about time...

The busyness of life has once again prevented me from writing a good hearty blog entry for a few weeks - I knew that it would take up way too much time, so resisted the temptation to use blogging as an excuse for procrastinating. Two weekends ago I popped back to the Bay - the first time I have been back during term time in my whole time at uni!
I had a lovely time hanging out with my beautiful sister. Amongst other things, we went to the opticians to find her some new glasses, and we tried on these funky ones which just reminded me of Dame Edna!!

While back in the Bay I had the enormous priviledge of seeing Jo and Steve's beautiful baby daughter. She's amazing.

Since being back in Bristol, marathon training has started. It's going to be a battle but I am determined!

Today I have spent 6 hours in the library - 5 of which were spent in complete silence. I had planned to stay til 7 so I could just go straight to cell group from the library but I don't think it would have done my sanity much good. But my final essay is almost complete, leaving me with just a few ammedments to make to my dissertation, and all my coursework will be finished! That'll be grand. Kind of odd, but grand.

Last weekend I went to see Ludovico Einaudi at the Colston Hall. He was absolutely amazing. I find it just incredible the way God made us to be able to not only be able to play musical instruments, but to be inspired by His creation and express that in music. Just mindblowing.

I've been playing a lot more guitar recently - our church had a valentine's party and I had the privilege of playing alongside the legendary Maeve, which was good fun.

...............................

Well. I started writing this entry the other day, then ran out of inspiration, but didn't feel it was quite finished, so didn't publish it. Last night I babysat for the wonderful Madeleine who really is just phenomenally clever. She has started to grasp the concept of moral reasoning, which is pretty impressive for a not yet 2 and a half year old. She's also turning out to be quite the encourager. We had read quite a few books, then she chose a French one. I told her that I found it hard to read, but decided I'd give it a go anyway while she was distracted with Buckaroo. When she heard me reading in French, she looked at me with surprise and delight, and said, "See, you can do it!!" How lovely. The other day, she was drawing in my diary (with my permission), and telling a story as she drew, which went like this...

"Hannah's driving the tractor....and she's going to live in this house....and she's going to work very hard, isn't she?"

She's such a treasure.

Yesterday, I went and had lunch with my wonderful friend Hannah in Brandon Park, which is a place I love - there is a big spiralling path which is lined with benches looking out across Bristol, and the path leads up to Cabot Tower. It was such a beautifully sunny day, so we just sat and relished in the wonderful heat of the sun. I cannot tell you just how much joy the sunshine brings me. Thanks God.