Walk on, Walk on with hope in your heart

One year ago in April 2022, we gave up all we've known to travel for 7 months across South-East Asia. (If you're interested and want to read those, click on the blog categories at the bottom of the page to see our travels by country!) We walked on through the wind, through the rain, through the tears, had our dreams tossed and blown. We tried to find healing for our grief and a way forward but nothing seemed to work. We tried out best to walk through the storms with our heads held high.

Life can be rough. In fact, it can be rough for an excruciatingly long time. It is so easy to lose sight of it all in a storm. But I hope that whatever your circumstances may be, you'll walk on. I hope you'll walk on with hope in your heart and that you'll never walk alone. 

We just said goodbye to April 2023 and it looks like we've finally seen off the worst of the storms. The shadows of the storms of life along with the gloomy bitterly cold winter has gone. We can finally see glimpses of the golden sky. We are here we are in the United Kingdom settled like we've been here forever. The kids are done with their semester of homeschooling, I've turned 12,500 words into turn-it-in while Debra has kept us all happy and alive with yummy grub. 

As you will notice with the pictures below, we've shedded the layers of thick clothing because t-shirt weather is finally starting to arrive. We've been so blessed by a couple of days of amazing sunshine and balmy 16-19 celcius weather. ​

At the RAF Midlands Museum

With the deadlines sorted, I've had a lot more time to hit the motorways in search of places we can explore and enjoy. The kids didn't get their Easter or Mid-term breaks because I was really busy and we decided to have our schedules align. But now...they get a long break with me!

We got the ball rolling with the RAF Midlands museum that really gave us great insights into the history of human conflict. Matthias and I were excited to see the Spitfires and Messerschmitts and other historic aircraft we've watched about in documentaries. I can't say the same for the ladies. They are amazed at these planes and the stories behind them but they just don't have the same fascination with machines as the boys do. I don't mean to generalise what do you think?

The legendary Spitfire

Had the opportunity to tell Matt about the Vulcan bomber and the Cold War

Stunning engineering

The size of the bomb bay tells us how big the bombs were. It's not something we want to ever experience.

Walking among the giants

Flying free

It's the playground!

Flight officer Gwyn!

​We had the opportunity to visit an apple orchard in Cotswold this week. No luck with the apples because apple picking season is in summer so we still have a little bit of waiting to do. Having lived our entire lives in a city, we were absolutely clueless about the times crops are sown and harvested. We'll keep learning! We did manage to buy some apple juice and enjoyed a nature trek around the property. The cool air and warm sunshine made everything look so stunning. ​

Grabbed a map but got lost anyway...HAHA!

No 4G/5G signals in the rural areas...can't believe how dependent on technology we have become...

Fresh air, lush foliage, muddy boots and happy smiles!

I'm just glad the children can now take a moment to pause and soak it in. I hope they'll remember to do it often in their lifetime ahead...

The same plant at different stages. Reproduces asexually and doesn't need pollination so the new plant is EXACTLY the same. Basically clones itself. Mind blown!

Of course the kids couldn't resist helping the Dandelions clone itself...

Down SUPER narrow rural roads with cattle grids. Back in our happy place!

Grey skies and bitterly cold days teach you to be grateful when you get beautiful days like that.

​For a person who takes cleanliness very very seriously (wifey reckons it is OCD...), I still can't decide if I like cleaning a salty, gritty, mucky car or one that's an insect graveyard. One thing for sure, the scenery is a feast for the senses and the soul.  It is worth cleaning the car for. 

With an abundance of daylight nowadays (Sun rises at 530am and sets at 830pm), it is a lot easier to plan days out. It is nice that we can drive home in the evenings and still make it home with daylight to spare. What a contrast from the 230pm sunsets just a few months ago. We managed a nature walk/farm visit + Cotswold (Bourton-on-the-water) in the same day! 
​

12th century beauties.

This anytime over a skyscraper.

Getting ready for the coronation!

Summer dresses, t-shirts and outside seating. Puts a smile on my face!

Picnic by the river!

Looking sad because we didn't let them jump into the river. (Water is still really cold actually...) They miss the water so much...the bathtub just doesn't cut it for them. We promised a beach trip when its warmer!

Oh the glow!

❤️

That's all for today's episode of our lives. We recognise that though we live pretty extraordinary lives, all we want is to savour the ordinary things. What you and l want is to experience love, our beautiful world and joy in our hearts. We hope our journey through grief, change and uncertainty resonates. We don't know when but we know there'd be better days. Press on and walk on with hope in your hearts.