Lets start on the day after I last wrote! baptism, what a truly beautiful day it was too! - I had been feeling really panicky and nervous pretty much all morning but as soon as the service started I felt this calm descend upon me and I just got excited then and couldn't wait! I was quite right too, it was such a lovely feeling and to have so many friends around me too! then when I came out of the water Alex asked me if he should do it!! I was chuffed, of course he should! lol and off he went! so it was a double blessing really! I was grinning from ear to ear! my small group gave me a gorgeous card and prayed over me and even gave me a little present of a copy of a children's book of the Noah and the Ark story...if my testimony video goes on the website at some point I'll share the link and that will make a lot more sense! such an amazing day, even ended it with a random barbecue!
A week later saw Alex and I heading off on a trip to France. We will have been together for 9 years by next week! I know scary stuff, but we had never been abroad together, so off we went on our French adventure! It was amazing! we started out camping in a little town called Villers Sur Authie, we spent 2 nights here. On the first evening we went to a little beach town called Fort Mahon Plage, it was here I had my first (of many) really good quiche Lorraines - drroooolll . we spent the next day exploring the armistice clearance a few hours away in Compiegne. Which was very fascinating and quite sad in many ways. They have made the outside very beautiful though! Then we moved on to Chartres, with it's beautiful cathedral! this I think is where we relaxed into the French cafe culture a little especially sat in the main square with a drink! we explored the town a little and had a meal just outside a lovely little cafe facing the cathedral. We went back to our hotel for a rest before going out for the night to experience Chartres en Lumiere. If at this point you're going...what?? I recommend you google it. It was however a very beautiful and moving and late night! It got a little scary at the end as walking around a dark city you don't know can be, but being just a little out of your comfort zone increases the adventure. The next morning we explored the cathedral and stained glass museum before moving on to Chinon where we stayed in a hotel for 2 nights. Chinon, another great town with a lot of history - especially surrounding the wine caves and the chateau - both of which we explored and loved. I loved Chinon for it's cheery feel, even on the market - the traders were friendly and seemed pretty easy going. Finally we left Chinon for our final two nights camping in Neufchatel en Bray. This region is particularly known for its cheese and apple products and we spent a little time in farm shops sampling and buying some of the goods. Throughout France we managed to get by quite well with our French but it was here we struggled most when trying to find out what the difference was between certain cheeses and ask for a young one. Thankfully I finally remembered the word young from high school French as we had to describe ourselves several times in French. I still like to think of myself as a jeune fille, but I'll never be a Grande Fromage. However as neither of us could work out how to say "excuse me but your dog keeps trying to attack our car as we leave and may get run over" we had fun trying to leave that place I can tell you! Finally we returned home on Saturday! What an amazing blessing that trip has been though. Just to explore but still feel rested and have been able to slow down and be alone together. The weather was stonking, but you wouldn't know to look at me, a wise man once said (to music) wear sunscreen... so I do!
This week, God and I had some amazing time together at church and beyond. God is doing big things with me at the moment and it's all good (obviously).
We've also had time with Friends and family and I've just noticed tonight that it isn't slowing down, we've got barbecues and meals and trips up north and that isn't even the half of it. Still, it's got to be good to be surrounded by so many important, lovely people, especially when they actually want to spend time with you?!
Still speaking to people from Church,
Still Praying every day,
Still Growing and being challenged in my faith,
Still loving extravagantly and openly!
however also...still awake and writing this at 01:56 in the morning as unable to sleep! grrr. Never mind, not gonna get whingy now - too much to be too happy about and grateful for!
how about you? what's making you happy and grateful? hope theirs loads!
kitten out x
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