Hello 2014!

Well, Christmas break has come and gone. Stage 2 classes have already started for my parents and school for us is in full swing again. Back to the normal hustle and bustle of life. We were ready though, ready to meet new people, ready to learn new things, ready to jump back into Ellel life as a family. The break gave us the rest and reunifying we needed, as well as a whole bunch of fun. Thank you Lord.

We decided to end the break on a good note and go to London. Due to complicated traffic and driving woes, my parents decided the train was a better option to get into London. The cost wasn’t that bad and there’s a station in Farnham and, of course, we were all game.

Riding in the train, we happened to get seats with a handy table!!

At 10:00 a.m we boarded the train for the fifty-minute long trip into Waterloo station. From there, we took two tubes on the Jubilee line and walked out into London air on the busy area of Knightsbridge. The trip was fun and we were all quite impressed at how easy it was to navigate London’s underground transport system. Our first stop was Harrods – the HUGE department store owned by the Sheik of Quatar. It’s hard to sum up this store in a couple of sentences and the blow-your-mind prices of each product in the individually themed rooms. From life-sized stuffed animals to designer doggy clothes to gourmet chocolate to Gucci children’s department, this store held it all. As penny-pinching Americans it was fun to gawk at the toys of the rich and famous.

Harrods – quite massive

After grabbing some subs, we journeyed over to the National Science Museum, taking pictures all the way. The museum was free and we explored all the floors, thinking it interesting to be in an English learning environment. By the time we left, it was after 4:00 and we were ready to get home for dinner. Hopping the train once again, we pulled up in the Farnham station tired, hungry, and excited that we had just spent a day in one of the world’s most historical cities.

Gotta love these phone booths. If you look closely, you can see Abby and Elise’s faces in the window

Other Updates:

1. Rachael just got back from a six-day stay in London. She met Jaron and his band their who were playing in Her Majesty’s New Years Parade and stayed with them. She had a great time!!!!

2. TESCO DOES HAVE SALSA AND GENUINE TORTILLA CHIPS!!!

3. On Boxing Day (Dec 26), our whole family went to have lunch with Jill Southern Jones and her husband, Colin, who are the directors over Ellel Pierrepont. They are so sweet to have invited us over and we felt very welcomed.

At Jill and Colin’s

4. A special “Happy New Years” to David Steele. So sorry this is late, but you deserve it. Thanks for all you and Hannah do for us, you guys are such a blessing in our lives.

5. Please pray for our family, and for all of Ellel Pierrepont, as we launch into an exciting new year of service to our Lord.

Love you guys!