Happy Monday!

Last week: meetings, writing meeting minutes, tidying the vestry, Sweaty Mama, toddlers, sermon writing, nursing home communions, the Hub, Tappy Toes, and prep for annual leave.

Ministry: there’s always so much to do when there’s annual leave on the horizon! Still, it’s good to feel organised and get ahead.

Mum life: Aidan did no childcare at all last week because, although his chicken pox (if indeed it was chicken pox) has cleared, the spots never scabbed. The policy is that the spots have to scab, and so Aidan couldn’t go into nursery. In the end, Nathan’s Mum helped out so much, and it made what would have been a nightmare week much more manageable.

Sophia is finished her first half term of school! She’s done so well, and come on so much. They all have. Sophia even wrote ‘Mummy’ this week!

At the school gate, I’ve enjoyed chatting to other parents, saying, ‘we survived the first half term!’. It was funny, though, watching the teachers come out of the classrooms to open the gates on Friday afternoon, because everything about their body language suggested that they were ready for their break too!

Drama. The soft play tunnel. I took Aidan on the soft play for the first time after Sweaty Mama. He was pleased, if slightly surprised, to be on the big colourful thing. However, when we got to the tunnel, he absolutely hated it, crying with increasing volume until we got to the other side. I’d forgotten that Sophia did this too! Anyway, Aidan then loved the big slide, which comes shortly after the tunnel. Sometimes, you’ve gotta go through life’s tunnels to get to the slides, Aidan!

Our day off. A mooch around a market and a sunny trip to a park.

What Sophia said:

‘I’m disappointed in you’ – when I took her hair out.

‘That’s un-respectable’ – to her Dad.

What Aidan did: he turned around from the foot stool he was standing up at and lunged towards me! It won’t be long now…

Highlight: taking home communion to a lady in her room in the nursing home. She’s not able to make it downstairs at the moment. Her room is cosy and homely. Something about saying those words in that place, just the two of us, was so holy. What an honour.

What I’m especially grateful for: crunchy autumn leaves and little people who enjoy them.

Coming up: PCC away day and Christmas prep!

More next time x