When I took this photo months ago I had no idea we would be living in Edinburgh in less than a year.

On March 3, 2012, Michael and I pressed the “submit” button together sending Michael’s application for PhD studies to the University of Edinburgh.  I wrote that moment down in my “gifts” journal since it was such a huge step towards what we knew we have been called to do.  After many ups and downs, rejections, encouragements and 9 months spent living in Glasgow, a city we have come to love, Edinburgh has invited Michael to pursue his PhD in their History Department. This is an incredible opportunity for Michael to attend a university rated one of the best in the world for the study of History. You can read “Michael’s Story” at the top of our blog to find out what exactly we are doing here in Scotland and how you can support us.

So, by September we will no longer be the “Griggs in Glasgow”.  I should have known that was too narrow of a title for a blog about our family! We don’t know where in Edinburgh we are going to live yet, but the flat search has begun.  We are also researching all of the places we want to visit and the groups that we want to join in Edinburgh.  I am excited and admittedly a little overwhelmed at the thought of “learning” a new city.  Ironically, there are no trains within the city, so the bus and I will have to become friends at last!  When we let the kids know about moving, they were all very excited about the possibilities a whole new city brings.  Michael and I are astounded at how supportive, understanding and enthusiastic our children are.  They are truly amazing kids.

In only 9 short months, we have found a community here in Glasgow that we are going to miss.  Between our home-ed groups, church, cub scouts and the university, we have many friends that we hope will be a part of our lives for a very long time.  There was something about coming to a place where we knew not a soul that bonded us together as a family and prompted us in seeking to find a community to join and invest in.  We have been very blessed by our international family here in Glasgow and there is comfort in knowing that we will only be an hour train away, and if we want to come back to visit – we can.

So for now, we have around 2 1/2 more months to enjoy in Glasgow while Michael completes his masters dissertation, and we sort out where we will live in Edinburgh.  Please pray for us during this time of transition. Thus the adventure continues and as Michael says “why live in one city in Scotland when you can live in two?”