Christmas Post

I have finally sat down and figured out how to put multiple photos onto a slide show. I know I needed to learn before baby comes because I am sure there will be many pictures to post. The slide show mostly consists of pictures of our house after requests from English friends to see where it is we now live. We had a wonderful Christmas up in Chattanooga, but are back now in Birmingham really just waiting for baby. We saw the doctor on Thursday and he said I have made some progress so who knows when this little one will come. We will keep all of you updated. We hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and we wish you a very happy New Year!

Time is Flying...

Well, I cannot believe Thanksgiving has come and gone so quickly and we are now well into the month of December. Where did the year go? Jared and I feel like it was only yesterday that we were in England awaiting my family's arrival for a Christmas visit, decorating a small tree in our 264 sq. flat, and shivering to death in the wet cold of the England winters. Anyways, here we are now settled in Birmingham and excitedly preparing for our baby to make its way into the world. I am 34 weeks today and cannot believe we are that close. We finished our childbirth classes last night and I think we feel more confused than we did before :) Oh well. We will keep you all updated as time nears for baby's arrival. Please pray for a happy, healthy baby and a very easy labor and delivery. Love to you all during this Holiday Season.

The picture above is from our Thanksgiving holiday. My brothers, Dad, and our good friends Chip and his son John Kelley all went to go see Beowulf in 3D. Pretty funny. Jared, my Mom, Catherine Kelley, and I went to go see a different movie and I am told we didn't miss anything too special.
Lots of love,
Meg

Baby Wingfield 26 Weeks 1 Day

We went to the doctor today in Birmingham. We have chosen a wonderful doctor here who is so laid back and very soft spoken and has even said he would deliver the baby in the bathtub if I insisted. Crazy, I know. So he is right up our alley. The baby is growing perfectly and for that we are again standing in total awe. Here are the latest pics. and these are in 4D. The baby was moving alot and so if it looks blurred that is why. Lots of love, Meg

Yesterday I had my 21 week ultrasound scan. It was amazing to see this little one bouncing about and doing very funny things while in utero. This little one had one of its legs in full extension above its body and then would not turn over for the tech to get a good picture of the 4 chambers of its heart. It is already misbehaving-haha You can also see a profile shot with the umbilical cord floating above its face. The technician was so sweet and clicked the machine over to 3D and you can see that the face came out very clearly. I started to cry. There is also a picture of the baby in 3D with the leg extended and you can make out clearly the knee cap, back, ribs, spine, and then the arms are crossed over the body. Very sweet. The technican and Dr. Jones said the baby looks great and every little bone and organ seem to be developing just perfectly. What a miracle this is. Praise be to God for his great goodness and blessing.
Oh, I do not know how to scan that well yet, but if you double click on the image it zooms in and you can see the images better. Love, Meg


"For you created my inmost being;you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place." Psalm 139:13-15

Finally settled...

Since flying back from England on July 15th, Jared and I have honestly been going non-stop in search of job, home, cars, etc. We feel blessed to finally be settled in Birmingham, Alabama. Jared has accepted a job here with a foundation and we have bought a sweet little house in a great area of Birmingham. We closed on the house August 23rd and moved in the next day. Three days later we took off to the beach for some r and r. We feel incredibly blessed to have been able to go and have such generous friends to allow us to stay in their condo. We both felt like it was a second honeymoon and are both refreshed and rested for the new life here in Birmingham. Jared starts work tomorrow and I will continue to get the home ready for baby's arrival in January. We thought we would post the lastest pictures from the beach. Nothing too exciting except for the growing belly bump. Lots of love to you all.
Meg

Our Latest Update...

We are excited to announce that Jared and I are expecting our first child in late January. We are overwhelemd with joy at this new little one. After months of trying and concerns about possible infertility, this news comes with great gratitude that the Lord has opened my womb and blessed us with this baby. So far my pregnancy has been easy and I have felt great. We told family on Sunday when they greeted us in the airport and they were all so suprised and excited. My Mom and Dad cried at the thought of having their first grandchild and my brothers think it is pretty cool that they are going to be uncles. Jared's family are thrilled to have the 7th cousin/grandchild and that we are finally having our first. At this point, we do not know where this little one will be born or raised since we do not yet know where a job will open up. In this period of transition, we do ask for your prayers that we will clearly know where it is we are suppose to be next.

Celebrating the 4th with pouring tea into the River Thames

Wingfields' Visit and Pictures Link

Jared's parents were here for a little over two weeks. It was a delightful time and we all really enjoyed the various parts of England that we explored together. Jared posted the pictures today and I hope I can attach the link correctly as they were done on iweb.
The link:
Wingfield's Visit

JARED'S GRADUATION!!!

Jared graduated last Saturday from Oxford University, Wycliffe Hall with a post-graduate degree in apologetics. It was a lovely ceremony and we were over joyed that June and Jackson (Jared's parents) were there to celebrate it with us. Over the last week we have been traveling around England with the Wingfields and getting some great time with them. They fly home on June 14th and one month later we will be flying home as well. Yeah!!! I could not be more proud of Jared in his accomplishments.
Love, Meg

Sharfield-on-Loddon fly fishing

On Friday, Jared had the great privilege of going fly fishing with Dr. Ian Borton. He rode down south of here to a little village where a beautiful stream full of trout flows through it. He said that it was just a wonderful day where both he and Dr. Borton caught many a trout, shared a few laughs, and absorbed the sun. I'll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

We have a confession to make....

Ok, well we have a confession to make. We secretly bought a Triumph Bonneville motorcyle several weeks back. We had been trying to decide how would be the best way for us to celebrate the coming of spring and to really enjoy England before we leave in just 8 weeks. A motorcyle of course was the answer! Jared took a train down to the southern coast of England to Bournemouth where he purchased the bike and then drove it home. Since then we have had a few trips around the English countryside enjoying the adventure, the wind, the sun, and even the soaking of the rain showers that we drive in and out of. Practically, it has help to get me back and forth to work so not to have to require the Brandfoots' come to pick me up at the bus stop. Those rides to their village of Beckley are some of the most scenic. Jared has said his favortie part of having the motorcyle is that he gets a constant hug from me as I hold on tightly to him. We love it. Mom and Dad....well just pretend that you didn't see this post. Cheers!

Maya's Circus Party!!!

For those of you who do not know, I have had the great privilege to be a nanny for the amazing Branfoot family. Chloe and Crispin have three wonderful children...Maya, now 6, Leila, 3, and Wilford (Wilf), 7 months. It has been a real treat to be a part of their family day in and day out. I have learned more than I could ever put in words and I am sure I will be a better mother because of this experience. The Branfoots will surely be a part of our lives forever.
Today was Maya’s 6th Birthday Party! She requested to have a circus themed party and I was asked to come and be the face-painter. I don’t know how well I faired as far as my artistic abilities, but all the kids loved it and so did I. Here are a few pictures to enjoy. Lots of love, Meg

A Greek Affair

Last night we gathered for dinner at Michael Ramsden's house, RZIM European Director, with the whole of Jared's program for great Greek food and fellowship. Jared and I arrived early to help Michael and his wife Anne prepare for the dinner. The great passion of Michael's, who is Greek, is to grill these amazing chicken breasts that have marinated for days in a special Greek family recipe. Well, it seems to have been raining for days now here in Oxford and the wind has been fierce. After quick contemplation, Jared and Michael proceeded to construct the family patio furniture into a sort of protective hut over the grill so to still be able to grill the infamous chicken. The two had a great time during the intermittent rain talking, skewering meat, and smoking a stogie. The food all ended up great in the end and the time spent with everyone was very enjoyable. As the term draws to a close and good-byes are just around the corner, the time last night gave everyone a chance to laugh and reminisce of the year that has been. Of course, everyone left before I remembered to take a picture of the group. Oh well. Bye for now. Meg

Spring has sprung!

Last Tuseday, Jared and I awoke early in the morning so to celebrate May Day. We walked through the the dew covered fields of Christ Church over to the Magdalen Bridge where at the top of tower of Magdalen College, one of the oldest in Oxford, the young boys choir sang beautiful hymns in Latin praising the Lord for rebirth and His majestic creation. As the sun rose at dawn from behind Magdalen tower, the eloquent and angelic voices rang over the spires of Oxford and a huge crowd listened in silence from below. This tradition is hundreds and hundreds of years old.
Jared and I stood there overwhelmed with the sheer beauty of it all and our hearts were and are grateful to the Lord for this new season. We are reminded of the verses in Song of Solomon that says "11 For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone; 12 The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come, And the voice of the turtle-dove is heard in our land;" We are not convinced that the rain is over and gone, but praise to the Lord for He is good!

Above is a picture at dawn of Magdalen Tower while the boys are singing.

The pictures link...

Sorry for the lapse of time between the first post and this one with the link for our pictures. I am working in parts. Love to all!
I think you should be able to just double click on the link and it will take you to the pics.
As of today, 4/29, all the photos have been added.

The link: WingfieldsInEurope

"Just the two of us..."

Well, we have been inspired to create a blog site. For now it will be about just the two of us, life in England, where the Lord will lead us next, and hopefully in the next year or so the site (like so many of our other friends) will contain pictures of a cute baby, which I am sure will be a whole lot more interesting than just me and Jared. But for now, your stuck with us.
We thought we would post about our most recent adventure. We traveled during Jared's obsurdly long Easter break of 5 weeks backpacking and jumping trains across southern Europe. We started in Switzerland meeting Jared's family for a wonderful week of skiing, then dropped into Italy, went to the French Riveria, then to Spain, and finally to Portugal. It was a trip we will always remember, one that was filled with laughter, growing our marriage in new and tremendous ways, and we feel overwhelmed with gratefulness that we were able to enjoy just a small part of God's creation. Enjoy the pictures.