It's all over!

April has been a long month of celebrations!

Here is my mum at her birthday celebrations.
The boys brought her the delightful hat! We had a really good time, just the family and extras.

Lades and Gentlemen I present to you, Mr and Mrs Campbell!

Yeay! Rob and Mandy got married on Saturday. Brilliant ceremony and party afterwards. All the preparations and plans well laid, we finished dancing late in the evening, and the photographer was still there! Looking forward to all the pictures and honeymoon stories.

Here's Buff and myself in our roles as bridesmaid and supporter of the bridesmaids.

I think you'll agree we look gorgeous. Especially since she dragged me out of bed on Friday to do crazy exercise, which actually set me up for the day. Just enough strain to get the blood pumping and work up a sweat.

After all the certainity of April, I look to May with no idea what is happening! I even forgot we have a bank holiday next week. Definitely gonna enjoy that!

All My Ladies

This is the lady of the moment, right in the middle of everything. Mandy's getting married at the end of the month and at the weekend we all went out to celebrate her last moments as unmarried!

I had a really lovely time, we sang, played games and generally enjoyed the company that surrounded. We were in a casino, but I didn't gamble, I was far too busy chatting to the ladies who came out.

I'm really looking forward to the wedding. It'll be a lot of fun, and nice to be part of a wedding with some very friendly faces we haven't seen for a while. It's lovely to see two friends who I've known for a long time tie the knot and make a whole new family (And I'm mostly looking forward to wearing a handmade dress).

It's been a really good April so far. I expected to be quite tired, but I don't think it's gonna be too hard.

Easter Celebrations

All of St Hugh's Easter 'stuff' (services, reflections, sleepovers and dawn time gatherings) were well attended. We had a good time hanging out with the young people on saturday night and getting up nice and early to watch it get lighter.

I've always enjoyed getting up for the sunrise at Easter, and it much more exciting when you have a bunch of teenagers to encourage to be awake at such an unearthly hour! We didn't see the sun until later in the morning because it was pretty cloudy again this year, and it just started to rain as we got back to church for breakfast.

Our 11am service was really busy this year, but with some lovely small children making themselves at home, it still very much felt like we had a great time. We read through Luke 24 and stopped at the appropriate places to worship and share communion. The staff team did really well putting it all together.

I haven't had the chance to think a lot about what I thought of the Lent course and our whole Eastertime, but I'm sure I'll have a chance now that I'm not feeling fantastic and am hiding under a duvet! Easter is a lot more hard work than Christmas, that's for sure.

There are some pictures here.

Easter

I think we should extend Advent... having 6 weeks to prepare for Easter makes it feel as though you SHOULD be prepared! Or maybe we should put all the pressure on Easter and not Christmas?

I've not been hugely involved in Easter prep this year, preferring to be running around London and being in and out of school. It's just been an incredibly busy term. I've almost stopped, and the prospect of a long weekend away is still a way off.

The good news is that all the hard work is paying off, with different projects being awarded funding and the church being fully aware of all the work we do... I just proof read the annual report and we're mentioned quite a lot, which is good. Apprently I'm "excellent" at my job. Wohoo!

I've felt quite the professional this week. What with signing contracts for funding, talking in an assembly and making contacts with family workers for the schools in Lewsey, it's all been pretty good really. The benefits of being in school for 90mins a week are brilliant.

Yes, I'm looking forward to a break, but I'm really looking forward to seeing the sunrise on Sunday morning and the thought of all that is to come for the summer term.

Settledness

Life is somewhat routine right now. As much as it can be anyway.

I've been backwards and forwards with work and made a few new partnerships with projects whilst doing it.

It's the calm before the exciement and celebrations of Easter. I'm not paricularly fussed by all the preparations for Easter this year, as I have a pretty practiced plan. I'm just waiting for a spanner to be thrown in the works!

April is gonna be a busy month... I'll be in Essex for quite a bit of it, with lots of family celebrations. I hope there will be lots of pictures.

Apart from the mammouth amount of driving I've had to do, I'm really quite enjoying the routine. It's nice knowing that there is one specific night of the week that all I have to do is watch tv!

So I'm pretty settled as it goes, I know where I am, what I am doing and how to go about it. Doesn't stop God shaking me up daily with the verses that appear on my phone for the Challenge.

Today's verse Luke 12:48 "From whom much is given, much will be required"

My initial thought was, oh ok! I don't think I've been given much, then a small child cried on me at Breakfast Club and suddenly I realise all the responsibility that comes with working with young people. My thoughts went from ok to argh. But it's fine because God knows those thoughts too!

More Weekend Stories

It seems I do not need to tell the story of the weekend... my Dad and sister have already told the weekend stories!

You can read their accounts... It was a really good weekend, except for the driving in Central London part.

That's all I have for now (it's Glee time!).

Weekend Away

...to end all weekends away!

It seems that the last weekend wins the award for 'most likely to be anywhere other than home' weekend...

Last year I was at home, 2008 was St Albans, 2007 was Alpha with Liz and Ant in Ashby, 2006 was the farm with gappies, 2005 was St Albans... 2004 I wouldn't have a clue, as I only started blogging the week after! Ha ha, suddenly having an online diary seems particularly useful.

So I think the very long winded point I'm trying to make is, last weekend the youth group I co-lead spent time away. We went to Phasels Wood (for Liz). The last time I was there was 5 years ago with TGI's and St Mary's. Strangest thing to be back there again, this time in charge and ultimately responsible, showing how far I have come in 5 years.

Looking back over the blogs I've written, I realise just how far I have come. But that's for another day.

Last time I didn't do Potholing, and I don't remember my abseiling experience (if i had one). This time I conquered my fear and went down the dark hole (earning me the nick name Alice).

The young people who are part of this group are absolute angels. I can't stress how well behaved they really are. This makes my life easier. The only real problem is my inability to give clear instructions some times.

Liz taught us about Revelation. She did such a brilliant job. Pitched just right, and with amazing insight. I'm proud of my little sister!

No accidents or major problems. All in all I survived better than my colleague, and I have made it to Wednesday without feeling massively exhausted. I think I can chalk this up as a success.