Boxing Day

 Observed annually on December 26 in Canada, the U.K. and Commonwealth countries around the world, Boxing Day was traditionally the day employers would give their staff Christmas presents, called "boxes," to celebrate the season.  But since the day after Christmas is now usually a statutory holiday, in our modern society, we now often give those boxes to ourselves.

There you have it in a nutshell.  We haven't ventured out at all today, and I think that is probably true of many living in the UK here.  Looking out our windows, I see that it is very quiet out there.  There are usually vans and trucks out in the parking lot - but not today.  Boxing Day is typically a great shopping day, but obviously few are out shopping.  With only grocery stores and pharmacies open, there isn't that much to buy.  I imagine there was a lot of buying on internet.

We were up until four last night, speaking with all of our children, and communicating with some of our young adults.  So we slept in, and have moved like molasses ever since.  SK continues with his indexing, and I manage to find all kinds of things to keep me busy.  

We don't know how long the lockdown will go on.  We have heard that it could be two weeks, but people who were here in March said that is what was said then, and it turned into months.  We will see.  

Looking ahead into the new year, we are as much in a state of uncertainty as ever.  We have heard nothing about our visas.  We don't know how long we will be able to stay here in this beautiful land.  We don't know how long this Tier 4 will go on.  We  don't know when we will be able to personally interact with ward members, young adults and other missionaries.  We don't know when we will be able to attend church.  We don't know when the vaccine will be available to us.

A lot of questions, but we are comfortable here.  We have discussed it several times.  In an odd way, we are probably more sheltered here from the virus than we would be in Gilbert.....but we miss our family.

I have always loved welcoming the new year in.  This year will be no different.  I have high hopes for what will come.  Not only because I am hoping that we will be able to fulfill our mission charge, but I am hoping that we will yet be able to have family come and visit.  

In the meantime, we will take it one day at a time, reaching out in any way we can to the young people here.  



Comments

melissa said…
We really hope we can visit!
December 27, 2020 at 7:31 PM
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