And now we go to Janette on location in Edinburgh, Scotland....

I have now been working at Bruntsfield Medical Practice for two weeks and am loving it. It is a great job with many great people in a great location. More than that, I love it because it causes me to pray.

You see, when you are in a medical centre dealing with 12,500 patient's names, pulling files, putting files back, making appointments etc. I hear or see names all the time that cause me to think of people in my life. So, after a couple of days at work and my attention being drawn to many people (some a bit random) I decided to try something. Each time someone came to my mind I would say a little prayer for them. The first day I did this I tried to keep track of who and how many names I prayed for. After 38 I gave up and just prayed. So, you can pretty much bet that I am praying for you!

Other than the blessing of a good job, we had a wonderful weekend BBQ here with our North American (we have to include our Candadian friends too!) neighbors. Since we don't get Labor day off we did it on Sunday. It was really great fun to have everyone out in the gardens eating, talking and being "family" to one another. My friend Ann nominated me as the "social committee chair" but I graciously declined and said I was having a break from organized event-planning for now but would love to help. Go figure--me doing social events!

The girls both love school. Lily is now reading! Zoe is learning to spell her name in a new way since they don't say "zee" for the letter 'Z.' Instead, they say "zed" so now Zoe will say "my name is spelled "zed-O-ee" in her most distinguished "I know more than you" voice! I can't believe she is going to be 4 in a couple of weeks! She learned to ride her bike last week without ever using "stabilizers" (the British term for training wheels).

We are preparing for our good friends, Stephen and Rebecca Smith, to come and visit. It will come at a good time since they will be here for Zoe's birthday (they are one set of her god-parents) and for Dustin's first away-trip so I have some support.

Dustin started school today and I have not seen him so enthused about something in so long. He came home just like a little boy on his first day of elementary school wanting to tell me all about it--in detail!

Finally--I've found a place here in Edinburgh where I truly feel at home. It's amazing! When you step through the door, flash your membership card it's almost like being transported back to the states. Costco is everywhere isn't it!? We can even get those great muffins if we want! Try this out though, go to Costco, buy a load of stuff and push your "trolley" (British word for cart) out to the "car park" and realize, I took the bus here....I walked 1/4 a mile from the bus.....Costco doesn't "bag" the groceries and now what am I to do? Thankfully my friend Rachel was with me and we were able to split the price of a taxi! For just a "wee hour" I pretended I was back in Clackamas shopping.

Homesickness is a reality that I fight each day. I love my life here. I love my job. I love the routine my family is getting into but I don't love being so far away from all of you. So here's the solution...COME AND VISIT US!

Missing you, loving you and praying for you,
Janette