It's hard to believe that I've been back in NC for less than a month because the summer I spent in Scotland feels like several lifetimes away! I keep thinking of the Chinese idiom "One day, three autumns" which basically means that when you miss someone, one day can feel like a very long time. Which these past few weeks have, but I can't really be upset.. in just 90 days we fit in everything under the sun (and rain!): five birthday parties, concerts, road-trips, a theme park, museums, a week in Greece, sea glass hunting, castles, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo (search YouTube for videos, it was insane!), haggis, berry picking, a ghost tour of Glasgow and so much more! I'm still catching up with my blogs and photos!
Our most important task this summer though, aside from holding hands every waking second, was to finally decide where we'll move once we close the distance. I've always thought that we'd end up living in Scotland, but this summer we really looked at both countries and tried to weigh important factors such as support systems, job opportunities, the environment and school system we'll raise our children in, how hard it is to become a citizen, and how far away the nearest Taco Bell is. Neither country hit all the marks (why are UK visas so much harder to get than US? And why are all the TBells in England??) but in the end, Scotland won. I'm glad that I had the opportunity to really scope out my future home as well as meeting practically everyone Stuart's ever known! :P It was a blessing to spend so much time with such a loving family, to laugh and cry together, celebrate our engagement, and hold fast to each other through loss. So what's the next step for us? Just a little December wedding next year. :)))

