Hi, and welcome to this year’s set of Holy Week blogs! This is the ninth time I’ve blogged my way through Holy Week. I write a kind of on-the-go diary with all the twists and turns of this season. There’s Mum stuff, kid stuff, church stuff, and anything else that comes up. Welcome aboard!

8.03am So Aidan was up at 2, Sophia was up at 4 and the clocks went back last night. Nathan must have slept through his alarms because by the time I realised the time, he only had 15 minutes to get ready. Happy beginning of Holy Week!

12.30 Well, that was a morning! Some services just go awry, and this was one of them. I stepped on my stole at least twice. Aidan was wandering about chatting to himself, and Sophia decided to copy him. She then managed to accidentally hit him with her umbrella, which I had to confiscate. She didn’t kick off too much, which is lucky, really, because all this happened during the sermon! I thought Aidan was going to choke on a choccy raisin during communion. It was a wild morning!

Also today, I gave everybody gluten-free bread and alcohol free wine at communion for the first time. I was asked to discuss this at PCC a couple of weeks ago, which we did, and we agreed to give it a go. Even before today’s service, how can I put this? … I was made aware of some strong feelings. In our house, this is currently referred to as ‘bread-gate’.

Anyway, holding all of this in my heart and mind led me to approach today with some apprehension. But during communion, looking down at the elements before me, which everybody could partake in, together, as one unit and one body, I was moved. And then I felt guilty because I knew not everybody would feel the same way as I did. And then, as I spoke the words over them, I felt that still small voice say: ‘you are allowed to enjoy this, you know’.

And so I did. I broke actual bread, more like Jesus would have broken than the usual wafers. Fruit of the vine – grape juice – was drank. Nobody needing to ask for or drink from a different cup. It was incredible.

So, what next? What will we do at communion at Lent Study on Wednesday? At the service on Thursday? What about Easter Day? I don’t know yet. You’ll have to travel with me as I pray and muddle that one through. Watch this space.

12.50pm We’ve met up with Nathan at Toby Carvery. We don’t go very often, but it’s usually a win for all of us.

2.33pm Apparently at nursery, Aidan will just lie down on his mat and fall asleep with a few pats. No such luck for anybody else. It’s car nap life for me right now!

3.50pm We’re just heading home from St Giles where they had a lovely little children’s Easter service. I was a couple of minutes late because of Aidan’s nap, but I came into the Lady Chapel to see a little group of children sat on a rug on the floor, listening with rapt attention to Rev Sue as she read them the Easter story. They also had little sticker books about Easter and we sang some songs. At the end, we all got a cake! It was great.

Afterwards, Sophia sat on the step at the front of church and read a story – her ‘Easter map’ – to Aidan. Photo at the top!

5.50pm After a nice afternoon playing and watching a bit of TV, we’re out in the bizzarely windy and sunny garden! Aidan would go out all the time if he could, I think!

8.30pm Aidan is down. It’s later than usual, but he’s a bit under the weather and is definitely confused by the clock change!

9.57pm I’ve got my emails down from 80 to 40, so I’ve half cleared the build up from the past week or so. Aidan is up again, so I’m going to call it a night.

Tomorrow will involve a trip into Liverpool for the Chrism service, lunch with our little family and a bit more prep for the rest of the week.