Christmas with a difference

for the first time in our married life I have failed to write a Christmas newsletter in a year when time has been on my side! The reason has been that a) social media is such that the world  and his dog know exactly what's been happening to us over this year and secondly many friends have had a really rough year and it can be hard to tactfully tell people news knowing they are in pain.

So an alternative newsletter would say this year has been hard work to start working and being pregnant was a struggle and although I remained healthy I struggled near the end to maintain the pace. The second half of the year was a mix of pure blessing and pure exhaustion, forgetting the wonder and awe a new life brings as well as forgetting the agony of sleep depravation!

The year has though been amazing in bringing new friends into our life and having the opportunity to spend more precious time with old friends due to being on maternity leave. Just having the time to sit and have a coffee, go to the cinema (nebiews baby safe of course!) or popping out for lunch has truly been a blessing.

As another Christmas hits us square on I'm in a strange place, tomorrow I shall do Upnor crib and that will be it for my Christmas services, last week I had the real joy of leading Dan s school Christingles and carol service which was amazing ( I so would love to be a school chaplain!!!) but tomorrow evening and Christmas morning for one time only I get to be a mummy, to put my boys to bed, to wake up and to spend quality time lounging around in our p j s enjoying the gifts that I'm sure will come for we have been very good!!! Though I am looking forward to this I shall miss the midnight service (Marc is going to Hoo in my place as usually he's left at home!) and will miss the mad rush of Christmas morning services for though the pressies will be lovely the true reason for the gifts is the birth of JC. I'm not sure what we will do Christmas morning but the family have asked if we can have "Jesus bread " at home together so that's what we will do.

Next year contains a lot of uncertainty for us and our future but we hope and pray that it will be a year of blessing of peace and some more sleep would be nice!

Merry Christmas lovely friends and family xxxx