From the looks of our self-done photo (even with my long arms, you still get the squishy-chin look of a self-done photo), you can see that the weather took a dramatic turn for the worse today. I could have been easily swayed to stay in and read, but 2 Papa was not to be deterred as he had spent hours the night before mapping out our adventure for the day. (Speaking of the night before, if you see that I'm on the computer at 9:00 P.M. your time, know that it's 3:00 A.M. my time so tell me to go to bed! I worked way too long on a project last night.)
Back to today, wide awake---Here we are on the top of a double-decker tour bus with winds gusting up to 70 miles an hour. The orange ear phones I'm wearing are not to my Ipod, but the tour guide. Notice, they do match my hat. Even though it was pretty cold, it was a great tour of the city, helping us get more acquainted with our new hometown.
Aside from the historic landmarks, we found more shopping areas and eating places. You know which one of us looks for eating and which one for shopping. My only purchase today was an amazing find, one that I had been searching for since we got here. Here it is---those little hangers that go over the bathroom door to hang your towel or robe. (WalMart, pay attention. Oxford needs you!) It's the little things that we take for granted, right? Now, I feel complete. There are no drawers, closets or cabinets in the bathroom, so I was desperate for something to hang things on. Great find!!! Now, for the eating places. I haven't been able to convince 2 papa that we are not on vacation. So far, he keeps choosing restaurants as if we're here for the weekend--something different each meal with an incredible menu. A few more weeks of this and we'll have to call home for the kids to send money. :) Oh yeah, if you're wondering how we're doing with our veggi-tale diet, we're doing great. However, we found a MacDonald's, KFC, and Burger King today and the temptation was pretty strong. There's something about finding American food, even food you won't eat in America, in a foreign country. You think you have to go in there---it's just so American. But we resisted. We also found a movie theater, which will be fun to visit later.
Everyday we see so many historical places--duh, Oxford been around since the 9th century---but today's visit to Oxford Castle was amazing. (Here's where those not interested in history can tune out.) The Castle, built in 1071, was built to protect the city and as a prison. It continued as a prison until it closed just 13 years ago in 1996. When you walk through it (101 steps in a spiral to the top) it's hard to believe that people actually lived in the horrible conditions of that prison so recently as 13 years ago. Now the buildings are being preserved and are open to the public for tours and a new hotel. The tour guide, dressed in 17th century dress, did a fantastic job telling some of the sad tales of prison life during it's existence. One story is of a seven-year-old little girl , sometime in the 1800's, who stole a pram (buggy) to put her doll in. She probably just intended to borrow it, but there was no difference between an adult or a child crime. She was sentenced to hard labor, meaning she had to shovel dirt and stone to built more of the prison. It made me so sad to think of that happening to Bella or Aslyn, my two seven-year-old granddaughters.
How fun it is that we can continue to hear from our family and friends while we're away. In some ways, it would feel like a prison, if this were not true. We just heard from Ryan (our son) about Aevin's football victory. In Ryan's words, Aevin's team put a stomping on the other team. Wow, a stomping when you're five must be pretty cool!
We are so blessed to live in a time when this is possible. I thought of the many people through the centuries who were imprisoned for false accusations. I thought of Paul, who spent many years in prison for the cause of Christ. Communication was restricted to letter writing, and that in itself, was very difficult. Yet, he wrote and wrote as he mentored to the followers of Jesus. In his letter in Ephesians (from The Message), he said, "In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."
What a great message for all us! When you began to feel as if you are inside a prison of maybe your own making, remember Paul's words and get up and run on to the road God called you to travel.
Tonight, we're determined to get to bed at a decent hour. Love you all and miss you greatly!
Hugs, 2 mama
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