tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20700502899322157202012-02-16T21:56:27.899ZMonicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.comBlogger201100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-28517235406014552892012-02-10T22:27:00.000Z2012-02-10T22:27:58.141Z

As you may have seen via my husband's blog, we're pregnant!!! The fact that we are even pregnant is a huge miracle and is by the grace of God. If you haven't read the full story and would like to, check out http://scottburns.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/i-cant-believe-it-were-pregnant/ Tuesday, we had our first scheduled ultrasound scan as part of our "antenatal" appointment. We were 13 weeks, 2

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-10825829011635233412012-01-02T14:36:00.000Z2012-01-02T14:36:13.075Z

As the holidays were approaching, Scott and I decided that it made sense to rent a car. With Scott undergoing chemo, we decided it would be best if we avoided virus carriers (a.k.a. public transportation) and had the flexibility to come and go to functions, as well as let Scott sleep in the car if needed. The side benefit was that I would finally get to drive in the U.K.! I'm not sure that Scott

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-33399741865166892632011-12-29T01:04:00.000Z2011-12-29T01:04:08.514Z

At least a year ago now, Scott found a DIY project that he really liked on a blog, so he shared it with me and we decided that at some point in the future we'd undergo the task. The idea was an entire wall of differently shaped and textured, white picture frames with various pictures and memorabilia in them. Several months ago, we stumbled across an advertisement on Gumtree (like Craig's List) of

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-64644148757833411892011-12-24T11:39:00.000Z2011-12-24T11:39:11.780Z

I was at Tesco yesterday (kind of like super-Walmart, but a little nicer) doing my grocery shopping when I stumbled across a tin (can) of olives that appeared to be "brine-free!" Now, if you know me, you have heard me complain a few times that too many things in Scotland are preserved in brine. This isn't such a bad thing when it's something like tinned tuna, but it is NOT nice in my opinion when

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-301655291116734692011-12-19T19:38:00.000Z2011-12-19T19:38:32.708Z

After a long and arduous competition and after being behind for the last while, pink (I) snuck ahead and won the 50 Person Challenge! www.scottandmonica.com  When we moved to Scotland our support was at a scary low of 35% of our monthly budget. In normal circumstances we would have waited longer until our support was up to about 90%, but we didn't have that luxury as Scott's Visa to remain in

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-26247892112934957902011-11-17T13:21:00.000Z2011-11-17T13:21:55.090Z

Results are in...As it turns out, I CAN in fact speak and function in English! That fact is now officially recognised world-wide! It's a good thing, because I don't have any other language to fall back on! :) I did however learn that I probably shouldn't become a writer because writing is apparently my weakest area in English (apologies to those who read this blog!). Maybe I should try writing in

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-80122510922242109662011-10-06T12:38:00.000+01:002011-10-06T12:38:39.098+01:00

For those of you who don't know, for the past few months I have been gathering and filling out paperwork to be registered in the UK as a dental hygienist. My hope is to continue with dental hygiene on a part-time basis because it is something I both miss and enjoy. Registering to work in healthcare in a country not your own is quite the rigorous process! Now, I expected to have to give proof of

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-47064111622128557632011-08-30T23:04:00.000+01:002011-08-30T23:05:33.139+01:00

This morning I was reading for my weekly Bible Read Through Group in the minor prophets and was completely blown away by the depth of this verse in Jonah. I'll do my best to give you a bit of insight into my processing. Jonah 2:8 "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. " (NIV) If the truth of this verse doesn't hit you the first time, read it again and let it

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-88187437156074860272011-08-23T22:43:00.000+01:002011-08-23T22:43:13.258+01:00

So, I was walking down Byres Road in West Glasgow yesterday and walked past this sign. It made me stop and think. Took me a minute, then I understood what it was actually offering (proud moment...I realised that I'm actually understanding some things Scottish!). I kept thinking about the sign and chuckling, so I actually grabbed my camera from home and returned a couple hours later with a friend

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-22326044901749022352011-08-11T19:27:00.000+01:002011-08-11T19:27:10.655+01:00

I was sitting on the floor in our room in Glasgow with my back against the far side of the bed, sobbing uncontrollably.  I had picked that spot so that I was hidden out of the way and could deal with my grief and frustration alone, but at the same time I hoped that Scott would arrive home soon and would come looking for me and find me.  I’d been in Glasgow for almost 6 months and overall I'd

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-87810990448367669422011-07-25T23:49:00.000+01:002011-07-25T23:52:36.020+01:00

As many of you may have noticed and as the Bible funnily enough reminds us in Ecclesiastes, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." Yes indeed, in Scotland not only are some of the most hideous styles from the 80s showing their colours, but all things "Granny" have become the in thing! For the past few years, Cath Kidston http://

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-55727228053031138002011-04-25T23:01:00.000+01:002011-04-25T23:01:31.166+01:00

Many of you may know that Re:Hope (the church we work at) just bought a church building under a month ago. You may also know that we have spent much of the month of April, updating and renovating parts of the building. However, what you may not know is that this past week at the building was our Dedication Week.  Dedication Week was a week focused on dedicating the building to God for His work

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-20905035962161705912011-02-28T13:27:00.000Z2011-02-28T13:32:12.573Z

Saturday, I experienced my first hiking adventure! I was quickly informed that the word "hiking" is an American term and what we were doing was "hillwalking." There's a new term for you!  Scott and I got a "lift" (a ride in the car) with some new friends from Re:Hope a little after 8am. We drove about an hour outside Glasgow to Loch Lomond (a lake) and began our hike at the base of Ben Lomond

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-3365137785471273722011-01-21T12:19:00.000Z2011-01-21T12:22:12.740Z

We had a guest in from the States the other night, so I decided to feed him the most well known and tradition meal in Scotland: Haggis, Neeps (mashed turnips) and Tatties (mashed potatoes). I had never eaten turnip before coming to Scotland and I actually quite like it. The secret to making mashed potatoes and turnips taste nice is butter! Though maybe not the healthiest, butter will make most

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-41194345897104110892011-01-08T21:10:00.000Z2011-08-23T22:53:08.020+01:00

I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to get the pictures together, but I'm finally posting pics of the amazing flat God provided for us! It is a traditional Glasgow style tenement flat and because of that it has some lovely features including high ceilings, crown moulding, stained glass archways, huge windows and lots of space! The front two rooms of the house have single glazed windows, so they

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-69252327009023909652010-12-28T12:28:00.000Z2010-12-30T13:23:26.401Z

This is my second Christmas in Scotland, but the first one since being married! Two years ago, Scott proposed to me in the wee hours of Christmas morning! When all the Burns boys lived at home, Santa would fill their Christmas stockings and leave them on the end or at the foot of their bed. As soon as they would wake up and discover them, they would race through to their mum's room and dump them

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-52494353911402274352010-11-24T14:48:00.000Z2010-11-24T14:48:03.915Z

Since arriving in Glasgow, I have joined the Women's Pastoral Care Team at our church, Re:Hope. My first day in staff meeting, one of the women on staff voiced that a couple of them wanted to have a women's worship and prayer night soon, so I jumped on board to help! I've never done much on the computer before concerning invitations or the like, but I volunteered to help advertise for the event.

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-68491938061667507242010-11-10T14:54:00.000Z2010-11-10T14:54:10.467Z

Scotland is not exactly the driest place on earth! Having experienced that in the past, I was well aware of the fact that one of my first purchases upon arrival would need to be a "brolly" (umbrella). Once the brolly was acquired (at a second hand shop!) I thought I was pretty well prepared for the weather. However, within the first couple of weeks my white trainers (tennis shoes) became a

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-25150811393997603902010-10-25T18:16:00.000+01:002010-10-25T18:16:36.567+01:00

We made it! My U.K. Visa arrived on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 21st and we flew out from Portland on Saturday morning. After 18 hours of travel, we finally arrived in Glasgow! We're now in Scott's hometown Irvine (Ir-vin) with his family for the week. I went to plug in my laptop earlier today and had to search for my plug adapter. Thankfully the outlet was switched on. In addition to having

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2070050289932215720.post-7075960635676613962010-10-19T22:28:00.000+01:002010-10-19T22:28:12.426+01:00

Any day now, my U.K. permanent residency visa could arrive and the adventure of An American in Scotland will begin! Well, actually in many ways it has already begun. Though I’m currently in Oregon, being married to a Scot for the past year plus had been quite a cultural adventure. Not only did he wear a kilt to our wedding, but he allowed all of his groomsmen (most of whom were American) to

Monicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11539252877980736029noreply@blogger.com3