Once we passed through West Virginia the snow began to thin out and Abi commented on the fact she could see grass again!
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Greetings from North Carolina!
Once we passed through West Virginia the snow began to thin out and Abi commented on the fact she could see grass again!
Saturday, 25 December 2010
Happy Christmas!
It is Christmas eve, and the kids have just gone down to bed. We had a long but uneventful drive down to NC from Coshocton yesterday, and today has been a nice day relaxing with friends and family. This has been an amazing year for us, with so many huge changes and incredible experiences that we still sometimes can’t quite get our head’s around it all!
We have had cards and good wishes from so many of you – Thank you all so very much!! Unfortunately we haven’t been able to send our best wishes personally to all of you. We wish you all the very best as we take the opportunity at this time of year to celebrate the birth of Christ, and pray that you would know His blessing as we look forward to the year ahead.
Happy Christmas!!
Andy, Heather, Abi and Matthew.
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
A Month and a Day!
Saying Grace with teddy...
Being a bit more settled, Heather is back in the kitchen doing what she does! We both promised ourselves we would watch the waistlines when we moved over here, but I'm afraid I married far too good a cook!! Translating all the recipes into American measurements, and sussing out a new oven, mean that we are trying out all sorts of old favourites again. Today it was bread - the first one wasn't quite right, so try, try and try again... very nice!
Fresh from the baker!!
We had a bit of a Christmas get together on Saturday night with the other staff, trainees and families from MMS. It was a really good chance for us to meet up with everyone again, catch up with friends we already know and get to know some other people a bit better. Heather played piano with Paul leading everyone through a few carols, then Dwight (MMS's CEO) shared a few thoughts on Christmas and what it really means. We then spent a bit more time socialising before everyone headed off home again. It was a really good evening - thanks to Dale and Deborah for opening up their home to such a large invasion! I would love to share a few pictures from the night, but we had to go on a hunt around Coshocton for Matthew's shoes before the party (a long story for another time!!), and in the chaos, the camera stayed firmly in the drawer at home!
This week I'm set to do my first bit of MMS work! I won't actually be starting in the hanger until 3rd January, after the Christmas break has passed, but before starting I will have to go through an orientation on all of the MMS manuals, systems, policies and procedures, a bit of a safety induction and a few other pre-start formalities. Some of the orientation will also involve Heather, so tomorrow Keith and Karen will be coming to our home to spend the day running through the books. We had tried a few options for childcare so that we could do the induction at the hanger, but nothing was working out, so we are doing things a bit differently (not like us...)! It will be good for me to get into this (even if parts of it will no doubt be a bit dry!!), and feel a bit more like I have started at MMS; Heather and the kids are busy finding their feet in their new lives here, and I will feel much more settled when I actually start at the hanger and begin doing what we came here to do!
Thanks for keeping up to date with our going's on - we really do appreciate all of your thoughts, prayers and support as we carry on working for MAF over here in Ohio.
Andy
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Our first Visitors!
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Settling in...
We have been busy since we arrived here, basically setting up home from scratch; it is very easy to forget the little things that we take for granted when you are planning a move halfway round the world... until you arrive and realise that you have no electrical appliances (everything runs on 110V over in America!), no face cloths, no dusters or polish, no TV, no salt or baking powder... not even an alarm clock!
Needless to say the last 2 weeks have involved arranging the "big" things, like a home to rent, a car to get about in etc, but they have also involved a lot of time trying to find good deals on electrical goods, and the bits and pieces we know we don't have coming in our shipping container some time in the New Year. Heather has spent a huge amount of time in Walmart, carefully examining every pack of food we might need to make sure she has figured out the British translation of the ingredients list... to the point that we can imagine security guards shaking their heads as the "crazy Scot's" arrive back in store for another 2 hour shopping trip!!
So now 2 week's into our America adventure, and we have found a home, signed the lease and moved in. We have bought a car to get us around. (We both now have Ohio driver's licenses too!!) We have stocked our cupboards, and have got our heads around 1/2 Gallon of milk being a "4 pint-er". It has been great getting to know the Coshocton area a bit better, and settling in to life in this part of Ohio, which will be our home for the next 3 years.
Since we arrived in USA, the weather on the whole has been pretty mild - much milder than Scotland has had for the last week or so! The snowy weather is starting to catch up with us however, and this morning saw us waking up to a dusting of snow in the garden. It has stayed cold all day, and the dusting has had regular top-ups with snow flurries dotted through the day. We are told that it isn't normal to see snow this early here (just like Scotland!), so we will just have to wait and see if this is a passing snow cloud, or if we will be shoveling our way to the car soon!!
Thank you once again for your interest, and for "popping in" to our blog to keep up to date!
A
Sunday, 21 November 2010
One week in!
On to Monday and we opened our American bank accounts thanks to Michelle's guidance.
On Tuesday we thought we would go to Mission Auto - a car sales place nearby run by previous missionaries. They give very good discounts to MMS staff and were expecting us. Well, we had just gone for a little look to say hello and after a few hours we had a car - or should I say a mini-van. It is a seven seater and that means that I am able to pick visitors up from the airport (Columbus is a good one in case anyone is thinking of visiting :0). It also happens to belong to a local pastor who we have met on a few occasions. We are planning on settling the deal this coming week. Andy is sitting his Ohio driving test on Tuesday and when he passes ( we pray) we can get insurance for the car and it will be ours. At present we are blessed to have use of a mini-van which someone had donated previously to MMS.
Abi attended her first dancing class on Tuesday afternoon at 4.15. She joined the class no problem and although the others started in September she did her best keeping up with the moves. She even tried to converse with another little girl who just looked at her funny - I think Abi may have to adopt an American accent so they can understand what she says! There are about ten other 3-4 year olds in the class. Travelling home I decided to have a go at driving in the dark. Well the heavens opened and we were introduced to our first Ohio thunderstorm! Driving home in torrential rain in the dark on a different side of the road was quite a hair-raising experience for all of us but with the pace down at 2 miles an hour we managed to get home in one piece!
We also took a day trip to Zainsville - approx 40 minutes away. We had a nice day at the mall and were able to get some pillows and things in preparation for moving into our house.
On Friday there was a Christmas parade down Main Street in the centre of Coshocton at 6.30pm. Abi and Matthew really enjoyed all the sweets that people were throwing at the crowds as they passed and they even had a cuddle from the gingerbread man. Matthew was quite contented with the Trucks, fire engines and ambulance that came down with the lights flashing. Santa was last, riding at the top of the huge fire engine. Abi was overcome with delight when she saw him and keeps asking me if it is Christmas yet! I continually remind her why we celebrate Christmas! It was lovely to see so many people lining the main streets and to meet a few other MMS families. The weather was dry but very cold. You know it is cold when the children are asking to go in their prams and be bundled up!
Today - Saturday we decided to go exploring some more. Not too far away we went to an Amish Bakery! I am not sure if this is a good thing living so close to such an amazing bakery! Then we went on a little further to a place called "Berlin" and explored a large German food shop. Out side there was a car park AND a buggy park for all the Amish horses and carts!
Berlin is quite a popular tourist town with lots of interesting Amish craft shops. My favourite was the Hillbilly bank - a Sock with the opening glued onto a square of wood with a hole for the money. At the bottom of the sock it was cut and tied shut with a piece of string. hang it up and you have your hillbilly bank!
Tomorrow we are going to try our second church. We have decided to spend some time visiting a few - each for two weeks in a row as the ages of Abi and Matthew, often one of us will miss the service. I believe there are 54 churches in Coshocton ( approx). I can confirm that we will not be trying out all of them! : 0)
We have no TV in this apartment - thankfully there is a DVD player. Abi and Matthew are in the process of completing their cross-cultural training programme with the help of Sesame Street's double disc set! We have managed to purchase a 100 piece Tinkerbell jigsaw which is occupying Abi everyday at the moment. We have borrowed a pop up tent which Matthew has made into his "garage". I really should be revising for my written driving test which I will be doing this coming week but I am looking at my American food processor which has arrived from Amazon and planning my first baking session. Only problem is my British kitchen scales are floating on a ship on the Atlantic (we hope) so all my favourite recipes need a little more thought to convert everything to cups!
It's amazing to think we have only been here a week yet so much has happened. God is so good and I shall leave you with 1 Chronicles 16 v 28,29.
" Oh nations of the world, recognize the Lord, Recognize the Lord is Glorious and Strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the Lord in all his Holy Splendor. "
God Bless
Heatherx
Sunday, 14 November 2010
Abi settling into the front seat...
So glad they took the keys out before they let Matthew in!
Keith and Karen were good enough to collect us from the airport, and take us back to Coshocton. We are staying in a basement apartment of another MMS family, and there were a few welcoming goodies set out for us, and stocking the fridge when we arrived - thanks to everyone who helped!!
On Monday, Michelle will be helping us get started on the important tasks of setting up bank accounts, and finding somewhere to live, but this weekend has been a nice relaxing time catching up with our sleep and trying to get ourselves into the right time zone!!
Tomorrow we are spending a bit of time with Mark, Jenny and Abigail, who are also with MAF and about a year into the MMS programme. We will meet them at church on Sunday morning then have lunch with them before afternoon nap time - definitely naps for Abi and Matthew, and maybe for me and Heather if we slip back into GMT!!!
It is still taking a while to sink in that we now live in America! Exciting times!
Thank you so much to everyone who supports us in so many ways, and for your ongoing interest in what we are doing!
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
...nearly there...
Between now and then we have a busy time filling removal vans and saying our final farewells to friends and family around the country.
We would really appreciate your prayers this week for safety on our travels, strength as we say good bye, and sanity as we tie up so many loose ends before we go!
Thanks for all your support!
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Closing chapter
This weekend we are heading over to Dunoon. It will be good to spend a bit of time with my family over the weekend before we leave for Ohio.
Heather has also been given the opportunity to play and sing at www.seasonsdunoon.com on Friday night, so she has been busy excercising her vocal cords for the past wee while, getting herself ready for that. On Sunday we will be spending some time with friends at Dunoon Baptist (the church where Heather and I met), before heading back up to Glasgow for a couple of days. Next week we will be spending a bit of time in Pitlochry. The removal company are coming for two days at the end of the week to pack all our stuff into a van for the first leg of it's transatlantic journey, then we have a few things planned to catch up with some friends up there. If you are free on Sunday morning (7th Nov) we will be taking part in the service at Pitlochry Baptist, then having a lunch afterwards for anyone who wants to stay.
In the afternoon / evening we'll be heading north to see some relatives in Gardenstown, before heading back to Glasgow to get ready for flying out on the Friday of that week!!
We had hoped we would be able to catch up with all our friends and family again before we head off, but time is just disappearing in front of us! The next fortnight is jam packed with trips around Scotland, but it would just be impossible to meet up with everyone, so if we don't see you before we go, thank you so much for your interest in what we are doing! Thanks for the many ways you have been supporting us, and please keep in touch as we head over to Ohio!
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
US Visa's!
Yesterday we spent the day in London visiting the US embassy for our visa interview; all went well, and we have now been given our M1 / M2 visa's for the next 12 months in America! Our next step is to arrange our flights over to Ohio where we can start our training with www.mmsaviation.org !! Hopefully we will be in Ohio by mid-November!
It has been fantastic to see how God is a part of all the little details as we have gone through the process of starting work with MAF, and it is exciting to see everything come together with yesterday being another step closer to flying out!
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
More family time!
Sunday, 3 October 2010
Another week!
Friday, 24 September 2010
Monday, 13 September 2010
Moved out!!
We've had a busy weekend moving all our boxes and furniture out of the house! Thank you very much to our friends who have temporarily donated their garage as a store-room!!
I have had a few days of driving a transit round Scotland dropping stuff off at all four corners of the land, and Heather has cleaned and hoovered our wee house for the last time; now we have moved out! The McDonald's will be getting the keys on Tuesday - I am sure they will have a great time in their new home!
Sunday, 5 September 2010
We have both had a crazy week; we have done presentations in coffee shops, village halls, took part in this morning's service at Pitlochry Baptist, met with Kirkie Baptist through the week; on top of this we have had a mother in law in hospital, a wife full of the cold (not just normal cold... this was full blown man-flu!) and 2 bambino's who are running on duracell extra...
It's a bit of a roller coaster just now - sad to leave, excited to go; tired but energetic.
There is no doubt at all that we are doing the right thing; this chapter is closing and the next one is about to start.
"My Grace is enough; it's all you need.
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
GRAND TOUR OF SCOTLAND!
We are aware that however much we would like to, it is is not going to be possible to visit all our contacts personally in the time we have left. Instead we have decided to arrange several MAF presentations in a few areas around Scotland in the hope that people would manage to attend one of them. Apologies to our English and American supporters - perhaps we can visit your home via Skype! Here are the details of where we will be during August/September.
31st Aug. - The Coffee House, Moodiesburn 8pm.
4th Sept. - Tummel Bridge Village Hall 8pm, 12 miles from Pitlochry.
5th Sept. - Pitlochry Baptist Church 11am at the morning service.
23rd Sept. - The Chapter House, Wesley Owen, Bothwell St. Glasgow. 8pm.
25th Sept. - My Grandma's House, West Linton, Invite Only.
26th Sept. - Friends House in Peebles - Invite only.
We are sending out personal invites in the post to all our contacts but anyone is welcome to come to the first four events above and hear all about the work MAF do, How we became involved, and how you can join us in this venture.
As you may be aware we have only NINE weeks left to raise our salary but would like to report we are over the half-way mark! Thanks to EVERYONE who has joined our financial support team so far.
Tuesday, 24 August 2010
Getting ready...
We really feel that God has been preparing us in lots of ways over the last few years though, and now that the school term is back, that preparation is continuing. Heather is back to work as a music teacher, so she has travelled down to Glasgow for the next few days, where she will have easier access to her work, and where there are nursery places for Abi and Matthew; they will all travel home again on Thursday. Mean time, I am heading north to spend a bit of time catching up with some family before we head overseas.
This semi-nomadic lifestyle that we have had for the last year or so has been great preparation for us all in dealing with some of the unknown’s we will doubtless come up against in the future!
Monday, 16 August 2010
We hope to use this blog as a way of keeping everyone up to date with what is going on with us - check back soon!!!