Sharing . . .

Talking in church about sharing this morning - Fellowship, Homes, Experiences.
Talking about how brothers and sisters should learn to share.
This reminded me of a card Reece bought Chantal recently. Hope it makes you smile :-)
Some rules about sharing our stuff:
If I like, it's mine
If it's in my hand, it's mine
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine
If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours
If I'm doing something with it, it's mine
If it looks like mine, it's mine
If I think it's mine, it's mine
If it's yours and I steal it, it's mine . . .

If It gets broken, it's yours!!

Sleepovers - Why??????????

Haven't blogged for a while and not much to say really. Have been busy with mechanics of blogging - now have all my links sorted, a counter and a chatterbox!!! - hope you are impressed Penny - it's amazing what we blondes can accomplish.
Am currently functioning on about 2.5 hours sleep. This is the product of
a) Reece having a Sleepover (not a very apt name!!!) Party. Hence 6 ten/eleven year old boys in our lounge giggling and yakking until 3am this morning and
b) beloved husband snoring his head off and sounding like a train from 3:15am until about 5:00am - What Joy.
Still it reminds me that God is always watching over us and HE never sleeps - amazing really. I know he doesn't need sleep or anything but do we 'keep him up' until 3am or wear him out?

Thank God for Children Saying Grace

This is an email Pat sent me - I can claim no originality but I still thought it was a lovely story and worth blogging (it is not my children or me by the way!) . . .

Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good, God is great... Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and justice for all! Amen!"
Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don’t even know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream! Why, I never!"
Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentleman approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."
"Really?" my son asked. "Cross my heart,” the man replied. Then in a theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."
Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae and without a word, walked over and placed it in front of the woman.
With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes, and my soul is good already."

Fun in the Snow!!

This is me with Darren & my kids being fairly well behaved & lovely (not sticking out their tongues for a change!) Christmas Day 2004 

Put your behind in front of you

Or is it put your behind in your behind? Anyway to quote Pumba from the Lion King. The idea is out your past in the past where it belongs.
Have just had a somewhat yucky meeting with social workers - no probs to our family but we had to revisit some of the very difficult times our kids had before they were adopted.
It reminded me that all we have in our hands is TODAY. Yesterday is gone and all the mistakes and bad things that happened have been and gone and we cannot change them.
Tomorrow has yet to come but we can make TODAY count. So much time is wasted - busy being busy. So much heartache can be felt about what was done that we cannot do anything about.
God has put all our past in the deepest sea and put up the 'NO FISHING SIGN'. Let us too leave the past alone and do something good today.
For all of you who have or know kids out there - give them a big hug today for you don't know what they are going through and a hug (or even better a cutch) will allways help - my two will certainly get a big cutch when I meet them from school today.

For he knew us before we were born. . .

Reading in the 40 days of purpose today about God's plan for us and was thinking about God knowing about us so well, even the hairs on our head (perhaps he knows my natural colour?) and before we were 'knitted together in our mother's womb'. This part is so important to me personally, for my wonderfull children were never knitted together in my womb, they are adopted you see. They were biologicaly born to someone else, and the fact that I could not have children bioligcally caused me many years of angst and grief. I so desparatly wanted children and we tried various fertility options before trying to adopt.
But God knew what he was doing, for as he formed Reece and Chantal, he knitted into them so much of Darren and I that it is amazing. Reece loves sport so much and Chantal never stops talking (wonder where she gets that from!). These are but a few of the similarilties which make them our children naturally if not biologically. I thank God for them and for giving us both the strength to follow our path to them.
If God can plan this for us, who feel so insignificant in this world, how much more can he plan for us all?

Chantal's Joke

I am now pulling Chantal into blogging with me - mainly because Daddy has fallen asleep on the sofa and she still has 5 minutes family time left so this is from Chantal . . .
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Troy
Troy Who?
Troy the bell instead!!!!

Ha Ha Ha

Bloke jokes - getting our own back at Blonde Jokes!!

Having read Penny’s blog today I am mortally wounded by the amount of blonde jokes there are and thought it was time to stick up for our kind.
(Just joking Penny)
Anyway – thought you might like some Bloke Jokes instead….

) What’s the best place to hide a bloke’s birthday present?
[ The washing basket

] How do you make a bloke’s eyes light up?
[Shine a torch in his ear

] What do you give the bloke who has everything?
[ Penicillin

] What’s the difference between a bloke with a mid-life crisis and a Clown?
[ A Clown knows he’s wearing funny clothes

]How do you get a bloke to lift a feather duster?
[ Put it on top of the remote control

You've missed a belt loop!

Was just trying to get myself organised this morning when Mum pointed out “Rhi, you have missed a belt loop”. Yes, indeed I had hurriedly thrown on my dressing gown in a vain attempt at some decency and not put the belt though all the loops. In my defence, I was trying to put a rocket under Chantal to get her going and slow down the bull in the china shop fondly known as Reece. Nevertheless, my modesty was compromised by the lack of belt looping.
I did however manage to stay decent. It made me think of all the ‘belt loops’ I have missed – items forgotten at the supermarket, uniform not ironed until the morning it is needed, Birthdays missed, the odd few Christmas presents I still have to give out from December last!!
Nonetheless, life goes on.
The world has not stopped because I have missed a few things along the way.
God still loves me, my family still love me and if you have all that – what’s the point in stressing over all the belt loops in life!!
Just remember not to miss the belt out altogether and inadvertently flash the postman!!

London in the Fog

This morning I caught a few minutes of Breakfast TV in which they were discussing Monet's art and in particlar 'The Thames below Westminster'. I very proudly ran and grabbed my copy of this picture from the wall in my office to show Mum saying "I've got that!". Now before you all think I am a wonderfull art conessiuer, I am not, it's just that Pat, Mum and I had a lovely day in London last year and visitinted the National Gallery while were - up there - don't we sound cultured. Anyway the picture I bought was a £3.50 postcard version of at least somebody I had heard of! Anyway, my point is that this is that the picture look like a rather smudgy pastel picyure of Big Ben, the Thames and a few boats yet it is considered a masterpiece, the pastel smudges being seen as 'fog'.
I got to thinking how many times Reece or Chantal have done a piece of artwork and it has been proudly displayed on the fridge as one of their 'masterpieces'.
How much more will God see the life we lead, even if we are unhappy with our own 'smudgy edges' and unfinished business, words not said or deeds not done as a very proud Dad looking at his children's Masterpieces.

The Anthem!!

Okay just thought of something spiritual (ish)
Rugby Game currently on - Wales v England - always a matter of some dispute in our household and I am not really that bothered about Rugby but there you go.
Anyway - I take a minute from the new joys of blogging to go into the lounge where Darren and Dave are sitting chatting through their national anthem at the start of the game!! I suggest(rather loudly) that they should stand and show due respect and patriotism for their country but they refrain - much to my disgust - even if it is for England.
Anyway, then the Welsh anthem comes on and I suggest (again rather loudly) that Mum comes and joins me - which she dutifully does. We then stand, shoulder to shoulder, hands on our hearts, Mum sings and I hum loudly (as I can't sing in Welsh - come to think of it I'm not that better in English) to our anthem.
My point - if we are so passionate about our homeland, despite the Rugby score - whatever it may be - how much more should we stand and sing for God, hand on heart. I may only make a joyfully noise (not a tunefull one) but I shall think on next time I am in worship!!

Part 2!!!!

Okay, so ran out of room on last post which obviously proves I talk too much - will now be able to do this in blog world as well now!!!

Back to the funny - I never quite got there last time.

Darren was just upstairs with Chantal (darling daughter). She shouts out "Daddy I need the toilet" to which he replies "just leave it hanging there gently!!!"
Now as a caring Mum I was most concerened that my daughter was being instructed to potentially leave poos (am I allowed to mention poo in a blog??) hanging there gently.
Fortunatley, as Darren then explained to me, they had both been trying to fix Chantal's bedroom doorbell (yes she has one - don't ask!!) and she was holding the wire while Darren had come to get something else for the job. Therefore it was the doorbell wire and not the poo that was being allowed to hang gently - what a relief!!!

Anyway must go as I need to post comments on Pat's blog.

Please forgive any errors in formatting etc but be gentle with me - I am new to this and whilst I am fairly good on a computer the mobile textings overtook me so blogs may yet beat me - who knows!!!

Oh my goodness - here goes!!!

Okay so I am finally being sucked into the vortex of blogging - mostly because I want to post items on my sister's blog so Pat you will have a lot to answer for!!!
I am very pleased that I have found a 'rose' background (I think!!) as those who know me know my love of most things pink.
Will try very hard to think of something Spiritual to write - Pat seems to come up with inspirational and deep messages from various Hymns and Choruses but these seems to be beyond me at the moment - how abour something around "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" - perhaps not.
How about funnies then - we have a house full at the moment - Dave (father in law) is here for pre-rugby tinker with his MG car which is stored in our garage - what fun. Reece is "helping him" - this may mean the job takes much longer. Reece has just this second come in to proudly show me his grease covered hands!! Boys eh.
Jenny (mother in law) just popped in to say hello en route back from seeing porrly nephew Liam. Mum has just given her the Craft Ideas book (Oaks and Acorns) which she made me swear (okay not quite but almost) not to give out because it has too many good ideas in it that she wants to use!!! Still more to say but seem to running out of room . . .