It's only been.....hmmmm.....two years or more!!!! YIKES!!!!! Time flies huh!
I've been looking back through this blog this afternoon and I've decided that it is time to get back into it. There are too many great memories here on this blog to leave them unattended in cyberspace. We've missed two years of life....two years worth of changes and lots of growing up, but that's not a good enough reason to stop blogging completely.
I considered starting a completely new blog, but I think that would be a shame. So a quick summary of the last two years should bring us up to date, and then I can *hopefully* start coming here and filling in the blanks a bit more often!
Anyone who knows me in 'real life' knows that we have been on a bit of an adventure the past few years. We packed up and moved across the ocean and now live in the UK again. For Kunle and I it was a homecoming, for the kids a completely new country......
.....So I guess that's why it's been a while since I've been here. We've had a lot of adjusting to do and it would be fair to say it took some time......
So updates....
Kunle and I have launched Sacrificial Love Marriage Ministry and are pleased with how things have progressed so far. God has taught us some valuable lessons in the process of setting this up....namely to go at His pace. The moment we 'got' this He began to show His face and we have been given the opportunity to speak into a number of couples lives in very 'God-ordained' ways. We look forward to the next year and know that He is getting us ready for the 'next level'.
In addition to this Kunle has been busy setting up his own Real Estate business which is going well. He is also 'chief dog walker' for our new family member....Max. We got a tiny American Bulldog puppy almost one year ago.....He is now a large bundle of energy and has taken over our house!
As for me, I have returned to the NHS, working again as an Occupational Therapist in Mental Health. I am doing contract work, and was told when I arrived back in the UK that times were tough at the moment and I might not find work immediately. Of course that is not my portion......I have not had one day without work since we arrived, in fact I have had my pick of contracts! At the moment I have a job that was supposed to last 6 weeks.....I am in my 6 month at the moment and I will be there for at least another three months! God is good!
Lola is now in High School....before you all pass out - it's not been that long....High School starts at 11 years old over here! The first few months were a big adjustment for Lola, I think she missed her friends and life in the USA the most out of all the kids - probably because she is the oldest. Despite that though, she is now well and truly English! Her American accent is all but gone for good! If you ask her what the thing she loves most about England she would more than likely say "Cadbury's chocolate"! Well, it is a significant improvement over Hershey's!!!
At the moment Lola is happily engaged in a number of activities including Netball, Drama and Glee club. She is learning Tennis with Daddy and is getting top grades at school. Lola has also become quite the fashion diva and I spend most weekends now straightening her hair and painting her nails.....fun huh! Oh....and she is almost as tall as me and has the same shoe size now.....yup - she's been 'borrowing' my shoes already!!!
Tayo had the hardest transition of all when we first arrived to the UK, as she had to change school twice in a few months. But Tayo being the trooper she is took it all in her stride and made friends wherever she was. She has a British accent too, but can pull off a mean southern twang whenever she wants to! She's blossoming into a fine artist just like her Grandad.....arts, crafts, building, creating, drawing, painting, jewelry making, pottery....you name it, she loves it! Her favorite club at school is '3-D art club'!! She has also been given the opportunity to learn the clarinet and recorder and spends quite a lot of time practicing her 'music'! As you can imagine she comes home from school on a regular basis covered in her 'art'! As well as the art, she is progressing well at Gymnastics and is often to be found practicing her routines in the front room.
When we left the USA, Niyi was a three year old boy, just out of babyhood. What a difference two years can make...He is now in Year one at school and is mastering reading, writing and maths. He is still a charmer with his big smile making him friends everywhere he goes....He spends every lunchtime doing whatever it is boys do, and comes home literally covered in mud! Out of school, this bundle of energy needs lots of channeling, so he goes to Football club and Karate. He plans on playing professional football for Tottenham from the age of 16! ;-)
As for Kemi, she of course can't really remember America. She is as English as can be, and sounds just like her favourite TV character Peppa Pig! Kemi can often be found playing with her imaginary friends 'Cookie and Tiffany' and is usually bossing them around! She is most interested in dressing like a princess, and can regularly be found in her wardrobe changing into the most unusual combinations of clothes....all pink of course! Kemi goes to nursery three days a week and absolutely loves it. With her big personality I think she runs things in her classroom! I can't believe in September she will be off to 'big school'!!
So that's two years in a nutshell!
We've gone from this:
to this:
in two short years!
We've enjoyed reconnecting with our family and meeting many nieces and nephews for the first time. Spending time with Grandma and Grandpa has been fun, and it has been great to see the kids have them around on a regular enough basis for this relationship to blossom.
We've traveled to some of the tourist hotspots we wanted to, but not enough.... so 2012 will see a bit more sightseeing for us! I'll share as we go around the UK!
Update over.....I'll be back soon!
