I’m really not in the habit of blogging on a Sunday night, am I?! Here I am again, a day late with the weekly check-in. It might partly be because there is so much going on! But never mind.

So, what have I been up to? I visited a church member to talk about discernment, attended some training about parish finances, had a catch up with colleagues, led the advent course, had my tax interview (always such a joy), went to ecumenical prayers, had my first Christmas lunch and went to the light switch on in Thornton!

On Saturday we had a trip to the zoo and I even managed to go to an exercise class again this week. As Sophia is in nursery or with Nanny/Granny for most of the week, I have started going to Sweaty Bootcamp rather than Sweaty Mamas. I don’t need to have Soph with me to attend Sweaty Mamas, but as I have been going with her for almost a year, I find that I really miss her when I go alone! So I decided to try something new a couple of weeks ago and I love it! Well, I say I love it, I love the endorphins at the time but I do not love how achy my body is a couple of days later…

Anyway, I think the highlight of the week for me was taking Sophia to the light switch on in my new parish. Generally, we try to keep 5-7 free in our diaries to spend time with Sophia and do tea, bath and bed. But on Friday night Nathan was needed to help set up for the St Giles Bingo at tea time and when I was invited to go to the light switch on I thought I’d take her with me. It was great to be there, singing along with the ukulele band, chatting to people and enjoying the Christmas-y buzz. Soph loved the lights and the music, and seems very taken with all things Christmas – apart from Father Christmas who she gives a wide berth!

After our day off, it was time for Sunday. I am really enjoying Sunday worship at ASSF. I liked taking some of the thoughts from the Bible Study on Wednesday and crafting them into my sermon, which seemed to go down well. The sound when the congregation sings is really wonderful. A combination of having some really great singers and everybody holding their heads up to look at the screen to read the words makes for a very nice sound.

In the afternoon, Sophia and I had a well deserved nap together. She had been busy joining in the worship at St Giles and when I found her in the vestry afterwards, she was having a lovely time munching on biscuits.