4 Weeks In Oxford

Knowing that we are only here for a year, I already feel like the time is flying by!  There are so many things we want to do and see while we are over here, but I feel myself getting sucked into routine already.  We are tied down by EC's school schedule.  Jones has begun his school, and it will get more and more stressful I'm sure.  Tomorrow is family day at the business school, and I'm looking forward to meeting some more SBS wives.  I know there are more out there that I haven't met yet.
In the past week I had the opportunity to meet more cool American girls here in Oxford.  There's Mary Catherine, who went to Samford--so cool to meet a fellow Samford girl, even if she's 8 years younger than me!  Then, I met Laura, who is an herbalist from San Francisco--I can't wait to learn from her vast knowledge of health and wellness.  There's Corrie who lives on my street and is also from San Francisco and commutes to London to work for Google.  Of course I have Livia, my neighbor a few doors down who is an amazing girl from Oregon.  Livia has a daughter who is A's favorite person on earth.  And, not to forget Stephanie, who I met online and knew we would be friends before actually meeting.  Steph is from Dallas and has 2 adorable girls who EC adores.  And, my friend, Jill from Texas who has lived in the UK for a few years and knows the ropes!
Today it rained and rained and rained.  I don't think it stopped all day.  Luckily, Jill, a sweet friend from church, offered to pick us up in her car and take Steph and her girls as well as A and me to an indoor play area that was really fun.  It was like a giant Chick-fil-a play area without the yummy chicken nuggets.  Then, she kindly drove us to Sainsbury's mega-store. I got to pick up a few groceries and look around at all the fun stuff.  Her kindness in reaching out to us can only be explained by God working through her.  Jill epitomizes the body of Christ, thinking of others and offering them something they would never ask for!  I feel so lucky (but maybe it's not just luck!) to have found a church and wonderful Christian influences right away.  That was totally unexpected.
Then there are the mums at EC's school.  There are so many of them who have reached out to me, as they know I'm a foreigner (believe me, they know!)  Despite my funny stories of the mum who labeled me as "the mum who gives her daughter crisps in her lunch everyday," most of the other mums have been so friendly and warm.  I love chatting with them on the playground after school on days that aren't rainy like today.
I feel lucky to have such a great community around me already.  Lucky, blessed, happy, and fortunate.