As we were sitting, waiting for the plane, we struck up a conversation with a couple across from us. They were going to Düsseldorf, Germany, by way of Philadelphia and Zürich. We discovered they were from Calvary Chapel in Saint Pete. She is a high school Special Ed teacher and we're going to try to find them (when we get back to the U.S.).

Just before we got on the plane, the four of us-held hands and prayed. Jay led the prayer. We prayed we would make the connection.

(No entries from Bonnie regarding the flight or being picked up by Robert.)

Saturday.
No baggage.

Jet lag set in - We just hung around the house (and) took naps.

The midwife Jan visited. Weighed Benjamin - he had lost another four ounces, so they decided demand feeding and supplements.

Around 5 o'clock we all decided to walk to CANVAS House - a great place. Of course the place was trashed from the conference - and they had these monkeys about a foot long with rubber band arms that you could shoot across the room and they screamed like monkeys as they flew - they had little helmets for the flights. I love this. Dad and Robert played ping-pong.

When shopping (at ALDI) for groceries - shocked they don't refrigerate eggs. You put in a 1£ coin to get a shopping cart - this releases it – (and) after you have shopped you return the shopping cart (and get your money back).

Robert and Natalie's car is FSU colors - great car- still trying to get on the right side (to drive) when the steering wheel is (on that side).

Sunday.
Midwife visit – Small weight (gain) - which is good.

Went grocery shopping again - very European - getting in the swing of things.

Naps for everyone except Robert and I played Scrabble – After nap Dad and I took a walk to UofB, translated University of Birmingham – what a place - feel like you stepped into a Harry Potter movie. Passed CANVAS House and Nat, Andy, Matt and Kyle had cleaned the whole place - WOW. Looked great. Nat ???? ???? off his face.

Walked back - fixed dinner - chicken, string beans, and resottas - ate around 9:00. Played Scrabble afterwards. Bed around 1:00.

Oh I almost forgot. Our bags were delivered at 6 PM. Hooray - I was beginning to think I have to go to Germany - fit right in with their smell.

Monday.
Wow! Slept until 8:30 - fixed breakfast - omelet - bacon - streaky bacon - toast, butter.

Robert off to a meeting at 10:30.

Did couple loads of wash. Washer is really tiny but sounds like a jet engine taking off when spinning – Dryer sounds like a vibrator – it's an extractor dryer - so extracts and heats the clothes. Washer takes over 40+ (lbs) so does the dryer - so picture doing a handful of dirty clothes every two hours - but it is a blessing.

Took a shower - by pushing a button to activate heating of the water. Feels so good.

Dressed Benjamin in a USA T-shirt. Cute cute cute. Read him a couple pages of the Bible - get that boy off to the right start! Sang to him - so he will become tone deaf. He's as cute as can be - Makes those faces that look like Mister Magoo.

Went to the Cadbury Factory. Very interesting walking tour. Showing my ignorance, I thought the cocoa bean grew like a coffee bean. Not. It grows in a large pod as a seed for the pod.They have to separatethey see for the fly. They have to separate the beans from the pod - Looks somewhat like mango - but bigger. We purchased some candy and walked back to the house.

Went to the CANVAS House for a cookout. It was a cookout honor the graduate. Wonderful people! Left after we ate - wanted to fix Natalie dinner and Skype the girls. Talked to Sandra and laughed until my sides ached. What a wo0nderful daughter, friend, and mother.

Skyped Karen and Braden made us laugh. We asked him what he saw at Disney. "Witch" "Octopus" "Wolf." Oh, amd a "FISH." They are too cute.

Emailed Anne - miss her terribly, as I do everyone! I praise the Lord. He gave me three daughters! Went to bed around 1:00 - upset about Benjamin crying!

Tuesday.
New day - new gift. Thank you Lord for this opportunity You have given Jay and me!

I forgot to mention - there is a Costco here, and it is so funny to see Kirkland product in England - a touch of home. Also every page has a "RECYCLE" or a "RECYCLE 0" sign on it. I like it! I haven’t seen Styrofoam.

Took the train to Birmingham. Walked to the station. Everyone is very helpful! Walked around the city-met up with three students we met at Canvas. Got free samples of raw Pepsi as we got off the train. A gentleman showed us where the direction to walk. (He) said a profound statement - he was retired - but he was time rich! What a great statement. Checked MacDonalds out - crowded - prices same as US except in pounds(£s;) - so a Big Mac meal costs about six dollars (US). Went to the Town Hall. Took an audio tour. Beautiful place for they had removable seats, so they could turn the hall into a banquet hall or banquet hall or dance floor. Beautiful ceelings and organ.

Walked down to the Canal Walk. What a wonderful place. Sidewalk café. A canal with long boats that are about four feet wide and 30-40 feet long. (The longboats can be hired) for tours or you can hire them privately (and travel with just your family). Walked along the canals and saw the locks that were so interesting - a long time ago the (boats were) used to transport goods through the canals; now they just use them for hire or pleasure. The flowers were beautiful. Walked in the opposite direction towards an exclusive shopping center called Mailbox. Went and got chips - potato wedges and chili sauce. And took the train back to the house - walked from the station.

Changed headed for the CANVAS House to prepare the food for the End of Year Banquet. We prepared potatoes, veggies, and Chicken Kiev. Chopped mint and parsley by hand - where is that American food processor? Had a blast serving the students - the banquet was great. At the start time 6:30 there may have been 15 students. By 7:30 there were over 45 students - so at 6:45 (while) we thought we were going to have a lot of food (leftover), God was the great provider. Robert was the Emcee for the evening and he did a great job. So handsome - so gifted.

After serving dinner - fixed Natalie a plate and walked back to the house. Natalie was all ready to go to the CANVAS House so Dad suggested she call Robert. He came to pick them up as we Skyped Sandra (for her) to see Benjamin.

Technology is so wonderful. We got to talk to Sandra, Seth, Savanah, Sydney, Anne, Braden, Daylin, Skyler, and Karen. Miss them so! They are all having a perfect week.

Natalie and Robert came back around midnight and we got to hold Benjamin. Dad got to see him for the first time in two days and he even got to hold him - not that I have issues. That's life!

Went to bed around 11:30. Can't get that transatlantic clock straight.

Wednesday.
Good morning. Up at 7:30. Crazy schedule. It gets light here around 4AM and gets dark around 9-10PM.

God may my thoughts and prayers be aligned with Your will today.

After prayer and Bible Study, Jay is awake, so we decided to take off for Warwick Castle. We become quite friendly with the man at the train station. He likes my earrings!

Got our tickets and headed for New Street station in Birmingham, where we we walked to Moor Street Station and caught the train to Warwick. From there we walked a mile to the castle.

The castle was extensive and had wax figurines like a Madam Toussaud Wax Museum. Each room depicted (activity that likely occurred there).

They had knights. Went to see the firing of a trebuchet - which is a (powerful) catapult with wheels. Saw a long bowman shoot arrows that he had made. Walked out the powers and around the top of the.

Saw a bird of prey show. Vultures, bald eagle, and the largest eagle. Great shows!

In part castle was done so well. A wonderful day

It rained - and poured. We got wet - got dry. After the castle we headed down the hill - the wrong hill. We finally asked someone who informed us that we were about one mile uphill (back) to the castle and another mile to the train station. We had a 4:20 train to catch and 20 minutes to get there. We made it - at a brisk pace to say the least. UGH!

Got to Moor Station and headed for New Station just in time to catch the train (home).

Walked home. Robert and Jay went out for fish and chips. Played cards.

Thursday.
Got up early. The midwife arrived around 9:30. Brought a scale. Benjamin had lost some more weight and (she) suggested they head directly for the hospital-so they left at 11.

Dad and I headed out for a walk and could do some shopping. Met some people from Canvas

Friday
Kept our shopping down because we had to carry it back

On the way back that the more people from Canvas

Robert emailed us to let us know they were just going in to see the doctor. Then another call telling us they were on their way home and the doctor called and wanted to run some blood tests-at that point he decided he was saying overnight.

Robert came home to get some things - We fixed a dinner for them and he headed back.

We’re all praying for Benjamin

The bumper pad I made for Benjamin’s crib was large-so I ended up redoing the bumper pad by hand-that took me all afternoon area

The joy of Skype. We were able to talk to everyone. I miss them

Friday.
Can’t believe it (is) one more day in country. This time has flown by.

Right now were waiting for a phone call from Robert about the bloodwork and see if they will discharge.

Apparently he's taken to formula - so that is good.

Robert called. Benjamin has gained weight. This is a big thing considering he's lost a pound of his birth weight. Meaning he weighs less than seven pounds now. They're requiring Natalie and Robert to supplement Benjamin with 18 ounces of formula each day. They will keep him overnight to observe the feeding. They are really strict about the amount.

We headed to Stratford on Avon. Loved the train ride.

We have to change trains in Downtown Birmingham. Today we had an hour between trains - so we went to China Town and to the open market. It was so interesting! Back on the train - beautiful ride - lots of fields, cows, and sheep - even saw baby lambs - so cute. Played "Boo," as the little girl in front of us called it. You just never see children except Robert and Natalie have a playground right across the street - so some children play there. It is so crowded between 5-7. I'm child deprived.

The walk from the train station to Shakespeare's birthplace was about 20 minutes. Such an interesting town. Parts of it look like Germany minus the flower boxes on the houses.

It's hard to imagine we were standing in the room of Shakespeare's birth. What an experience. The gardens were beautiful. The walls of the home were covered with campus painted and then mounted on wood that not only gave a beautiful effect, but it also created insullation. I guess if you wanted to redecorate you just took down the Canvas and put up new! Walls were insulated with wattle and daub.

We visited the home of Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna Hall - she never had children. Shakespeare only had two girls, the other daughter had three boys but they died young so Shakespeare's lineage died with his daughters.

We also visited the place where Shakespeare lived for 16 years and where he died. The structure is not there anymore; just the walls to the cellar. Apparently a priest bought the home and when they levied taxes on him, he got mad and demolished the house. That's why only the walls of the cellar remain! The garden in the back was called knot garden - beautiful patterns of flowers.

We walked down past the school Shakespeare attended and then we walked down to the Trinity Church where Shakespeare, his wife, daughter, and daughter's husband are buried. We walked along the Avon River, hence Stratford on Avon.

Stopped - I had a pastry pie. Traditional - chuck steak, potatoes and onion - delicious.

Mostly when we traveled we ate almonds and fruit and of course chocolate to settle our stomach. What a beautiful day - off to catch the train. Met a mother and son from Colorado. Doom and gloom travelers. Robert called and wants us to come see them at the hospital, so we headed that way!

We were met at this train station by Robert what a nice surprise. Walked to the Birmingham Children’s Hospital which is in a magnificent brick building. They have a private room, about 10 feet by 10 feet. Pretty austere. Littlest crib.

I got to feed Benjamin a bottle - and everyone Skyped us. It was great hearing their voices - they Skyped Robert's bone. Dad and Robert went out to get us dinner - they brought back Indian food - which I love. One of the dishes was shrimp - or shall I saw prawns -about 4" long and 2" diameter. Delicious. It was a combination of two kinds of rice - chicken curry - lamb - shrimp, sausage - cheese curry and chicken curry! Great choices - they did a good job.

We ate, Benjamin ate, and Robert drove us home! I did a load of wash, Skyped Sandra, and went to bed.

Saturday.
Cleaned the house.

Our last day in England. Waiting for a call from Robert to hear what the doctors say. The doctors are going to release Benjamin! We walked to the store for a couple things then we waited till around to walk to the train station at the screen and walked to the hospital - because Natalie and Benjamin were so waiting to be released. When we arrived Natalie was feeding Benjamin - so we helped carry out their things. They left for home and we left for downtown. They were having an International Food Festival so we wanted to do that, and we thought that they were having a Dragon Boat Race, but we were too early.

Took a canal boat ride - with a group of girls who were having a hen party - which translates to bachelorette party! Traveling down the canal on a boat was interesting. There are cafés along the way and hotels and residences with balconies - great experience. One hundred miles of canals around Birmingham.

Went inside the Symphony Hall. Magnificent. Ate sausage and onions and lamb kebob wrapped in pita with sauces - delicious. Headed home on the train.

Stopped for fish and chips at the Dolphin - walked back. Natalie and Benjamin were asleep Robert came down to spend time with us.

Around 8:30 Natalie and Benjamin joined us. He is so very cute. Fed him a bottle - a real joy.

Played a game of Scrabble. Natalie, Robert, Dad and I. Went to bed around 2:30-3:00 so 5:00 came really early.

Sunday.
Father’s Day. Long day - began at 5:00. Robert drove us to the airport. Miss him already. Plane took off on time. The audio on the (plane) phone (jack) wasn't working so no music or movies. Bummer.

Around arrived in Philly. Went through customs. Really easy. Pick up luggage and transferred. Play hearts on the computer to our way to the airport area. Philly cheesesteak at chalet meal. Uneventful flight-arrived 40 minutes early. Wow.

Called Anne. She was there almost the same time as (our) baggage.

Off to Checkers: Burgers and fries for all. It is good to be home. Anne cleaned the house. Sandra was waiting for us. What a street.

Although we weren't able to spend as much time with Natalie, Robert, and Benjamin; we had a fabulous adventure.