8.45am Nobody has adjusted to the clock change yet and we really need to get moving if we’re going to be at the Cathedral for 10.30.

10.30am We made it!

12.30pm I do love the Chrism service. All the ministers in the Diocese are invited to come and renew their ministry vows. It’s a three line whip for the clergy, but it’s far from a chore. The special oils used at baptism, confirmation & and ordination, and for anointing the sick are blessed. They are then dispensed from big carafes into small bottles to go into each parish. It’s a beautiful image of the cathedral being our mother church, sending blessings out into our individual congregations and communities.

Sophia and Aidan were great, too. They had a little walk around and enjoyed some snacks. Nathan did a bit, I did a bit. I found myself pushing the pram up and down behind the back row of chairs as the communion prayer was said. Words so familiar to me, but not me saying them. Walking, pacing, listening, singing, getting my little lad to sleep. It felt like the coming together of two important parts of me; priest Poppy and Mum Poppy.

3pm We’re on the train home after a nice buffet and a little dip into a couple of shops. Sophia loves this weird drink with bits of Nata de Coco floating in it. To be fair, I like it too! It’s full of E-numbers and flavourings so she only has one as a big treat. The shop we’ve found with the biggest selection is a couple of minutes from Liverpool Central station. So she was promised a special drink if she was good in the service, which she absolutely was! Today, she chose summer fruits flavour, which is an improvement on the bright blue bubblegum flavour she chose last time!

4pm Why are the last few hours before bed time the hardest? We’re supposed to enjoy family time 5-7 everyday but it is a struggle when I’m tired and have stuff on my mind. Anyway, thankfully we’ve got a host of grandparents helping out Tuesday-Friday, so I should be feeling a bit less distracted and frought from here on in!

5.30pm When in doubt, just add water or fresh air. Aidan stood at the patio door a little while ago and asked to go outside! We did, and I think we feel much better for it. When we came in, he took himself to the front door and asked to go outside again. He and I then had a happy few minutes wandering around St Giles and looking at the cars in the carpark. We also came across a bush with beautiful red flowers on it, some of which had fallen to the floor. I suggested Aidan pick one up for Sophia, so we toddled home with it, and Aidan gave it straight to Sophia. Her little face was a picture! I think she was lost for words.

8.45pm Nathan has services every night this week, so I’ve just finished bedtime. It’s always slower when there’s just one of us because Sophia likes to ‘settle Aidan’ with whoever is home. When I say ‘settle Aidan’, she basically sits on the bed, making him laugh until I have to threaten to remove her. Then she snuggles herself down and falls asleep while Aidan is put in his cot.

10.20pm I’m calling it a night after cleaning the kitchen and doing a load of laundry.

More tomorrow x