Views...

Leaving Scotland was bitter sweet. It was beautiful there and I think we all loved being there but we had put a lot of miles on our feet and crammed a lot of things into the two weeks. I think they were ready to go home to their own beds and catch up on sleep. Travelling is amazing but exhausting! Making memories with family is the best! One day in the future we will sit down and share memories and everyone will remember something different and often remember the same events differently. Regardless, making memories together will always be worth more than the lack of sleep, crazy travel plans, or the money and time spent.

God opened a window by sending me to a place with no view.

That is a modified version of a statement I heard recently and I have adopted it as my motto.
I love being here in England but the one thing I have struggled with is that my apartment has no view to the outside other than one skylight which lets a bit of light in and where I can see the roof of the building next door and a sliver of sky. The skylight does not open so letting fresh air in is not an option either. My next house may be all glass or a tree house, Something like this would work.

Other than the lack of windows and the ability to let the morning breeze in, this apartment has worked out splendidly! It is safe, convenient to school, shops, the river and church so I really have been quite blessed. True to the quote above, I am "seeing" and learning things I might otherwise have missed. Gratefully it is NOT a prison cell and I can leave whenever I need to or want to and I do. It is in those other moments when, if I had a window or two, I might be preoccupied with what is going on outside or distracted by the neighbors (It is an apartment so neighbors can still be distracting) or the rain storm. Instead those moments, minutes, or hours have been filled with emotions and experiences that have allowed and required me to view life from different perspectives and to rely on my Heavenly Father in ways I never have before.

I may share more later but that is all for now.

It is a beautiful blessing to be in Kingston. There are so many wonderful spots within walking distance and I am grateful for any moment to be outside to enjoy the the weather, the views, and nature. It is funny how we get tired of certain things, like the weather, and then love it in someplace new. I hear the locals complain about the cloudy skies and the constant breeze and how they wish for blue skies and more sunshine. I just smile because I love the weather here and I am loving that it is June and the temperatures are still in the 70's!! I have always loved early morning walks when most of the world is still slumbering. It is quiet, peaceful, and rejuvenating. It is true here as well. England sleeps in much later than peeps back home.

Here are some recent views around Kingston. Spring is stunning here! Loving the baby animals and the flowers are gorgeous! I love poppies but that purple poppy, really! I hope your spring is just as fantastic!

Cheers!