I'm looking forward to tomorrow!

Hi All

The Leota children will not be attending school tomorrow (Friday).  Getting out of bed has simply not made it's way onto the agenda.  We all need a Mummy day.  Especially the Mummy!

Thanks for your understanding,

Neva

Just thought I'd share with you an email I sent my children's teachers tonight... I love that I have one day each week to do whatever I want.  And I do.  Whatever.  Because this is it.  The one life on earth I get to live.  Why waste it?  I heard on the radio that for every hour of television you watch, you shave 20 minutes off your lifespan (slightly random fact, just to enrich your life).  Now, I totally appreciate that we're eternal beings, and that those of us who know God will go to Him and live for eternity in His Kingdom... but I want to make the most of the here and now too.  It's not every day I want my kids at home - they go to an amazing school and they love it.  But tomorrow, I just want them to jump into my bed with their books and their jammies and their little warm bodies and cold feet.  And later, we're meeting friends for a picnic in the park.  La dolce vita!

Little People

I adore newborn babies.  You can just pour your love on them. 

I love one-year-olds.  They're sweet and routined, and easy to care for. 

Two and three year-olds?  They can be a challenge, let's be honest! 

There are tears... and tantrums.  Their language hasn't caught up with their brain, so they find it difficult to express themselves.  And even if they did - would we really want to know? 

I'm not going to list this child's misdemeanours - he has had a challenging toddlerhood.  As a baby he was practically perfect in every way... he slept and fed like a dream.  Then he woke up and realised that everyone else could move, and he couldn't.  Frustration set in, he was so determined to move he taught himself to roll all around the house - he even rolled down the stairs (ouch!). 

A similar thing happened when he turned two - everyone else could talk and he couldn't.  He's spent the past 18 months screaming at us. 

He never stopped being cute.  He just wanted to be in control.  He does give the best hugs in our whole family - if you can get one out of him!

Lately his language has flourished.  He says some extremely cute things.  I tell him he's cute.  His response is "I'm not cute - I'm happy!".  So cute!!

We had a brilliant day at home together today.  I was cleaning the girl's room - it was long overdue for a proper blitz.  My little helper found the window cleaner and the dish brush, and scrubbed the windows for me.  We went to the shops and he didn't run off or throw himself on the ground once.  I was so delighted I had to feed him iceblocks.

Every season comes to an end eventually.  I can see we're beginning to turn a corner.  It makes all that consistent and (sometimes) patient discipline worth it. 

Raise your teacups with me friends, here's to a new day!

I Love Ironing!

Oh yes I do.  Honestly.  It's the putting all the clothes away that makes me want to run away to Europe.
And watching movies set in Europe.  That makes me want to run away to Europe too. 
One day I just might, you know.  I'll take my man and our babies with me too.  I like them.

This is me at Youth Camp, 2011.  Best weekend ever!  On this particular morning, we rolled out of bed at 6am to climb a hill and watch the sun rise while we took communion together. 
I have about 5 layers of clothing on in this picture, and I was still defrosting. 
My hair is pretty huge.  I used to have shiny, straight hair.  Not dead straight, but more straight than it is now.  It used to just curl by my temples.  I had to blow-dry it upside down to get volume into it.  Envy for my beautiful cousin, Nikki, and her mass of black curls, was eating me up (ok not really, but I always loved her hair).  She can tie it in a knot or stick a pencil through it, and it stays put.
After my first baby, I got a crinkly patch on one side... by the fourth baby... let's just say I blow-dried my hair once and our boarder yelled in fright. I looked like a lion.
These days, I go to bed with my hair wet and full of straightening serum, and wake up with a full head of curls.  I can tie it in a knot and it stays put, where it used to slide apart the minute I let go.  I'm pretty sure I could stick a pencil in it, after a few days without washing it.  I'm just too busy trying to calm it all down to remember the pencil trick.  And at 6am... let's just say I didn't care about my hair.
What's all that got to do with ironing?  Absolutely nothing.  I'm sorry.  But if you want me to do your ironing, you'll have to pay the price.  Hugs and cups of tea.  That's what I'm all about.
And the sign I'm holding up?  That's me... my identity statement.  It sure doesn't say everything about me, but it does sum up something of what motivates me and keeps me going.  Somewhere out there is a kid who needs a hug from me today, a smile, encouragement.  They need me to remember their name, and if they have an exam this week, or they're sitting their driver's license.  They need me to notice when things aren't going too well at home, and they need me to listen to their troubles.  Most of all, I have discovered that they need me to say the "boring" thing, the thing their Mum would say if they would listen to her.  They need to hear what the Word of God says about their situation, and they need to be told when they are off track. 
My 'babies' are the four I birthed and parent every moment of the day.  My 'kids' are the ones I adopt from all over, they are the kids I minister to at Youth Camp and Summer Impact.  Whenever I see them, I want them to know that God loves them and He has a plan for their life.  And that I love them, and I believe in them.  They can do great things, if they partner with God. 
I adore my kids, they are the best!