Mama Was Born In The 60s

What A Difference A Year Makes

20.05.2013

They say time is a great healer. I am not sure if that is completely true. I think it is a shift in perspective over time, which can heal wounds, and not just the passing of time alone. We have all changed so much in the last year, it is a joy to see.

Some days I don't want to think about how big Oscar is becoming, because I miss the baby days. But, of course, I am so proud of the advancements he has made, and the changes he has mostly taken in his stride.

Duncan has certainly grown more hair over the last year. But, he has also grown as a person, and the love we have for each other has grown stronger and stronger and I never knew that was possible, when we loved each other so much to begin with.

I have to admit, that I have aged somewhat in the last year, and the strain of losing a baby and my Mother being very ill has taken its toll. I can say in all honesty that my heart is much lighter than it was this time last year, so a few extra wrinkles and grey hairs are a small price to pay for the journey I have travelled.

Ellie's Rose Bush 2012

Ellie's Rose Bush 2013

Duncan and the children have played a 'huge' part in my recovery and without them I would be lost. I also have MY CHURCH in my life and so in turn Heavenly Father. My Mum said to me last week that there is a sparkle about me [since joining the church], that has been gone for a long long time. I know she was sceptical about the church, so I was surprised by her admission. If the truth be known, I feel a sparkle within myself, and I hope to carry it always.

Valerie

Sing Along Sunday

5/19/2013 8:35:52 AM

Have A Wonderful Sunday

Valerie

A Wee Catch Up

When I was planning this post in my head (loosely), I was thinking what a difficult week this has been for me. Without being overly specific, I thought there may be some news on the baby front but sadly it all changed. This has been colouring my view of things, but actually, when I started to collect my thoughts together on what else has happened in the week, I have had to admit, it has actually not been a bad week at all.

Duncan had his birthday on Tuesday, and he had the day off work, which is VERY rare, so we all really enjoyed the day. I cooked a lovely salmon dinner for him (his choice) and we watched a ridiculously silly movie (John Carter, again, his choice).

Duncan's Rainbow Birthday Cake

Oscar and I went into town with church friends, and although having 2 little boys running all over town is much more than double the trouble, it was still fun. We even had lunch in Burger King, another very rare event.

I managed to find some Scooby Doo Goo for Oscar for 99p a tub, which although I despise the stuff, I keep buying because he loves it. Previously we have had to pay £4 a tub for black Goo from the joke shop, so this was a real find.

I have totally fallen in love with this coat

Can it really just be granny squares? The image came from this blog HERE, but the blog author does not seem to answer questions about it. I have decided the best thing to do it crochet up a pile of squares and have a play about with them. I am hoping to make a short sleeved shrug version.

Yesterday I found out I had won a blog competition, and the prize is a gift voucher for a photography course, which I am really excited about because I have wanted to do one of the courses since I saw them last year.

You can find the courses HERE

We have also started putting Oscar to bed on his own for the first time. Duncan normally reads to him until he falls asleep, (which can take 5 minutes or 50 minutes). It went surprisingly well, but watch this space, I have been parenting for 23 years and know better than to crow about an early success.

Talking of sleep though, I was forced out of bed this morning. This picture probably explains it best..................

Poor Duncan!

And finally, in church news, this weekend is the stake conference. I had no idea what this involved until the missionaries explained it and I did a bit of online digging.

A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. A stake is approximately comparable to a deanery in the Catholic Church, or perhaps to a diocese, in some Christian denominations. The name "stake" derives from the verse "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes" (Isaiah 54:2). A stake is sometimes referred to as a stake of Zion.
Stake Conference - Each stake will hold a stake conference twice a year under the direction of the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The stake president is usually instructed to preside in the absence of a general authority or to organize the conference under the direction of the general authority that will preside. The conferences are used to conduct stake business (primarily the appointment and sustaining of stake officers) and to disseminate counsel and guidance from the stake presidency. Speakers at stake conferences generally include the three members of the stake presidency and other stake members, called upon by the stake presidency, to speak on assigned topics. When a general authority of the church presides, he is the featured speaker. The general session (for all members of the stake) is usually held on Sunday. This general session may be held in a local tabernacle if available. If held in the stake center, the general session may be divided into multiple sessions, by ward, so that all stake members may be accommodated in the building. A session for all adult members is generally held on the preceding Saturday evening. A priesthood leadership session is also held in conjunction with a stake conference. Some stakes are so geographically large that at times multiple sessions of stake conference are held at different locations to accommodate those who live in distant areas.

So tonight and tomorrow I will be attending Stake Conference and I am pretty excited about it.

Really not a bad week at all. I hope you have had a good week too?

Valerie

Yarn Along And Banana Bread

Knitting

I finished the 'Freddy' jumper for Oscar (see the last yarn along), yesterday and he was fairly pleased with it, although I was informed that sometimes Freddy's jumper has a blue stripe on it (I actually knew that, but decided to skip it).

Oscar being Freddy

I have only just started my next project, which is a Prayer Shawl from Lion Brand free patterns (based on this one HERE, you need to be a member of the site to view it though).

I knitted 2 shawls last year, but one I gave to my mother-in-law and the other, Duncan shrank in the wash. Hopefully this one will stick around and be as squishy and comforting as I anticipate.

Reading

I am of course still reading the same as as last week.

And I may be on these for quite a while, but I have added a new 'religious' book to the collection, only this one is for Oscar.

The illustraitons in this book are SO cute, although I was surprised to see someone in biblical times using a telephone. I love Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen, so I was prepared to overlook the phone in exchange for otherwise excellent art work. Oscar sat through the first few stories and then asked to take the book to bed for some more, that is a sign of a good choice for a 4 year old.

And finally ....

Yesterday was Duncan's birthday, and the Missionaries from the church baked him some Banana Bread and brought it over. I have to say, I was impressed by their thoughtfullness but a little wary of the taste, but it is absolutely delicious.

The Elders Banana Bread

Afternoon tea was extra specially good, since I didnt even have to make the cake myself.

Valerie

Elder Portraits

Elder Butikofer

Elder McCarthy

Sundays

Church was wonderful today, but now that dinner is done, Oscar is bathed and taken to bed and the house has quietened down (it is amazing how much noise one 4 year old child can make), it is time for some of this