Tea Time or Tee Time.
Walking to the office to meet rest of the main Circuit staff for their weekly staff meeting was the first order of business today. Their basic meeting style, discussions, and structuring of the church have similar veins to us in the States. There is a strong staff in place with great visions for the Methodist church, and I am very grateful to be able to work with each of them while here. The afternoon brought a visit to the town of Haddington for tea and biscuits to meet some of the local older church members there. I adored sharing stories back and forth with them along with hearing the rich church history from them and Andrew. They exuded such wisdom and understanding of how the church has progressed over so many generations helping us to better understand our roots. One of the things I am most eager about is the depth of diaries and history of the church here. This is where our very spiritual foundation and customs were conceived and developed over centuries before making their way over the pond to us. I know my mind will be a sponge with every historic moment I encounter in my days here. It is almost daily that we see new countryside almost always including a groomed golf course, it is absolutely gorgeous. Next stop was a great dinner at Andrew's home meeting another fellow Methodist commrade to share our meal with us. There have been so many charming conversations as we spend the week getting to know all the people here. My heart and cup are being filled in completely unexpected ways, God's divine light is indeed displayed here and shining on me. 'Til tomorrow...blessings and cheers.

New Friends and Old Stones.
Awoken by the scent of a great Scottish breakfast, we prepared for our first day at the Circuit Office in Edinburgh (similar to our conference office back in the States). Our house mum, Barbara, walked us to the office to meet our wonderful "Scottish boss", Andrew, since it is only 5 minutes from where we are staying! Walking to work is such a pleasure in the States and something I have always wanted to do. Never did I ever think I would be doing it in such a stunning city as this! We met several staff members today including the Circuit Administrator, Jo, and one of the Youth workers, Hayley, along with Andrew that all have heartfelt stories and journeys that have lead them to where they are today. We heard about several things we will be taking a part in and experiencing over the coming weeks which made enthusiasts of us all. There is so much to learn and share. The staff we have met so far are Methodist books of knowledge, just brilliant. We will continue to meet more staff and ministers as our time here continues and with that our excitement grows! A tasty lunch was at a Scottish restaurant setting followed by purchasing our local bus passes to navigate around the city. To our complete surprise we then traveled to a Scottish "suburb" named Roslin which is a village of Midlothian. Roslin houses the Rosslyn Chapel (an infamous "Da Vinci Code" cameo spot, also said to potentially hold the Holy Grail). See picture above. It was built in 1446 before Columbus even sailed the ocean blue landing on our American soil. The picture of the door was an addition built in 1660 as you can see above the entrance. It truly is so hard to even imagine events that long ago as we stand gazing straight at them. It was a magnificent stone site with ageless character. The day concluded with another scrumptious home-cooked meal. What a great first day in the Forth, indeed! 'Til tomorrow...blessings and cheers.

P.S. I must say that my heart is conflicted to be in a place to serve here when your home city, Nashville, needs rescuing in a devastating time after the floods. We are thinking about all of those hurting there and our prayers are definitely with all of you back home.

Firth of Forth.
After a 4 1/2 hour scenic train up the coast of England and Scotland...we have officially arrived in Edinburgh to begin our journey as Forth Circuit Mission. Our "Scottish boss" or mission mentor, Andrew, waited our arrival at the station. It was so kind of him to pick us up with our 17 suitcases, thank you, Andrew! Following, we went to our host home and met our sweet house mum, Barbara. First thing on the list was to take a walk and see some of the town. However, this walk just might have trumped any other walk I have ever been on with the extraordinary views overlooking all of Edinburgh (picture at left). At the top we took in the beauty along with hearing some of Barbara's great geographic, historic, and personal stories of the city. We returned to share all of our own stories and get to know each other over a home-cooked meal on our first night. Tomorrow begins our mission voyage here, I excitedly await what is around every corner....'til then, blessings and cheers.

Field Trip.

Yesterday was spent with the relaxation of walks along the Thames River, dining at a local restaurant called The Wharf, and exploring little shops of trinkets. The weather has turned pretty cold here with highs in the 40's, cold, and dreary. This may sound surprising, but it is just right, and I couldn't imagine it any other way. I also experienced my first European taxi and double-decked bus. I was like a little girl excitedly repeating, "This is like a ride at Disney World". We attempted to go to an Evening song at Westminster Abbey, but mixed up times. We have however seen it from the outside 4 times now, and it is just as magnificent every time. I will be coming through London again in July so the Evening song will be a first stop then. We have run into lots of school field trips, and I wish I could put all of you, Highway56 kids, on a plane and show you guys around witnessing the history in it's truest form. The few churches I have seen in England have already completely amazed me with new found interest to study the depth of the Church of England, and there are so many to come as I very excitedly await the time I will spend in each of the 9 churches in Edinburgh. And, with that...as we speak we are all on a 5hr train (with Internet, crazy) in route to Edinburgh. The sights out the window are of gorgeous countryside rushing by...next time we talk I will be in my new home beginning our mission journey for the next 9 weeks....blessings and cheers!

Stairs galore.
Day two in London and the legs have taken a severe workout with the amazing numbers of stairs in this town. Up and down, up and down...they are everywhere. What I have waited years and years to see came true today. My very first European church experience and it was the monumental St. Paul's Cathedral...the nation's Cathedral and also the spot on the front steps of the infamous "feed the birds" clip in the timeless Mary Poppins. It was truly picturesque with over 400 steps to reach the top over-looking all of the London (see video below). It was incredibly worshipful and breathtaking all at the same time. To witness a church at dates back before our country was even founded is truly unimaginable, but when you stand on looking down at the ancient graves, touch the worn stone walls, and look up high to the mural-painted ceilings...it is all too real. More tasty food was on the menu along with the historic Tower of London (complete with audio tour, of course) housing the Crown Jewels with the largest diamond in the world on display. Then it was on to a boat tour down the Thames River finishing with Buckingham Place and a walk in beautiful St. James Park. Another packed day, but completely worth every sight and step (even if it was stairs). 'Til tomorrow...cheers and blessings.

Fish and Chips.
We started with a train and the Tube into London for a first full day of touring. Local cuisine and some of the infamously marked places were on the list. Picadilly Circus, Harrods, Big Ben, the London Eye, and the National Gallery are just a few to name. All of the places are just exquisite! My head is packed with images and English words as I start to adapt to the scenic and rich culture. The word that keeps coming to mind is classic. Everything in this city is so classic and done with such class. Here are just two shots of the many places I captured on film today from right to left, the awe-stuck Westminster Abbey, and then in the "tele" booth for a fun shot. Another exciting day exploring London awaits us tomorrow...more updates then!

British Summer Time.
Well, we have finally arrived in London town! I cannot believe we are here. Thank you so much for ALL of your prayers. I had such a sense of peace in flying as well as lots of sleeping. We will be in London for 4 days before we head to Edinburgh for our first day on Sunday. We are off to fill our stomachs and to do some exploring in town. More to come and look for pictures soon!
'til then....cheerio.