Hot hot hot!

This weather is amazing! It has been wall-to-wall sunshine for almost a week now. It was my birthday on Sunday and I felt really blessed by my family and friends. We were going to go out but stayed in and chilled in the garden. Both Graham and I felt a bit out of sorts during the week end so took the time to re-charge our batteries.

Busy couple of weeks ahead with a poster presentation a week today and a paper one a week on Sunday. I'm trying to work but it's too hot to concentrate.

Rosie's party

Rosie had a great party. God answered two specific prayers that evening-one that the rain would keep away and it did and that our electricity would come back on in time for the party. We had been without electricity during the afternoon, but thankfully I had made the brownie cake in the morning. We invited our neighbours to the party who came with their cute two-year old son who was a hit with 20 12 year old girls!

Church on Sunday was amazing! We saw the father heart of God manifested amongst us in such a way that people were crying, there were tears of joy and people were just overwhelmed by His love for us. Graham whispered to me when we were singing 'Here is love, vast as the ocean 'that this old hymn reminded him of our old church in Cambridge as we used to sing it a lot. The same memory came flooding back to me and I found it hard not to cry as I remembered old times and also the meaning of this powerful old hymn. I can't escape the fact that my heart yearns to be back in Cambridge. I'm not just looking back at the past but can see a future for us there. God did speak to me last October during a women's conference about moving back one day. But it is all His timing and not mine.

Was fortunate to have had four lunches out last week with friends! It was great to catch up with old friends and a new friend, a lady who has recently moved to the area and has joined our church. We had such a good conversation about how we should not live in the past or future but thank God for each day and that He gives us everything we need just for the day. There are so many references in the bible to this and just thinking of 'This is the day that the Lord has made, be glad and rejoice in it' is one. It is so important to live in the present and to deal with things in our past so they don't become our present.

Still recruiting participants for my study, and I have about half now. I have had a couple of good networking meetings at local day care centres which I'm hoping will lead to carers showing an interest in the project.

It is our 19th Wedding Anniversary today and my birthday on Sunday so we have a lot to celebrate. We are going out for a nice meal over the week-end.

Charlie has his last exam today. It has been great having him home everyday during the last few weeks. He is now off school until September.

June 13th 2010

Haven't written for a while- so much has been happening. Exams, Rosie away with school, birthdays. Graham's mum had a birthday last Thursday and Rosie will be 12 years old tomorrow. My baby is growing up too quickly. She is having the party of the year next Saturday. Harry's band will be playing and 20 girls will be wearing pretty summer dresses and enjoying a chocolate fountain and mocktails- hopefully if the weather is good.

I'm so busy with my work and have got a couple of conference presentations coming up, one a poster and one a paper. Not looking forward to the paper one and will only be able to do it with God's help.

Half-Term

Thankfully the weather has improved since the above photos were taken two days ago. Summer is here again The children are off school this week and we are spending it at home. Both boys are revising and Rosie is meeting up with friends. We did enjoy a family trip to the seaside on Monday despite the cold weather. Tonight we're going out with another family for a Chinese buffet which should be nice.

Work is going ok. I now have 7 participants and am very busy interviewing, transcribing the interviews and analysing the data. I am so enjoying it though.