Stitch Turn Eight.

So this boy turned eight!

It was a funny sort of birthday, because he was actually away on Energi camp the actual day of it, where I believe they made a proper fuss of him and he had a lovely day (and was then sick the following day with the bug that spread through the camp and then came home - sigh). We had packed up a couple of little things for him & sent them with Abbie - a big 'it's my birthday' badge and a little transformer robot thing - just so he had something to open that day.

So on the Saturday after he came home we celebrated his 'home-birthday' with his choice of meal and opening his presents & cards.

He'd asked for this Lego helicopter, and although I was reluctant because he is rather one for loosing bits, he was thrilled, so I'm glad we did get it in the end.

He and DD have been collecting the City Police set, so these extra little characters were just for fun.

The boys then spent quite some time building together. DD was finding the bits and Stitch did all the building.

After a while DD went off, but Stitch persevered and completed the set with very little help from anyone else.

He must have been at it about 3 hours or more. It kept him busy ~ and he's kept it together since (so far).

I struggle to believe that he is already 8. Time is flying very fast.

It's already 6 years we have lived in this house ~ longer than any home we have had in the almost 20 years since we were married and certainly longer than we anticipated living here! Back then Stitch was my baby ~ only just 2 ~ how cute was he?! :D

He's still cute, in a bullish, boyish, bull-dozer kind of way :D

He really is my bruising boy and struggles to be still, or pay much attention to anything other than screens really, but he is very loving and sociable. I must admit, he drives me to distraction at times, but I love him enormously. He is very bright and clever, but has some deficit on the 'common sense' front ~ I'm hoping that's just down to being 8!

Love you Stitch xx ♥ xx

ARTY POST...GIACOMETTI GLUE & PASTEL MEN

This week's lesson came from here

I love the way these came out, even though they may not be as skinny as they should be. I think perhaps we needed to use thicker glue because this ran as it was drying. All the same, they look great & they were relatively easy :D

Phoebe's  &  Abbie's

Stitch  &  Mine

Lilo  &  DD's

We think DD's looks like a pile of rocks, maybe... 

(borrowed image of Kinder Scout)

Chip didn't quite have the stamina to finish his, but here he is hard at work...

He'll finish off one day next week I expect ~ he loves to be arty :D

COOKING & ART CATCH UP

I'm a bit behind with my Home-ed blogging, so just for now this is what we've been doing in Cooking and Art ~ the two things we do more collectively.

COOKING:

Custard trials...

We cooked two types of custard; traditionally made with eggs and milk, and the other with custard powder. It was generally agreed that the traditional one was nicer, but another time we might make it a bit sweeter. Abbie also felt it tasted rather to eggy, but there's not much can be done about that ~ perhaps more sugar would change that a little. The powder version was quite uniformly disliked and was really quite tasteless! Problem is, my children have got rather to used to the taste of Birds 'ready to eat' version of custard and neither tasted anything like that!

The powdered custard was improved by the addition of cocoa and a little extra sugar ~ then they ate it! I meanwhile happily finished off the traditional version, which I thought was delicious!

All about Eggs...
Then last week we made a little back-track and had a lesson 'all about eggs'. We talked about how to tell if eggs are fresh, how to store them and how to use them. We talked about their numerous uses and how to prevent curdling them when you add them to things (which of course we had practised the week before with the custard). Each of the children then practised breaking and separating one egg ~ which left me with a few eggs to find a use for ~ so so we made pancakes (as not everyone is fond of omelette, which would have been my first choice). The children asked if they could make chocolate pancakes, and as we'd already had lunch and this was just for fun, I conceded ;-)
They made up the mixture and from Joel down to Lilo they all made their own pancakes, and of course they then spread Nutella on them too. 

ART:

We are all quite grateful to see a few sunny days at last; sunny enough for us to be able to begin to take lessons outside. We took art outside a couple of weeks ago and, appropriately, painted butterflies :D

These were oil-pastel and ink. The children had the choice to outline in oils and paint in ink, or colour-in in pastels and wash over with ink. The results were quite lovely, but most of the children struggled not to make a mess with the oil pastels because they are so smudgey.

In order; Stitch, DD, Phoebe, Abbie, Lilo, Mine & Chip's (started but not finished). I don't think Joel kept his :(

This week we did a bit of Lichtenstein Pop-Art, because it was simple and relatively easy, but it still took a long time, and these are the only finished two - Abbie & Phoebe's. I'll put the others' pictures up as they emerge. 

18 YEARS AGO...

18 years ago today... I became 'mummy' for the very first time...

...And today is the day I become mother to an adult! Yes, so he's still a teenager, but is a full legal sense he is an adult. 

18 years ago today the UK heralded the dawn of a 'new-labour' government ~ and now, in just a few days time, the boy born moments after the results were announced, gets to vote himself on the government for his future (and ours).

I will never forget the moment I held that tiny red boy in my arms and how my heart just knew such overwhelming love for him. His is the pregnancy I remember most clearly, and the labour and the birth ~ not because it was painful, but because it was beautiful! He paved the way for me: he gave me faith in my body and enough insight into of it's ways, that allowed me to safely birth 7 more children at home. He taught me that I am strong ~ and brave ~ and able!

Jake was not the easiest baby, or toddler, or small boy, or slightly bigger boy!
BUT he was always funny, chatty, clever, quirky and very winsome ~ he is still all those things. I always adored him - even on the days when he drove me to tears! 

He was always very easily distracted and discipline was difficult with him because he was very 'self governing' ~ such a strong sense of self and a will to go with it! In these regards he's not much changed, but the difficulties that come with those characteristics are now tempered with more awareness of how he affects others around him and a growing understanding of how to turn his struggles into strengths.

Jake always struggled with physical affection ~ even as a tiny baby ~ he needed hugs and cuddles, but disliked the restriction they brought. He cried to be held, then struggled to get down. He fed in a hurry and cried often for more, because he never quite took enough in one sitting! Thankfully, as he has grown he has found ways to show his affections without being uncomfortable ~ I even get a hug from him occasionally these days ;-) ~ and he is always very loving and affectionate towards his younger siblings - they adore him.

I know Jake has always born the brunt of my parenting struggles ~ being the first every step of the way is definitely the short straw! But I hope he knows how much I love him ~ that deep, deep love (and hint of pride) that wells up when I look at the lovely man he is becoming. I hurt when he hurts. I rejoice when things go well for him. I ache when I see a fall ahead, and I struggle to resist reaching out to stop him hurting himself, but, just as when he was small, he would rather run ahead of himself and face the scraped knees than walk quietly and sensibly by my side! He has always been a 'go for it' kind of person and I don't wish to change that about him at all. I want to send him out to 'go get the best out of your life' with all my blessing. I want him to aim high and not be afraid to fail ~ to be true to God and himself, to be faithFULL and fearLESS!

The way ahead is just about to spread wide before him, with choices everywhere he looks. Each choice will shape him and lead him to more choices. I'm not sure he has a plan really ~ and in some ways I love that he doesn't because he is free to go wherever his journey takes him. He's never really been a planner, or a forward thinker, and I suspect he will always be somewhat swept along by the waves that pass underneath him - sometimes bobbing gently along with life, sometimes hurtling rapidly towards the next adventure and occasionally (not too often I hope) recoiling from a storm. In six weeks time he leaves college ~ and full time education. He isn't going into higher education. He is content to have achieved what he hopes will be a very acceptable grade in his Btec and to now want to go and 'get a job'. Ideally he would still love that job to include photography in some way, but he is aware that his love of images may just have to remain a passion until he can find a way to make his passion pay!

And so I'm left wondering and praying about what the future holds for my grown-up boy:

I pray for his happiness.
I pray for his health.
I pray for his peace.
I pray for his success ~ however he measures it.

I pray for his 'one-day' marriage:

• I pray he falls deeply, madly in love, marries and stays faithful to beautiful Christian woman, who will walk by his side through all that life throws at him ~ the good and the not so great, as it is apt to do. And that he will cherish her like nothing else ~ and love her like his Dad loves me ~ utterly and completely. 
• I pray that his wife will love him, cherish him and encourage him, and when life gets rough she will know how to help him through. 
• I pray that his marriage will be strong and beautiful. That he will be able to take the good stuff he's learnt from his Dad and I and build on that to make his marriage even better than ours. That their faith in God will be at the very centre of every decision they make together and will be the cord that binds them and entwines them. 

And if he never marries ~ I pray that the relationships he has with Jesus, his friends and his family can be all those things for him!



We love him Lord. When he was a tiny baby Paul & I entrusted him to you, acknowledging that he was always more yours than ours. We've raised him as best as we could and taught him of you. We've encouraged him to find you for himself ~ and he has. So now, it's coming time to let him travel with you, without us so much at his side. It's nearing the time where we have to let go and let him find his own path. It hurts Lord, but then Love often does. Look after him Lord ~ he's Your precious child.

Week Three in Kenya & Then Back Home.

In the end I am blogging our third week in Kenya from home. It's crazy how quickly our time seemed to fly that last week.

Our week was again filled with ministering to the people in and around Hope and Kindness., but we did manage a couple of little 'outings' in our last week too.

I took a couple more art classes for the little ones, and continued to teach the young girls in the evenings. One evening I wasn't feeling so great, so Rachel stepped in, and she has now taken over where I have left off after coming home. It's great to know the girls will be able to continue being encouraged even now I'm home :D

Paul preached on the Sunday again, and also ministered to the Men's group and the worship team again. It seems his teaching has been a great 'boost' for them all. 

We continued to pray with Dorine each morning and it was very hard to say goodbye to her on Saturday :(

We also continued to meet and study with Terry & Judy each morning, and also with Ian and Hilda, who arrived part way through week two. 

At the beginning of week three H&K were faced with a potentially very difficult situation to work through. We really felt that God had placed us there at the perfect time and we were blessed to be able to support, encourage and pray with Terry and Judy as they faced their trial. Thankfully ~ Praise God ~ the situation was resolved to the benefit of everyone concerned.

The last couple of mornings we were able to be joined by Millie (Social Worker) and Duncan (administrator) and were able to pray together with the whole team ~ which was also lovely.

On Thursday we took a 'team day out' and had a jolly down in Kendu Bay, on the shores of Lake Victoria. It was very interesting to watch the fishing boats come back, but sad to see that so many of them had empty nets. Lake Victoria, despite being the worlds 2nd largest inland lake, has sadly been very badly managed and fish stocks are now critically low. The main catch desired is Tilapia (a delicious fish), but as I say, the nets were mostly empty.

After a COLD drink by the lake, we went to a restaurant (hotel) in the town. Hilda & a couple of others had Tilapia, but most of us had fried chicken. The chicken was VERY fresh, but as the chickens in Kenya are a bit on the skinny side it was much tougher than we are used to eating. All the same it was tasty, and easier to eat with fingers (no knives and forks) than the fish would have been!

Friday morning Paul, Terry and the young lads led the school assembly with their worship band that they had been working together on for the last two weeks or so. Then I shot down to the primary school and took photographs of the 90+ children who still need sponsors (see HERE if you'd like to sponsor a child) ~ which I then spent most of the evening editing!

Late-morning Ian and Hilda took Paul & I down to Simbiri Nan Bell Health Centre. 

Ruth, who heads up the work there, had been to visit H&K the second weekend we were there and Paul had gone back to visit when Terry took Ruth home. I was having a nap at the time but there wouldn't have been room in the car for me anyway, however Paul really felt it was a project that I ought to see, so we made a special effort to go back there. Ruth is incredible.

The work at Simbiri is hard, but SO important. They run a small maternity care unit, HIV counselling services & treatment, & 6 wards for women, men and children. They save many lives in the local community from falling victim to HIV, malaria and other common illnesses. They also have an on-site mortuary. Death is a much more common fact of life in Kenya than here, and the mortuary at Simbiri has an excellent reputation for treating the dead well. This may sound morbid, but it is not common for this to be the case in Kenya.

Simbiri is an amazing place, but it has been hit by difficulties in recent years and Ruth really needs new supporters for the work to continue, so if you feel you could support this work in any way, then please do visit Simbiri's Facebook page and find out how.

And then it was Saturday ~ time to pack up and say our goodbyes.  I spent some time in the afternoon with some of the girls, hanging out and doing hair ;-). Then in the evening everyone came over and we worshiped together one last time. Paul & I were able to give each of the young people an individual bible verse to encourage them and I have to tell you - it was SO hard to say goodbye to them all :-(

Overnight it rained - A LOT - meaning that our drive to Kisumu in the morning had to take the rougher route (the less rough route can become a bit too slippery to be safe after rain). We left H&K around 8.30am, waved and hugged off by those who were about that early. The road to Kisumu was quite eye opening ~ in parts much like driving along a dried up river-bed. It was extremely rough and bumpy, with great crevices and deep pot-holes ~ and this is the main route into Kosele and Oyugis. The road was supposedly tarmacked back in the 70's, but the contractors ran off with the money having never laid the tarmac. However, as the government now have it listed as a tarmac road it stays just the way it is ~ despite the fact it is quite clearly not! This picture is of a better part.

When we arrived in Kisumu we stopped at the local craft market and bought some souvenirs. This might have been one of the hardest things I did whilst in Kenya tbh. There were so many traders, all selling very similar wares, but each trying to scrape a living from the next passer by. Sadly, these days, since the traders were moved from the town centre, there are not so many passers-by and life is even harder than it might be. The goods were gorgeous and I would have liked to spend money at every stand (to help them), but that was not possible and I left feeling like I had cheated those I had not bought from :(

We then went for lunch ~ and this time I had the Tilapia. I felt I didn't want to leave Kenya without tasting their special fish :D It was delicious!

Finally we said our goodbyes to Terry at the airport and began our uneventful journey home. 

Abbie and Phoebe came with Michelle to the airport to meet us, whilst the others waited at home. When we got home we were greeted by this; 

and LOTS of noisy hugs and kisses!!

Kenya has been an adventure and a blessing ~ and now Paul and I have to work out what God wants to bring into our lives out of it. We both have the sense that this is the start of something new for us, but we're not entirely sure what that looks like yet...

There are MANY more pictures than I can share on my blog, so here's a slideshow from my Flickr pictures;