January Goals

Here's an update on how I did with my goals this month to help keep me accountable!

#1 Blog regularly:

I don't think twice a month constitutes regularly, but it's better than 2015, so we'll call that a win.

{Show and Tell Tuesdays} Reintroductions and Resolutions
{Show and Tell Tuesdays} Momfessional Moments

#2 Take more pictures and keep them organized:

This goal needs to be amended as my computer is broken and won't open my iPhone when I open iPhoto and to boot, my phone died last Wednesday (this is why I am not responding to your calls and texts :)).  So maybe my goal should be to get my phone fixed (if that's even possible!) and get my computer back from the shop (they've had it for over a month!).  I'll check back in about this next month.

#3 Read two books a month:

Check!  I love to read and thanks to getting a Kindle Paperwhite for my birthday last month this was easily completed.  I wish I could say my books were more impressive and cerebral, but they're not!

First I re-read one of my favorite book from about 10 years ago:

{via}

The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot (Author of the Princess Diaries though this book isn't YA lit)

This is a quick and clever read - the whole book is written through email exchanges.  The pop culture references definitely date the book, but I enjoyed re-reading it, and I'm not big on re-reading books.

My second book I found after seeing the author recommended during Shay's Monthly Book Reviews last year.

{via}

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

I bought this immediately after I got my new Kindle because it was only $1.99 - no brainer!  Plus, I liked another novel by Moriarty, The Husband's Secret, that my mom lent me months back.  I finished both of Moriarty's books in a few days - they are mysteries that have lots of unexpected twists and turns.  I love trying to solve the mystery before it's resolved in the book.

I'm currently halfway through reading a book Shay reviewed last month, but I do not like it AT ALL so far...we'll see next month how the review goes.  I get most of my book recs from her comment section on these monthly posts, but if you have any great recs,  please leave a comment!  I need some good non-fiction ideas too.

#4 Exercise regularly

See Momfessional Moment #5 

Today I am writing this post from the comfort of my home

...instead of going to the gym. (And yes that is a Krispy Kreme doughnut - my mom-in-law brought it by when she picked up Susannah, "the hot light was on, so I figured I had to stop!" :) )

I did join a gym and participated in one class and have used the track and elliptical machine a few times, but my exercise has been more random than regular. 

#5 Go to bed earlier

See goal #3 - I'm a night owl and with 3 kids and a church plant budding, there isn't a lot of extra free time, so on nights that we're not scheduled (read: two nights a week if I'm lucky - Tuesdays are sacred - don't plan a party or invite us over on a Tuesday, we won't come!), I watch netflix and/or read. So going to bed early hasn't happened thanks to my Kindle and this...

{via}

Taylor and I have never owned a TV since we've been married, so that coupled with living in Britain for almost half a decade, we're not up to speed with American TV.  I just started season one of Suits this month and I'm hooked!

#6 Develop weekly sermon guide for kids in Worship

For now, I am developing all of the system ins and outs with some other ladies on our core team for all of our Sojourn Kids stuff - the sermon guides will come this summer!

Here are my February Goals:

See you tomorrow for Show and Tell Tuesday!

{Show and Tell Tuesdays} Momfessionals

OK so a week and a day behind on Show and Tell Tuesday, and so far, not doing so great on my goals which actually fits with the "momfessional" theme quite nicely...obviously I planned that and it has nothing to do with my procrastination skills...

Momfessional #1:

Yeah those are my Christmas New Year Valentines Day?? cards - pathetic.  I do this every year that I don't love our family picture for the card. I am always way on top of ordering them (got them in the mail on Nov 28th to be exact) and then never got around to mailing them.  I procrastinate on anything that has to do with the post office (well any governmental office to be exact).  Case and point...

Momfessional #2:

Last year my wallet got stolen with my social security card and 2 of our kids' cards too. It took me 11.5 months to take care of it. I hate doing things that waste my time and governmental offices seem to have a knack for that.  My sister-in-law had to go to get her Chinese daughter's card, so Susu and I tagged along.  And to be fair, it was easy, super easy (scarily easy in fact), and the nice lady who helped me didn't even comment on how long it had been since they had been stolen.

Momfessional #3:

I don't enjoy bathing my kids - we were great about bathing them every night as part of the bedtime routine in Scotland when the older two were little, and then when we lived at my parents' house last year, but now that we're in our house, we shoot for...well let's just say every night is a pipe dream😬. In my defense, we don't have a bathtub and the kids aren't huge fans of the shower.  On the upside, we do have a pool - that totally counts, right?

Momfessional #4:

If we have homemade dessert in our house, it's fair game for breakfast.

{Pink Champagne Bundt Cake}

{Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake}

Momfessional #5:

I totally wrote this post in the locker room of my office gym instead of working out while my kids were in the nursery.



I'm going to try really hard to be on time for next week's Show and Tell Tuesday!

Here's the link to my last Show and Tell Tuesday if you missed it!
{Show and Tell Tuesdays} Reintroductions and Resolutions

{Show and Tell Tuesdays} Reintroductions and Resolutions

I'm baaaaaaaaaccccccccckkkkkkkk!

OK, so it's been 2 years since I've blogged - shameful I know, but I've been busy with things like moving overseas, having 2 babies, supporting my husband as he finishes his PhD and starts a new job, planting a church, buying our first house...just to name a few.  The last 2 years in review are at the bottom of this post if you want more details!

I'm going to try and blog more regularly by linking up with Andrea for her Show and Tell Tuesday posts.

Here goes...

Hi, I'm Robin.

I've been married to this handsome guy for almost 10 years.

I'm Mom of these crazies:

Seth, 5; Avery, 3; Susannah, 15 mos, 

and two in Heaven: Tristan and William.

We've had our share of suffering, adventure, baking mishaps, embarrassment, and culture shock.

If you're new to the blog at the very least read my most embarrassing moment.  I'm pretty sure that it tops most...here's a little teaser: it happened in front of THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND.

 I'm a former ex-pat and cut my teeth on parenthood thousands of miles away from our American culture and our families back in Texas.  We raised our kids in Edinburgh, Scotland while Taylor completed his dissertation at the University of Edinburgh (New College) in Old Testament and Hebrew.  We also each worked part-time for the ministry, Friends International.  Because of our stint there (we lived in university family housing), we made lifelong friendships that span the globe - from Iran to Ireland; Chile to China - we have A LOT of traveling to do. :) Living amongst these amazing people has given us a heart for the nations, and we're thrilled that the Lord has called us to the most diverse part of Houston.

I'm currently a church planter/pastor's wife and most importantly, lover of Jesus.

This year, I am resolving to blog regularly, take more pictures and keep them organized, read 2 books a month, exercise regularly, go to bed earlier, and develop weekly sermon guides for our youngest church family members when they begin to attend "big church".


For those who have missed us.  Here are the last 2 years in review (my last post left off in February 2014):





In March 2014, we celebrated Avery's 2nd Birthday.

We flew Stateside in April - July of 2014 for a few events:



Aunt Kaitlyn cheering for Team USA at the World Championships - they won 1st place!




Enjoying the happiest place on Earth






Participating in Uncle Nate and Aunt Ana's wedding




Resting and relaxing at Tutu and Papa's house



Baking at Mia and Popsie's



Celebrating this guy's 4th Birthday in June



Accepting a new job with Houston Church Planting Residency in July

...and a few days later, we headed home to Edinburgh to pack up four years of life for our little family to move back to Houston and start a new chapter.





In August, 9 months preggo with Susannah, the kids and I left Edinburgh and said good bye to these wonderful friends and flew home to Houston.  Taylor joined us a few weeks later after finishing up some research at Cambridge.



In September, Seth and Avery began preschool






Two weeks later, Susannah was born










My parents endured hosting us for the school year while we prayed and waited for the Lord to show us what area of Houston he'd have us plant in. (Apparently, we only took pictures when my siblings came to visit!)



Taylor submitted his dissertation in November!



We enjoyed our first Christmas as a family of 5!



In January 2015, the Lord gave us a calling to the Galleria area and our core team for Sojourn Galleria was born! Y'all!  We are beyond grateful for these faithful people!

We met weekly to pray for our fledgling church from January through March.


In late March, Taylor and I took Susannah on her first trans-Atlantic trip (outside of the womb at least) and headed back to Edinburgh for Taylor's dissertation defense and then Oxford for a short holiday.





He passed his oral defense (don't miss that book he wrote in his right hand - I'm so proud)!!

And then, a dream realized - Robin's first trip to Oxford!



Outside the Inklings favorite haunt, the "Bird and Baby"



Inside the oldest (and possibly the smallest!) pub in Oxford, The Bear


When we got back to the US, we kicked off our first official Sojourn Galleria parish!

We finished up the school year and bought our first house this summer!!!!!



Our amazing core team helped us paint this hot mess!

We stayed home this summer as we re-plumbed, painted, slightly remodeled, unpacked, and moved in - praise the Lord!

We got in a quick family holiday to the Hyatt Hill Country Resort before school started where Seth exclaimed, "this is the best day of my entire life" during our trip. I asked Avery if it was hers, and she looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Disney World" period. :) I have no pictures - can anyone say, New Year's resolution?!

The school year began with a new school for Seth.  He played soccer, learned to read, and is in the same class as his best friend and cousin, Caroline.  Avery is at the same preschool as last year and is "president of her class" according to the director. :)



On October 11th, Sojourn Galleria "soft" launched (started bi-monthly services without advertising so that we could work out the kinks) while Sojourn Heights and Sojourn Montrose celebrated their 5th and 2nd year anniversaries respectively! We're so thankful to be a part of the Sojourn Collective and for all of the Houston churches that support us with prayer, people, and finances.





In November we celebrated Thanksgiving with both sides of our families - needless to say we were full (both with food and gratitude)!

And again, in December, we celebrated Christmas with each of our families.  What a blessing to get to spend Christmas with all of our parents, siblings and nieces and nephews! In the car driving to my parents house, I was overwhelmed with what the Lord has done over the past year.  He's been so faithful to call us to a specific place, and we're so grateful that it is Houston where we get to see most of our family on a regular basis.

Christmas Eve with the Ince side



Christmas Day at our house



Christmas Day Eve with the Kellam side



This weekend marks the first big event of 2016: Sojourn Galleria officially launches this Sunday!  We'd love for you to join us in worshipping the King of Kings!

Happy New Year!

Photos with Father Christmas is not the same as photos with Santa Claus

Maybe some of you were wondering why I only included a photo of Seth on Santa's lap yesterday (at least my parents were thinking this), but it was too choice not to leave it to it's own post as this illustrates so well a part of British culture that does not compute in America....well at least not where I'm from.  

Exhibit A:

Annual picture with Santa fail.
This is as close as she would get, and I don't think I need to tell you how she felt about it.
Call me a bad mom, but I was totally fine with having Santa hold her and getting that quintessential crying with Santa photo, but British Santas frown on this and will not take screaming children.
What?!  Who does not own a photo with Santa where at least one sibling is crying?  Anyone?

Seth never went through the "scared of Santa" phase which I was always kind of proud of since all of our photos, he's totally cool about it.

Who, this guy?  We go way back.

I figured Avery wouldn't be as willing since she's always been a mama's girl, but she surprised me her first Christmas.

Let's take a little trip down memory lane and check out the difference between Photos with Santa in the US and the UK.  I only did one or the other each year because I am not a glutton for punishment.

Texas 2010 - Seth at 6 months
I don't even think they had a sit with Santa option this year in Edinburgh.

Texas 2011: Seth at 18 months (and photo credit to Memorial City Photographers).
I thought he might cry this year because all of his cousins screamed for their 18 month Santa photo.
Um no.  This kid loves Santa. And I'm pretty sure that is actually Santa Claus - I mean look at him.
No wonder Seth didn't cry! Best.Santa.Ever.

Now we knew getting to Houston on Christmas Eve wouldn't give us enough time to make it for Avery to have her first Santa Photo with Santa himself, but we settled for Father Christmas in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh 2012: Seth 2.5, Avery 9 months
She looks concerned, but she was actually totally fine and was just pointing out the twinkly lights.
Main difference between Edinburgh sit with Santa and US...where do I even begin?!  It's literally a gold chair under an arch covered in fake greenery and lights sitting in an open area in a mall.  That's it.  No photographer trying to nickel and dime you, no back drop blocking the pink fluorescent store lights in the background, and most obviously no Santa hat - what?  Is he supposed to look like a festive Jawa?
And actually I'm fine with all that because no fuss equals no queue line!
.

I noticed this year as Christmas drew nearer that Santa's photo area had been revamped.  I wondered how this would affect the line and if that meant we would now have to pay a photographer to photograph our children.  Wait.  What? Even hearing that somebody could force you to pay someone else to take a photo of your child with Santa instead of allowing you to just do it yourself  for free sounds so wrong - I can't imagine that happening here (at least not in Scotland...maybe in London).  But my fears were assuaged when we showed up with the kids dressed up and nary a photographer or line was to be seen.  If only my daughter would have cooperated.  Or Santa had only just held her long enough for me to snap one shot.

And we've gotta end with this photo again because her face is so classic.
Edinburgh 2013: Seth 3.5 seriously contemplating what he'd like for Christmas,
Avery 21 months and
not.interested.

 

{12 Days of Christmas Traditions} Day Nine: Just Kidding

Sorry to leave you hanging by not posting how we do Santa like I said I would (like you even remember I promised this!), but hosting Christmas at your house is a big job!  I am just now recovered! But seriously, I never realized how much work it is for Christmas Day to happen when it's at your house.  It was fun, and not having jet lag was a major bonus, but whew!  I appreciate my mom and mom-in-law so much more now.  They make it look effortless!  Next year I plan on re-posting my 8 days and actually including the last 4. We'll call this a New Year's Resolution though that will probably kill it dead right there.

I've been thinking about the blog lately and how I abandon it every so often.  I love writing. I love how it's a great way to look back on our lives, but I don't want it to turn into: and then we did this, and then we did that, and then and then, etc etc BORING.  I hate writing like that more than I dislike reading stuff like that.  This however means that I must have a muse and there just hasn't been one.

Taylor has encouraged me that writing leads to more writing (and he should know since he's currently writing a book) and to just go for it; if I wait for a muse every time, then I'll never be consistent.

I also realized I'm not doing a great job of capturing what it's like to live as an American in Scotland, and as our time here comes closer and closer to an end, I know I'll regret it if I don't.  Seth will remember a little bit of his childhood here, but Avery probably won't (even though she is our true Scot), so I want them to be able to come back here and see a glimpse of what it was like. And hopefully this will give my friends back home some insight into why I'll be a homebody who wears wellies even on sunny days and suggests we walk to inappropriate places (think the grocery store or the park not actual inappropriate places because Houston is not what you would call a "walkable" city) when I move back. Who complains that Downton Abbey is on during the wrong season and how the season finale shouldn't just be the last episode, but should air on Christmas Day effectively ruining the most wonderful time of the year. Who calls her stroller "a buggy," shopping cart "a trolley," lollipops "lollies," and other vernacular I've picked up without realizing it.  Who never answers her mobile phone (and calls it a "mo-bye-ul" phone). And whose kids do not know how to swim (this will be the first issue we'll deal with upon our return!).

As much as moving here provided many culture stressors, moving back may prove to be as difficult.

Point #1: Every time we leave the house, my children assume, "we're walking, right?" and proceed to whine and beg on the rare occasion I say we're going in the car because it's too far to walk.  Seth's favorite mantra these days is, "I super do not like our house.  I want to go back to Texas." (I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that it's either his birthday or Christmas every time we go to Texas) So the other day when he said this, I told him, "in Houston, you never walk, you always have to ride in the car and they don't even have double decker buses. " He just stared at me, dumbfounded.

Point #2: I can count on one hand how many times my children have gone on trips to the "big" grocery store with me.  I will definitely be looking into online grocery ordering when I get back because wow - could I ever go back to shopping myself?  I don't think so.

Point #3: There is no "rat race" here.  Kids are signed up for a million activities by the time they're 3 in America.  In the UK, parents take advantage of all of the free stuff to do around the city (granted there are way more free things to do here) - music classes, playgroups, the National Museum of Scotland to name a few. And they don't even worry about how this might setback their future Olympic hopes. (This might also explain the slight discrepancy between the US and the UK's medal counts...just a theory).

Point #4: No one ever calls me.  My friends and I make plans when we see each other (at all of the free events around the city), or email,  or shout plans out window of our flat down to friends in the garden because I share a garden with most of my friends), or on the sidewalk when we see each other in town, and as a last resort text.  I love not being a slave to my phone, but in Houston more people will need access to me.

So if you're interested in what it's like to live in Scotland, check back!

And here are some Christmas photos to catch up:

 When he's older, I'm sure he'll love that I put him in a longall at 3 - even my mom gave me a hard time about it. :)
But he LOVED it because it has Buddy the Elf on it!

Christmas Eve service

Avery right after opening her ornament on Christmas Eve; I think she liked it!

Seth opening his Chrismtas Eve jammies

Patiently waiting to go in the living room on Christmas morning

Sister was super excited about her new toothbrush.
Wish she was this excited when it's actually time to brush her teeth!

Fun car from Mia and Popsie

I love Seth's face in this one.  Diapers?!
And no, we didn't get him diapers, read here if you're confused.

Sister means business - she was so funny opening her presents Christmas morning - much less enthusiasm compared to Christmas Eve!
And when she was all done, she'd say, "prisints?" I think she mostly preferred unwrapping though this particular toy makes a debut all over our flat at least once a day, so I think it was a hit.

This was by far the hit of the morning as we suspected
(and also why we gave it to him, not Santa Claus!)

She liked my Christmas present too.
What can I say, the girl loves shoes!

Love these guys!