The Bills Family: January 2011

So we are officially in Newcastle, England. We have only been here for a few days now...trying to get settled into our new place. I still can't believe that we live in a different country. It feels like a dream walking down these cobble stone streets, but my permanent plugged ear reminds me that, yes, we did in fact fly for a ridiculous amount of time to get here so it all must be real (my ear is actually fine now, but it did take about two days to de-plug....so annoying) Our place is amazing...aside from the drastically tacky red carpet and red velvet curtains (I don't know what the old lady was thinking when she decided to go all out in red), but we have decided to embrace the English fashion (or English Old Lady fashion, probably not the best combination) and buy a pink and red floral bedspread to match....now it all kind of blends together, like it's a fashion statement made on purpose. And you know what, despite the awkward amount of red, the place is really starting to feel like home; the rooms are warm, the fridge is full, the water is hot, and Krew has more than enough room to play, which is all that really matters. We have had to spend a lot of money to get all settled, which means I have been stressing a little and Thomas has had to be the calming effect, which he usually is anyway. It is just frustrating to buy things that you already have stored away....in TWO places in our case; by the time all this is over we would have bought pots, pans, dishes, bedding, electronics, cribs, etc all over the world, three times over, in Utah, Grenada, and England. We have met some nice people; a neighbor just above us that was so helpful in pointing us in the right direction for doctors, dentists, baking, internet.....she even offered her shower when we couldn't seem to get the water working. People from the ward have already offered us dishes and strollers...and Krew and I even have a playdate scheduled for tomorrow with people from the ward (I think we might be going to a museum where the kids can run around and explore). There are also a few married couples from the states here as well that seem like they will become good friends over the next year (well the wives at least....I think we all just become friends out of necessity, which is great). Other than that I haven't had much time to figure the area out....I need to master the metro first, which make me a little nervous, but it will all work out....everything always does. I guess that is what I have learned the most from all this craziness; that it is not craziness at all. It might seem like it, especially to someone like me that stresses more than usual, but it all works out, and more often than not, it works out better than you even planned because in the big picture, your plan doesn't mean all that much. Heavenly Father knows you from an eternal perspective; He knows the "you" before you came here, he knows the "you" now, he knows the "you", 10, 20, 30 years from now, and the "you" through the eternities. I have come to realize that his plan for me and my family is much more calculated than I could ever devise with my limited knowledge. I know that even if these experiences are challenging and uncomfortable, they are blessing in disguise, they certainly have been thus far. Well, hopefully I will start taking some pictures, so all of you can enjoying this place too, but right now I have the urge to watch a James Bond movie, or perhaps Harry Potter.....you know, really getting into the english spirit!!! Here are some winter break snapshots to keep you occupied.