6.20am Soph is up and I’m feeling very dizzy when I sit up. What’s going on?!

8am after a slower get up and a cuppa, I’m feeling a bit better. Today is our childcare charity’s AGM, Jesus 100 discussion group, another nursing home communion, a visit to Rainbows and Sweaty Mama, if I’m up to it!

9.50am after dropping Soph off at nursery, I’ve gone to Aldi to pick up supplies for Saturday’s fun day. Look at all those chocolate bunnies! They will be the prizes for those who complete the treasure hunt.

10.45am After a quick catch up with our administrator, it’s nearly time for the Trustees meeting that will preceed the Annual Meeting for all the members. It’s not easy to grasp, but basically, church members and parents of children at the nursery & wraparound care can become members of the charity. The members elect trustees to govern it. I’m automatically on the board of Trustees because I am vicar of ASSF church. It’s a part of my role that I love and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed developing over the past 12 months. The staff, and manager especially, are just brilliant.

12.35pm

1.40pm I also dropped into the Jesus 100 discussion group and had a good chat to them. It was mostly baby and pregnancy stuff, and I felt very supported and heard. I also took orders for fish and chips next week!

2.20pm So, I was supposed to be doing Home Communion at another nursing home at 2, but the activities manager is off this week and forgot to cancel, which is a shame. I felt for the volunteer from church who had come with me for the first time! Never mind, the angel of cancellation means I can go to the retail park to pick up some ribbon for Saturday and some party shoes for Sophia.

5.30pm Soph and I are in the car eating Macdonalds (boycott temporarily forgotten due to need for convenience this week). She’s coming with me to visit the Rainbows tonight. We had already planned this, thankfully, because Nathan has been called out to support a lady whose husband is reaching the end of his life, and won’t be back for a good while yet.

7.20pm Well that was fab! The Rainbows were so welcoming and completely included Sophia. They also listened to my story and were great when thinking about how the Easter story links to things like the Easter bunny and chocolate eggs. The leaders were wonderful and even gave Sophia a jumper to wear for the evening!

I had a beautiful moment when Mum Poppy and Vicar Poppy were completely at one. Watching Sophia join in with the games and the songs, even though they’re new to her, filled me with so much pride. She can watch other children, see what they’re doing, copy, join in, and try to understand even more. And then remembering that I’m there, watching and joining in because I’m their vicar was just lovely. I’m fairly certain this will be a highlight of Holy Week for me!

21.45pm When we got home, I ran Soph a bath, got changed into my exercise stuff and handed bedtime over to Nathan when he got in.

Sweaty Mama has been a big part of my post-partum story with Sophia. We started going to these exercise classes when she was 6 months old and at the time, I had her strapped to my chest in a sling while I danced and stretched along to the music. I’ve made friends and more recently, I’ve been going to Boot Camp, which is just for ladies, no babies, on a Wednesday night.

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been tempted to give it a miss and do some admin instead. But the truth is that every other part of my week is improved, and is a tiny bit easier, for having an hour to myself doing exercise. So even this week, when my body is feeling meh and I’m constantly nauseous, dizzy, tired or struggling to eat, I wanted to give it a go. I’m really glad I did because I feel much better! I’ve still no appetite, but at least I’ve had an endorphin kick!

11.50pm I’ve put away three loads of washing and had a shower. I think that’s quite enough for one day!

Update on the house: there is hot water, so we are all clean, but there is also no heating, a leaking pipe and an increasingly saturated kitchen floor.

See you tomorrow for Maundy Thursday.