What A Year

I started the year in January full of optimism.

I had a feeling changes were on the horizon, but I wrongly assumed my big life event

of 2014 would be Oscar starting school. 

In February Oscar had his 5th birthday ! 

I could hardly believe he had been dancing around the sun for 5 years.

March was a quiet month.

I spent a lot of time cooking and knitting and thinking about my faith.

In April we sadly marked the passing of another year since we lost our baby, Ellie-Rose.

April is always a sad month now.

May was very busy. We went to Edinburgh to say goodbye to one of our missionaries. 

I went to our Temple in Preston and had some special experiences, and we also had Duncan's birthday 

and Aimee's birthday.

natural history museum - Edinburgh

In June Oscar had his school induction days and did really well. 

We also had some actual sunshine

In July the school holidays began 

and Oscar did his first ever stage performance with his theatre group.

In August, my baby started school !

September !

We went on holiday.

I found out my husband was not the man I thought he was,

our marriage ended.

In October we had to re-home the pets, and ourselves.

The children and I moved to a little apartment of our own.

In November we just really did some settling in. I focused a lot on my Faith, and 

began to establish new routines.

December, and I coped with my first post break up birthday and wedding anniversary.

Oscar did his 2nd stage show.

My friend and I started our little business venture, 

and we celebrated Christmas where I had my mind firmly fixed on our Savior Jesus Christ.

Who knows what 2015 will bring. 

My Faith has grown and grown this year, and because of that

I can trust my future is safe in the Lords hands

Happy New Year when it comes !

See you on the other side.

Valerie

xxx

Christmas Eve And Christmas Morning

Sorry for a photo heavy post, but they were mostly too cute to leave any out.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you remembered Christ in amongst the celebrations of His birth.

We Have A Tree

For Family Home Evening we put up our Christmas tree, ate mince pies, listened to Christmas music and learned about the angels role in the nativity story. It was all great fun.

Especially the pies ;-)

A Quick Catch Up Of This Week

I have been incredibly busy this week,

as I prepare to go self empolyed in January (more on that later), 

so I have not had much time to blog. I did manage some phone photo's though, so here 

is a mini catch up.

On Monday we had Family Home Evening, and this weeks theme

was Joseph.

We read a story about an act of kindness to a stranger,

and we thought about Joseph as he brought Mary into Bethlehem

labouring with her child. We presumed that Joseph was relying on an act of kindness 

from a stranger for his wife, so she would have a place to give birth to the baby Jesus.

We decided to do a small act of kindness for some strangers.

We don't know our neighbours yet have just moved in, so this is what we did.

Joseph joins Mary in the stable

Wednesday was my birthday, and I had some Sister Missionaries here for a 

sleep over. (I had a trip to Ikea in the day time).

I finally got my glasses from Here, the glasses are excellent and so is the price but it did take almost 3 weeks for them to arrive.

And finally, I have spent most of the week working in our new studio. A friend and I are opening a 

workshop / studio and we will be running classes in sewing, dressmaking, patchwork, knitting, crochet, watercolour painting and fabric printing.

For locals,

The studio will be open in January 2015 at

77 Meadowside Dundee.

We are taking bookings now, so please email for a list of times, dates and prices.

Today I am off to buy threads, buy some Christmas presents, 

do a 2nd coat of paint on the studio floor,

and then go to church at 6pm for a Special meeting.

I am enjoying being busy, its good for the soul.

Hope you had a great week?

xxx

FHE - Nativity - Mary

Family Home Evening in the lead up to Christmas will be very much centred around The Saviour. I bought this book a few weeks ago and it has been great.

Before dinner I set up an empty stable (aka a basket on its side with some straw, tinsel and a crochet star, because there has to be an element of home made right?)

We made some heart shaped cookies (out of pre-made dough, because its easy peasy), and left them to cool.

(cinnamon topped not bunt)

We read a short story about a mother at Christmas, The Widow's Might, by Elaine Stirland McKay and then we talked about Mary, the mother of Christ, and what it must have been like for her on that first Christmas. 

We also spoke about the love contained in a mother's heart and how special that is.

We read the following scriptures

Luke 1 : 28-48

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

After this we and by we I mean Oscar decorated the biscuits

At last, Oscar put Mary in the stable.

And so the countdown to Christmas begins