Mummy it's Me

Someone told me during my pregnancy that I should write down my experiences as a mum to be. Then when my little darling was born someone shared that I really should write down my experiences. To be quite frank I thought they were nuts. Quite a few people said it and finally I thought well I am writing a blog anyway so it wouldn't hurt every now and then to write a thought about being a mummy,

Question though, when does a new mum have time to write?

Between a hyper active little darling, family who want to see said hyperactive little darling and trying to maintain a good relationship with the hubby. Do you think I have time to write? I barely have time to think. I must say I play little mind numbing games on my phone but writing well that's a different matter.

Writing requires a certain amount of concentration in order that the reader may understand what your saying. Well that is something I struggle with always have. Good at talking, OK at writing. But I am determined that I will do it because if one person reading this quick note finds some hope to hold onto amidst the chaos of being a mother then for that I am happy.

Just as I am getting started my little darling wakes from his nap so in true form I gotta run and deal with my little darling. So I guess that's what makes me a mummy the rush to be with the little darling...

Location:Upper High St,Epsom,United Kingdom

Children, Young People and Adult Truth

Today the papers are covering a story about Davina McCall who has revealed that she told her daughter the truth when asked about drugs. McCall a former drug addict said when her daughter asked her about drugs she said they felt good but the after affects were horrendous. The British media have jumped on this and for the most part have given her a really hard time. Let me state I think the British media on this point have lost their minds!

My husband and I as youth leaders are constantly asked to do programmes, host discussions and counsel young people about sex, drugs and rock and roll so to speak. Our constant discussion is over this very question that McCall faced with her daughter. Do you tell the truth that actually all the things you shouldn't do feel good? After many years of working with young people in varying capacities we both came to the conclusion that honesty is the best policy.

This position has not been an easy one to come to but like McCall we have had to weigh up the consequences of not telling the truth. My husband always tells me that when he was younger "the church" would tell him and his friends that the world was bad bad bad and you should steer clear and not partake. But when they got older and realised it was actually fun and enjoyable they felt lied too. Now my husband is quick to follow that with the story doesn't end there and the consequences of your actions can often not be fun. But by then it was too late for the relationship between them and the church to be repaired the lie had already been told.

Often adults struggle to interact with teenagers and as a teacher I have seen this from both sides of the story. Parents, teachers, youth leaders and adults in general struggle for numerous reasons but one reason I realise is truth. Children and young people have a unique ability to see through lies. As a young person grows they begin to investigate life for themselves and see for themselves what their parents have been teaching. At this point the young person faces the world armed only with the education they have received and no real experience so if the adults lie about their experience what then for the young person.

You cannot make decisions for young people but you can arm them with the correct information. It's not good enough to tell a lie or half truths in the pursuit of what you think is best. In the end the truth is always going to better.

Location:Upper High St,Epsom,United Kingdom

Thick Tights are not Leggings and Leggings are not Trousers

While I was pregnant I rediscovered the joys and comfort of leggings. To me leggings are a pregnant woman's best friend. The comfort and ease with which you can wear them are just amazing. They stretch round the belly with ease and comfort. Leggings were my best friend.

Post pregnancy I still love my leggings especially because I have a bouncy 8 month old who requires mummy to be just as bouncy as him. However now I have to be slightly more conscious of what I wear with my beloved leggings. During pregnancy all my tops came down long as they needed to go over the belly and be comfortable so by default the covered the bum. Post pregnancy my tops can be of varying lengths but when wearing leggings this is not advisable.

Today while walking back home I saw a young lady who was in shape toned and slim wearing leggings with a cut-off t-shirt. It was not a pretty sight. When will people learn leggings are not trousers. No sooner had I passed this young woman than there was a girl in a nice coat and top with thick tights on. If the wind blew I would have seen more than I should off. Tights are not not leggings.

I know this might seem silly to state the obvious but there is nothing worse than seeing more than you should on a young lady. From underwear all too apparent through leggings and who knows what through tights it seems that somewhere in our quest to be individual we have lost the plot. A short skirt and some colour pop tights look great but a long top with tights looks tacky. Leggings with a long top looks great but leggings with a short top just looks tacky.

It doesn't matter so much your size or shape no one wants to see your underwear or your private bits. Please for the sake of those around do us a favour and cover up it won't hurt your style I promise. Below Boohoo.com show us how it is done.

Less Than 0.01 Percent

9/11 brings up strong feelings all over the world for very different reasons. But for one small town pastor and his congregation the way of dealing with these emotions is to burn the Koran. Condemnation has come from all quarters and there is a lot of fear over retaliation. I have even joined in the condemnation on my Twitter and Facebook page. But I decided I really needed to think about this situation and what it means for Christians.  

Counting numbers in religion is fraught with difficulties. However there are accepted approximate figures that are often used. So here they are 

2.1 Billion Christian approximately 33% of earth population
1.567 Billion Islam approximately 22% of earth population

Can one man make a difference? Well apparently a church congregation which makes up less than 0.01 percent of the Christian church are having a profound affect on the world. People are worried about the retaliation for Christians the world over. People are worried about the effect on troops in the Iraq and Afghanistan. 

I am curious.  Do we not think that Muslims have common sense? I am positive that the vast majority of muslims know that Christians don't feel like burning copies of the Qu'uran. Or is it that since we are intolerant of the minority violent fanatics who profess to be Muslims, that in turn Muslims will be equally intolerant of the fanatic Christian minority?  I am sure that the vast majority of Muslims and people have dismissed this man for being an extremist with serious issues. Those that would take him seriously are just looking for an excuse to act upon their anger. Terry Jones just happens to be it. 

What this man is doing is wrong.  He is doing something in retaliation with no real understanding of the consequences of actions, of Islam, or dare I say it, Christianity. But when i look at what this man is doing and the reaction from others it seems to me that yet again christians are apologising for Christianity instead of this man being outed for the prejudiced human that he is. 

In today's society Christianity is generally marginalised and ignored unless there is something negative to be said. All this negative attention on a minority of people who do not represent Christianity make the God I believe in to be a liar.  Something I am sure God is not. 

So with this man about to do his best to desecrate another religion so to speak, I will stand firm in my faith, denounce his actions and I will not feel ashamed. He does not represent me or my faith or my God. So I will not be hampered by this man but will continue to love my God and my neighbour. 

A Good Summer Dress

A little late I know as summer is setting but if your off for a bit of winter sun then now is the time to grab a bargain. If you head onto all the major high street stores websites you will see great little summer dresses


for sale at huge discounts. Shop around cause there are real bargains to be had.

If your like me and like to stock up for next summer for some classic dresses end of season sales are the way forward. Being a fashion leader not follower means buying clothes you love not what it fashionable. So shopping at end of season is great.pp

I say all this to say I just had a look through Pearl Lowe for Peacocks and saw that there were some items left especially this yummy dress. It is the classic summer dress, great fabric, brilliant cut and can be worn dressed up or down. If like me you love a good dress this could be the one for you. Add a pop of colour for a beautiful summer day or if your thinking of being daring then try out leather accessories. Either way this dress is bound to tickle your fancy. If I had money I would snap one up especially since it's on sale woo hoo.

Silence is Not Your Friend

The Survivors Guide to being Homeless: Part 2

Yesterday while watching a morning news programme they reported that the reason that some people end up on the street is silence. They showed the story of a young women whose relationship ended with her partner in bad circumstances and she had no where to go. So she stayed with friends for some nights and then slept on the street when she felt she was outstaying her welcome. She never told any of them what was happening and all of her friends assumed she had somewhere to stay. No one ever knew her situation because she stayed silent. She walked the street and put her life in danger, and she did it all silently. It wasn't until someone found out that she received help. 

In our situation we were vocal about our circumstances; our friends and family knew upfront that we were going to be homeless. The result? At every turn someone offered support, a hot meal, a bed to sleep on or just a listening ear when it was getting tough. My favourite was one day when I was feeling very low and a friend called to cheer me up and she shared a secret, she was wearing big knickers! I cannot tell you how we laughed and laughed and how much it cheered me up. It was a small thing but it got me through that day and the next actually. 

Silence is very powerful. Sometimes people think that if you just say nothing it will all be ok or the problem will go away. Sometimes people think that silence is better than the shame of someone knowing the problem. But silence can be destructive. Yes it is prudent to be mindful about who you tell things to but if you tell no one about your situation you will struggle alone with a burden that could easily he halved by others. 

The other thing that surprised me about our situation was that because we had spoken about our situation how many of our friends had been through being homeless. So many people shared with us the pain that they had been through not having a home. We were able to minister to others because we had shared our story. When there is silence it not only can make your own situation worse but it can make others suffer too. 

Silence is not your friend when your homeless or being made homeless. There is help available and all you need to do is ask but if you just stay silent then you can never get help. 

The Straw that Broke the Camels Back

The Survivors Guide to being Homeless: Part 1

My experience of being homeless has really taught me so much. I remember when I was younger i would wonder to myself how do you get to the position of sleeping on the street. It wasn't until I went through a situation that I realised how easy it would be. As a result of our situation I feel I want to pass on what I have learnt that is helping me to survive. 

It seems that each day some new challenge comes along that just makes it that much harder to remain positive in the situation. So I am writing this survival guide as much for myself as for someone else who mitt be going through this. You see the small things in life that just wouldn't phase you ordinarily can just push you that step too far making it seemingly impossible to cope. Let me give you an example. 

We live in a bedsit which means there are communal areas, shared facilities and people with which to share all of this with. This week our buggy tyre has been slashed, I found blood in the bathtub and it wasn't my families, and the people broke into a room in the building which we have all been told off for. But do you know what the straw is that almost broke the camels back? Well it wasn't the fact that we sleep on a sofa bed which now seems like it's breaking. It wasn't that I have no funds so even going to the store to buy a bottle for the baby is impossible. It was the rice cooker breaking down! Let me tell you the story. 

My husband had gone out with a friend, I had put the baby to bed and it was my turn to get some food. I thought the easiest this was some rice so off I went put the rice and water in turned it on closed the kitchen door went into the other room and closed that door and sat down and waited. Now you have to close each door because you don't have a flat you have rooms and so privacy is just not an option unless the doors are closed and even then you can hear inside each room. But as I sat there I knew something was wrong so I got up and went back into the kitchen. Upon entering there was a strange smell that hit my nose and I realised the lights were not on the rice cooker I checked the plug and sure enough it was broken. Now I know your sitting there thinking hey how can a rice cooker be such a big deal, well it is. When the kitchen space you have been given is the size of a box the rice cooker it a life easier and now it's gone. Now since in this story I am the camel I happy to tell you my back didn't break but should I let you into the secret of why? Well because I laughed. 

You see the first thing that you need to survive the homeless situation is a friend with whom you can laugh about the silliness of the situation. Without that there can be many a crazy day. 

So if you are ever in the position of losing your home for whatever the reason I think there are a few tips that should help to keep you sane and I plan to share with you my tips to surviving being homeless and first up is laughter. Trust me this one will come up again and again but that's because you cannot underestimate the power of laughter.