Coffee & Cupcakes

As we raised our traditional glasses of Asti to celebrate a new year, I like most of you had little awareness of what the twelve months before me held. For some of you faithful readers (it actually has been a long time since I wrote) you will know that Josh and I, prayerfully choose a word for each year on New Year's Eve. I am not into resolutions or claiming for a new me to begin on January 1st. Rather we take a word and allow that to shape our story over the coming twelve months. On January 2021, as we sat with our yearly planner, baked camembert, awaiting fireworks - we wrote 'JOY' over the chapter of 2021.  We had not taken many steps into 2021, before the wonderful experience of homeschooling, that so many of us found ourselves in, began - that joy was seeming a little less of a frequent visitor in our home. As the year went on, honestly, I felt loss, grief or even bizarre, would have better described the year than joy, or any other word for that matter. There were mom...

I sit here with slightly tired legs and very wet hair... running in Hurricane Gert proved to be very fun but a very wet experience! Though I must say if you have to run...run in the rain (to any who passed me today, I apologise for my untuneful and panting singing)! Some of you may know I have given myself to preparing to run a half-marathon in 16 weeks - 15 left to go! It is a completely random task - as I have yet to find an official race at the end of my training, Readers I am beginning to think I may just make up my own! Why... that is an extremely good question, as you will also know that running is not my favourite weekly task! Well, the honest truth is I have discovered a rather horrible truth about myself recently and it's one I feel I need to put right! I am a cheat! Readers, bear with me on this one... If I can, I will cut a corner - we all do: example: most of us only hoover the parts of the lounge people will see, who really needs to move the sofa right? That...

Evening readers, I do hope this finds you cosied up on the sofa with a big mug of hot chocolate, woolly pj's and slippers! Winter is definitely coming and the feeling of Christmas is begining to bear its festive head! I write however, to bring a little sunshine to a cold night and take your mind far from the rain and wind that currently batters my living room window, to a hot hot land, many miles from my own. For a reason still baffling to us both, Josh and I have decided to venture to the Philippines for 3 weeks next May/June...... with children!! Feel free to gasp at the madness of a 20 hour long journey, followed by 6 hours in a bus journey that lies before us - only then to be melted by the heat, whilst enjoying frog meat and fish stew....which contains ALL the fish!!! Kezzia is currently overly excited by the information that you can watch movies on the airplane - however I'm not sure that excitment will last, as I turn over to film number 4 of the journey... Despit...

Well readers, we have recently been "enduring" the Halloween season - my least favourite time of year. A holiday which has gone from nothing to something which takes over the seasonal aisle of our supermarkets, the content of our cinemas and tv and now even the clothes decorating our shop front displays. I fail to see why so many parents seek to endorse the holiday and encourage their children to participate in it. Obviously as a Christian I disagree with celebrating all that is dark and evil and do not think it is just a silly thing for us to engage with - rather it is an incredibly dangerous season and something worth taking seriously! Whilst I don't believe in the presence of zombies or vampires, I think all that's is represented by Halloween, evil spirits, magic, spells is unfortunately a very real subject and powerful and not even worth joking about. I know and have witnessed in the lives of people the very destruction that can be caused by dabbling in such ...

As promised dear readers, I said I would write an explain more about life over the past few weeks. Life that has left me with so many emotions, today's post won't begin to unfold them but perhaps in time... Almost 3 weeks ago, an uncle, on my husband's side, was reported missing and within 24 hours his body was found and our quickly growing fears had become reality. At the age of 62 he had taken his own life, in a way I'm still battling to not visualize most days. It was to say the least a huge shock. Josh and I had no idea that his uncle had actually been quite unwell for sometime and although this was a shock to everybody, for us it came completely out of the blue. I write this blog, knowing that unfortunately there are few of us left in today's world that have not have to deal with this subject on quite a close and personal level. I unfortunately have had 2 situations leading to suicide in recent months and, this time more than ever it has been a rollercoaste...

This evening I write feeling very deflated dear readers! I am struggling, struggling with my daughter, not in a naughty way but rather in a heart wrenching way! It has always been a clear sign that my daughter is a "Daddy's Girl", 100% through and through daddy's! This I love. I love that Daddy is her hero, the one she runs to for safety, for laughter - he truly is her superhero - and I love that he is giving her an incredibly picture of what and how a man should be, it gives me great hope for her future choice of boyfriend/husband. However, here comes my struggle, in order to be a complete sell out Daddy's Girl, one has to be completely not a Mummy's Girl! This would be fine but life has become a struggle, my daughter won't let me kiss her, hug her, hold her and if she does it is only knowing that after she can wipe it off and put it back on me! It is ... Heart-breaking! As I have shared this with some they have told me to enjoy it,  enjoy that it is Da...

I am still here! It has been a while since I wrote last, life, Easter, family visits dramatically took over recent days and weeks in the Hardingham house, it's been incredibly fun but left little time for blogging or personal head space... but I return a little more in awe of this journey called life we are all adventuring on. Before I go on, I should mention, I am a massive Easter Celebrator! I love it, it is pretty much on par with Christmas in our house. This is of course massively due to my faith, Easter is more than just chocolate and Easter Egg hunts (though they are worth celebrating), but rather because of the death and ressurection of my Saviour, Jesus. This Easter, as always, left me overwhelmed by the grace of God in my life, and available to all. I am unashamed to say that I believe on Good Friday, Jesus was crucified on a cross, holding the failures of mankind on his shoulders, spending 3 days in a tomb that on Easter Sunday He rose to life, defeating death, overco...