14 months...

Ok, so I totally missed the 13 month update. Things were a little crazy around here at the end of May.

Anyway, here are some lovely photos I took yesterday while we were playing in the park.

Being a little naughty and climbing up the slide!

Chasing a friend and squealing with delight! So funny to watch!

I know this one is a little out of focus but I really like it (it looks better if you look at it from further away!)

I can't believe how much his walking is coming on. He doesn't fall very often, which is good for my nerves! And he was loving being so adventurous and climbing on things yesterday. And the slide was good fun too!

His talking is coming on and he tries to copy a lot of what we say. And he's picking up the baby sign very quickly now too, which can be really helpful when we're trying to work out what he's asking for!

And we finally have the next two teeth! Its only taken them about 4 months but they've actually broken through the gum now. Although they're only poking out by about 1mm! So that takes the total tooth count to 6 so far.

And this is the 'mummy, please stop taking photos of me and help me climb on this thing' face!!!

Alive in me

So, I'm feeling a bit 'not right' at the minute.
I can't really put my finger on what's not right. But I just feel not right.

Not ill, just mixed up. Kinda rollercoaster like. Which I don't really want to be. I want to be a bit (lot) more consistent and content.

But I know that one thing that always helps me and changes my perspective and attitude when I'm going through these mixed up times is listening to worship music.
I literally can't get enough of the latest Hillsong United album, Aftermath. I listen to it over and over again.

The lyrics of this song spoke to me today...

You can take my dry bones

Breathe life into this skin

You called me by name

Raised me to life again

You can calm the oceans

Speak peace into my soul

Take me as I am

Awaken my heart to beat again

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus

Alive in me

You move in the unseen

You set the captives free

As I stand and sing

You're breaking the chains off me

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus

Alive in me, alive in me

Breathe in me Your life

Till Your love overtakes me

Open up my eyes

Let me see You more clearly

Falling on my knees till I love like You love

Like You love me, I love You

Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus, Oh Jesus

Alive in me

Songwriters: Joel Houston and Jill McCloghry

Sometimes (a lot of the time) I need to remember that Jesus is alive in me.

Things I'm loving right now...

1. The warmer weather...about time...nuff said!

2. This book...I've literally just finished it and all I can say is, if you're a christian you have to read it!

3. My freebie face mask I got when buying a birthday present for someone else. I tried it last night and it was great...plus it was free! Better than a bargain!

4. The new anthropologie store in Edinburgh. I knew it would be my downfall when this store opened and my first visit there yesterday (on the opening day) didn't prove me wrong!

5. The numerous daisies carpeting the grass as I walked through the meadows today.

6. Tea and cake with friends...this cannot happen too frequently in my opinion!

7. People watching from my living room window.

8. Seeing more of my husband now work craziness has calmed down.

Happy Thursday!

Boy...

...does this kid love his books!

And we had to cuddle Larry too!

My May 2011

1. There may have been 43 people in front of me in the queue...but its the simple things that make me happy...like being number 100 at the post office!

2. Eating an apple like the big boys do!

3. Breakfast fail on mummy's part...managed to loose control of both spoons and my own breakfast. Sometimes it's just so hard not to give in to the cuteness!

4. Eating asparagus!

5. Tiny tiny bird

6. Finally big enough to sit on his chair!

7. Reading...he would do this all day if he could!

8. The originality of my mother and sister...sending us the same card for our wedding anniversary! Great minds eh?!

9. Ethan's seeds starting to grow

10. Using the ark as a new hat!

11. A dark picture, I know...but I was so happy to have dinner at a restaurant where you can actually have some of every dessert on the menu! Lovely anniversary treat!

12. Grandma working her magic and sending someone to sleep!

Ships passing in the night

I heard you rise, but I didn't look at the clock. I knew I would dispise the hour.

I felt you leave, but I didn't open my eyes. I knew I would see your space unoccupied.

I swam against the tide of my days. Receiving your updates. Hoping the encouragement I was sending was finding you.
Struggling to keep my own head dry. Buoyed with the hope of seeing you soon.

I sank into bed. I couldn't settle. I didn't want to fall asleep with the distance still between us.

We passed. Floating on by. Moving from one task to the next. Pushed along by the tide. Drifting in and then out.

Finally we docked. But the waves rocked us up and down. We crashed. We sank a little. We hurt.

Then the storm passed, the waves calmed. We rested.
And we laughed.
We healed and we found some peace.


Life has been crazy recently. Really crazy.
Between Phil's work (big BIG project going on), my work (crazy people going on) and Ethan's new 5:30am morning wake up call, we have just about survived the last week or so. But it has been hard for all of us.
I don't like it when life causes us to be so busy we react instead of responding. We have itineries instead of attentiveness. We operated out of necessity rather than grace. We cause pain just because our brains can't physically work fast enough to stop us!

Lord, help us to fix our eyes on you during this busy time. Give us the strength and grace we need to get through each day. Help us to take our eyes off our circumstances, emotions and tiredness. Give us good rest and renewal. May we still praise you and bring glory to your name because you sustain us.