The big day

Tues, Dec 22, 2015.  Child #5 was married. She is my fourth one married, still have one to go....   It was a typical Dec day in Utah... snow, the slushy kind.  I'm not one for dressing up, so to be in heels, a dress, fingers done,etc and having to tiptoe through snow (especially while holding up my daughter's train) wasn't my favorite part of the day.  However, it was a beautiful day for a beautiful couple.  

LDS weddings are somewhat different from the typical.  The ceremony takes place in a temple.  It is a sacred building, so no pictures are taken during the ceremony or inside of the building.  We gathered everyone together outside for a couple of quick pictures, then a few of the bride and groom, then dismissed everyone to go to the luncheon.  Wedding party pictures and family pictures would be taken at the reception that evening... inside where it was dry and warm...

The day went smoothly.  Everything important was remembered.  People were able to get to the temple and the reception despite the snow.  Infact the huge storm was slow in hitting, which was good, because Wed morning all of the roads north were closed because of the storm. Had it been when it was supposed to have hit (Tues morning) half of the family would not have been able to make it down, so I am grateful for that miracle. 

After the fun, I loaded everything into my car and took it back to their apt and set up all the gifts under their tree. :)  So for Christmas morning they opened wedding gifts. It was weird on Wednesday I felt like everything was done for the holidays and wedding, and had to remind myself that Christmas was still in two days.... even though mine was finished.  

It has been a wonderful trip and I have loved every moment with my children and family.  Tomorrow I board  a plane to fly back to the UK.  Not sure when I will be back to the states again.  I am grateful for the time I had here and the memories that have been made, and for technology that keeps us close when we are separated by half a world.  

I have a few pictures to share (some I got from her bridesmaid Toree) , but will need to wait for the pics from the photographer for the good ones.   

 Naomi and Trayton Speth outside of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. 



 pictures of the reception center

 

  

daddy daughter dance and hand off to the groom

All my children

For the first time in 5 years, all of my children and their families were together.  As their mother, my heart was full of gratitude and peace.  As my family expands, the love they all share for each other expands and the bonds become stronger and closer. 

I was delighted to see the thought and planning that went into the gift exchange.  Each one had thought about the sibling they had to buy for this year, and working within the set budget found things that were perfect for that person or family.  

I had bought a box of celebrations, a box of Quality street chocolates, and a bag of orange pieces.  Those went over very well.   I had found salt and pepper shakers that were things like double decker buses, police boxes, guardsmen, post box and telephone booth.  I also found clocks they could set to "mom time" that had London scenes on it and big ben for my daughter in law per her request.  The grand kids received telephone box and post box money banks, plus the teddy bears I bought in Heathrow airport. One guardsman, one beefeater, one bobby, and paddington.  This way they all had a bit of Britain.  

My children decided to give me things on a British theme-  The essential guide to British Romance: a starter kit. They tried to find a Darcy teddy bear, but had no luck, so they settled on the  the 2 disc set of Pride and Prejudice the keepsake edition and the movie Austenland.  (Fitting since I am close to where Jane Austen lived and have seen her grave) This is to go with my copy of the "pink" Pride and prejudice that I already own.   These plus my one son did  research and managed to have the Rich family crest made into a seal, complete with three types of wax.  I guess so I can write love letters and officially seal them? ;) It is way cool none the less. They are determined I'm going to find a guy with a "hot accent" over there, so they are trying to help me with that endeavor.   Silly kids....  

It was an enjoyable day of chatting and spending time together.  No worries, or hassles, just time together.  Beautiful memories created and shared.  Tues we will all be together again as we welcome the newest member to the family.  Then I don't know when we will all be in the same place at the same time again.  The cost of the plane ticket was worth every moment of this.  My children are my greatest blessing and I am thankful for the wonderful people that they are and their support for each other and for me.  I am truly blessed. 

"Home" for the Holidays

So now that I have mostly adjusted to life in Britain,  I have a two week whirlwind trip back to the states for my daughter's wedding and Christmas.  Time is an interesting phenomena. By the time I had arrived at my daughter's apt., It was 11:00 PM the same day I had left England.  It was 24 hours UK time since I had left my flat to head to catch the coach to the airport.  To say that I am tired would be an understatement. To think that I'm going to relax and rest while I'm here would be another mistake. A Wedding or Christmas by itself is an event, having the one 3 days before they other is... a blessed occasion to spend much time with family and friends. (Not going to mention the assignments I still need to work on that are due mid Jan....). 

I know that I have adjusted to British life because things are comfortably familiar, but oddly different.  Driving or riding in the car is weird.  The steering wheel is back on the left and as a passenger I'm on the right.  When driving I have to actually think about needing to stay to the right, and if I think about traffic and flow it feels strange, even though this is what I have known all of my life.  Roads are huge, people drive way too fast, I can see for miles and it is cold. In Southampton, I was always warm and couldn't quite get things at a cool enough temperature.  Here in Utah I can't get warm.  I've been cold since the flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City.  It is supposed to snow the next three days and again the first of next week.  So I won't be wet from rain, but snow.  My skin and hair are mad that I'm back in a super dry climate again, and chapstick is my best friend.  So far I haven't gotten enough water to drink  to hydrate my system, though I'm trying hard.

It is odd to hear the perpetual American accent.  I actually  had a hard time following what was being said a couple of times, because I had become accustomed to listening to British or second language speakers of English.  People here are more intense but oddly more laid back at the same time.  And loud.    

However, the reception by my children and grandchildren has been worth it.  There is nothing quite like a little child who lights up and yells "grandma!" and comes running over to give you a big hug. :)  Then becomes your buddy the rest of the afternoon, and who will let you do things to help that Mom and Dad couldn't manage to get her to do.  Having them snuggle in your lap like your the best thing since sliced bread is just not comparable to anything on this planet.  Family is the reason I'm here, and they are worth 24 hours of travel and minimal rest.  (I won't say sleep, because I'm not sure how much actually sleep happened on the planes...) 

I know the trip will be over in a blink and I will be back on an airplane to where I currently live.  Not sure where to call home anymore.  Home is where your family is, it's where your heart is and mine straddles two countries halfway around the world from each other and I love them both.  

My "get away" day

So I have a couple of friends who penciled in a sightseeing day for me on my calendar.  Knowing that I wouldn't go on my own with all of the school work that I am constantly buried under, they decided to take me to see something besides Southampton on Wed when I don't have classes.  David has a car, which is helpful, so he grabbed Susan and I and they took me to things that are relatively close, but also really cool.  
 

Our first stop was the New Forest.  Most of it is a national park and has a long history as to it's creation, existence and laws about ownership and building.  To keep it simple, the Crown owns most of it, it is the free range grazing for common ponies and cattle and new construction cannot happen there.  There are a few homes here and there and a few towns that haven't changed much (other than the addition of cars and electricity and running water) since King George.  So we did some "hiking" around and gave the ponies a wide birth, when we could, since they are wild.  

friendly pony.  The collar on her neck is reflective so that cars don't hit the ponies at night, since they wander in the roads or where ever they want. 

how many ponies can you see? 

David then took us  into the small town of Beaulieu.  The buildings here are Georgian in style.  The town is owned by Lord and Lady Montagu and the palace home is across the river and over looks the town.  For £30 we could have toured the palace, but we weren't feeling that rich.  So we wandered around the abbey, took pictures through and over the stone wall, and enjoyed the sights and food of Beaulieu. 

 The palace through the gate....

notice the date on the abbey

the headstones are so old and the weather so wet that most of them cannot be read anymore. 

actual real live holly.....

an entire hedge of it around the palace grounds...

 cottages in Beaulieu 

the tide was out and just starting to come back in. 

 someone is actually using the phone... :) 

you can kinda make out the palace in the background

this is cream tea.... :D

From here David drove us a little further south to the sea.  Here you can see the Isle of Wight across the Solent.  

salt marshes

They decided we still had some time, so from here we drove up to Winchester.  We spent most of the time in the Winchester Cathedral. There are tributes to various people in the cathedral, one being Jane Austen.  There are also many grave markers on the floors and shrines, and crepts.  The architecture is stunning.  I need to go back when I have time to actually take the tour.  Here a a few photos. 

the stained glass in these windows were shattered by soldiers during the war.  the pieces were picked up and set back but not in their original places. You can see pieces of the pictures, but they are fragments and whatever the pictures were, are gone.  

 this is the sign in front of the tomb above. 

 various headstones and marking on shrines and tiles of the floor.  To give you a feel....

Outside of the Cathedral was a Christmas market and ice skating rink. 

actual roasted chestnuts

 I have other pictures of the town as well, but I'm sure you've had enough for one blog... 

So that was my "get away" day. Now back to the grind stone to finish the assignments that are due before the break, and to figure out how to pack Christmas in my suitcase to take home, since I will head back this year because of my daughter's wedding.  Bringing a little British Christmas to the states this year.  But you'll have to wait to know what it is... 

On a side note, I drove a car this week.  Why I was driving is another story, for another time, but once I wrapped my head around the gearshift on the left and the steering wheel on the right and driving on the left side, it was business as usual. (That actually only took a couple of minutes.)  Not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.  I didn't drive on the wrong side once, or stall the car, or cause any kind of traffic disturbance.  Go me!