Mercy/Merci

We are listening to Indelible Grace as we bake our pumpkin foods. Our recently carved pumpkin is watching us at Wiley's request.

The word "mercy" comes on in one of the songs.

Wiley: What does mercy mean?

Me: It's like forgiveness. You show mercy by forgiving.

Wiley: So, when I disobey, I can say mercy? (At this point he is definitely pronouncing mercy like "merci" and I am seeing some confusion coming)

Me: Well, no, you shouldn't disobey, but if you do, you ask Mommy and Daddy for forgiveness, right?

Wiley: Well, why can't I just say "Merci?"

Me: Okay, "Merci" is different that "Mercy." Merci means thank you in French. So it is a different thing entirely.

Wiley: How do I say "Mercy" in French, then?

Living in Europe + Southern Accent when saying French words = Lost in Translation 4 year old Theology

London is a funny place.

I'm learning that when you ride the tube or bus (by yourself), listening to an iPod is a little bit magical. So, I decided to walk down from Bond Street towards Green Park (straight through lovely Mayfair) while listening to my tunes (at a safe volume, mind you).

I'm be-bopping along feeling great and loving life (my sassy jeggings and boots might have something to do with this) when I join a crowd taking pictures of this:

What? Who really rides this around? And then parks it in Mayfair? As another picture-taker said, "London is such a funny place."

And then the doorman at the Marriott Grosvenor House said 'hello' and gave me a cheeky smile. I took it as a compliment and decided not to make him feel badly so I let my coat hide my 7 month pregnant siloutte from him. London is such a funny place.

Resume

I'm working on updating my resume (or CV, as they say here in London). After adding a few recent activities, I looked at my pregnant belly and thought, "Where is the space where I put that?"

Where do I write about my skill (or lack of, as a mom? Can't I put that down as job experience? I'm exhausted enough at the end of the day with only one child that surely it deserves bold print, a couple bullet points and some recognition right?

Oh, motherhood. I guess this sweet face will just have to do.

Lipstick

walking down our street today. or near it. we pass a young girl (okay, probs my age) wearing bright. pink. lipstick.

if it had been red, she might have belonged on pretty woman.

i can't even find that shade when i google "bright pink lipstick trend." it's like the color of bubblegum. of my iphone case.

so maybe it's not a trend.

wiley turns to me and says: oh mommy. look at that make up!

me: what?

wiley (about facing me): you need some of that!

me: what? (I know what.)

wiley: that pink lipstick. you need some that! i like that.

me: laughter. that is all i can give him.

wiley: (reconsidering, he is looking more closely at his mother who rarely puts any make up, much less lipstick) well mommy, i think you can stay just the way you are. i like you that way too. can i have a kiss?

and that is why four might be the cutest age ever.

and four is also a reason why i don't have to explain that that shade of lipstick is really not cute at all, that it shouldn't pass the doorframe of my house, particularly on someone on my precious baby's arm. but we've got some years before we start that talk...

One Year Anniversary

Wiley eating ice cream after our tour of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace last week.

One year ago today, we were collapsing into bed after a long flight to London. Our bags were stacked in a friend's flat. We had either gotten fixings for ham sandwiches/grilled cheeses or we had gotten take away pizza (both dinner fixtures that first week). We might have watched a Friends re-run. Either way we were really tired.

I was posting Bible verses that a friend had made me in the bathroom, in the kitchen, on the dresser. Verses that got me through flat searching and the realization that London was home. Verses that reminded me that He is in London too. It is funny to look back on those first couple of weeks. Part of me would love to go back to those. But only because it would mean that Wil would be home for almost a month and that we would travel and do fun things. It was hard but mostly exciting. Taking turns going to answer e-mails in Starbucks. Skyping with my friends in the Starbucks bathroom (maybe one of the sketchier things I've done). Eating Nutella constantly. (I still think of those first 2 weeks whenever I eat Nutella on toast.) Maybe hard is the wrong word. It was the unknown of what to expect. But the excitement and fun of knowing you are going to be doing it with your best friend and a pretty darn cute (then) 3 year old.

But the majority of me prefers to re-read my blog posts during that first month from the comfort of our second flat. With a new life inside of me. And with the knowledge and if I can say it-satisfaction-that it has been one year. We've lived here, in London, for a year. I never, ever would have thought I would type or say those words. We know where to go to get most things. I have a slight city-side that can get a little cross or maybe we'll say can stand up for myself when I want something done. We'll call it thick skin that I might should not be too proud of. We can navigate the tube and bus systems. We love our church so much. We get asked for directions. I may not have Wil home for almost a month, but you know, after that honeymoon period, the first year living in a foreign country is sometimes more hard than fun. It's nice to be on this side of that.

I'm grateful for this city. In the way it has opened our eyes to the world. In how we have turned to one another and depend upon our little family so.much.more. For how it has made us appreciate our dear family and friends and country too. We've met some amazing people here. I'm not gonna lie, I sometimes get a thrill telling someone I live in London.

And we'll always have London.

When Wil comes back for work. When we bring Wiley (and baby) back and show them where we lived. When we visit the city or send friends here for visits. Maybe when we take a retired trip around Europe. We'll say "remember that time..." and London will again be our city.

So, one year. Cheers! Here's to some more London memories to be made, friendships to be deepened, our faith grown stronger, and our family grown closer.

{Want to look back on our first month?}