the inordinately large photo blog.

   We've finally gotten some internet at our new place so I can finally catch you all up from the last two or so weeks. Hopefully this will all format correctly to the actual post, but let's not hold our breath.

First of all, it was with a heavy heart that we had to leave Cael behind, but when he looks like this and he's in the care of such wonderful family we have to be glad and just miss him for a little while. (Thanks, Drew and Kelsey!) This is him in his very exciting new backyard in Greensboro, NC.

Cael in his new habitat. :)

When we arrived in Edinburgh, we were greeted by Tessa, Jeremy's aunt, and she took us back to their home in New Town, which is row after row of gorgeous Georgian architecture. They were wonderful  hosts to us as we settled into our new city and looked round for a flat of our own. Thanks so much to Paul and Tessa Clowney for putting us up, feeding us, and letting us put our own weight a bit round the flat! Here are some photos from our stay there.

Front door to Paul and Tessa's

The lovely architecture of New Town.

Our room.

The stairs we had to climb to get there.

The writing spot I frequented at our window, with tea, of course.

Here are some neat shots I got from our window there. The first just as the sun was beginning to set, and the second was in complete night--the light is from the city lights and if you look closely you can see the stars as well.

Dramatic clouds are an everyday occurrence here.

It's just as lovely at night, is it not?

Naturally, we did some sight-seeing during our first weeks here. Some along with some friends, Billy and Katie, who came to see us from Belfast (via vacation in Mallorca). This city is vibrant with culture, heritage, and history--we've only begun to taste all is has to offer. From St. Mary's Cathedral in the West End of Edinburgh, to Edinburgh Castle on Castle Rock, New College in Old Town and the Royal Mile, Arthur's Seat in Holyrood Park--a haven dropped right into the middle of the city, to the Scott Monument and more, Edinburgh is not a place to be seen in one day.

A cathedral we passed nearly everyday in New Town.

Inside said cathedral, St. Mary's.

Our first view of the castle, we were rather surprised by it actually.

A more composed view of castle rock and Edinburgh Castle.

New College, house of Theology at Uni of Edinburgh, right below the castle.

Right in the middle of the city actually--on the way to Arthur's Seat.

Edinburgh at night.

We caught the end of the Fringe Festival, denoted by fireworks at the castle.

I have so many more photos of things we've done and seen, but I think I would be sitting here for weeks if I uploaded and captioned all the photos I'd like to for you. To pick just a few more, Edinburgh has a number of beautiful graveyards which are a beautifully somber thing to explore here. Greyfriars is right within the Old Town, and houses a number of mentionable things--one being Greyfriar's Bobby, the loyal dog who watched over his master's grave for fourteen years. As well as Flodden Wall, a commemoration of the Scottish lives lost at the Battle of Flodden against James IV. Another graveyard I've visited is Saint Cuthbert's which is situated on the edge of New Town off Princes Street, nestled in the shadow of castle rock. Here are some photos I captured at both these yards.

Flodden Wall at Greyfriar's.

St. Cuthbert's

Shaded rows, St. Cuthbert's.

Beneath Castle Rock, St. Cuthbert's.

  Now, of course, the reason we are here is because I am going back to school. I've done a few things at the school so far, but classes don't start until this coming Monday. International Day was this past Sunday which began with a welcome ceremony in McEwan Hall; there are over 8,000 international students at the University of Edinburgh this year, both undergrad and postgrad! Jeremy and I explored the sprawling campus which melts right into the city surrounding it. Most of my classes will be in George Square which is about a five or ten minute walk from the Royal Mile. We went to Old College which is actually undergoing an archaeological dig at the moment which can be read about here. It was fun exploring the different facets of this huge school, especially when compared to the college Jeremy and I both graduated from in Montreat with it's total student population of something like five hundred. Jeremy and I ventured out and went to an indie night at Teviot House, which is one of the student unions at the Uni (it has three bars inside it!). We ended up really liking one of the bands we heard called Kid Canaveral (check 'em out!), and though we enjoyed ourselves we couldn't get over how young the people around us drinking alcohol were. They looked about twelve! We also thought that the lead singer of Kid Canaveral looked like a perfect combination of Jeremy and our friend Billy May!

McEwan Hall, the graduation hall for UoE.

Old College.

Dig at Old College.

Kid Canaveral. (Billy/Jeremy lovechild?)

So I've finally arrived at our new flat. I don't have decent photos yet, but I will leave you with the gorgeous view I have from my kitchen window. For those of you that know me, yes, it really does help me enjoy doing dishes!

Kitchen view, and CLEAN DISHES!

I will leave you with a typical sight seen anywhere around Edinburgh, though this one was particularly endearing so I snapped a photo.

Old man in a kilt!

Till next time, lovely readers! It won't be so long before another photo post that I'll have to post one like this again, never fear!

Caitlin

grey and rainy--a day for writing and wonder.

I am watching the rain fall over New Town from my third floor open and unscreened window with a cup of tea in hand. I am also listening to it fall softly, rhythmically, upon the neatly rowed Georgian houses and on the trees in the walled gardens behind them. I can also smell that rain, and it is a smell that never fails to put me at ease.
I can faintly hear the noises of the city around me, but the sights and sounds of the rain are far too captivating for me to really notice.
I find it rather humorous that of the almost ten days we've been here I chose to write here or in my journal on the only two days on which it has rained. So looking back to this time it might seem that it was raining nonstop from the time we arrived. But that is so far from the truth, it has been sunny and warm for every other day, and even cleared up to such conditions on the other day that it rained this week. I suppose it is safe to infer that I prefer to write on rainy grey days than on warm sunny ones.
This city truly is amazingly beautiful. I wish I could post photos, but I cannot until we find a flat and I can get my other computer set up. But photos there most certainly will be once we find a place. We looked at another flat yesterday, and we're really praying we get it. It's literally only about a minute's walk to my school, and wonderfully located for everything else in the city centre. We found a little coffee shop called the Beanscene just round the corner from this flat, and we sat there about about an hour the other morning just taking everything in--it was perfect. I'm so excited for our time here, and feel so blessed to be able to have an opportunity like this. I am ready for us to have a place and school to start, because it still feels a bit like we're on vacation, and I feel a bit displaced without a place to call my own.
But regardless, we're loving it here and really enjoying exploring our new home.

Caitlin

in edinburgh.

We're here! It's beautiful and quite lovely here, for the second day it has been sunny all day. I can't post photos yet because we don't have our iMac set up yet, but I will as soon as I can. Just know that we're here, and we're happy, and we're absolutely loving this city.

God is so good.

Over and over again, God has proven himself faithful. When things seem to be at their worst, and we don't think we'll make it, and we're crying out in desperation, "Lord, please. Please take care of us." And we finally after trying time and time again to do it ourselves, put our trust and faith in Him completely. And He comes through for us. Every time. First with the visas, and now with the car. Praise the Lord, we sold the car today. We're signing it over and getting paid for it tomorrow--the day before we leave. I don't have time to give you a full update, so the next time you hear from me we'll be in SCOTLAND! I have time for only this, God is good. Jeremy is an amazing organizer--we got more into the back of that bug than I ever thought could fit into that little thing. I miss my pupper, but I know he's in wonderful hands with Kelsey and Drew. I also miss my best friend, Chelsea Rose, but am so excited for where we both are in our lives, and where we are going.
See you on the other side!

hallelujah!

Our visas have been officially approved and issued. Just waiting for the UPS man to deliver them into our hands. Storage unit also gotten and paid for. Now just to sell the car. And, since I'm watching it now, for Liverpool to beat Manchester City today. Come on you Reds!
God is so good!

preparing.

Yesterday was quite a wonderful day. It all began with an early morning latte and writing session on the porch of Moments Coffee Shop on a drizzly mountain morning. I always love getting up with Jeremy and going into work with him. I get to sit, shop to myself, and think, read, write, and take some time for myself, for repose. Here's an excerpt from my journal entry yesterday morning: 

This grey morning is no doubt how I'll normally be greeted by mornings in Edinburgh. Lucky for me, these mornings are my favorite. There is just something about those shades of grey tinged with a golden morning lavender, and the clouds weaving their sodden way between mountain peaks, leaving a light mist to rise out of the sleepy trees.

I cannot really describe the feeling I have when I think about where we'll be in two weeks' time. It's a kind of anxious excitement tinged with a looming fear of the unknown. It's a bit like the feeling I had before leaving for college at Montreat, but magnified and shifted slightly.

It's always nice to commit my feelings to paper, it's a kind of therapy in itself, and always makes me feel better, for a little while at least.

I also went on a long walk yesterday morning with Chelsea, and my loyal pup up and around Montreat. It was nice to get out and be active, while having wonderful company and conversation as well. Montreat will always have a special place in my heart, there's just something so peaceful about that sleepy mountain valley that never ceases to ease my fears and anxieties for a time.

Chelsea and I also decided to do a bit of shopping yesterday afternoon as well, and I found my school bag. The school bag for this coming year that I have been searching for for months now. Something that's not a backpack and not a laptop bag either, but something that will carry both my mini-computer and a few books as well as double as a purse. Not only did I find this bag, it's also bright green--which is perfect. It has plenty of room and many useful pockets, as well as a little change purse that is attached, which is perfect because so much of the money I'll be carrying around will be coins. It also comes with a little umbrella with a pocket for said umbrella, which I'll most definitely be needing on occasion in Scotland. It's perfect, and I'm so glad I got it.

I also received my new glasses in the mail yesterday. I've always wanted some tortoise shell glasses and I finally ordered some at the beginning of August and got them in the mail yesterday. They're quite scholarly, and seem to perfectly fit the coming chapter of my life. They totally make me look smarter. :) Heehee.

Yesterday evening was also wonderful for I was able to spend it with some of my best friends that I made at Biltmore this past year. Incidentally they are some of the people I trained with last year, and we've been close ever since. Marcy had us over for beer, guacamole (with salt!), and delicious burgers on the grill. Marcy and her husband, Bob, were of course there, Jeremy and I, and Fred was there as well. It was great to get together and talk and joke around again. I'll surely miss them all. 

Marcy had also gotten me some earrings that I've been wanting since training last year. At Biltmore, within Antler Hill Farm is a blacksmith named Doc Cudd. He is absolutely amazing, so if you're ever there you must go see him. But he makes this little leaf earrings, by hand, and they're incredibly beautiful and unique. Everyone loves them so much and as soon as he makes them, they're off the shelves, and I haven't been able to get any this whole year. Marcy, amazing lady that she is, managed to get a pair for me (and for herself as well), and I'm so excited about them. Fred made me a CD of some songs from when he was in the Marine Band and went to the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London in 1992 and played with the Royal Marines and some awesome bagpipers, plus some Loreena McKennitt, which you can never go wrong putting on a CD for me. The first song playing on my player down below is one that he gave me, though performed by a different bagpiper--I couldn't get the actual songs he gave me on the playlist. But yet another perfect gift!

I am blessed with wonderful friends, and will miss them all dearly.

Caitlin

two weeks to the day.

Yes, that's right. Two weeks from today (technically tonight at 6:25) Jeremy and I will have gotten everything finished and packed and be boarding a flight to London where we will then hop another flight to our new home in Edinburgh, Scotland. It still doesn't feel completely real. Like I've said numerous times, I don't think that it will until I'm on the plane or maybe even on the way from the airport in Edinburgh to Jeremy's aunt and uncle's flat. As I sit here, two weeks from my departure, I look around me realize, for the millionth time, that there's still so much to do. And when I say that, at this point, it's really just a bunch of stuff to take to Kiwanis or Goodwill, and a few things here or there to finish packing. So while it feels like a lot, I think it'll go by really quickly. The one little thing that is still eating away at my mind whilst I do everything, even sleep, is the fact that we have yet to hear about our visas. Those little things could make or break our next two weeks. If don't receive them before we're due to fly, we technically cannot enter the United Kingdom at all, which makes sense because I sent our passports along with our visa applications, as well as other important supporting documents. I know this is what we're supposed to be doing, and that the Lord will come through, but I can't help but stress out--it's what I do. It's only really been five business days since they began processing it, which was the minimal amount of time they said it might take, so it's not like they're long overdue to get us back our stuff. I know everything will come through, I have faith, but sometimes it is hard to maintain. I had tea with Chelsea's mom last week, and she reiterated to me something that Chelsea had already told me numerous times, something that has been an almost mantra in their family for years:
Don't doubt in the dark, what He has shown you in the light.
Hear that, Caitlin? You know Scotland is where you're supposed to be. Don't fret and doubt now that things have gotten difficult. Take heart, have faith. The Lord provides.
I'll keep you updated as these next two weeks progress, and inform all my lovely readers when our visas are approved. :)
 I must go, for who can resist a face like this begging you to take him outside?

 

Stalwartly waiting,
Caitlin