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Mission Complete

I completed reading the Summa Theologiae last night in the midst of grand pomp and circumstance.  Kevin was able to reserve a room for us from Trinity College so all the students here read the last article together in unison. 

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We then wandered around Trinity, went for a late night punt ride, and watched a movie.

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The Summa was quite the journey and I won’t attempt to sum it up.  The following image is a chart of the whole work, and will be legible if you click on it.

Our little sweet pea

 

I think this one is my favorite:)

 

 

These snaps were taken by our friend Andrea, who is an amazing photographer!  Many of the pictures in our posts are Andrea’s–she has been the unofficial Summa photographer this year!  She also gave Juliann the outfit she’s wearing in these pictures, so she gets a lot of credit for how cute they are:)  Juliann had a flower that a friend knit on her headband, but it was off by the time we took the pictures, so that’s why she has only a piece of yarn tied around her head as a headband–although I think it is quite cute!

“Ringing”

 We heard a bit about “change ringing” from a couple from Boston that was staying at the bed and breakfast where my Mom stayed during her visit.  I had asked them what they were up to in England and the husband responded with one word: “ringing.”  So I responded with an expectant expression hoping for some follow-up but  to no avail.  So I said “Ringing?” and he proceeded to explain they were here to ring bells.  Ah!  How easy it is to forget not everyone knows your jargon.  Anyway talking with them gave me the final push to look into checking out a bell tower which I had been meaning to do for some time.  When we first got to England I thought it would be fun to try to do some bell ringing, but it turned out to be a lot more complicated than I thought.  One of the best bell towers in Cambridgeshire happens to be the one in the local church we attend when we don’t go into Cambridge proper.  They have a bell ringing society based there who welcomes visitors so we went during one Wednesday practice session.

Trumpington Parish Church bell tower

The Trumpington shield

       

Door and stairway leading up.  It was a good long ways up.

Sanctus bell from 1420.  This is not used for change ringing, but is rung when the bread and wine are consecrated during mass so all the workers in the fields nearby could make the sign of the cross.

 

Some of the 8 change ringing bells.

 

 

“Those bells done 1791”–Some note about construction

 

Above it: “Huntlea 1876”–Old graffiti.  Some things  never change.

  

View of the “rope room” from the stairs leading up to the bell room.

 Stairs and ringers.  All the plaques on the wall commemorate various noteworthy ringings.  Noteworthy because they are for long ringings which are something of a physical feat–many of which were around 3 hours. Some are from the late 1800’s.  Here is one closer up:

 

 

Juliann during the one-arm-up phase.   She enjoyed the music.

 

The music notation, showing the order of the bells for each “measure”–(there is a whole set of fun change-ringing jargon I don’t know so am just attempting to be descriptive).

 

 

 

I uploaded a video with some music on it here.

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Rebellion Day

We celebrated the 4th of July in England yesterday, or rebellion day, as our vicar called it!  Andrea took some very funny pictures of the ‘Summa babies’, alternating which child was crying–since we couldn’t get them all to smile, we thought we’d try to get them all to cry, but Cormac sat calmly through the chaos:)  The guys raised the American flag on English soil and we had hamburgers, potato salad, jello, baked beans, pasta salad and various other goodies that make up the essential picnic food. 

The Summa Project officially ends this week as the guys have their final seminar and will read the last article of the Summa together under rather ceremonious circumstances which shall be told of later.

Waving the American flag, as a good patriot ought.

Eating the American flag:)

 Arriving at the party after church.

First of several attempts

No babies crying, but also no babies looking:)

Things starting to fall apart:) Then Juliann started to cry and then Alyas, but never Cormac:)

 

Cooling down from the hot sun.

 

 

 Happy faces!

  

Reciting the Declaration of Independence

We even had decorations thanks to Philly’s mom:)

No 4th of July is complete with out watermelon!

A round of bocce ball

Preparing the flag

Raising the flag

The American flag waving proudly in front of Wolfson College!  We were concerned that the Porter would come out and deport us for espionage or treason, but thankfully that didn’t happen.

 

For the trip home we ventured biking with Juliann instead of an hour and fifteen minute walk:

Juliann eyes on the road.

This was the best family shot Peter could manage on the move.

 

 

 

Juliann was a little riled up from the day’s activities and needed some extra help settling down!

Juliann the American

 

We had to go to the American embassy in London yesterday to report Juliann’s birth and get a passport so we can take her home with us.  So after waking up at 4:45AM to head to London we had everything squared away by about 10:30.  I had a nice victory against monopolistic bureaucracy by ducking out while we were waiting for our number to be called in order to buy a 5.50 pound envelope from a local post office instead of the 14.50 pound identical envelope “conveniently” available in the Embassy.

 

 

With the American flag and a huge Bald Eagle looking on, Juliann, in high patriotic spirits, exalted in her new-found official citizenship. 

 

 

Some London color.

 

 

We happened upon the changing of the guard at Buckingham palace on our way back to the bus station.

 

 

I am curious what these hats are made out of and how they were ever thought of in the first place.  Jill and I pondered the relationship between a culture and its hats after we saw the guy in the top hat above.  Maybe a good marker of the level of vibrancy of a culture is the audacity and silliness of its hats.  Native Americans with their feather head-dresses, (merry old) England with their top hats, Sikh’s with their turbans, Roman Catholic’s with their mitre’s, even now in England the workers in the various departments of grocery stores have different hats.  It takes a good deal of energy to design, make, and make the effort of wearing such hats, so a tired and bored culture predictably lacks elaborate, extravagant, and silly hats.  Heads of state in modern western countries don’t even wear hats anymore.  They at least used to have crowns or wigs.

 

 

Now who wouldn’t be inspired to pay greater respect, loyalty, and homage to a leader wearing something like this?

Summer Baby

 

So stylish:)

 

 

Summer time!

It has actually been warm enough here that I had to buy a fan for us!  We’ve all been enjoying the sunshine!

 

 

 

Lydia Sue Wall was born on June 22nd–here are the girls in matching outfits–Juliann is busting out of hers and Lydia still has room to grow:)

Sucking her thumb is the new trick–if she gets it in her mouth, she’s out like a light, if not, she struggles until she finds it.

 

 

 

Finding more babies in the mirrors!

Wales

Peter and I along with the rest of the Summa crew recently went to Wales for a week.  We stayed at a place called The Hookses, a house John Stott, a famous English pastor/theologian/author, bought years ago for his own retreats and writing, and which has recently been renovated to be a retreat center for Christian students of various sorts.  We had a fabulous week–we were right on the coast near Dale, Pembrokeshire with a beautiful view.  The directions to the place included “turn right at the castle wall” and “proceed along the abandoned WWII runway”.  During the day the guys studied and had discussions in the afternoon and Andrea, Dee, the babies and I enjoyed the sun and the view with the bleating sheep in the background.  We shared all of our evening meals which was really fun and had a bonfire one night, movie night another and went to a different beach our last night where we almost got stranded due to the tide! 

 

 

 

  

  

The view from the deck

Peter’s reading spot

Group dinners, just like potluck every week, except we all got to sit at one table!

The Hookses with the guys having one of their afternoon discussions on the deck.

Juliann and Cormac playing

Bonfire on the beach!

The view of the beach from the house.

Presentations

Juliann’s first time holding the rattle Peter made her.

We all went on a fishing boat and Peter and I both caught fish!

Juliann’s first time fishing!

The mackerel Peter caught.

If you place it . . .

They will throw.

Escaping the tide.

A mighty big hat to fill.

Smiling in the car after a diaper change–she was somewhat less smiley from about 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. when we finally got home–ask the Dahms who rode with us:)

Juliann with her G-parents

My mom and dad were the last of our visitors in England! They came and met Juliann when she was 6 weeks old. We had a great visit and are so glad they came! We are are looking forward to being with them again and all the cousins (both of my sisters have had babies since we’ve been here!) in the middle of August!

At the Roman Baths

Grandma Beth holding the sleeping astronaut:)

Grandpa Scott with Juliann at the Summa Potluck

Juliann Eve is seven weeks old!

Our little girl was born 7 weeks ago on April 22nd.  She weighed 9lb 8oz and they don’t measure length here, but Peter and I attempted from home and thought she was between 21 and 22 inches.  When the midwife came at about week 3, she was already up to 11 lb 4 oz, so she has been growing well and has already outgrown the booties and hat Jill knit!  She has had a lot of firsts in her seven weeks of life–punting in Cambridge with my good friend (and roommate from Nepal) Amy, who came when Juliann was 3 days old! She also got to meet her Grandma Swanson and Great Aunt Patty and went to 2 evensong services with them and slept right through them.  She has seen several of London’s parks and has been to Camden markets.  She went to the Cotwalds with our freinds Greg and Kelsey.  She has also met her Grandpa and Grandma Pearson this past week!

Here are some highlights of a full seven weeks of life!

In the recovery center of the hospital.  Jill got to leave about 12 hours after Juliann was born.

Juliann’s first day at church during Amy’s visit.

First time punting on the river Cam.

The old and big and the new and small.

When space is hard to come by, one has to put some areas to double use.

The Summa kinder at potluck.  Potluck was her first social engagement–the day after she was born.

Punting with my Mom.  The college in the background is Magdalene, where CS Lewis taught for a time.

Over Grandma’s shoulder.

Space cadet.  Preparing for take-off.

Sherlock Holmes’ house.

Dinner in London with Great Aunt Patty and my Mom.

First shower.  She was astonished/surprised at first, but  now clearly enjoys it.  She seems to use her tongue as dogs use their tails, so when it is out and moving, that is a good sign.

Sharing the load with the tree.  Juliann was sleeping so didn’t really notice the swinging.

In front of GK Chesterton’s gravestone.

GK Chesterton’s grave.

The sorrows of the road.

Heading to a church in Chipping Campden, a beautiful village in the Cotswolds.

The living among the dead.

The very spot where CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein and crew would spend Tuesday mornings.  It’s in a pub in Oxford.

Outside the pub.

The stairs of the bell tower in the church near our house.  We went to watch and listen to the ringers practice. 

Punting with Greg and Kelsey.

Juliann with Alyas at the park.  Alyas likes to give Juliann hugs and often reminds us that she is hungry.

In our backyard. (Note the happy tongue.)

Dressed for spring on her way to potluck.

Concentration time with a mobile from her Uncle Dave.

In Bath at the Roman bath with Jill’s parents, Scott and Beth, who were happy to meet their 3rd grandchild, though by now there are 4!

Time for some spacious rest!