This is my Mom’s birthday, and the first birthday without her. Last year, I sent her a box of my favorite Belgian chocolates. Mom loved chocolate.
Leonidas Gianduja chocolates
So, I pause a moment with memories of eating chocolates with Mom. One time, she visited me in the Seattle area. We stopped at Bohem’s Chocolate Factory in Issaquah. I knew that the mixed broken chocolates were the cheapest, so we bought a bag. I was amazed to see Mom eat as many as she did! Fun memories.
The great news from yesterday is that Anya received word that she has housing when she goes to Kings College London. There is a shared room for her with a board plan (minus lunches on workdays) at Lee Abbey. She got the last shared room with 2-to-a-room. This is a Christian student housing facility that is connected to the Anglican Church. And for being in the Kensington area of London and providing meals, the price is reasonable.
The Kensington neighborhood is just 1 mile SSW of Kensington Palace and Hyde Park or 1 mile WSW of the Royal Albert Hall or 2.5 miles west of Buckingham Palace. It will mean a 22 subway (“tube”) commute to Kings College London. There is also a second tube line that takes 28 minutes, so it is good to have two options.
There is still an unknown regarding when Anya will be able to move in. Her orientation week for “freshers” starts a week prior to the standard housing contract. So, we have to see if there is a chance that she can: 1) move in early, which sounds like unlikely; 2) move into another temporary hostel room there (not highly likely) or perhaps another hostel; 3) find someone friend of a friend to stay with; 4) stay in a hotel close by with all her luggage. This is small potatoes compared to a full year of housing. I am so relieved!
Anya had housing arranged at her first choice institution, but she missed the conditional acceptance by 2% on her math score, which required the highest level. She held out hoping for a second chance in the next round of selection, but to no avail. That puts her in Kings College London, but with only 1 month prior to the start of orientation week to secure housing. Fortunately, a colleague told me about this housing option, which seems to be a better match for what Anya wanted: a shared room and a board plan. An English-speaking Christian community will be wonderful, after two years in Sweden. While Anya worships at an international congregation in Stockholm, it isn’t convenient enough to have gotten connected with the youth group.
So, we pray now, with thanksgiving for God’s Providence, and continue with prayers of petition in preparation for Anya to develop a good friendship with her roommate, for all the transitions for Anya–and me–to come.
