Don't Forget the Baby!

Here's one for you busy mums (and dads)...

I was reminded today of a humorous occassion last year when in the mad dash of the school run I found myself in such a flap not to be late that I walked part way to school with an empty pushchair leaving my poor baby still sitting in her carseat!!!!! T'was very funny, especially as I recall, the little sad lip she was protruding on my return!!! I hasten to add, for the benefit of any social workers' perusal, that the car was in view at all times, and thankfully I did realise what was missing before I had progressed too far. Furthermore, I vow that though I may, and undoubtedly will, still forget to return library books on time, fill in forms and remember that important birthday, I will, all else failing, make every effort to remember not to forget the baby!

Snowflakes...

Having done some 'snow learning' with the kids this week we found ourselves looking at images of snowflakes on google. We had tried to go into the garden with our magnifying glasses to look at them in detail but the flakes were too big and they just kept melting! Later on though, whilst enduring the obligatory sledging (ok, we were loving it!!!) we were amazed to see that you can actually see them with the naked eye!!!!! I cannot believe that I have lived for 36 years and never before seen this wonder! The tiny, intricate and amazing shapes... so amazing...so detailed and each one completely unique. Admittedly snow is not a familiar sight for most of us, and when it comes we are so busy doing...making snowmen, snowball fighting, sledging, that we sometimes fail to just stop & look. Perhaps I am alone in my lack of observational skills, but as the next snow falls (hopefully tomorrow for us Midlanders!) just take a moment to look & consider their beauty. And consider that as each are unique and beautiful so too are we even more beautiful to our wonderful Creator Dad!

More inspirations...

Take a look at my friend Leah's new blog...have just been there & it's great reading! http://newevery-morning.blogspot.com/ Enjoy & be blessed!

Homeschooling...a new adventure!

It has been a very long time since I wrote! And, since a friend of mine told me just yesterday that she had been reading my aged blog, I thought it was perhaps time to update! Lots has happened over the last month or so. We had a wonderful Christmas, celebrated Lottie's first birthday (and her first official chocolate!) , Sally's 6th (more chocolate!) and my 36th (never enough chocolate!) I am now officially closer to 40 than 30, the hair is still greying and the wrinkles still deepening, but I am still smiling (just!)

Probably the biggest bit of news is that we have finally taken the plunge & begun the long considered adventure of home education! The kids, if you ask them, are loving it (though we have had more than the occassional uncooperative moment!), and I am gradually finding my feet. The task is undoubtedly made more 'challenging' by our now toddler, who is in the wonderful 'exploring' stage: pulling books off shelves; fiddling with the PC (takes after her daddy!); & generally doing anything she's not supposed to do! It amazes me that she is able to spend so long determinedly opening kitchen cupboards to retrieve delicious dishwasher tablets when the concentration span for her own 'toddler toys' is no more than 30 seconds!!! I am becoming very skilled at performing tasks one handed with the little whirlwind strapped to my hip! When it works the days are fun & when it doesn't, 'interesting' is perhaps a good word! I am gradually trying to chill & not be too formalised or rigid in our learning, to prepare, but be relaxed, and be ready to rethink and change my plans when necessary.

In so many ways it is great: no uniforms to iron; lunches to make; no dashing around like headless chickens in the mornings, and the quality of family time is so much better. It has been great to take time each morning to read the Bible & pray with the kids, something which in the business of our lives we have never really prioritised. But home schooling is not without its challenges and I must (still) learn to depend on God when I run out of my own reserves (and ideally beforehand!)

I am very pleased that we have finally taken the plunge and won't forever be wondering 'what if...', but we are still very much 'trialling' the whole thing. Interestingly, when asked about returning to school the general consensus is a no (though I am aware that we are still very much in the honeymoon period and the novelty factor is high!) Nevertheless, Poppy's qualification of 'not yet...' requires that I hold lightly this new relaxed life style. If at some point they are keen to return, it becomes unworkable for us or we feel God telling us to send them back we will do so. In the meantime we are enjoying our quality time, practising patience, doing our best to stay in touch with everyone and having fun learning together. It's a wild but wonderful life!

A lighthearted look at motherhood

Check out Anita Renfroe on You tube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmYE-1ecnuY

I found it really funny...hope you enjoy it too! Whatever kind of day you've had, I pray that you will know that God loves you! He can help each one of us, as we face the craziness of our day to day life, to find joy and "laugh at the days that are to come". Every happiness...x

Blog to God!

Was reading about Hannah today (1 Samuel Chapters 1-2). In the story, Hannah, married to a guy called Elkanah, is unable to have children and she is 'deeply troubled'. The story tells us about how God turns her situation around and gives her his joy, and ultimately a child (actually I think 5 or 6 of them?). As I read the story today, I identified with her and felt challenged by what I read. At times, I too can become sad, sometimes with good reason, sometimes for no reason whatsoever. I also like to to talk, and be real about what is going on in my life, I admit sometimes to a fault. My husband Simon is wonderful and his friendly shoulder and kind advice is a great blessing, usually anyway!, as too are the friends whose shoulders I have cried into many times. I thank God for them all. Interestingly though in this story, Hannah, whilst deeply troubled, does not offload onto a friend or even her husband. Insead she goes to God and pours out her heart. I like that! So often I try to work things out by myself, forgetting that God is real, he is my friend, he is my dad! I can talk to him and share my innermost thoughts, dreams, fears, hopes and worries with him. He is a great listener and he is the ultimate Mr Fix It! He can even help me to want things to be fixed when I feel like giving up!! He is able to do what needs to be done, to provide what I need and to help me with anything! Yes, anything!!!!!!! My God is able! Coming to God with her sadness turned Hannah's life around, deepened her friendship with him, but also helped her to find joy through it all. God is gentle and kind, he loves us, he know us and because of Jesus he accepts us.

It was in the light of this that I decided it was time to start a "BLOG TO GOD". So now, and every day, or whenever I remember, whatever is on my mind (hopes, joys, fears, sadness, bizarreness) everything that makes me who I am, I will share with him. As I do so, I expect that God will do the same, and reveal himself to me....Wow! I am very much looking forward to the process of dicovering God and I expect that there will be much more to say as I embark on my real life journey with Jesus! Watch this space...

Santa Claus is coming to town!

Yet more funny stories this week. Am beginning to feel I could write a book, although I imagine that to be a thought familiar to many of us, at one time or another in the parenting journey. Unfortunately, by the very nature of the job, the time restraints do not, on the whole, permit such luxuries as book writing. So, at least for the time being, I shall have to satisfy myself with a little lighthearted blogging...here goes...

As I was saying. December has arrived! And so our Christmas plans have stepped up a gear. This week, whilst talking Christmas presents we had some real funnies! Sally mentioned that she would like a DS!!!!! Our instant reaction...Yikes! Thankfully, Poppy, wise and sensible child (there's one in every family) suggested that perhaps the gift idea may be too expensive for mummy and daddy! Baffled by Poppy's encouragement to downscale, Sally proceeded to tell us that she was going to ask Santa, for the present, not mummy & daddy!

Later, unwavering in her determination, she started writing her Christmas letter. I tried to explain to her that it is "sometimes better to ask for a general gift, maybe Santa knows what you want more than you do yourself, maybe he will get you something really wonderful you have never considered." Sally, however, was not convinced! Apparently she "already had a gun!". On interrogation it became clear that she was not impressed with last year's present of a pop gun that she had received on visiting Santa in his grotto and thought perhaps this year she could help out by providing a little more 'guidance'.

Her perception of course gave us all a giggle, but I have to admit...she does have a point!