2nd February 2011

Feeling tired but refreshed after a girly week-end away. The weather was stunning and it was good to get lots of fresh air and exercise walking and sledging in the mountains. Now back to work. I envisage a long few days ahead- deadline 6 days

Knuckling down

I feel I am rewarding myself this week-end with a week-end away with a friend. We are going to Interlaken and plan on hitting the slopes on our sledges!! Looking forward to the break but apprehensive about being away from the family for 3 nights.

I'm writing bits each day and am still analysing my data. It is a slow process with slow progress and I can't do it in my own strength, only with God's help.

My dad died four years ago today. Not sure where the time has gone.

Happy New Year

Another year begins and it is exciting to wonder what God has in store for us as a family. No new year resolutions but my goals for the year include getting fit and healthy, to stop wasting my time on facebook and the internet when I should be working, to be focused and try to complete my PhD by the end of the year.

New Year was spent in Interlaken and we sledged along the lower slopes of the Eiger on New Year's Eve. The weather was stunning and watching the sun disappear over the Wetterhorn and the lights slowly appear in the Grindelwald valley as it turned into dusk was amazing. We arrived back at the flat about 6pm and after tea we headed into the town centre. Not convinced about the local New Year's Eve customs where lines of men carry large cow bells and march through the town centre ringing them. It was scary. We went back to the flat and saw New Year in as a family listening to World Service on the radio!

We have now been back at work and school for a few days and routine has been quickly established which is good. I took the tree and decorations down on the 2nd Jan and cleaned the house which I found very cathartic. Think I'm turning into a grumpy old woman as I dislike more and more each year the commercialisation and marketing which is associated with Christmas- and not the the true meaning. Christmas is not about giving presents. It is about Jesus Christ, end of!

Almost Christmas

Another year has whizzed by. I thank God for 2010 which has been an amazing year for our famiy. Highlights include:
Growth of our Saturday morning group
Growing in God, individually and as a family and the church
Charlie's Baptism
Good health
Friendships
Holidays
Graham's job and opportunities
My continuation with PhD
Charlie's gcse results
Harry's music and band
Rosie!
Our 'heaven on earth' bolthole in Interlaken


Psalm 7:17
I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.


Psalm 107:1


107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!


Happy Christmas everybody.


Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon [1] his shoulder,
and his name shall be called [2]
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Cold snap

The temperature hasn't been much above freezing for the last week. We've had lots of snow which seems to disrupt the transport system in the UK. I had to go to London for two days last week which was an endurance test in itself before I even started to tackle the NVivo 9 training course.

Graham and I are being challenged at the moment by our forgetful children. All three seem to be losing and forgetting things most days. Here are some of the things which have been lost this last week:
Charlie's testimony just before we set out to church!
One of Rosie's brand new school shoes which fell out of her bag on a games field
£10 worth of guitar picks which were left in an envelope
Harry's busking money was left on a cafe table yesterday in Cambridge. Happy ending though as somebody had handed it in and a friend of mine will collect it this week for him
Two school coats- both found
Harry's mobile phone- not found
Games kit left at home twice last week and once today ( Rosie)
Usual stuff like house keys, phones, school books which happen most days anyway!


We are thankful though for what God is doing in our lives at the moment. Charlie's baptism was amazing.. Harry and another person prayed for someone who had injured his arm and God took the swelling away! God has been teaching me about perseverance and remaining faithful to Him despite circumstances.

We've had a great week-end visiting friends on Friday night, rugby for Graham and Charlie on Sat, Romeo and Juliet theatre trip for Harry and friends round for Rosie and a bit of peace and quiet for me. Yesterday after church we went to Cambridge and Harry and two friends played Christmas carols and we met up with some friends.

19th November 2010

My eldest baby is 17 years old today!!! Really can't believe it. We are buying him driving lessons for his birthday. Driving is another hurdle I'll have to overcome as a mother. The challenges of parenting are changing all the time with each child and I pray for wisdom and guidance for both Graham and myself with all our decisions we have to make.

Anyway, Charlie and Harry are off to Norfolk with church for the week-end. It will seem strange not spending the evening with Charlie on his birthday but we will celebrate on Sunday when he gets back. Rosie is going to a friend's for a sleepover on Saturday, so we will be childless for the evening! We are to going to Cambridge for a meal and then are meeting up with friends later on.

Charlie is getting baptised next Sunday! Praise God. Both Graham's mum and dad and my mum are coming to the service, and possibly my brother and family. We are so proud of him making this decision.

12th November 2010

Can't believe that I haven't blogged for a whole month. We've had a break in Interlaken for four days which was a great opportunity to recharge our batteries and spend some time together as a family.

Life continues to be busy but fulfilling. Church is amazing and God is moving in our lives. Charlie is getting baptised in a couple of weeks, a week after after his 17th birthday.

My work continues steadily. I have finished data collection and am swimming in a sea of data.

Our flat will be ours on the 17th December- just got to pay for it! Cut backs in force big time to cope with the second mortgage. Looking forward to going out there during the Christmas holidays. Graham will fly out on the 17th for the handover.

Christmas is just around the corner. Winter too. Very windy here. We had winds up to 70mph last night.