This morning I find my heart missing Scotland. My friends, the air after another rain, the smell of Stanely House, and the beautiful people walking the street. I miss our High Street flat, despite its many flaws, and the way it felt to walk out the door and into the centre of Paisley. The entire town at my proverbial fingertips, the hustle of getting "there" when rain was falling or the slow pace we all walked when it wasn't. The grey skies, the too-long days, even the pungent smell of cigarette smoke on every corner will be a welcome familiarity when we return.
Next Steps for Our Family
As you may remember, we originally planned to come home from Scotland in November, but with a baby due in December we can't travel that close to the due date, so we're coming home in August. That will give us time to find a doctor and hospital and go through all the prenatal classes needed before baby arrives.
Having a baby is the next big thing in our life, but we are also gearing up for the next big thing in our ministry! A few months after our baby is born, we will go back to Scotland for two years. We will be staffing two Discipleship Training Schools during those two years. God has shown us that this is the next step for us in our ministry here in Scotland.
Under Construction
That's right! The Wall family of two is currently building a THIRD WALL who will join us in December--we're pregnant!
We are overwhelmingly grateful for the responsibility God has granted us in becoming parents! He has made it clear from the very beginning that His hand is on this child and He has a beautiful plan for him or her. We believe we're expecting a Christmas baby, but will have a firm date after our ultrasound next month.
Losing in Paisley
The sights, sounds, and smells of Paisley are now familiar. (We're still working on the tastes.) I've become accustomed to smelling smoke at every corner and listening to the indistinguishable Glaswegian accent while attempting to not look confused. As the days begin to get cooler (think late-October in the South East) I'm getting better at remembering a warm jumper (sweater) or, at the least, a rain jacket. We remember to take reusable bags to each grocery store visit, and even keep extras in our backpacks, just in case.
Scotland: Week One
We're here!
We landed in Paisley Thursday morning! After getting to Corbin & Stacy's home, we grabbed some food and took a little nap. Then we forced ourselves up and got a walking tour from there to our new flat. It's so fun to walk everywhere and see how much closer everything is than we even thought it would be. We saw our flat, David & Miranda's flat, the local convenience store, the coffee shop we'll frequent, and ate fish & chips for lunch. Then we headed back to the Miles' home (with some caffeine to help keep us awake) and chatted for a bit before supper. After a delicious meal we were able to stay awake playing games with their family. We slept very well that night.