One moment

Tears streaming
Heart crying
Spirit convicting

Body kneeling
Scripture speaking
God forgiving

Feet standing
Mind dreaming
Jesus leading

Just breathing

Afternoon Tea Dreams

I was joined by some lovely friends for a ladies afternoon tea to celebrate turning 30.
I didn't take many photos as I was enjoying the goodies and conversation. But here's a snippet of our afternoon...and the amazing view of the castle!

Some words I heard

Here are some quotes from things I have watched recently and really liked so wanted to remember.

From the first series of Call the Midwife (which I watched in 4 days so I could be up to date for the new series!)

 - Sometimes we need to deal with what the Lord has sent us.

 - We must see what love can do.

 - Health is God's greatest gift to us.

 - Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.

 - There is not versions of love, only love.

 - I feel we are prompted to go in search of cake!

From Men in Black 3 (the Husbands choice!)

 - A miracle is what seems impossible but happens anyway.

And from Toy Story (I've seen this too many times since Christmas!)

 - That's not flying. That's falling with style!

I hope to get through each day searching for cake, falling with style and hoping for miracles!

Love this photo

Taken one evening this week...

2013 - looking forward

We're having a great time celebrating Christmas here with my family. I've not taken many photos as I'm just trying to enjoy the moments as they come and go.
I'm overwhelmed and so very grateful for a very generous family and friends. And I'm being very blessed by a husband who loves to cook amazing food!

In 3 days I'll turn 30...shock horror! I know most people think I'm older than that already so no-one is really that shocked! But it's one of those ages that prompts people to slow down a little and think about life and things. Having a birthday just before New Year always causes me to be a bit reflective and consider things as we move forward. And this year is no different.

Last year I started out being very ambitious. Just more evidence of my efforts to try and be all things, and have completely unrealistic expectations of myself. Let's just say...I learnt a lot last year, and having more realistic expectations was part of that! Now having three boys under the age of three also helps with this!

So this year I'm going to take my time to focus on just two things...


Eucharisteo
Eshet chayil

Two things that have been inspired by books I have read recently, and other things that have been stirring, speaking and calling to my heart.

I'll expand more over the next few weeks, but just a brief introduction of each...

Eucharisteo
Inspired by 'One Thousand Gifts' by Ann Voskamp
 - grace, thanksgiving, joy
I hope to grow in giving thanks for all that God has given, all of His gifts, in every part of my life.
I hope to spend time in the Word studying and learning about thanks and thanksgiving.
I hope to grow in my understanding of grace and joy.

Eshet chayil
Inspired by 'A Year of Biblical Womanhood' by Rachel Held Evans
- Woman of Valour
I hope to grow more in my understanding of who I am in God and my value in Him.
I hope to spend time building relationships and community with the women placed around me.
I hope to build up, encourage and cheer on women in my life.

So, Happy Boxing Day everyone and here's looking forward to 2013!
xxx

Restless

Sleep is taken in short shifts around here...or rather its grabbed when it can be!
And I'm restless.

But it's not really because of the lack of sleep.
There is something stirring in my heart, in my spirit, in my head.
Or a stronger stirring of previous ones, a re-stoking, refining, building of things that have grown over the last few months and years.

It could just be that I'm on the brink of a serious congested head cold (combined with extreme tiredness) but it feels more like I'm on the verge of something more significant. A tipping point. Possibly (hopefully) an avalanche of sorts. Of creativity, of community, of love.

I'm desperate to share more...to understand a bit more for myself, but for now we'll have to tip toe up to the edge and just hang for a while.
Partly because I don't want to spoil some people's Christmas presents, and partly because my head still needs to put some order and cohesion to the thoughts and stirrings.

All I will say is that I'm restless but happy, restless but excited, restless and a little bit scared...in a good way.
I want to wrestle with whatever God is working in and through me. I want to be changed, transformed.

I know its a bit of cliche in the run up to a 'big' birthday and the New Year, but I seriously can't wait for my 30th at the end of the month. And I can't wait for 2013.

Bring it on!

An update...

As you can probably guess, things are a little crazy round here but we're surviving!

I don't really have the time to blog which is a shame cos I've got lots of things floating around in my head that I'd love to get out and share. Thanks to the wonderful gift of a kindle, I've read quite a lot since Noah & Samuel were born. But it's probably a good thing I don't share about some things yet as it might spoil some Christmas presents!

So, while I process some of the things in my head, and wait until after Christmas to elaborate, here are some of my phone photos from the last few weeks...

Bit too busy...

...to blog at the moment. I'm just focussing my time and limited energy on these three boys just now...and my biggest boy too!!!

Still baking!

But not much longer to go now!

Its all so quiet...shh, shh

So, I've been a little quiet around here for a while. It's not that things have been quiet...on the contrary, things have been a bit busy.
As well as growing twins, we're also moving house and trying to stay sane!
By way of an apology for disappearing for a few weeks, I have some photos...

The bump at 22 weeks (two weeks ago). I'm now a bit bigger. I really should start measuring the bump and charting my growth!

Having fun at a park!

Who needs toys when there are empty boxes lying around?!

The trials of style...

This might become a regular feature...I have many style issues! Not quite wardrobe malfunctions, but any venture away from jeans and a t-shirt usually backfires in some way.

This season I am trying to rock the maxi skirt/dress. I think long skirts are elegant and feminine, and they cover up my whiter-than-white (almost blue) legs!
However, I have come to the conclusion that this item of clothing is not always the most sensible when accompanied by a toddler. Here are some examples...

1. This morning, said toddler thought my skirt would be a good place to hide! Not helpful!


2. Every time I have to crouch down to speak to said toddler at his height (which is a lot) I invariably stand on the bottom of the skirt and almost reveal my undergarments or trip over, or both…which said toddler finds hilarious!

3. Other crouching down incidences have involved the skirt ending up in a puddle or general dirt, mud or muck. This can happen with any skirt that is not super short!

4. I almost folded the skirt up in the buggy when folding it away at the nursery today! That could have been interesting!

One day I will aim to look glamorous and sophisicated and get through more than 30 minues before my cover is blown!!!

Happy Wednesday x

p.s. the numbers are in summery colours to encourage the sun to stay a little longer...please!

Mother's Day flowers

No words...just photos...

Some snaps of the weekend's activities

Today I am recovering from the crazy weekend that involved lots of planning and preparation and general stressiness on my part. It's getting to be near my bedtime but I thought you'd enjoy a few pictures to show what all the fuss was about...

An energetic family ceilidh 

 A BIG hair transformation....before

 The first cut...

 Celebrating the second cut!

 The final transformation.

Then, an afternoon tea for some lovely ladies...

 The bride to be

 And some silly games

Woah!

How is it the 1st March already?!
We even had an extra day yesterday and yet the months are whizzing by! Did you do anything special to celebrate/mark the extra day?

You may have noticed that blogging has taken a slight back-seat at the moment. I have a bit of a crazy time coming up and lots of preparation to do for a few things that will all be happening on the same weekend.
So please take this as my formal notice of absence until around 12th March. I will try and post when I can but I'm not making any promises.

But by the 12th I will hopefully have lots to update you about, including a ceilidh & craft fair, a family farewell and a ladies afternoon tea/hen party...and lots of pictures too!

Bring on March 2012!!!

Lent

So, tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day...Yay! How many pancakes do you think you'll manage?!

Which means that this Wednesday is the start of Lent.

Last year I gave up facebook and twitter for Lent. This year I'm not sure that I'll give anything up. I like to think that whatever actions I take during Lent are part of the bigger picture and help me to grow and develop my relationship with God, but maybe in a more focussed way.

Do you do anything special for Lent, or give anything up?
How did it impact or develop your faith?

Feeling the love

Photo from here.

It has to be said that I have not really been feeling the love over the last few days. I've been (am still) battling with a bad cold (which I've now passed onto the wee one) and high levels of stress due to various projects and reading deadlines. Some more self inflicted than others! Plus, Phil is now away for two nights and I have a rather large coldsore taking over my upper lip.

All this has led me to feel very sorry for myself. I have thrown a couple of pity parties at my desk...and at home. And when I do that it's best to keep my thoughts to myself because they're usually less than helpful!

I did receive a wonderful card and two lovely gifts from my boys on Tuesday which made me smile, and I will hopefully share (but not the chocolates...I have eaten them already!) And I have also finished the slightly mammoth task of making my mother-in-law's wedding invites...although I have forgotten to take photos of them...fail! You'll just have to wait until we receive ours in the post!

I shall hopefully be back to full health and regular blogging soon. Unless I get caught up and distracted by another pity party!

Happy Thursday!

Knowing

Knowing the God who created you is better than knowing the answers to all your questions

I'm still learning this

It's a good job...

...I don't own an iphone because I'd really struggle to choose a cover!
Check out these lovelies...

...and there are many many many more all from here.

Happy Friday! x