So for our family vacation this summer, in addition to spending some time in the Shenandoah, we went camping for a long weekend in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Porcupine Mountain State Park.

Our connection to Porcupine Mountain began the summer Simon was born.

Taido loaded up the three big kids + one cousin and took them all camping there. He drove our mini van (pulling a flat bed trailer full of gear) all the way up to the north of the north of the north.

To Lake Superior.

It was 2006.

The barefoot child in the above photo just graduated from college.

15 years ago, these four ran and played and swam and threw rocks…

And experienced the joy of being in this beautiful place.

While I was at home nursing a baby, they climbed through forests and made trails over their own little mountains.

They even enjoyed a little (probably enforced) camp chill time.

They walked the long staircase every day to stand in the freezing cold lake, and to watch the sunset.

And then they drove back home and told me all about it.

But I forgot about this place I had never been to.

Until 15 years later, Taido suggested we go there again. He said it would be cooler in the summertime, and that the drive would be shorter since we don’t live in Arkansas.

So a plan was made.

A long weekend in July was marked off on the calendar.

And off we went.

Again there were four kiddos. Much bigger this time.

And a different set of kids, save Ben.

We drove to the north of the north of the north and escaped the hot summer sun.

We walked the same long stairway down to Lake Superior.

We hiked the same trails.

And found ourselves in the middle of quiet woods.

And alongside waterfalls.

The kids crawled over rocks.

They sat by the river and watched the water flow by.

Now that the kids are older, sometimes we left them back at camp and went on morning hikes while they were still asleep in their sleeping bags.

We walked along the river in the cool shadows before the sun was high.

And we pondered how it is possible that piles of rocks can be so gorgeous.

When the kids were awake we drove as far north as we could go.

And everyone at least touched the ocean-like lake, and some brave folks got all the way in.

And then more hiking!

Porcupine Mountain State Park has miles and miles of beautiful trails.

This trail above The Lake of the Clouds might have been our favorite.

But it’s hard to choose! We also loved the river hike along the waterfalls.

And we enjoyed not having to watch little guys so closely.

I remember when Taido came home in 2006 and he showed me pictures of the giant staircase down to the lake, I thought that if I had been there, I might have been a little nervous about the kids camping up so high. Of course, this time I didn’t even think about the kids running down to the lake on their own.

Though I was still tempted once or twice to tell Ben to be careful.

And after hiking and swimming, we had a little camp chill time.

Napping + Outside = Dreamy Summertime.

This time, no one had to be forced to nap.

We had no cell service at our campground. Such a rare gift in 2021, y’all.

My niece Emily let all the cousins use her drawing materials.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw these boys drawing.

And just like in 2006, we went down to the lake every night to watch the sun drop below the horizon.

The colors were different each night.

It’s amazing how the sunset happens every day but is never the same.

And of course, the kids still got their shoes wet.

And they still spent hours skipping rocks.

Our sweet camping trip reminded me again and again that you’re never too old to play in the sun.

I found this passage about teaching kids to love the outdoors in a Mary Oliver book of essays recently that I just love:

Teach the children. We don’t matter so much, but the children do. Show them daisies and pale hepatica. Teach them the taste of sassafras and wintergreen. The lives of blue sailors, mallow, sunbursts, the moccasin flowers. And the frisky ones — inkberry, lamb’s-quarters, blueberries. And the aromatic ones — rosemary, oregano. Give them peppermint to put in their pockets as they go to school. Give them the fields and the woods and the possibility of the world salvaged from the lords of profit. Stand them in the stream, head them upstream, rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms.

Attention is the beginning of devotion.

(from Upstream)

My little kiddos grew up so fast (just like everyone told me that they would.)

This camping trip was a blessed pause, a moment to see that yes, I think we did give them the field and the woods.

I hope we showed them the possibility of the world salvaged from the lords of profit.

And I will always rejoice as they learn to love this green space they live in, its sticks and leaves and then the silent, beautiful blossoms.

A few details for if you go to Porcupine Mountain:

There are two campgrounds in Porcupine Mountain State Park: Presque Isle and Union Bay. Both of our camping trips were at Presque Isle (no electrical hook-ups + pit toilets), but we drove one day to Union Bay, and it is lovely as well. Reservations are accepted (and recommended) at both campgrounds. There are also several great-looking backcountry sites, which we have our eye on for a return trip. The closest town to Presque Isle is Wakefield, which was a good 30 minutes away, so stock up on ice and firewood when you drive through there on your way.

The post Porcupine Mountain State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula appeared first on Alison Chino.

It’s been about two months since we moved to Rock Island, Illinois, which is one of the Quad Cities.

(The other three are Moline, Davenport and Bettendorf. The jury is still out on whether or not we picked the right one.)

Taido took a job at beautiful Augustana College. He is teaching theology in the building pictured above, which is Augustana’s Old Main. (so fancy!)

We enter the campus by walking over this lovely little bridge and through the woods.

The college is the nicest place I’ve found to go for walks, so I keep going back there.

There’s even a little path along a slough, which I don’t think is such a nice word, but it’s beautiful even if it is a “swampy area.”

Sometimes Simon walks with me around the campus after school,

and sometimes I walk by myself.

My parents have already been up for a visit! And my sister has been over as well, so we’ve gotten to show off the college a bit.

In 2013 we moved to Scotland as a family of six.

Then in 2016 we moved to Germany as a family of four.

And now we are three.

It’s been a challenging set of changes for me for sure, doing another move and sending Ben off to school all at once.

But we’re only a few hours away from Ben and Mary Polly (as well as my sister and her family), so that helps.

And I’m slowly trying to explore my new surroundings. Bit by bit.

We’ve gotten out on the Mississippi River bike trail a few times. The river is the border between Illinois and Iowa in the Quad Cities, so I find that I’m crossing back and forth often between the two states.

When I’m not out with the Taido and Simon, I’m exploring on my own.

I made use of this bench for a long afternoon one day to write.

I’ve gotten a library card and am already a regular visitor, of course.

I’ve been to the local farmers’ market and to health food stores.

I visited a farm that was in full fall festivities.

I went to pick raspberries, but they were very buggy.

However, I persevered and managed to bring home a couple of pints of berries without bugs on them.

Plus I bought a few other treasures at the farm store, including fresh apple cider and cider doughnuts.

And miraculously I did not break down and cry when I saw all the wagons full of preschoolers visiting the petting zoo and picking out pumpkins. (I find I am breaking into tears at the littlest things these days.)

But mostly I have been puttering around the house we have rented.

I’m working a bit. (I edited a big project last month, as well as a few smaller ones.)

I’m having a go at keeping house plants, which is new for me.

I’ve framed some prints of the Lake District that I’ve carried around for four or five years.

They remind me of some of my favorite walks.

In fact, I’ve started to make some walking plans for next year and I think having these prints hanging up might be the inspiration.

I’m making my own sprouts.

I’ve expanded my kombucha brewing.

And of course, I’m still baking sourdough bread.

Every. Day.

I’ve starting doing one small sketch every day.

I’m using this curriculum I’ve had from my Mama Polly since the kids were young.

She wrote it for fourth graders, so that’s about right for me.

I love seeing her handwriting and reading her instructions.

The lessons were written to accompany her television program from long, long ago.

I’m also learning Spanish on DuoLingo. I’ve become obsessed with staying at the top of my leader board. Join me?

A few other things I’m reading/watching that I’m enjoying/finding interesting:

When They See Us: This is the Netflix series about the five men who were wrongly accused as The Central Park Five, who are now known as The Exonerated Five. It’s brilliantly done. Excruciating and so important. I love everything Ava DuVernay directs because she is always telling more than the story that is right in front of you. In When They See Us, she’s telling a story about every young man who’s ever been wrongly accused. And she’s telling a story about how hard it is for family members to hold up those they love who are in prison. She’s telling a story about what it’s like to try to find a job after you’ve been released from prison. She is telling the story of these five young men, but ultimately, she is telling a story about America.

The 1619 Project: 400 years ago the first African slaves arrived in America. Nikole Hannah-Jones spearheaded a project to release a collection of essays that are an opportunity to pause and consider how the decision to allow and depend on slavery in America has shaped our nation. There is also a podcast version of the project. Particularly compelling is the episode on how our American economy has been and continues to be shaped by the legacy of slavery.

Jemar Tisby’s account of the opening of The Elaine Massacre Memorial:

100 years ago this week, there was a racially motivated massacre of over 200 black men, women and children in the small town of Elaine, Arkansas. I went to Elaine a couple of years ago to see if there was any evidence of the violent events that took place there in 1919 and only found a small plaque. I’m hopeful that the new memorial will be a help for all Arkansans in reckoning with the insidious racism that so often remains buried.

I found both The Sun is Also A Star and This Beautiful Fantastic to be absolutely delightful to watch. I’ve also been writing to the soundtracks of both films.

And a few books I’ve loved lately include:

Leaving Church by Barbara Brown Taylor

Kindred by Octavia Butler (I can’t believe I’ve never read anything by her!)

My Midsummer Morning: Rediscovering a Life of Adventure by Alistair Humphreys

That’s about it for me. We’re headed for the woods this weekend to kick off Simon’s fall break. I’m happy about some time around a campfire.

The post Update from the Quad Cities: Rock Island Days appeared first on Alison Chino.

Chasing Daylight in August: Cruden Bay in the Rain

Friday night, 11 pm

The chance for rain had gone up to 90%.

Taido had been checking the weather hourly all evening, watching the increase from a 10% chance to “almost certainly it’s going to rain.”

Now he was feeling uncertain about our plans for a Saturday outing, the one I had been planning in my mind as:

My Perfect Last Day of Summer with Friends

or

Mary Polly’s 16th Birthday Outing

or

Cole’s Only Saturday Home After Being Gone For Three Months

Even Taido was only whizzing through for a weekend, home from Germany to say a quick hello.

The rain had poured down all day Friday. Cole had been sleeping off jet lag while the other kids watched movies.

Cole and Taido were both leaving again on Sunday.

We needed this outing.

Let’s just see what it looks like when we wake up, I said. The weather is constantly changing. Maybe it will be pretty.

Silence from Taido.

Saturday morning, 6 am

TC (Taido): It’s already raining.

Me: What about in Ballater?

TC: It’s already raining there as well.

Me: Ugh.

I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but then I heard an alarm, and soon afterwards, the shower coming on.

It was MP, up early to get ready for her birthday walk with friends.

I rolled back over.

Me: We can’t cancel. We have to get out today.

TC: Ugh. I’m not driving an hour and a half to walk in the rain.

I sat up and pulled out my phone. Now we were both sitting up in bed and looking at the weather.

Me: It looks a little clearer north of Aberdeen. What if we try Cruden Bay? That’s closer anyway.

TC: Hmm.

Me: Do you think folks will still come?

TC: Hmm. Maybe text them and see.

Good morning friends! Well it looks like it is going to rain all day in Ballater. So we’re thinking of heading up to Cruden Bay to walk along the coast to the Bullers of Buchan and then back. We may still get rained on but the forecast looks a little clearer that way. Thoughts?

The replies came back.

Miraculously, we still had a small company of willing walkers.

Thank goodness for crazy Brits who consider horrible weather as normal as breakfast or afternoon tea.

One family who was previously not going actually decided to go on Saturday morning. They woke up to rainy skies and thought, Maybe we’ll join that in on that walk after all!  Who does that?? I’ll tell you who. People who were born in Scotland.

There were grumbles from some corners of our house about walking in the rain, and moods did not improve as we loaded up in the car in a steady drizzle of rainfall.

I think the sky looks to be a brighter shade of gray up ahead, I pointed out optimistically.

No one agreed.

Taido turned on his electric beats that we’ve been driving around to all summer long.

MP: Ugh. I’m sick of this playlist.

Cole: I’ve never heard it.

Ben: That’s because you’ve been gone.

Cole. That’s right. And I wish I still was!

MP: Daddy please, I hate this song!

TC: Shut it.

MP: FINE!

MP: Will you at least turn it up?

We rode the rest of the way in silence. I was alternatively relieved and horrified that we would be with others for the rest of the day, hoping the distraction would make us better versions of ourselves rather than worse.

10:30 am

Everyone met in the car park. Blessedly, for a few minutes, it was not raining.

It’s one thing to be prepared to walk in the rain. It’s quite another to actually start out in it.

From the Cruden Bay car park, you walk first through a bit of forest and then on to New Slain’s Castle, a ruin named as such because there is a tower remaining further south of Old Slain’s Castle. But New Slain’s is also old.

From the castle, the walk leaves the road and continues on a single track trail along the dramatic coastline.

The scenery is magnificent. Rock outcroppings, cliff drops, waves crashing below. Even the occasional puffin spotting.

On a pretty day, the views will take your breath away.

But even on a rainy day, if you poke your head out from under your hood, the cliffs below are gorgeous.

But my kids had not come for the views.

Having done this walk multiple times, they are sadly immune to its beauty.

The only reason they were not sitting back in the car and refusing to get out was the company.

And thankfully, when it started raining about ten minutes into the walk and did not stop for the remainder of the day, the company was enough to keep going.

Even before the rain was actually falling, everyone was wet up to their knees from the muddy trail and tall grass.

It’s been a very wet summer in Northeast Scotland. And the green grass and bushes have thrived. They were much taller and thicker than I remembered them being in June when we had last walked this trail.

Everyone fell into patterns of twos and threes, talking and laughing. And shrugging off the soggy day.

Soaking wet trousers and socks, mud to our ankles and no sign of a break in the rain for a picnic lunch–it was certainly not what I had imagined when I determined to plan “A Perfect Last Day Of Summer With Friends.”

But when we were all finally off the coastline and back on the road, crammed with standing room only in a bus shelter to eat our sandwiches, I looked around and everyone was smiling.

One of the kids started a game that they had all played at summer camp, a sort of calling and answering game where the lead gets passed around. They were all chanting responses back and forth, while the adults passed around thermos cups of hot tea and coffee.

As I warmed my hands around my cup of tea, I paused to hold the memory in my mind of the unassuming gathering.

It was not picnic blankets spread under blue skies and faces to the sun, but still.

It was actually kind of perfect.

The post Chasing Daylight in August: A “Perfect” Day Out appeared first on Alison Chino.

Our second week of walking new trails in Scotland was on the Kintyre Peninsula in Scotland.

My sister and her husband, Robert, and their three kiddos were in town in July for two weeks. The first week we spent in and around Aberdeen, and then we rented a second car and headed west.

We stayed way down at the very bottom of Kintyre in Machrihanish, right across from a golf course and the beach on the west coast.

The sunsets looking towards the Isle of Islay and Isle of Jura were the highlight of every day.

Often these golden hours were the least rain-drenched part of the day, so we looked forward to heading out to the beach for as long as we could stand the cool air in order to watch every last drop of color drip from the sky.

Our days were filled with walking and with warming up from walking.

We took walks on the beach, around the Mull of Kintyre and Campbeltown.

Then we would head for the nearest pub for something warm or hunker down with hot water bottles and blankets in our gorgeous, but drafty holiday rental.

The kids played poker, read books and watched movies while my sister, Anna and I sipped tea and read our novels on the couches overlooking the sea.

Taido and Robert went for walks with us too, but then they took a few days to head off to the island of whisky (Islay) on their own. Before traveling west, they also managed to catch a day at the British Open in St Andrews.

On the days they weren’t at the Open or doing a special warehouse whisky tasting, they were enjoying those same two worlds (golf + whisky) from the inside of a dark, cozy pub down the street from our house. So basically, they were in man heaven.

During our week in Machrihanish, we tried to get the kids outside no matter how icky the weather was.

This blurry photo is a hysterical interchange in which Taido is negotiating with the kids and saying he will take them all to a pub for lunch if they will go for a walk in the mist.

This is the kids regretting listening to him.

So the next day, when Anna and I went for a walk on the farthest south end of Kintyre, no one would come.

And it turned out to be so pretty.

Of course a few hours later it was raining again.

One afternoon we talked the big kids into going on a boat tour by themselves while we took the little guys for horse rides.

They came back with blue lips and frozen fingers, but they got to see puffins and seals and had all kinds of fun.

And oh my goodness, Simon and his cousin, Phineas loved this horse ride more than life.

Well, at least Simon did. He told his guide that he would like to become a horse rider please.

Phineas told someone on his return to Chicago that his favorite part of Scotland was the pubs. Love.

Our last day on the West Coast we walked a causeway just outside of Campbeltown to Dunvaar Island, a spot that is only an island twice a day, when the tides roll in. So you have to check the tide times to make sure you can get back.

Everyone made it out on this day and it was our grand farewell to Kintyre and to Scotland for our cousins.

The next day we drove back to Aberdeen, and we managed to turn the five hour journey into an all day affair with a flat tire (tyre), a tow truck and some car sick kiddos. Yikes.

And the next morning we said a sad goodbye as we put my sister and her family on a plane back to Chicago.

I ugly cried all the way home from the airport and for most of the weekend.

I miss Anna like crazy and the kids are all long faces without their cousins.

But I’m holding tight to these memories of sunsets and sweet sister moments.

Who would have dreamed I would get to walk so much Scottish soil with so many of my dear family and friends?

Oh, summer in Scotland. Despite having to turn on my heat and wear a constant raincoat, you have been lovely.

The post Chasing Daylight in July: Part 2 (The West Coast) appeared first on Alison Chino.

Chasing Daylight in July has been all about being outside with friends and family.

Some of the those days have been drop dead gorgeous.

But most of them have seen at least a few hours of rain.

However, the weather has not stopped us from making the most of our kids’ short summer holidays.

As soon as school was out, we headed straight for this darling cottage in the Lake District.

I’ve loved the Lake District something fierce ever since we first visited two years ago, and after walking Wainwright’s Coast to Coast last year, I feel like I’ve left a little part of my heart somewhere on the fells.

So when some dear friends of ours asked us if we wanted to share a house this summer in the Lake District, we jumped at the opportunity to wander this wonderland again.

We made lots of new discoveries along the way, as well as rediscovering a few happy truths.

We remembered that you’re never too old to play Pooh Sticks.

Or to climb trees.

And that you don’t have to wait for the sun to spend a day out on the lake.

Paddles still work in the rain.

And kids will swim no matter what the temperatures are.

We discovered that our kids are so much more eager to go for long hikes when they have friends along.

Especially when gorgeous cream teas are waiting around every corner in the village.

We remembered that no matter how much food you make, six children will manage to eat it all.

Treats included.

We spent our days walking around lakes and up hills in search of views like these.

                                        \                                                    

We had our best weather on our last day, so we saved our big climb for this day: Scafell Pike. At 978 meters (3209 feet), it is the highest mountain in England. Its first ascender was Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

I was a little sad that it was our last day in the Lakes, so I took loads of photos of this walk.

There was a scramble up the side of a waterfall on the route we chose.             

The kids were ahead of us all day, amazing me with their sure steps and quick climbing.

We reached the top sometime in the afternoon, well after lunch, but Taido had saved cookies and treats, so we had a little celebration while taking in the the world around us.

I’m always a little envious as I pick my way down the mountain to see the kids break out in a full tilt run. 

They reached the bottom well before me.

Taido drove them on back so they could be first in the showers and ready for dinner.

I made everyone stop for one last family photo as we walked down the lane to the pub for our last night.

We were all laughs and giggles as we ended our dreamy week in The Lakes.

And the next morning as we drove away from our darling cottage and sweet friends, I might have shed a tear or two.

But the next adventure was just around the corner.

The post Chasing Daylight in July: Part 1 (The Lakes) appeared first on Alison Chino.

It’s Thursday night and I’m waiting to hear that Cole’s plane made it to Chicago.

I’m wanting to know if he’ll make his connection to Little Rock.

I’m praying he will clear customs in time.

I’m hoping he will find his way through a large airport.

I’m waiting to hear.

But really, I’m waiting for him to walk through the back door. I’m listening for the way the door slams when it’s him. For his step that I always recognize, whether I hear it at 4pm or 4am.

It’s not that I’m mourning his leaving for the summer. He’s going to a place we all know and love.

It’s not even that I don’t want to be separated from him. We’ve been parted a lot over the last eighteen years.

It’s something different.

I can’t put my finger on it.

It’s the end of something. It’s the beginning of something else.

And it’s the beginning of the end.

When Cole was born, when I held him in my arms eighteen summers ago, I honestly did not think about the fact that he would one day grow up and leave me.

I know that this is absurd.

I had flyers in my hospital packet reminding me to start a college fund for my new little baby, but we had years before that day would roll around.

All the time I hear people say they blinked and their child grew up.

Strangers said it to me when I juggled my little ones in the market.

And every hour on Facebook, someone says they can’t believe how the quickly babies have become little boys and girls.

My streams are full of this sentimental sap.

Timehops from two years ago where children have grown two feet.

It’s all around me. This growing up. This constant changing and letting go.

But it doesn’t matter.

This thing. This part where my oldest child is beginning a leaving home that will turn into a new kind of relationship.

This thing where I will have to become a new kind of parent.

This thing where suddenly I am the mom of an adult child for whom I can no longer dictate a dinnertime.

This thing is ripping me in places I did not know about.

No one told me when I got pregnant all those years ago how much this part would wreck me.

The post The Beginning of Leaving appeared first on Alison Chino.

We spent the first weekend of March in London, but since then, we have gotten out for forest walks every Saturday in March.

Additionally one Wednesday, I went with a couple of friends to do a local coastal walk.

I think getting outside has gotten me through the winter, plus (hopefully) all this walking will help me be ready for two long distance walks I have coming up soon!

Here’s our month of walking (and #ChasingDaylight) in photos!

Saturday, March 14th. 

A Walk from Ballater: Sgor Buidhe

Our first Saturday out in March was a bit chilly and once we got above the forest it was crazy windy. But we got little bits of sunlight throughout the day and we just love this area. Ballater is a darling town in Royal Deeside and we love to stop for a coffee and a treat at The Bothy after a long walk in the area.

Mary Polly brought her friend on this day and it’s always wonderful how having someone else along makes it more fun for our kids.

Saturday, March 21st

A Walk in Bin Forest (near Huntly)

I’m thrilled to have discovered this forest just about 45 minutes away from Aberdeen. The walks through the trees are just gorgeous and the trails are really well maintained.

We saw several great picnic spots on this walk but we think we found the best one!

Wednesday, March 25th

A Coastal Walk to Old Slain’s Castle

This walk that begins in Collieston and runs up the coast to Old Slain’s Castle is a family favorite.

I took a couple of new friends to do this walk on what I think was the most gorgeous day we had all month.

This is the first time I can remember walking along the coast and not feeling exhausted from the wind by the end of the day. It was a perfectly still blue day. What a treat!

Saturday, March 28th

A Walk up Millstone Hill

We walked in this forest in November when we moved here and I had forgotten how gorgeous it is. The trees are just insanely tall. It was so windy on this day that we could not stay on top for long.

I love this walk because it’s fairly quick but a good workout as the hill you climb is steep. I was huffing and puffing up the hill! Phew! I need to climb it a few more times to get ready for spring and summer walks.

All these walks and loads more can be found at Walk Highlands. We use that site all the time to find new places to wander in Aberdeenshire and beyond.

The post Snapshots of Scotland: March Walks appeared first on Alison Chino.

While we were traveling this summer, almost every time I posted a picture of Switzerland, someone would tell us that we HAD to ride  a certain cable car or take a certain train. All the guidebooks and blog posts say the same thing. But here’s the thing. They are really expensive. A lot of them cost close to $100 per person to ride and the trains are even more, so for the most part we saw what we could see in Switzerland the best way we know how.

On our feet.

However, we celebrated Cole’s 17th birthday while we were in Switzerland and Peter and Whitney were still with us, so we decided to splurge and ride one cable car to one of the restaurants on top of the world.

We chose Furenalp, because it is actually much more reasonable than a lot of the other ones.

One of the crazy things about the Swiss Alps that is different from the other mountains we’ve visited is that no matter how high you go, there is some sort of eating establishment. The access to the high spots on the mountains via these cable cars and gondolas is pretty unbelievable.

It was just a little bit scary to be hanging up so high.

The ride went quickly though (just a few minutes) and then we were on top of the world at this darling restaurant.

The kids were even more taken with this alpine playground than they were with the views.

And I had to admit that it was pretty precious.

Hobbit holes and all.

We ordered traditional Swiss food, which was all new to me, but pretty much just tastes like heavy comfort food. Lots of potatoes and cream sauces. It was delish.

We stayed at the top for a long time, enjoying the views.

Sipping beer and letting the kids play.

We took family photos on top after lunch.

Then Peter and Whitney took the three younger boys back down on the cable car, while the rest of us hiked down from Furenalp.

It was while we were hiking that I realized just how far up we had come. It took us over two hours to get back down.

But it was a gorgeous walk, and I took about thirty-eight videos of cow bells ringing. I can’t even handle how lovely that sound is.

By the time we reached the bottom, I felt like I had worked off my cream sauce.

The post A Walk from Furenalp {Switzerland} (27/48) appeared first on Alison Chino.

Summer 2013

Summer 2014

When we told people that we were moving to Scotland, for the most part the responses fell into two general categories.

1. That sounds crazy!

2. That sounds dreamy!

And you know what, both of these descriptions are spot on.

Moving abroad is crazy AND it’s a dream come true. At the same time.

Like many life experiences, living in a new country is hard and amazing.

My life strategy of trying to find the beauty in the world has helped me (for the most part) to look on the bright side of our first year abroad as a family, but I would be lying if I never mentioned that there are some really hard things about facing two more years here in Aberdeen. I really try to stay away from negativity in general, and especially on this blog because it is my “happy place,” but I want to try to strike a balance of remembering our first year in Aberdeen as it truly was.

So as I look back on our first year, I want to share how God has richly blessed us with new experiences and places to live and dear friends. When I think about all that we have gotten to see, I am just dumbstruck with wonder. But before I post the “LOOK AT EVERYTHING WE GOT TO DO IN ONE YEAR” list, I thought I would list some of the things that have been hard about moving abroad, and more specifically, to Aberdeen.

Hard Stuff about Moving Abroad:

1. Schools

You know how people say that children are resilient and flexible and they will benefit from being thrown into new situations and new cultures. Yep, that stuff is totally true. But the part that we might not mention is that making those adjustments to new schools, systems and cultures is really hard.

Without divulging too much of their personal journeys, I will just say that each one of my kids faced some serious challenges in our local Scottish schools. Collectively, between the four of them, they were bullied and cyber-bullied, were hit and kicked, failed courses, felt completely alone, skipped lunch to hide in the library and missed opportunities because of cultural and even language barriers.

I don’t want to make them sound like victims. It’s just that it has taken us our entire first year to figure some things out about the way the systems work. They also (again collectively) made friends from all over the world, learned the history of a new country and continent, earned awards for being top students, learned new languages and new sports and (I think maybe) have a new appreciation for each other.

I’m incredibly proud of all four of them and I believe that this move has been good for them. But there is a little place inside of my heart that twinges and makes me tear up when I think of all we’ve put them through in the last year. And as they reluctantly head back to school this week, I hope desperately that this year will be brighter.

2. Money

I have mentioned once or twice that it is quite expensive to live in the UK, even more so in Aberdeen. We have watched the dollar decline slowly in value all year. Filling up our gas (petrol) tank costs us roughly $200. A trip to the grocery store for about a week is around $300. A return bus ticket in Aberdeen is $5 and for the six of us to eat out at a casual restaurant is between $80-$100.  We try not to eat out and we eat a lot of lentils and rice.

Still, when we gasp at how much things cost, we have to acknowledge in the same breath that we have had everything we need. And more. We have a place to live and a van that holds all six of us. We have food to eat plus we have Europe on our doorstep.

Every month is a new journey of faith in figuring out how we are going to make it all work, and in fact, most of the time it does not look like it is going to work at all, but we have been provided for all year long. I keep reminding myself of this staggering truth as September and a new round of tuition payments looms around the corner.

3. Family and Friends

Before coming to Scotland, we lived for over ten years in Arkansas in a close community of family and friends. We were so loved. And we loved so much. Those kinds of relationships and circles of people who love you and who even love your kids do not come easy.

We have the beginnings of what I believe will be life long relationships here in Scotland for which I am truly thankful, and we’ve also been blessed with the visits of many dearly loved ones. I’m encouraged by both and relieved that as we start year two here in Aberdeen, that we are in a place of nurturing friendships already made instead of starting all over relationally like we did a year ago. We’re also super encouraged by the fact that we’re going home for Christmas this year!

4. Weather

Ok, now I’m just being petty. I know, I know. I might as well list not having a dryer or Tiny Oven as hardships as well. Or not having access to corn tortillas and real Mexican food. (The Struggle!) But sometimes it’s the little things that are the hardest. I feel a heaviness in my heart when I start to think about what time the sun is going to set in November. It’s almost like I’m dreading it more because I know it’s coming.

But the knowledge of how very dark it is in the winter in Aberdeen has made me so grateful for summer’s light. I have spent every possible minute outside that I could.

And as the rain falls even as I type this, I am thankful that I have learned the art of getting outside regardless of the weather and that I have acquired some waterproof pants.

I’m also thankful that I have learned how to fix lentils about twenty different ways and I am undaunted by another winter of beans and rice.

However, I’m not sure I can go another year without a dryer.

Still, it is strange how when I look back and think about the darker parts of the last year, I truly am grateful for them. Because probably even more than the sunny holidays, they are the ways in which I have seen God. He has shown us again and again that we are not alone.

We are not abandoned to aimlessly wander a new place, but rather to wonder at how He leads us along every step of the way on this crazy + dreamy journey!

The post Reflections on Moving Abroad: The Hard Stuff appeared first on Alison Chino.

“Hi, I’m Flea.” she said as she sat down next to me in the airport.

“Hi! I’ve been so excited to meet you! I’m Alison.”

“And this is Simon.”

“Simon, can you say hello?”

“Hi.” (small quiet voice)

I’ve mentioned before that Simon and I are introverts. In fact most of us Chinos fall on introverted side of the scale.

Sometimes when I meet someone who is truly extroverted, I think that they must be faking it. The notion of being truly comfortable talking to strangers is so foreign to me that I feel like it must be some sort of a show.

But then every once in a while I meet a truly extroverted child, and I’m reminded that some people are truly born this way. Some people really and truly, have never met a stranger.

Flea, who is nine years old, is one such child, and Simon and I had the sublime pleasure of her company on our recent journey to Mauritius. Watching Flea make friends with Simon will forever be one of the gifts of 2014 to me.

Like Harry and Hermione, Simon and Flea were fast friends, so inseparable after only a couple of days that Sally and I were scrambling to rearrange meals and excursions so that we could all be together.

Sally and I are both bloggers who love to write about travel. We were assigned to travel together as First Choice Holidays Out of Office Bloggers, and I was not at all worried about traveling with her. We met briefly in London at a pre-trip event, sans children and we both have experience with going on holidays with strangers as part of publicity campaigns. However, adding children to the mix is always a bit of a gamble. Simon and I were ecstatic about going on a sun-soaked holiday together, but I was not sure how he would get on with Sally’s little girl.

As soon as I met Flea at the airport, I knew we were going to be just fine. Sally warned me that she was chatty, and I was completely taken with her ten-minute-answer to the question, “What book are you reading?’

Simon watched me talk to Flea for a little while before he joined in, but it was not long before the two of them fell into their own little world, without any need for me.

Of course it helped that they had an awful lot in common. A mutual love for Lego and Doctor Who proved to be the breeding ground for what blossomed over the week into a sweet friendship.

They played together in the crystal blue swimming pool and on the long stretch of beach at our resort. Invented games and imaginary worlds ensued. And Sally and I relished the hours by the pool in our loungers. It was bliss.

On our excursions, they sat together on the bus rides, heads together over one of their devices, laughing at the Lego Movie or reading Big Nate. They chased monkeys around a Holy Lake, seeing who could get the closest to one.

Flea is a bit of an adventure addict, which turned out to be great for my little cautionary guy. When Simon was hesitant to come out on the deck for the catamaran ride, Flea persuaded him that the best place to drink a glass bottle of Lemon Fanta is directly underneath the sails. She also talked him into going tubing behind a speed boat. They confused the boat driver because Flea was signaling to go faster while Simon was signaling to go slower.

However, when Flea went parasailing, Simon was content to go along and just watch. But they celebrated together with fancy drinks at the pool bar afterwards.

At meals, they would head to the dessert case, tasting different offerings each night. Then they would go back to the ice cream bar to chase down their chocolate cake or macaroons with their favorite, vanilla ice cream.

Flea and Simon sat together on the flight back to London and after we parted ways, Simon told me that he was really going to miss her.

I absolutely loved watching them all week, and I was grateful that my older children were not around to taint it by teasing Simon about ‘having a girlfriend,’ which they most certainly did when we got home and Simon talked and talked about Flea.

I delight in the thought of their paths crossing again one day.

Simon and I went to Mauritius as part of my role as an Out of Office Bloggers for 2014. I’m super thankful to First Choice Holidays for such a lovely trip and for partnering us up with such fab folk! And I’m grateful to Sally and Flea for being extroverts and for jumping in and helping to make the week so much fun!

The post A Story about Making New Friends appeared first on Alison Chino.