Thursday, June 30, 2016

June's Jottings Day 30 - Slow

Most of the time I enjoy slow...slow days, slow food and slow time spent with good friends and family.  There is definitely an art to living SLOW in today's crazy instant work. But is saying that today I have certainly had enough of SLOW.  I am over winter already and certainly over this horrible wet weather we have been having for like seven days in a row now.  I am not impressed.  Winter...the time when all of my children are indoors all at the same time all of the time.  Some days its enough to drive anyone crazy. I had long and boring day today.  Do you have those too? You know the days when the walls seem to keep closing in on you, the kids get louder, the house gets messier, the washing pile gets higher and the pantry gets emptier. Days where the idea of school is very attractive.

But in all of this...I know that it is only for a time. The house will soon be tidy and the washing folded AND put away. The sun will be shining again and maybe even the pantry will be full. I do need little moments in days like today to remind myself what its all about, the reason for all of this. Time. Time to just be with no pressure.

 I captured this photo today of Jesse playing happily by himself, no interruptions, no instructions and no worries. Just him, his imagination, his trucks and blocks. SLOW play. I do like SLOW play. Yes the blocks were strewn from one end of the room to the other but thats easy fixed. He played like this for nearly an hour. This made me smile, made my day really.

Tonight's date night...all the kids have been dispersed to all corners of the house and are QUIET. Hallelujah! We are having Grilled Chicken Salad for our grown ups dinner which will be in peace, with no interruptions. Hallelujah! Its been a busy time of late so we are both looking forward to our evening. SO I'd better fly!  Ciao!


Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Junes Jottings Day 29 - Shopping with a 3 Year Old

Take Jesse shopping, "it will be fun" he said.  Shopping with a active and independent three old on a wet rainy day is not my idea of fun but I relented and Jesse came with me into town to drop off a bundle for Loving Arms to a local mum and to do the weekly shop. There is a difference between Jamie and I shopping is that he makes it fun for whoever is shopping, I just like to get in there and get out again because I hate doing it. This is why the majority of the time Jamie does the shopping.

Jesse is probably like most three year olds, running here there and everywhere. Touching and wanting to put things in the trolley. Also climbing in the trolley, climbing under the trolley, trying to push the trolley and trying to pull the trolley. But what Jesse likes to do that maybe your little angels don't is hide from me. He likes to ferret out nooks and crannies behind the boxed product on the lower shelf and hide. Just when I am getting a little worried he has run off he sticks his head out of a "window" (a space for a box) and yells "hi mum!". He also lies across the top of the nappies and the toilet paper or if given half the chance will attempt to make a fort with the giant packs of toilet paper.

Today he also discover that he could restack the sugar packs to a more functional state and then pull all the tomato sauce forward and turn the cans around so they are forward facing. Maybe he will get a job soon because he did a darn good job!

Honestly I thought he was being funny and having fun. He wasn't in anyones way, hurting anyone or screaming the shop down. He was just being three, a very active three year old. So I did happen to snap this photo of him in his toilet paper 'castle', before I got him down.  He certainly did enjoy his shopping trip even if I was a little frazzled.  I actually wish I could make a toilet paper fort. How much fun!!!


Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Junes Jottings Day 28 - Just a Normal Day

I was catching a reprieve this afternoon and this was my view as I lay on the window seat. I love this silhouette of thus big tree as the sun sets behind in the west. I handful of birds enjoy the view from the very top of the tree. It's cold outside and winter wind bites at you if you dare to venture outside. 


I spent some of the afternoon packing a bundle for a lovely local mum and her baby girl that is about to be born soon. I get to drop this around to her tomorrow afternoon. I also spent sometime with a gorgeous mama and her handsome wee man as they helped sort and record incoming stock for Loving Arms. I love hanging out with people that are super generous and excited at serving others. Their excitement is contagious and don't we all want to catch some of that. 


My kids are all into board games at the moment. They are playing them every chance they can get. Tom got a new game for his birthday called Logo, the girls are playing an entrepreneurial type game called Gumption and the older boys are into Scrabble in a big way. I am pretty sure they make up some of the words but seeing they are playing that game on the computer apparently I don't have as big of vocabulary as I thought. 


Frankie got a bead stuck up her nose today. It was so far up i had to convince her to keep still while I blocked off the other nostril and convince her to blow snot at me. I ended up having to fish it out with a blunt darning needle. She is always trying to poke things in her ears and now up her nose so it seems. What is that about? 


So that's my day. How was yours?



Monday, June 27, 2016

June's Jottings Day 27 - Nearly Halfway

I have such cute kids! I know I am seriously biased but everyday I feel so blessed. This little cutie is getting more and more of her spunky funky personality. I even here her telling her siblings to go away when she has had enough of them. She is growing up way too fast. No longer willing to sit in the highchair anymore so now has her place at the table. Which of course poses a wee problem of not enough seats for everyone but we make do with rolling the computer chair over. I still haven't weaned her but we are slowly making progress in that area. Slowly. I'll keep you updated about that.


So we are nearly at the end of the month which means I'll have blogged everyday for half a year. How is it going? Well I feel like I have done well although definitely some days are harder than others as at times I don't feel I have a lot to write about. Especially when we don't have anything going on or I am extra tired. Other times I run out of room as I have too much to say. 


So I thought that I would ask you guys.....is there anything that you want to know about me, how we do things, my views about anything, the reasons why we do something, or is there anything you want me to write about? Just thought I would put it out there so when on days I feel I have little to say I can reach into a pool of questions and pull one out. Now is your chance...comment or message me! I would love to hear from you! Happy Monday folks!



Sunday, June 26, 2016

June's Jottings Day 26 - An 11th Birthday

Today we celebrated Thomas turning 11. As always it's party central in our house when there is a birthday and today was no exception. A day where we had to put aside our tiredness, suck it up and soldier on into major fun parents. I was awake until after midnight preparing for his birthday and making sure everything was ready for him. Breakfast of choice was Nutrigain same as last year as is tonight's dinner. Ah yes some things like favs never change! 


Thomas our third born son, my first homebirth and a squishy 9lb 5oz. Thomas is the one that led Jamie and I to totally do a 180 in our approach to parenting. For the better of course! Lover of all things technology and an avid fan of soccer. Enjoys plates of weetbix, spaghetti and meatballs, and salt and vinegar chips. His best friend is called Noah. Especially loves equality amd fairness, and quality one on one time. Needs stability and details. 


Thomas you are a wonderful young man who is passionate and determined. Know that you are fiercely loved! The world needs more people like you. People who will question and fight for justice and what's right. Oh the places you will go places. ......watch out world! 





Saturday, June 25, 2016

June's Jottings Day 25 - Mid-winter Christmas

Merry mid winter Christmas everyone! 182 days until actual Christmas so my Christmas loving friend told me today. We had fabulous time with family and friends-that-are-like-family celebrating half-Christmas...... complete with the Christmas tree, fairy lights, decorations and loads of food, delicious food. Even a Christmas sweater made an appearance just to add to the occasion. 


So love having people over, and so love celebrating every chance we get. Thank you to our guests for coming and partying with us. We loved every minute of it!

Tomorrow is Tom's 11th Birthday. Which is why this blog is late and short. I had to ice his cake after everyone had left but it's finished and now I can pop off to bed. It will be up early to start the days birthday celebrations so no sleep in for me. Merry Christmas people! Until tomorrow.....ciao! 



Friday, June 24, 2016

June's Jottings Day 24 - Long and Low Lamb

Tonight I thought that I would share one of my favourite recipes that I am preparing tonight. Moroccan Roast Lamb. Its a goodie.  I had another meeting today so don't really feel I have too much to talk about. That's it for a few weeks. So its back to normal if there is such a thing around here. So anyway this recipe is soooo good. Cooked low and long at just 100 degrees for nine hours. Its melt in your mouth, fall off the bone and super duper tasty.  Isn't Google a wonderful thing?

Chef Google found me this recipe last year when I was roasting three legs of lamb for a Passover dinner.  It was a hit then as I am sure it is going to be this time.  I will marinate it overnight so I can put it in the oven at 930am for a 630pm dinner.  Whats the special occasion you may ask? Well we are holding a Mid-Winter Christmas dinner party tomorrow night being the 25th June and all.   Yay which means its just six months until Christmas!  Yeah baby! I just love Christmas! Although I think we have confused Jesse (3) by putting up a Christmas tree and decorating it!  So we have had to try explain that its half way until Christmas but I don't think he gets it still. Oops!

Just a short one tonight seeing I have to get back into the kitchen and make up the marinade and possibly if I can be bother make a birthday cake for Thomas who is turning 11 on Sunday.

What are you up to this weekend? Anything special?


Thursday, June 23, 2016

Junes Jottings Day 23 - For a Time Such as This

I am buzzing!  Totally excited and high as a kite.  My meeting went very well and I didn't get overwhelmed by the 'power' and 'influence' in the room.  I certainly didn't say an awful lot but what I did have to say was on point,  Sometimes something that appears to be difficult can be put in the right perspective with such a simple concept or sentence in this case.  Obviously I can't share anything of the meeting due to the sensitivity of it but know that the best outcome for the women that our maternity system cares for is very near and that of course is what matters to me.

I have been talking to God a lot, actually I talked to Him all the time but I have been pressing in to Him about this meeting, seeking His guidance and wisdom and confidence in my contribution. I wanted my contribution to matter and to count for something. After all that is what I am there for. I was reminded of a particular passage in Esther where she was being challenged by her Uncle about the possible reason why she was Queen and I was greatly encouraged by it when I read it.

"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall rise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your fathers house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion." Esther 4:14

In the words of Ps Rick Warren "God doesn't recruit you without a calling, God calls everybody to use the gifts and the passion that they have but not everyone picks up the phone."

Is God calling you?  Will you pick up the phone, answer and say hello?




Wednesday, June 22, 2016

June's Jottings Day 22 - My Working Break

Can you guess where I am at the moment?  Well I'll give you a clue I am sitting in a place that starts with M and ends with cCafe.  After various drop off in town and not really wanting to drive all the way back out to my house (all of 9km) I thought that I would take this opportunity to squirrel myself away in the corner here and do some work, some reading uninterrupted and in relative peace.

I have a big meeting tomorrow and if I am really honest I am feeling totally out of my depth. I am feeling like a small fish in a really really big ocean. A REALLY BIG ONE. Actually I am feeling a little fraudulent. I am nervous about tomorrows meeting. Sometimes I am shy and feel like I have nothing to say. (yes I am being serious) I don't know why as the people that I am meeting with are all on my side!!  We are all on the same team. But they are BIG people (not in size but all are taller than me) but big in name, qualification, influence and presence. And then there is me....a wee mum of seven, who actually enjoys being at home with her family but has a burning passion for women and changing the current maternity system for the better so that they receive first class care and respect.

So as I head off into my meeting tomorrow afternoon I will be remembering that I am there on a God appointment. I am there to be a voice. I am there because I am passionate. And I am there because I am qualified even though I don't feel like it.

 I read the other day that when you are faced with doing something uncomfortable there is your chance for growth. Ugh. I like the growth part just not the uncomfortable part.

 I will remember this tomorrow, I will be praying and thanking God for this opportunity.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." - 2 Tim 1:7


Monday, June 20, 2016

June's Jottings Day 21 - Somewhere

These are not my keys but somewhere in my house or my backyard is a set of keys ......hiding. Seemingly small items can cause disastrous consequences.


They are my keys and I cannot find them. I had an appointment today and a job to do for Loving Arms and I had to postpone because after I had loaded the kids up into the car along with everything I needed for the afternoon. I went to grab my keys only to discover that they weren't to be found. Not happy. 


If there is one thing that totally drives me nuts it would be losing stuff! I actually feel like a crazy woman. I think I probably act like a crazy woman too. My poor kids were turning the entire house upside trying to find them for me as I ranted on and on about how ridiculous this was and why does this stuff have to happen and blah blah blah. On and on I went like a lunatic. See crazy woman! 


Once I had calmed down, talked to who I needed to talk to about postponing my appointment and task I was able to calmly carry on looking for them. I looked everywhere including random places like the deep freezer, behind the piano and in the bottom of the Lego bin. Still no keys. I looked outside in the garden, in the recycling bin and under the trampoline. EVERYWHERE. The only place I haven't looked is at the bottom of the pool. And if they are there ....well they can stay there I will not be getting them. We will wait to summer to see. I am thinking that a little person has taken them somewhere and put them in something as little people like to do. So I am trying to think like a little person...You would think that wouldn't be too hard but it is. 


So for now they are MIA. Gone. Lost. Vanished. Plus I showed those keys I am not to mess with and went on to do an angry mama workout.....oh boy did I show them. Fortunately now, for everyone living with me I am no longer a raving lunatic but my normal self but resigned to the fact that I'll possibly be getting new keys cut in the very near future. What a big fat pain!

Do you go crazy over lost things? How do you cope? 



June's Jottings Day 20 - The Art of Doing Nothing

I confess I have lost the art of doing nothing. Its harder than you think to do nothing. I have been thinking a lot about Emotional Wellness and whether or not I am doing ok in that area. Hmmmm I don't think I am bad but I could definitely better. 


There isn't too often I don't have anything to do....probably like you there is always something to go, there is always a number of things on my "to-do" list. More often than not feel guilty if I sit and relax or do nothing when there is things on my list. Today was not a good day for me.


I had a very bad headache all day and was tight and sore across my neck and shoulders probably causing my headache. I think I have been squeezing to much into my week and it was catching up on me. 


So I tried to do nothing today that is after doing my morning jobs and school with the kids. As I said.....doing nothing is REALLY hard. REALLY HARD. Lucky one of my favourite magazines came in the mail today....thanks to a super gorgeous friend who blessed me with a subscription. And wouldn't you know look what it is about! Do you think I am suppose to be learning something? None of us are invincible.....yes even you! And NONE of you are replacable. 


So girls.....let's practice the art of doing nothing for a while. Psst when you master it please let me know how you did that. So I enjoyed a bit of downtime this afternoon flicking through the magazine and being inspired to chill out and live a more simple and clean life. 


How is your downtime going? 



Sunday, June 19, 2016

June's Jottings Day 19 - Opportunity

This evening I had the privilege and the opportunity to attend my wonderful friends inaugural workshop on Birth Trauma. Together with her sister she has put a huge amount of hard work at forming an organisation that supports women and their partners through the ordeal of Birth Trauma. 

Birth Trauma is a very real thing for a number of women and the statistics are showing that this problem is growing and growing fast. Unresolved Birth Trauma or Post Traumatic Birth Disorder can lead to a myriad of problems including maternal mental health problems and issues surrounding bonding with baby, anxiety and depression. The leading cause of maternal death is suicide. 

So you can see its a problem that needs light shined on it and it needs to be talked about. Anyone working with pregnant or new mums should at least be aware of it. Its not enough to tell a women that she should be grateful, that at least she has a healthy baby. Yes of course she is grateful but it doesn't mean she should be ok with how she was treated or what she had to endure to get that healthy baby. 

Kiwi women have a very bad habit at down playing trauma, or things that they are struggle with. The old kiwi culture of "she'll be right mate" serves no purpose nor does it benefit anyone. 

So let us be more aware, listen more, care more and validate more but most importantly let's talk more about this growing problem. I really enjoyed her workshop plus had the bonus of catching up with some birthy friends. Every opportunity is there for the taking and can only be beneficial for women I come across. 


Saturday, June 18, 2016

June's Jottings Day 18 - These Two

Two of my favourite people in the world and they belong to me. Biggest girl and baby girl (middle girl not in the room) . 


Looking at this photo got me thinking about the time when I had three boys and really wanted a baby girl. We weren't planning on having anymore at that stage. Lol. I remember lying in my bed just after giving birth to Kaitlyn clearly thinking that my life was now complete.....I had three boys and now a little girl. I remember looking at her in disbelief that I actually had a wee girl. That she was mine. It was truly a mind boggling moment. 


I had gotten to the place where I was ok with the fact that I was going to be a mother to three boys. I was at peace with that. Then surprise surprise I was pregnant and while I really wanted a girl I had to come to a place where I was ok if I had a fourth boy. During my pre labour stage I remember having having moment to Jamie and crying because I was scared that I might not like my baby if it was a boy. ( I was one of those who never found out what the baby was). 


After I had finished my big cry and had spent some time with God I knew I had come to a place where I knew I would of been ok if we were to have a boy. It was only then when I had got my mind stuff sorted out that my body could and did go into labour. Our minds are amazing. About three and half hours later Kaitlyn Elizabeth was born at home into her daddy's waiting arms. I think the whole room cried when we discovers she was a girl. It truly was an amazing moment. 

Now I have been blessed with three beautiful girls each precious, beautiful and wonderful in their own way. Each with their own birth story to tell. They are all so different yet similar. Three girls mixed in with my four delicious boys with spunky personalities. I am truly blessed! I know the girls would really like to even the score making it four all in the family but I am thinking that will not happen. 


Anyway my thought for the day is that more often than not you need to let go before you can move on. You need to let go and let God. 


"Be still. Let go and let God. Psalm 46:10



Friday, June 17, 2016

June's Jottings Day 17 - Friday Night

It's been quite a wee while since I have been out with these gals! Long over due!  We as women have the tendency to let life get in the way and sometimes it just appears too hard to make evenings like this happen. But in the light of good mental health and all we saw an opportunity and made it happen.
It was a great way to the end of the week. A chance to hang out, catch up on each other's lives, our families lives and attempt to fix at least some of the worlds problems. Women tend to do that too. A load of laughs and good conversations. *sigh  So good. So needed. Every time we go out I think why do we leave it for so long to do this. And I am determined not to let it go so long until the next time. We woman need other women in our lives.

We need a tribe of like-minded women who encourage us and strengthen us. I am very blessed to have these ones in my tribe. Happy Friday people! Xx




Thursday, June 16, 2016

June's Jottings Day 16 - Go To Recipe

Tonights date night and this I my favourite go to recipe. Its Jamie's fav. I don't think he has ever said no to me making it. Waiting for him to come home from his meeting and for the kids to be in bed or at least their rooms. Then we can say hello! How are you? 


I haven't seen him all day apart from a brief interlude while swapping kids over at soccer tonight. Its been quite a busy week therefore I am looking forward to hanging out with my hubby tonight. I had a meeting all day today while he was the house husband. I dont know how he does it but he always has the house looking fabulous when I get home. Clearly he is gifted in this area and I am not. Short post tonight as I am tired and want to hug my babies. While I enjoy being at these meetings after a day I miss my kids. So have a go at this recipe it's truly good. Straight out of Sophie Grays "Good" recipe book. It's a goodie! 



Wednesday, June 15, 2016

June's Jottings Day 15 - Another on Beauty

Aren't some of the colours in this photo amazing. In amongst all that grey brown we can see deep claret and a sun- shiney yellow. Striking contrast. I love these colours together. 


Today was a pretty normal average type of day here in our household. The normal stuff ....you know things like school, chores, a bit of Loving Arms sorting and packing. Soccer and rally runs, baking, washing and dinner all mixed in with a bit or the not so normal stuff. Things like..... struggling through the day with a sore shoulder, a chance meeting with a super enthusiastic lady who loves what we do and wants to help us out, a connection with a Loving Arms mum who is about to get her first foster baby...what a sad story he has already, finally get to start to pull together a mother blessing for a friend before she has her baby. Yay invites went out today! 


So a mixed bag kind of day..some normal, some not so normal! Our days are like that aren't some are boringly normal and others are out of this world amazing and the rest are rocking it out somewhere in between. I suppose we can't have one without all the others can we? Otherwise we wouldn't be able to appreciate the amazing days if they were all amazing. And we wouldn't be thankful for the somewhere in between days and the amazing days if we didnt have boring bored days. Just like in this photo if all the leaves were yellow well they wouldn't be so striking likewise if all the leaves were claret then perhaps they would then be seen as we see the boring colour. 


Nope I like my life being a mixed bag of days, it keeps it from being boring and stagnant, helps me to be extra thankful for the amazing days and it just as importantly allows me to rest in the mundane and slow days. I love my life! It's a good life. 


"He has made everything beautiful in its time" Ecc 3:11



Tuesday, June 14, 2016

June's Jottings Day 14 - Winter Beauty

 I took this cool pic of mushrooms/toadstools that are currently growing in our front garden. I find mushrooms incredibly fascinating and beautiful. Is that weird? It sounds weird when I say it. It's kind of a strange thing to love. 


These wee guys look so cute with their hats on or they also look like a wee village that you would find in the Amazon, Mongolia or somewhere traditional like that. I could almost see little Amazon people living amongst these things. 


Winter is well underway in these parts and in true wintry fashion it's bare and barren outside. The colours are grey and brown with dull green making the occasional appearance. As dreary as it is, it has its own unique and special kind of beauty. You just have to look at it differently or you have to look harder to see it. Winter beauty is more delicate and more subtle unlike summer where colour is exploding all in your face. 


We all know that the season of winter is a metaphor of the dry, barren and often difficult times in people's lives. We can see that. So perhaps God has hidden small glimpses of his subtle beauty in those hard bits of our lives. We just need to be looking closely and watching out for them. Making more of a conscious effort to seek out the beauty that is God. A kind word spoken at the right time, an extra stunning view, the expression on your loved ones face when they see you, the look of wonder in a child as they discover something neat, a phone call from a friend, a perfectly timed blessing, a song that speaks to your heart or a small act of service done solely to bless you. Beauty can be in anything and everything. Just sometimes you have to look harder for it but it's just as wondrous! 


"The earth declares the beauty of the Lord." Ps 24:1



Monday, June 13, 2016

June's Jottings Day 13 - Girlfriends

It's kind of laughable really that after a crap day, a long crap day that tonights Girlfriends evening is talking about "Emotional Wellness". Kind of ironic don't you think? Not that I want to put the entire blame on it but I was suffering from PMT today. Whether people believe it or it is a very real thing indeed. But I do have to taÄ·e responsibility for my actions and reactions. I didn't have to be so grumpy, so short tempered or so not fun to be around. I was tired and feeling blah! 


We need to give ourselves more of a break. We all lead very busy lives, all have responsibilities, all trying to live up to expectations, all trying to do stuff that we probably aren't even suppose to be doing and we all are just trying to muddle our way through this thing calls life. Today I was doing all of the above when really I should of just had a day we I just did the basics and spent the rest of my day taking care of me. All the rest was just superfluous stuff on days like this. I should of taken care of my "emotional wellness". Ah well lesson learnt. 


Tonight's speakers were spot on and spoke from the heart, from a place of knowing and realness. Great women of God! I think the best thing we can do for ourselves is surround ourselves with good, safe people, "Girlfriends" that have got your back. That you talk with and be real with. 


Find your tribe people! You need them and they need you! 



Saturday, June 11, 2016

June's Jottings Day 12 - Appreciate

Sometimes people come into your life who ignite and fan something inside of you. Those people you know are God ordained friendships. People in your life that are there for you and you for them. People that you know believe in you and support your crazy way out dreams. People you know you could call at two in the morning or cry the ugly cry with snot and tears too. People that pray and pray and pray and pray for you. People that you feel comfort on their silence as well as in their voice. People that know your fears, your hopes and your crazy mixed up feelings about deep inner secrets. People that believe in you, lift you up, call you out and encourage you. People who are real. These are the people that are blessing you just by being them. 


Here is my best friend. One of those people. I can talk on the phone with her for nearly two hours straight and still not run out of things to say. I leave the phone call.....feeling lighter than I did. I feel the same even if we talk for only ten minutes. I love her. She is one of the most beautiful humans I know. Xx



Junes Jottings Day 11 - How We Roll


What started off a pretty dark and dingy kind of day early this morning actually turned out to be a pretty beautiful day.   Soccer, the thing we do around here, its how we roll on a Saturday morning all winter long. Taking a break over the school holidays but right through to September.   

I do not enjoy the early mornings when its cold, foggy, damp, frosty or raining.  It makes the morning that much harder especially when you have little people in tow. The get wet, they are cold, they cry, they want to sit down on the ground or climb on me. If the pushchair is around they fight over that, they can run on to the field or even kick spare practice balls into the game play.  Lets just say its an ordeal and one I do not do very well. BUT today, today was a great day. Admittedly it did start off pretty dark and damp but I was prepared. Prepared with two kiddie size seats, a lunch box filled with an array of food, drink, toys and coffee for me (very important). Dressed warm and gumboots on we made a day of it and well...we all enjoyed ourselves.  A big fat tick for me. We watched one game and then the second half of the another which was across town.   

I am not going to lie it always gives me warm fuzzies when I hear stranger talk about how cute and well behaved my kids are. I feel like hugging said strangers and saying "Thank you! Seriously you have no idea...but thank you anyway"  Not that my kids are little menaces or anything but you know what kids can be like.....crazy!

The morning gave way to a very productive afternoon we I 95% finished paperwork for Loving Arms. Its so nice knowing that I nearly have finished it. And then we were treated to a very very nice dinner out with great like-minded friends. A dinner where we played being adults. We didn't have to hurry through dinner so we could leave. No taking anyone to the toilet three times each, no split drink, no nappy changes, no fighting over who is sitting were and we could actually hold full on adult conversations. Very very very blessed indeed.  It was a good day.




Friday, June 10, 2016

June's Jottings Day 10 - Whatever it Takes

This photo does not do the dark grey clouds justice. They were very black and surround us in every direction. I could of chosen to stay indoors today....forgoing a run and having a nice hot cuppa instead but no, I put on my running shoes and hit the road instead. Whatever it Takes. Perhaps it should be my new life motto or something. 


I figure that I should workout whenever I can as some times we are just too busy and I can't squeeze it in. I also figure that I won't be able to run 12 km come November if I don't actually do some running. Plus the number on the scales will be far more friendly and I'll be able to wear my jeans without cutting off circulation to my lower half if I just get out and exercise. You know what....I really really enjoyed running in the semi-rain and in the cold. Far better than running in the heat! 


What is super cool is that when I was little and the school cross country was looming up before me I would mysteriously develop a sore stomach. Real or not I can't remember but it was probably real to me. I hated running HATED it and would always come last which made my hate for it even bigger. So now that fact I enjoy it most of the time is like WOW! 


What keeps me going when I want to give up because I might not be feeling the days run so much. Prayer....I pray for everyone and anyone that falls into my head. I think of my vision and where God is going to take it. I sing songs about overcoming and taking back ones life songs. All that seems to get me through the pain in my legs and the fact my heart is going to beat out of my chest, until I turn into my driveway. Afterwards I am always so glad I got out there and did it. Although sometimes I vow and declare that I won't ever do that again. 


You know what else....Not only am I doing doing for myself but I am doing it for my family. I want to show my kids especially my girls that you can do anything, you can be strong, you can achieve your dreams and I hope when they are older that they will be take their health and fitness into their own hands. Its all about influence! Now for dinner!