expressionless across the table with a, "So, what?" demeanor, asking tough questions to dig deep into what I really knew.

I was completely at peace in that interview. It felt like I'd known these women my whole life.

As I waited outside, Kristin and Lindsay introduced themselves... and I was so excited! Somehow I knew we would be friends.  I casually asked them, "Do you girls love Jesus?" Kinda strange, I know. But look where it got us :)

I was offered the job that evening, and what a joy it was to work with the best team in the world.

All this to say my first time interviewing set the bar pretty high as far as how interviews should go, but I know that God has it all worked out if I only trust him. One day at a time, right?

Got stuck at Starbucks while a monsoon blew through. No selfies of me looking like a grownup in my suit. 

(I think the interview went well, by the way.)

hello london, nice to meet you

One week as Londoners in the books; we are adjusting well and venturing little by little into city life!

I crave the social connections through Instagram, but having to rock the iPhone 3 means no more until a new phone is obtained. Finally, I gave up the desire for quality pictures and will resort to the old-school way of plugging in the phone to the computer, uploading and dumping on the good ol' blog. With a bit of doctoring from iPhoto, they'll have to do...

Highlights from our week:

Blue skies. 

What a tease to move when the weather is lovely, because soon it will be crap and we will be left wondering how we got duped so easily into thinking the weather 'isn't as bad as everyone said.'

The view from our rooftop terrace of the Gherkin

 Exploring parts of town, which I'm sure we'll never tire of. This is in Marylebone, where the expats seem to live as we found a Chipotle and all kinds of embassies. 

These buildings, though!

Regent's Park. I could live here with the squirrels and roses to keep me company. Next summer promises open-air Shakespeare plays and paddleboats on the lake. 

Anyone else find this amusing?

Guys, Saturday night was epic-- we got to watch the Gator game, in REAL TIME, in a REAL SPORTS BAR while eating REAL chicken wings (and not on our couch at 2 AM in the morning!)

Plus, I made a new bff who went to the same church as I did in college, knows some of the same people, and planning on moving to our neighborhood. 

Jesus truly provides!

More blue skies equated to touristy activities, such as searching for the queen in her stately palace and wondering how the guards would react if I crossed the line and tried to climb the gate. 

Working on job-hunting and settling, which involved me sitting on my rear for hours at a time figuring stuff out. Like, how do we register for National Health Insurance? And forms upon forms for the signing of our apartment (send prayers our way, please, that it goes through!) new phone plans, making appointments for internet in our new apartment which apparently won't happen for another two months? The deets on the dog, shipping our stuff over, finding a new church home... whew! 

All things to deal with when you move anywhere, but more confusing trying to figure out how to do it in a culture different than yours. Good thing it's all in english. 

you sound like you're from london

I have been itching for a chance to sit down and write, write, write out the swirling emotions and experiences that have all at once settled into our lives.

I live in London. Are you freaking kidding me?! If you are in any way close to me then you'll know that never in a million billion years would I have ever imagined myself to say "Yes!" to a massive, sprawling metropolis filled with fashionable city people. In fact, I wrote on our high school's time capsule that in ten year's time, I'd be living on a farm in the middle of nowhere. (Married to a doctor and with multiple kids, nonetheless, but I digress.) London? 

But seriously, the sense of peace I feel is all-encompassing, soul-quenching, completely right. We are meant to be in this city, for whatever reason that may be. I am excited, daunted, and quite honestly, a bit overwhelmed at the moment. We are delighted to be back in an english-speaking country-- life is so much easier!-- but it'll take a while to not feel like an outsider. Little things, like what the heck is a 'banger?' Which coins are which, when the sizes are all crazy? Remembering to look to the right instead of the left when crossing the road could be the difference between life and death. (I do mean the right, right? Now I'm all confused.) And when you are walking on the sidewalk, our natural inclination is to pass someone to their right, like the traffic flow; we're finding ourselves doing this and throwing off all kinds of people! (Mike almost had a head-on collision with a man in an electric wheel chair the other day...)

First world problems, right? 

Keeping our fingers crossed for the landlords of our dream apartment to accept our offer. Lots of green space, by a park in a lovely neighborhood. Need to find a job. A church. Some friends would be nice as well :)

Come visit!