Oxford

The day before Caroline and my mom arrived, Josh and I took our first day trip.  Josh hadn't yet started work, and we had gotten as far as possible on our to-do list and needed a mental break.  So we took the Tube to Paddington Station (where I almost bought Caroline 100 different Paddington Bear souvenirs), and embarked on the one hour train ride to Oxford.

Oxford.

That city of learning and education and architecture and Christian history and normal history.  The University of Oxford is actually the oldest English-speaking university in the world.  Hard to imagine.

And yet, at 6 months pregnant on a hot day, all I wanted to do was sit down.

But Josh fed me well, let me rest, downloaded a free walking tour, and off we set.


I even climbed up to the top of a church spire.  What was I thinking?

Half way through I needed more rest and more food, and Josh obliged.  He's nice like that.

And in the end it was worth it.

To walk in the steps of Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.  To take in the fabulous architecture.  To think about the fact that Lewis Carrol met a girl named Alice in that place.  To take a picnic down to the river and watch the boats and swans go by.  Worth every tired, out-of-breath step.



And then on the train ride back I fell asleep and drooled all down my face. Classy.