Update after busy October!

Hi all - sorry about lack of posting. Here's an update:

• Rhianna is absolutely loving school - her teacher says "she's a joy to have in class" and its clear that she's settled really brilliantly despite my concerns about a large class. She has so many best friends I've lost count!! It was great to have half-term last week and get the best of her for a week because when she's been at school for the morning she's tired and irritable in the afternoons! Mrs Podolski definitely sees the brightest side of her at the moment! She's part-time til after Christmas - she's ready mentally for the afternoons but her level of tiredness is incredible, especially considering that she used to be at nursery 8-5! Just shows you how much more demanding school is than nursery.
• Finnan is still a happy chappy, really settled at nursery and enjoying the activities we do on the other days. He shows his approval by either screeching or doing his 'shark face' (big toothy grin with his eyes screwed up! photo to follow!) He's using quite a few baby signs to tell us what he wants and is starting to say some words, like "bubbles", "ball", "book" - he's fine as long as it starts with b!!
• I'm struggling to fit everything I need to do in to the restricted hours that I have available - we're paying for the same number of hours childcare but I can only use half of it because of having to pick up Rhianna from school - 3 hours in a morning isn't much time do anything!
• I'm enjoying being a trustee for NYFC and went away at the beginning of October to a conference learning about being an effective trustee. It was good to spend time with the others while we were away too.
• Ambient Wonder is going really well - we've had 2 events this term that have been great and well-attended. the most encouraging thing has been that the planning meetings have become what we hoped - a social, relationship building time where everyone can feel part of AW and contribute to the event. The ABofC (Archbishop Rowan Williams) is visiting Norfolk in a few weeks and Nicholas and I are presenting to him about the Norwich Christian Meditation centre and Ambient Wonder, so that's exciting to be part of.
• I've been involved in running the Developing Consciousness course this term, delivering one of the sessions and helping out. I've really enjoyed doing it and look forward to having more time to take on more elements of the delivery of the course over the next year.
• I'm going to confirmation classes (for the reasons that will become apparent later...) which is turning out to be a really enriching experience, exploring what the commitment means with a group of us who are all on different journeys towards closeness with Jesus.
• I'm running some training on mental health problems for the street pastors this week.
• I enjoyed my birthday in October, we had a day at the beach in lovely sunshine and a softie icecream! I got a brilliant DAB radio/CD player and some great books, plus the long awaited series 6 of the westwing - fab, now I just need time to watch it!
• I'm still swimming and doing exercise classes at the club I joined in the summer - I love the headspace it gives me and the luxury of a heather outdoor pool in the early morning!

Perhaps the most interesting thing I'm doing at the moment is.... applying to be trained as a vicar!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its a long drwan out process that I've only just started (it could take a year or more) but its exciting to be putting myself forward for training and hopefully getting the opportunities to serve people and show them the kingdom of God.

Hope you're all well.