london calling...

Hello world, we are alive again! Finn and I have been dreadfully ill this past week-scratch that-Chase, Finn and I have been sick off and on for 2 months now. Everything that's "gone around" has made quite the little home in our flat. After antibiotics Dr. says to just rest and wait it out, which of course I hate, because we only have a little over a month before we return to the States and I plan on not wasting any time waiting or resting. Anyway, after a week of Finn and I lying in my bed all day with books and medicine and juice, we are finally out and about. Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement this week, we felt them each day as we healed.

Last weekend we drove down to Kent to stay with Uncle Howard and Auntie Jane, whom we met for the first time in October. They are relatives from Chase's side of the family, but are now VERY dear to Chase, Finn, and I. Chase and I have both been to London a few times before, but never together. Uncle Howard spent Saturday giving us an insider tour of London, we took oodles of pictures, here's a few to share.

I think we decided that we took almost every mode of transportation that day besides flight to tour the city. After a taking the car to the train station we took a train into town, and boarded a boat and toured the Thames. Finn started feeling ill during the day, but was mostly tired and willing to stay bundled in his buggy.

Our boat took us to Greenwich, were we had lunch at a lovely pub and walked through the Saturday market. Above are Howard, Finn, and I at the Tower of London Palace, below are Chase and Finni as we walk under the Thames to catch the Underground to go back into down town.

I took this picture for my brother Steven, he'll know why... Oh and we got to ride on one too!

After a long day of truly "seeing" London, we cabbed to the train station. Here is "lovely little Finn" (as Auntie Jane called him) having a cuddle on Uncle Howard, whom he grew VERY fond of.

Jane had a lovely supper awaiting us when we arrived home in their AMAZING Oast house (which Chase and I want to re-create and live in). Below are Alex and Emma (we wish we could have met their sister Charlotte), which are Chase's 3rd cousins, their Mum Libby is Howard's sister, whom we met in October as well. Since we are so close in age we laughed the night away and compared differences in schooling and social aspects between the UK and USA.

Unfortunately we didn't get any (and I literally mean NONE AT ALL) sleep that night, both Finn and I had massive fevers and aches through the night. Chase took care of us both (and thankfully we didn't wake Howard and Jane) and we were grateful when morning finally arrived. I have to say I felt awful, obviously because I was sick, but I felt an awful imposition for Howard and Jane who took great care of us. 

Chase went to church with Uncle Howard on Sunday morning to witness Howard ringing the church bells, which Chase said was totally awesome, and truly an art.

Both Chase and I feel we have never met a more hospitable and delightful couple ever in our lives. Aside from being sick, we had THE most wonderful time with them, and are grateful to call them family. We only wish we could spend more time with them while we are here, but we are already planning to come back again very soon. It makes me smile thinking about Finn having so many cuddles with Uncle Howard and Auntie Jane, he very much loved them, and we all were very much loved by them.

Both Finn and I slept the drive home and slept through the night (which Chase was VERY thankful for) a few days later, we are all feeling much more ourselves. Chase and I planned to have this be a weekend at home in Chester, as we are travelling the rest of the weekends we are here, I'm so glad we decided that since we truly needed this time at home to mend.  Xo!