Catching Up

Well, if you're reading this, it's a wonder that you ever check this site! In all my good intentions, it seems blogging gets last priority. Sometimes I'm amazed that people read this stuff...the everyday details (or in my case really, every month or so details) of what's going on in the Patterson family. I think that's part of the reason why I don't blog so much any more. Our life, at least to us, can be often times very mundane. I'm sure many of you are thinking, "what????, these guys just moved to Northern Ireland." It's true though. I think life anywhere in the world, no matter the destination can have a tendency to get mundane in the details. The grass is not always greener elsewhere...em, unless you come to Ireland, but the sky is not any bluer, that's for sure...

Here's a good example of mundane...I bleached 3 out of my 4 JCrew long sleeve t-shirts. Now these are the staples of my wardrobe, ruined! Not only are they ruined, but they're irreplaceable, at least until my next trip to The States, in which case, it will surely be a different season with different colors. Hmph! So that's the type of excitement that happens in the Patterson household, even though we happen to be living on an island a third of the way around the world (or somewhere thereabouts).

We've got a "whirlie" clothesline, you know those things that stick out of a post and then fold out with clothesline wrapped about it so you can get loads of clothes hung in a relatively small space, and then as the wind blows it spins it around a bit? Well, we've got one of those. It's one of the practical things that I really wanted to get as soon as we arrived here. Although I hate all other parts that involve laundry (the sorting, washing, folding, ironing, etc.), I just LOVE hanging laundry outside and then taking it in. It feels so organic, so healthy. Wes and I are having difficulty guessing when rain will arrive or not. Really it's for the most part cloudy here all the time. Certainly there are times when it's cloudier than others, but I don't ever remember seeing a completely clear blue sky. It for the most part looks like the clouds are threatening to release their moisture in a downpour at any moment, so hanging laundry outside is pretty risky business. We've had a few load of almost dry laundry get soaked, but we'll get better at it I'm sure.

Oh, and another organic feeling thing. We got a big 'ol compost bin for only five pounds! That's quite a deal, and it even came with a kitchen bucket with lid to store your day's worth of compost until you bring it to the bin! Sweet. I was so excited about this, and then calling the waste management facility in our area and purchasing it. It was a little victory in a place where sometimes getting the smallest thing accomplished seems to take quite a bit longer than I'm used to. So, in the end, we have a place that we can pitch our compost-worthy waste, other than the garbage. That in itself is a really good thing, because we can only fill one "wheelie" bin and it's collected every two weeks.

I'm trying to get all the existing beds of weeds cleared out so that come next spring, I can turn in all the compost and have a lovely fruit and veg. garden. It's a bit of a process, but I think it will be worth it in the end. I'm hoping that, we'll end up saving a bit of cash, and also enjoy the benefit of organic produce from our own labors. I can hardly wait until spring, but will have to use the winter to plan out the garden layout and determine when things need to be planted. This is really all new to me, but I've dreamed about this for a long time!

Other news about why we're really here:

The internship is going well. It's just started actually and will be a great experience for both Wes and I, especially as we gear up to church plant. To be able to see the intricate details of church workings, will be so helpful for us. Doing this sort of thing with a child is going to make it extra complicated, but we have no doubt that Gwyneth being here is all part of the grand plan.

We also wouldn't even be able to speak highly enough of our new church home, The Belfast City Vineyard. It's really an amazing church. We have felt so welcomed here by the people and are starting to recognize a number of familiar faces as we head into Sunday mornings. It's been a warm, inviting and comfortable place for us, and although we miss our dear Duluth Vineyard, I think where we're at is quickly feeling like home.

Late in September, I begin my pre-registration classes for becoming a registered childminder (daycare provider). I'm really excited to get started with that. Taking care of Gwyneth on a daily basis is wonderful, but I know that she would desperately like more interaction with other children, not just mom and dad (maybe she's already entering her 16 yr. old stage early when she thinks we're so boring). I'm also looking forward to taking on some kids and just loving them to bits and helping them grow and develop into their potential. I think about when I was working full time, how important it was for me to be able to leave my child in a place where I knew they were being loved and taught positive behaviors, not just kept safe, fed, and changed. I'm excited to help give parents peace of mind while they leave their child as they go to work. Please pray that God would bring the right children into our home.

Wes is looking for jobs currently. There seems to be opportunity out there, but he may run into difficulty proving that he has the credentials for what he applies to since the US system is a bit different than the British one (obviously). We're praying though that God would bless him with a job that will give him the type of hours and pay, to allow him to give a lot to this internship as well.

Really, that's about the news. Oh, and Gwyneth is doing well. She seems to be suffering through some of the Irish bugs here, especially after Sunday morning when she's around kids her own age. I wonder what type of American illnesses she's passing on to them. Apart from that though, she's just been lovely.

I'll have to put of pictures next time...after I charge the camera and then take the pictures. It's on my to-do list.

Cheerio!

Now That's a Summer Vacation!

We're now all in Belfast, as the majority of you already know. It's the end of a summer vacation to remember, packed with lots of important visits. Wes and I are both terrible and chronicling our lives with photos. I don't know about Wes, but to me, taking photos feels like a nuisance, so I put it off and then I realize I hardly have any. The ones we have, I figured I'd share. First, I'll give you our long-winded itinerary to prove this was a whopper of a trip!

Duluth, MN to New Ulm, MN to visit Grandma and Grandpa Patterson, Great Grandma Patterson and Auntie Dani
Approx. hours in car: 6
Highlights: The Minnesota Zoo, the froggy pool, Gwyneth being spoiled to her heart's content, eating at a drive in, just basking in our newfound freedom

New Ulm, MN to Morton, IL via Milwaukee, WI to visit More Nana and Granny and Grandpa Williams
Approx. hours en route with pit stop in Milwaukee: 12
Highlights: Eating Kopps ice cream with More Nana, BBQing with Granny and Grandpa, more swimming, July 4th fireworks, Eating corn on the cobb and watermelon in massive amounts, getting a date night and going to the Shakespeare Festival

Morton, IL to Chicago, IL to visit Auntie Lainey, Uncle Colin, Cousins Oliver and Lauren and Auntie AJ
Approx. hours in car: 3
Highlights: Playing with cousins Lauren and Oliver, celebrating Lauren's birthday, eating Giordano's deep dish pizza, swimming in the pond, seeing Auntie AJ. Stupidly, no photos taken of this fun.

Chicago, IL to Washington D.C. via Newark, NJ to see the sites of our nation's capitol (seems fitting when we're about to leave the country) and also to see our dear friends the Wiehle's
Approx. hours on plane: 3 Approx. hours in car: 3
Highlights: leaving Newark, NJ, seeing all the sites and free museums, spending time in Georgetown with our friends, Gwyneth getting kissed by the president (just kidding on that one)

Washington D.C. to Sound Beach, NY to see Auntie Charlotte and Uncle Lewis
Approx. hours in car: 6 for Lesley and Gwyneth 10 for Wes (he had to go back to the IHOP in NJ and pick up my wallet that I left behind...not a happy moment for anyone, especially Wes)
Highlights: Seeing the Atlantic, Gwyneth getting her toenails painted by Auntie Charlotte, Wes and I stealing away for a day to see all of New York City while Gwyneth was in the care of her Auntie and Uncle. Lesley was truly sad that she didn't see any movie stars. Again, stupidly, no photos taken.

Sound Beach, NY to Belfast, Northern Ireland
Approx hours in car: 6 Approx hours in plane: 6
Highlights: Unpacking our suitcases


Gwyneth with Great Grandma Patterson and her daddy


Gwyneth with Grandma and Grandpa Patterson who took great delight in spoiling her rotten


Gwyneth showing More Nana the wonders of her belly button


Granny and Grandpa Williams' Secret Garden


I had compassion on and "ugly" flower and took it's picture as well...turns out it was beautiful, even with its faults


Gwyneth finds her passion: watermelon


One picture passed on to us to help document Gwyneth's rafting at Colin and Elaine's lake place


Example of bad photography. This is what happens when you're hurriedly taking a photo of your child in front of the White House (see the White House? No not really? What about that lady's rump?...hmph, like I said bad photography)


We spent and afternoon in Georgetown with our wonderful friends Anthony and his wife Su Yun and Tai Yun.


Don't they look thrilled to be at the Washington Monument?


Gwyneth reflects upon the sidewalk at the Pool of Reflection. If you look closely, you can see Air Force One in the sky (again just kidding, although we were often looking up at the sky to see if the president's helicopter was flying over)

The Beginning of a New Blog

I just wanted to let you know that we've started another blog to chronicle our church-planting efforts. It's www.thepattersonplant.blogspot.com. Guaranteed excitement!

This one will be maintained as well, so don't worry!

It's Been a Long Time

So, it's been a long time, and we've been busy. Gosh, we've had a moving sale, packed up all our remaining belongings, cleaned our house, sold our house, said what seemed like a million goodbyes (just about all of the tear-jerkers), and now we're in limbo land visiting friends and family before we leave for Belfast on August 1st. Now I think that's a good excuse.

We've enjoyed our time thus far with Wes' family and now my family, and it's been filled with lots of activity. Who knew that vacation could wear us out this much.

In the midst of vacationing, I got a little bit ambitious (maybe too much) and have sewing AND knitting. By golly, I've got to get in my last minutes of time with any sewing machine available. I'm sure there will be one somewhere in N. Ireland, but it somehow seems more convenient to do it now when I've got my mom's sewing machine and advice readily available. So, thus far, I've made a top and a skirt and will make an additional top and skirt. I really like the final results, and maybe one day I'll post pictures, but not tonight.

I found this amazing yarn today at a farmer's market, that was handspun and dyed by a really nice lady and for a whole skein of it, it only cost $5. Now I don't know that much about knitting, but I know a bargain when I see one. I almost felt guilty for not offering more, but I only had $5 cash, unless she wanted a handful of pennies. So, while Gwyneth napped today, I madly knit up a cloche to bring over the sea with me, after all, it's so cold there that I could probably even put it to good use even in the summer!

Anyway, here's some random fun pictures, as well as a picture of the hat.

Gwyneth tries to get away on the neighbor kid's 3 wheeler



I just thought this was a cute photo



Family photo (this was as good as it was going to get...we got tired after setting up the timer and shooting about 15 different photos, which always seemed to have one screwed up face)



Voila - the hat! The photo just doesn't do the colors justice unfortunately

"Bed Training" Final Episode???

I think we may have victory. Of course children seem to be finicky things and one day something works perfectly for them and the next, you can do the same exact thing and it's filled with horror. Gwyneth spent the night in her bed, except for the two times she fell out of it and we found her sleeping on the floor beside it shortly after the "thuds." We were able to effortlessly put her back in bed. She did wake up at 3AM crying, but stayed in bed as she was calling out for "mommy." I went to cuddle her back to calm and didn't hear a peep from her until 8:17AM. I did find her out of her bed when I got up, paging through her favorite book, but she still had an imprint of her ear on her arm left from sleeping on it, so I knew that she hadn't been up for long.

Our little girl is growing up!

"Bed Training" Part Deux

It seems as we may have a success tonight as well! Here's to hoping. Gwyneth was put down at around 7:45PM. It's now 8:38PM. She's actually stayed in bed and under the covers (another 1st) this whole time, except just a couple times, where she actually hobbled over in her sleep sack to pick out her favorite book. I caved it and read it to her (shame on me) which cued another quick set of out of bed, back in beds. Now she's tucked in one more time and totally quiet. Bravo Gwyn!

We've been trying to get her really excited about this whole new sleeping arrangement and I think it's really worked. When Wes got home today, he looked at her new "bed" and told her how big she was getting, etc. She's been getting really good at putting all her stuffed animals to bed, Teddy, Bear-Bear, Red (another bear), Thing (an "ugly doll"), Ellie the Elephant, and Baby.

Maybe this is just the calm before the storm and I should be knocking on wood, but I didn't expect it to be so easy! We'll see what morning brings. She does the occasional stirring at 4 or 5AM and then goes back to sleep, but without boundaries, she may skip the going back to sleep part, which could present a nightmare...but for now, I'll be a proud mama! If we can do this, I think we may avoid problems in the future, as the early toddler will is not so strong as the advanced toddler will. I'd rather teach her "bed boundaries" during the early toddler stage.

"Bed Training"

Well, the Patterson household is facing many changes, all of them largely revolving around the move to Belfast. With a little one in the picture, keeping the balance is especially tricky. We're trying to figure out what the best way to approach such a move is - would it be better to continue nursing until after our arrival, or stop now, would it be better to potty train her now, or later, would it be better to get her used to sleeping in a bed now since she will soon be crib-less in 3 weeks and without a pack n' play shortly after, or do we wing it? Nothing seems easy about these transitions with a toddler in everyday life, but it all seems much more complicated when making a transatlantic move.

Today we decided to try giving up the crib and getting her used to the mattress on the floor, which means that she has a newfound freedom when she's supposed to be sleeping. Right before her nap, I took down her crib, vacuumed the floor, and set the mattress in the empty space. Gwyneth thought it was all exciting. She had no problem when I put her into her new boundary-less bed for her nap time. However, the problem was in keeping her there. We had a battle of the wills for the first 13 minutes. I'd listen for her movements outside the door, she'd crawl off the mattress and I'd jump the gate and silently, but sternly put her back in bed. At first she thought it was quite a fun game, then she started to comprehend that I meant business. After a few more test escapes, she flew her white flag and succummed. I sat outside her door and waited for a few minutes of no sound or movement, and by 12:20, she was fast asleep! Success! Now I'm not sure how sleeping through the night will go, but I'm sure we'll go through this again tonight...and here's to hoping. In the meantime, we're going to practice tucking in her stuffed animals, saying "nightie-night" and giving them the good-night kiss.

Oh, other news on the front. Gwyneth got her first blood-sucking parasite! Yesterday, I pulled off a fat, disgusting wood tick. I generally have a strong stomach and have no problem with the standard "gross out" situations or conversations, but I felt like I could easily throw up at the sight of the creature. Ick. Unfortunately, I have a feeling that this may not be the last experience of that type. Someday, she'll probably come home from school with head lice and infect us all!