We’re moving in exactly 1 month and 2 days. I’m sad about it. Real sad. Don’t get me wrong, I’m super excited to moving back to America. To our friends and family. I’m very much looking forward to going home. But I will miss Scotland deeply.
So in honor of our 4 and a half years here in Scotland, I wanted to make a list of the things that I will miss about Scotland and about living in Scotland. There are plenty of things I won’t miss, but I thought I’d keep this list more positive than my pregnancy overdue top ten list. 
In no particular order, I will miss:
- Scottish green grass.
-The rainbows.
- The accents.
-Alanna’s preschool- she loves it there, and she loves Mrs. Maclean, her teacher.
-My Scottish friends, most of all, Fran.
-Mulled wine in the winter
-Christmas village on Princes street during Christmastime.
-Long long days during summer.
-Walking to Tesco.
-Heck, getting Tesco to deliver my groceries to my doorstep for only £3.50 (about 5 dollars). I will really miss that!!!
-Seeing people all bundeled up walking- they love to walk here!
-The bike path behind our house.
-All of the fun day trips that are to be had here.
-The castles.
- Our house, especially the room that I made for Cole, just for him.
-The breathtakingly gorgeous sunsets.
-Walking Alanna to and from school. Even in the rain.
-Seeing all of the children walking to school in their school uniforms.
-Our church- what an amazing group of people.
- Roundabouts.
- I’ll miss Edinburgh- what a pretty city.
-Sleeping with the windows open year round (yes, even in winter, I get really hot at night!)
-The air just smells cleaner here.
-I know I’ll miss a good Scottish rainy day (that one may take awhile to miss though!)
-The amazing water that we drink right out of our tap.
-The scenery.
-Meeting up with friend for a cuppa.
-British humor on TV.
-Mark and Miranda- what lifesavers they have been as far as Christian community is concerned.
-My photography business- it has just started to pick up in the last 3 months- fab timing!!
-Hearing the use of the word, “wee,” incessantly in conversation.
-I swear the sky is bluer here than anywhere else in the world.
————————————————————————————————-
Though far frae thee, my native shore,
And tossed on life’s tempestuous ocean,
My heart-aye Scottish to the core-
Shall cling to thee wi’ warm devotion.
And while the waving Heather grows,
And onward rows the winding river,
The toast be “Scotland’s broomy knowes,
Her mountains, rocks, and glens forever!”
melinda said
nice list hope. i miss those things too. to my list I would add, the parliament building, clambers, mummy night outs with my wine drinking girlfriends, and FREE nursery for William.
Jaime said
you’re making me miss Scotland and I’ve never been there!
shelby said
awe, im sad for you now
but think of all the pictures of families America has for you to take!
Amy Middleton said
As much as I am so happy you guys will be State-side and closer, I miss Scotland for you!!
I have lived vicariously through you and your pictures there, it seems like a magical place. I want to definitely visit one day, hopefully bring you as a tour guide since we didn’t get there while you were there. (That makes me sad!). Enjoy your last days there, we’re thinking of you all!
mark & miranda said
Miranda and I will miss you so very much. Your hospitality, your cooking (HI! That stuff is so good I have to make up a new word to describe it…SCRUMTRILESCENT!) your humour and your ability to be open and honest about your struggles (nice to know you’re human!) and be gentle about those of others, your obedient, godly and delightful children (yes, the average goody two-shoes-ness of our church in the kids department will definitely take a nose-dive) your good advice humbly given, photography tips generously imparted…i will even miss that “not ANOTHER awful joke from Mark” look that you give me whenever I make an attempt at humour! In Boston the hard graft you put in here, and the pressure you endured will all pay off. you’ll be surrounded with opportunities to minister, to be an example, and lead young women into godliness and obedience to Christ. we believe in you, and wish we could keep you, but the land of straight teeth and white picket fences beckons. M & M
Hope Mabry said
Thanks guys for feeling it with me! I’m SO gonna miss this place- *insert huge frowny face here*. Mark, thanks for the incredibly generous comment that you left.
YOU’RE NOT MAKING IT ANY EASIER! haha! 
And gosh, Melinda, totally gonna miss free nursery for Alanna!
michelle said
i miss a lot of those things too hope. and esp you and your family…
Caroline Collie said
Shame, Hope! Why don’t ya gie us all a wee teary morning! I was almost in tears reading this. I think there are some things I forgot I wouldn’t get to enjoy again…at least not for a while — like the German village at Christmas. And Mark & Miranda. And the sky that is definitely so so blue and the grass that is so so green. Okay that’s enough I’m almost in tears and going away for a wee cuppa. I canny be bovverred with all this gritin.
Hope Mabry said
Sorry, Caroline!! We’ll all need to have a Scotland reunion one day, huh?
Caroline Collie said
Yeah! I think it is scheduled to be in South Africa in 2011!!!
Janna Fisher said
What a sweet blog, Friend.