there just isn't much to say...

which is why we've not been blogging. there's not much time to blog either! there is loads of stuff going on but it's not really stuff to blog about.

robin has just started 'eating' solids. more pushing food out of his mouth whilst making a funny face, but he'll get the hang of it soon enough. he does also have his first tooth which is cool. spiky and rough at the moment and not very visible but time passes so quickly these days. (a lot of good character things start off spiky and rough at first but smooth out as they form - hmmm...)

i'm hoping to start up a singing group for under 2s (maybe under 3s). i need to start finding out info about renting space for a couple of hours a week.

andy now has a start date for his home office job - 14th feb. the start of a great love affair?!!

i am thinking through different ideas for making money. i am considering what it might look like for me to be a proverbs 31 woman.

10 [a] A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

16 She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

19 In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20 She opens her arms to the poor

and extends her hands to the needy.

21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;

for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes coverings for her bed;

she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,

where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them,

and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

29 "Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all."

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her the reward she has earned,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.



also God has been talking to me about how he likes to do things 'little by little'. i often feel frustrated because God seems to take so long doing stuff. i know all the good Christian responses to such a frustration, but none have ever offered any comfort, wisdom or promise as i found in Deuteronomy 7:22-23:

22 The LORD your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. 23 But the LORD your God will deliver them over to you, throwing them into great confusion until they are destroyed.


well, i am about to go and take a bath with robin. we continue to relish (that word used especially for viv, who probably doesn't read our blog anymore anyway!) sleeping with robin and doing things to his own tune, and i suppose there is some rhythm in there somewhere! i feel increasingly more relaxed and confident in my role as mum and watching the adoration robin has for andy is so cool. he beams at him whenever he sees him!

rach - can i have 10 brownie points now?!!

happy new year robin!

we've not had any photos of robin in a while, so here a couple of new ones from new years eve - he's been smiling loads recently.

God help us

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)is seeking input on a new proposed study in which infants in participating low income families will be monitored for health impacts as they undergo exposure to known toxic chemicals over the course of two years. For taking part in these studies, each family will receive $970, a free video camera, a T-shirt, and a framed certificate of appreciation. The study, entitled Children's Environmental Exposure Research Study (CHEERS), will look at how chemicals are ingested, inhaled or absorbed by children ranging from babies to 3 years old.

Please take a moment to follow this link and join tens of thousands of citizens in petitioning the EPA to terminate this study prior to its proposed launch in early 2005.

More information, related newspaper headlines and petition here:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/epa-alert.htm

tsunami thoughts...

i've just been here and read some of the stuff. i then went and looked at his pictures.

everything below is not thought out ahead of time - it is all extrovertly processed, or realistically, unprocessed. if you are unhappy about it in any way, please come and talk to me. don't comment online as i won't be able to comment back as well as i could talk it through - thank you.

it's so hard to know what to feel and think. it reminds me of when andy and i returned from honeymoon and we were opening all our amazing gifts. then the phone went and it was dan cooper telling us that a plane had flown into one of the two towers. then while he was on the phone to us the next plae went in. w e stopped what we were doing and rushed to a friends house to watch it all unfold on tv.

then there have been the times that we have been back to my mum and dad's and i've been watching the tv (i tend to watch lots of bbc news 24) and it happens to be when the iranian earthquake happened or the beslan siege. andy and i joked tht maybe we shouldn't go back to my parents' so much cos it has such devastating effects on the world - how arrogant we are! realistically though it seems that God leads us to a place where we can be informed quickly and clearly.

i try and respond in prayer but what can you pray? my head just floods with images and people of different ages and backgrounds and then you think of their families and friends and now i'm hearing that children are going missing - possible abducted, and so i can't help but worry (and hopefully pray effectively) because of the trafficking problems that are worldwide. but maybe these children are being taken in by families who will care for them and pour out love to them.

i want to hold a book and video sale to raise money for the tsunami appeal. hopefully they'll let me set up at the back of church next sunday. maybe people will 'barter-up' to buy some random book which they can then give straight to a charity shop. and what strikes me as so selfish in it all is that it will actually help me with one of my new year's resolutions - to de-clutter.