A few of our favorites

Ali, Tristan, and Joey

Our time in England has come to a close, so I thought it would be appropriate to conclude by mentioning a few of our favorite people and things.  Kevin and I were tremendously blessed by a couple of friends who immediately reached out to and pursued friendship with us.  Tristan and Ali invited us into their home to share meals and fellowship.  I was able to go for walks with Ali and she helped me to find some of the essentials in life (ie Reese's).  Tristan and Kevin worked within a block of each other, so they were able to grab coffee.

Irene, me, and Sharon

My job in the local primary school proved to be a great joy as I was introduced to some of the most wonderful people.  Irene was the teacher I worked with daily and Sharon was another TA who was in our classroom 3 days a week.  Both of their friendships helped me to feel involved and invested in the community.  They welcomed me immediately with open arms and even after the school year ended, pursued and maintained friendship.  Kevin and I are hoping they (and their families) will consider coming to visit us in the US!

me, Hayden, Rona
(Bonnie "the cat")

Rona and Hayden were our neighbors.  They brought us tea when we moved in and also when we moved out.  They took care of mail and groceries when we weren't home to receive them and they even trusted me to watch their cat a couple of times when they were out of town.  We were really fortunate to have such kind and friendly neighbors!

Le Pain Quotidien

Borough Market
(Almond croissants)

Some of our favorite things included a quiet evening with a bottle of wine and the Mediterranean platter at Le Pain Quotidien (thank you, Luke, for introducing us to the explosion of flavor!).  The Borough Market was one of our favorite places to visit with the beautiful display of fresh produce, fish, poultry, olives, and baked goods.

One of the great blessings of our time in England was the opportunity to travel to many different countries.  From Scotland to Italy and Spain to Poland, we explored much of the history and culture of Europe.  It was amazing to see so much of the world.  We are very thankful for the great adventure of living overseas, but are happy to be returning to America.  God bless the USA.