Weekend Adventures

Danielle and I have been discussing volunteer options since we are unemployed. Jeannie suggested we help out at a playgroup she knows abouts. Playgroups in England are a big deal and a great way for young mothers to get together and meet new friends. They bring their kids, drink tea, sing songs, and do crafts. We went for the first time Friday morning and were put in charge of the craft table and also helped set up and tear down. There were probably 15-20 moms there with just as many toddlers running around. What a scene!

Anyway, all the moms at this play group are lost. They don't know Jesus. We're hoping that by volunteering our time, we'll get to know them and have some spiritual conversations. We met one mom and ended up seeing her in town later in the day. I got really excited! I finally felt like I was meeting people in the community and not just people at church. I can't wait to see how this playgroup goes.

Friday night I went to my first professional basketball game here. In my Tuesday night lifegroup, there is a sweet girl named Joy that comes with her husband. He has been playing professional basketball in Europe for awhile and currently plays for the Sheffield Sharks. She invited Danielle, our friend Janette and I to go to the game with her. The games here are much different than the states. For example, music clips are played during the game, such as the Jaws theme song or the Adams Family theme song while the home team is running down the court on offense or defense, and the announcer talks to the crowd during play as well. This would never be allowed in the states! It was a lot of fun though and a great time of fellowship.


Janette, Joy, Danielle, and me.


The Sheffield Sharks!

Saturday morning was quite an adventure. Danielle and I joined Janette on a trip to...drumroll please...COSTCO! It's owned by an American and was actually more fun than you're thinking. We spent a couple of hours going down every food aisle and then trying on tons of raincoats. Our trek home was crazy. We walked all the way to the tram stop carrying our food, and when we were just a hundred feet away, we see an older man behind us running for the stop but no tram. I look back once more and sure enough the tram is rounding the corner. We start sprinting to the stop all the while the oranje juice I'm carrying is falling out of the package, but I keep running. I look behind me and Danielle is trying to pick up the bottles but is balancing a chocolate cake in her hands, so Janette pitches in and picks up some juice as well. We're laughing to tears which makes it really hard to run for the tram as it passes us. We're almost there when we realize it's the wrong tram. We never should've run because now everyone is staring at us...oh well!


Um...gig 'em Costco?? Haha, I'm a little intense.


Enough cooking oil for my life.


Charlie's Angels UK

Saturday night I got to experience my first professional football match. I went to see the Sheffield Wednesday Owls take on Birmingham, and now I can begin to understand the obsession with this sport over here. It can be really intense, and it was cool to listen to the home team cheers and songs etc. Danielle and I went with Daniel, Aiden, and Maddie. It was the kid's first game as well.


Danielle, Maddie, Aiden, and me


GOAL! We ended up with a draw at 1-1 though because Birmingham scored in the last minute :(