After almost a decade I'm packing my bags and saying farewell to this cyber home. My typepad blog has captured my travels, friendships, romance and passions as well as a lot of frivolity. It is with great reluctance that I'll be closing it's doors (so to speak) but after a decline in posting in recent years, and an abrupt halt in writing since Jackson arrived on the scene, I feel it's become a waste of server space and my money.
I won't be giving up on blogging all together but moving to a microformat on tumblr capturing photos, thoughts, quotes and videos from daily life. If you'd like to follow and share your life with me then pop accross to the new home of Amazed & Confused and check out my first post "Who's got time to blog?"
Thank you to everyone who has taken them time to read and comment over the years. I hope this is not the end of our interaction!
40 weeks plus four days... it's a strange thing to know you could go into labour at any moment. This week I'm treading the fine line between being sensible and not doing too much or going too far afield, whilst trying not to wish my days away or sit waiting to feel the slightest twinge. Mostly, I'm managing it. One of the most precious things about the last three and half weeks has been Steve. He's been absolutely amazing. After a ridiculously busy first quarter to 2013, Steve's been able to take it easy with me and we've had some incredibly precious time together sleeping (oh yes I am appreciating that!) seeing films, going for coffee, meals, walks, and generally appreciating what we've had with just the two of us for the last six and a half years. It's been a good time for gratitude rather than solely longing for what (or more accurately whom) is about to arrive.
My aim between now and when Baby Harding makes an appearance is to plan to do one fun thing a day. Hopefully that way if the bump becomes a baby - hurray, if not hey I got to go do x... Yesterday's x factor was Steve and I running away to see the first showing of Iron Man 3 at our local cinema. I would rather have had the baby, but being able to see one of my favourite super heroes in all his cinema glory is a close second. What a brilliant film! A step up from the second movie, which though it was a 3.5* film paled in comparison to the first for us. The third offering, though still competing and slightly beaten by the fresh nature of it's predecessor, has the wit, pacing, plot, script, surprises and enough of a peek beneath the hood of Tony Stark's head and heart to be awarded a very satisfying 4*. Check it out and let me know what you think...
Sadly / happily I don't think Baby Harding will delay long enough for me to catch the new Star Trek in the cinema let alone the promising re-incarnation of my hands down favourite super hero due out later this year... All hail the Man of Steel.., not Zod... Zod sucks...
So... what shall we do today? The past few weeks have been full of painting, workmen, cleaning and lots of DIY as super Dad has gone into action. The nursery is almost finished now! Our Star Wars themed prints should be arriving today :) I'll post photos when it's ready, but now I'm running out of activities around the house (unless I clean it again) and as the weather isn't quite so warm today my picnic at the Bishop's Gardens may not be as tempting as it was yesterday. Any suggestions of how a rather large pregnant woman and a soon to be Dad could have an inexpensive, close to home treat today?
I've always been drawn to dystopian stories. Be it in books, films or something else, the idea of reflecting the flaws or future pitfalls of today's society in an exagerated future context has always interested, intrigued, challenged and frightened me. Classics like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty Four have proved earily accurate in predicting some of the ways Western civilisation will develop. Where is the art, where are the storytellers of today who will prove to be the prophets for future generations? I wonder...
2013 sees two films released that offer very different, but compelling visions of a dystopian future. Issues of class, oppression and the distribution of wealth are explored within stories of rebellion. First up - Elysium directed by Neill Blomkamp...
I love the look of this! Earth is definitely reminiscent of the chaos, poverty and injustice of his previous film District 9. The concept is not entirely new but with such visual flair and with a cast including Mat Damon, Sharlto Copley and Jodie Foster it's worth sitting up and taking note. I eagerly anticipate a foray into 2154...
Second, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire teaser. Catniss, Peeta and Haymitch return in the Empire Strikes Back of the trilogy. One of the darkest books, they seem to have captured the tension of the story well. Take a look...
I will never fully understand the innovative / comedy mind of my husband. There is an aspect of the surreal and absurd that tickles him and often takes me by surprise. I love it. He, Tom and Jim were set the challenge of coming up with a way to let people know that the Push Community album 'Everybody' was out and after a little arts and craft and a lot of laughter this was the result... 3 men, 2 sock puppets and 1 album...
I kind of love it. There's a nostalgia and honesty to the humble sock puppet :) Find out more about the Push Community worship and creative collective and get their first album on iTunes or Bandcamp.
Feeling a little exposed this morning... I decided to share something of our personal journey in the last few years on today's LOVE:EASTER podcast from 24-7 Prayer. The passage we're looking at is John 11, the death and raising of Lazarus, and for me that story, that encounter, will forever be inextricably linked to our journey to pregnancy.
I don't like pain. If I could I would constantly avoid it. But... I can't deny, that through our small experience God has taught me so very much and been so very close. I may not have always appreciated that at the time, but looking back now, I don't think I would have traded that depth, that compassion for an easy life.
"The number 1 thing that shapes you... painful experiences." Rick Warren
"Jesus Wept" John 11:35
Far greater writers than I have wrestled with this topic so I won't go on much more. I'll only say this. I know this is true - pain is better with Jesus in it, than living under it's weight alone... A heavy start to easter week but I guess this is the dark before the light :) Looking forward to Easter Sunday.
