11 months old

Looking less than impressed at the swans!

Now he's spending as much time as he can on his feet and 'cruising' around the furniture! Plus, just the last few days he's started pointing at things and trying to show us and tell us what he wants. And his chatter has gone up a step too!

And this is my 200th blog post!

Big Word Wednesday #14

This time last year I was desperately trying to hand over projects and finish off work so that I could begin my maternity leave. I can’t believe how fast the past 12 months have gone, and how different life is now!

So, I think it’s time for a Big Word Wednesday!

Reminisce

- To tell about the past

- To talk or write about events remembered

- To recall, recollect, muse over

I often find myself thinking about things that have happened in my life. Important events, big achievements, memorable moments. I’m the kind of person that remembers dates and when things happened, so I tend to think back on various ‘anniversaries’.

Sometimes the memories I recall are happy, good, full of fun. I remember laughter with friends and family, journeys and adventures. Things I thought I’d never do or see.

Other times the thoughts are less enjoyable...mistakes I’ve made, things I’ve said or done, time I’ve wasted.

Often it can be good to spend time thinking about our past. We can learn from mistakes, take comfort from good times and be thankful for all that God has done.

But sometimes we can think too much about our past. We hold onto weights and baggage that we need to leave behind. We define who and what we are now by where we’ve come from or things we’ve done. We keep records of our mistakes and failures...and sometimes the mistakes and failures of others. And sometimes we just waste time when we could be thinking about the present or even the hope of the future.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

What were you doing this time last year?

How has God worked in your life in the last 12 months?

What do you look forward to in the future?

Impossible v Difficult

Helen Skelton is a pretty amazing woman.

As I watched her walk 150m across a wire 66m in the air, I was impressed by her determination and ability to take on great challenges to help raise money for others. I was also slightly convicted by my sometimes lazy attitude and ability to find a long list of excuses!

Last year she kayaked the entire length of the Amazon river (just over 2,000 miles) again to raise money for others.

During her training for the tight rope walk, she spoke openly about the pain and struggles of the training and the mental attitude she had to develop to help her face the challenge. One thing she said that really touched me was that impossible and difficult are not the same thing. Meaning that just because the training she was going through was difficult did not make the challenge impossible. And because it was not impossible she was going to carry on working hard to meet the challenge and finish the task she set out to accomplish.

I began to think about that great verse in Luke 1:37 where it says

'For nothing is impossible with God'

and I thought about Helen's mantra - impossible and difficult are not the same thing.

That means that while nothing is impossible with God, it does not mean that nothing is difficult with God.

That's not so nice and encouraging now is it?!

I think sometimes we read the verse above and subconsciously assume that everything will be easy. But life is not easy...and it's not meant to be.

The bible says that we can grow and learn and be close to God even when life is difficult.

So, let's not be discouraged by the difficult times. Instead, let's face the challenges head on, with determination and hard work. Let's encourage one another and hold tight to God.

Remember impossible and difficult are not the same thing.

Juggling

I'm the kind of person who made a real effort to iron her work outfit for today and lay it out ready last night so that I could go to bed feeling relaxed and chilled and have a better night's sleep in the knowledge that I was managing to keep on top of at least a small part of my life.

I'm also the kind of person who apparently has butter fingers and drops her lunch of beef and tomato stew, splashing it all up the front of her lovely ironed work outfit (which was not beef and tomato coloured) and now feels more than a bit daft sitting at her desk with red/orange splatter marks all over her!

Some days you just have to laugh because otherwise you'll cry!

If you're lucky I may take a picture of my handiwork and share it......

10 months old

Can you see my top tooth just poking through?!

Having lots of fun on the swing for the first time!

My February 2011

1. Inspirational graffiti

2. My regular brew now I'm back at work

3. An old Georgian tea shop next to the bus stop - shame it's not still there

4. Homemade pizza

5. Well, homemade pizza using this packet mix...a bargain at 29p!

6. Henna tattoo - I felt very rebellious!

7. Pretty pattern in my latte

8. The fog

9. Ethan's Valentine's present to us!

10. Refusing to sit down!

11. Watching tv

12. I love cakes!

13. What to play with next?!

14. Recovering from a tummy bug :(

15. Mighty mint growing on the windowsill

16. Pasta is yummy!

17. Beautiful rainbow

18. Waking mummy up at 6:30am!

19. Lovely Georgian architecture...and imagining I'm in a period drama!

20. Shattered!