Circular cut-and-paste

Hi All this is simply a copy of our circular email, so if you've read it stop now!
It's been some time since we sent a 'circular' to let you know how we are getting on. We have been in touch with many of you over the past months and we do try to reply to everyone in person as we really appreciate any news. To everyone else, I hope you have been able to keep up to date with our website (address below). We update this regularly with news and photos, and know many of you are kept informed this way. This is why we have been neglecting these circular e-mails.
For those in our support group, we are very grateful to Sharmaine for also helping to keep you all in the loop and encouraging you to pray for us. We have been SO encouraged by all your prayers, e-mails, letters etc. It really does make such a difference to a day to receive these and to know that we are in your thoughts. I have said it several times but will say again that we have never felt better connected with our friends and family than since we came here. To use a familiar expression, God works in mysterious ways!
We arrived here in Thane 8 months ago today full of anticipation and a fair amount of trepidation. Our experiences since that day are too many to list here but, as most of you will know, there have been positives and negatives. Days when we have felt so excited to be here and about what God is using us for and other days when I have cried and, if offered, would have taken a flight back home to all that is familiar. Through it all we have known that God is with us, and you guys, which has made it easier. We have stepped significantly out of our comfort zones which is never easy but always ultimately rewarding. We wait to see what will happen next and know for sure that we are different people from those that left. Not least because we are now 4 instead of 3!
It's hard to believe that we will be back in Scotland 4 weeks today! In some ways it seems like a lifetime has lapsed since we were last there with so many significant life events having happened (new country, new baby, 2 house moves, a month in the hills learning Hindi...) That said, it also feels like yesterday that we stepped onto the plane.
We are so excited about our trip home (14th June - 11th July) but are conscious that, as somebody wisely prayed, we wouldn't have too high expectations and risk being disappointed or struggle to leave again! We are very aware that it will be an extremely social and very busy time that is full of emotion and inevitably tiring. This will be true especially for the kids who will be experiencing a constantly changing environment. Although Scotland is our home we have to remember that Freya has never been there and Alistair will have no real recollection of it! We will have to give them 'quiet days' as much as possible. That said, please don't be offended that if we don't manage to see you and know that we would love to if we could!
We will definitely be at our home church, Queen's Park Baptist, on 2nd July in the morning. We will be saying something about our experiences so far in the service. There will also be a lunch after the service where we can chat to folk in a bit more depth. If you are interested please come as it will be a good opportunity for us to catch up with you all.
Looking forward to catching up with as many of you as possible soon. Meantime, check out the website!
Love Jo et al.