An honesty award

Last week I received this award from Heather.  Thank-you so much - another bonus of blogging is that sometimes people are touched by what you write!   I continue to really enjoy your blog too. :)

In accepting this award, I need to share 10 honest things about myself.  Hmmmm.  I'm going to try to think of things I haven't shared before on my blog if I can.  This is going to take a bit of thought, but seeing as posts take days lately to write, I'll have plenty of time!  As it is, William has just woken from his nap (for the 2nd time in an hour) so he'll probably be up now and need some Mamma time.  I'll get back to this today I hope!!

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Okay, here goes.

10 Honest Things About Me

 

1.  I'm an introvert.  I'm shy, quiet, reserved, reclusive, all those things.   I much prefer one-on-one conversation with friends, and in group situations I often feel overwhelmed- especially if I don't know the people well.  Throughout my life I have always only had a few close friends at a time.  These days as a Mum I find it hard to find the time to keep up with all the beautiful friends God has given me, and long for more hours in the day to do this!  Chatting in the school car park, plus the occasional phone-call, visit, meal, email or card, given or received, still seems to be enough to bind us together though.... after all, we are all in the same season of life. :)

2.  To tie into the first one, I'm an absolute home-body.  I always have been, though until I married Stuart and he gave me the opportunity to stay home and care for our children, I was away from home more often than I liked, studying and working.  I often thank him for the gift of working hard to provide for us so I can be home.  

I love to be at home.  The peace and quiet, the solitude (well, aside from little ones!), my family, my garden, my books, my music, etc. .......... I sound so boring as a type this............... but this is just who I am.  I try to keep my life simple so I can be home as much as possible.  Also, I find that the busier and more outside of the home I am, the more my house and family kind-of falls to pieces.  Just to keep on top of the housework and washing and cooking etc., and have time to play with the children, I try to be home at least 3 or 4 days during the school week.  This means a tidier, cleaner home, nicer meals and most importantly, more time to spend with my family.  

3.  I have always wanted to live in the countryside.  Although I love my house here in town, and we don't plan on moving anytime soon (maybe never) I still often think about living on land outside of town.  I love being in nature, and feel a bit closed in sometimes.  I love open spaces and fresh air.  We always planned on living on land, and I don't think that dream has died for me yet!  I know my outdoorsy children would love more space to run around in.  We'll see what God has in store.

4.  I take feeding my family healthy food as a challenge.  Since Saraya was starting solids 5 1/2 years ago, and with all the children since then, I have tried to prepare as simple healthful meals for them as I can.  This means loads of fruit and veges, bought locally and seasonally where possible.  I buy most of our produce at the local markets as it's much fresher and cheaper and tastier than the supermarket.   We also grow (in non-baby stages especially!) some of our own vegetables.  I would love to be more self-sufficient.  Elijah has struggled as a toddler with some tastes, but we always encourage him gently and firmly to eat a small portion of everything.  Saraya is now at the stage where she not only eats what she's served, but enjoys a large variety of foods too!  She is our little fruit and salad girl, and it brings me joy to see our perseverance with healthy eating pay off.  Something inside me gives a little thrill when I see really fresh food going into their mouths, knowing this will help keep them healthy as they grow too.

5.  I start listening to Christmas music months before Christmas!  I just love hearing and singing carols, and they remind me of my childhood in many ways.  Really really good memories of Christmas................ my Queensland Children's Choir days carolling and doing Christmas concerts in Brisbane, trimming the tree with my parents, the build-up to "the big day" as we did the Christmas shopping and planned the food, the magic of Christmas eve- that special something in the air, and the extended family get-together we always had at my Nanna and Pop's home on Christmas night.  I love  the Christmas season, and this year it's been fun thinking of some new family traditions to do with my own children as we celebrate Jesus' birth.

6.  Okay, here's one I've mentioned before on my blog but I'm having trouble thinking of 10 things.  

I really struggle with hospitality.  I have beautiful friends who I find to be very hospitable, I have read books on the topic, prayed about it....... but still when it comes down to it, I think I'm just too........ something.  I can't even put my finger on it.  I really don't think it is my house (which I've often blamed, and still want to improve it in certain ways to make it more hospitable), I think it's actually just me.  Still working on this one.

7.  I love love love music.  I love to sing, play the flute and play the piano. I grew up doing all these things, and really need to do more of it around my children so they not only see that it's part of me, but they "catch the vibe" to make music too!  Singing is so portable and I've always sung them to sleep (still do), but the other instruments are getting dusty.......  

I'm hoping to do some carolling with them through December.  We'll see. 

8.  I have a University Degree in Social Science.  It's a Bachelor of Social Science in Human Services, majoring in disability studies.  This is basically a degree in social work, and many of my subjects leaned towards working alongside people with disabilities.  This came about mainly because my sister has an intellectual disability, and the head of the faculty told me there were many jobs in this field of work.  She was right, and I worked through an organisation in Brisbane caring for children with disabilities while I studied my degree.  It was wonderful, challenging and rewarding work.  Those little children are still in my thoughts, and I'd love to see them again to see how they're all going.

Since moving up here and having my family, I haven't worked outside of the home.  If and when all the children are at school, I'd like to actually do some music teaching from home as a part-time job.  Once again, we'll see what happens there!

9.  I was baptised uniting as a baby, and then grew up in the catholic church.  My Dad was uniting and my Mum catholic.  After my parents seperated when I was 14, Mum started taking us to mass.  I always went with my Nanna and Pop when staying with them too, and made a decision at 14 or so to become confirmed as a catholic.  I wanted that feeling of belonging to the church my grandparents and Mum belonged to.  It also meant I could join in communion with them, something you can only do once confirmed.

A few years later I got to know some Christian friends from a baptist church, and really started to dig into God's word.  It was a gradual process, but around the year we got married (2001) that I really got on my knees and asked Jesus into my heart.  Since then Stuart and I have attended a couple of baptist churches, and are now actually settled into a non-traditionalist nazarene church in town!  It's an awesome community church filled with beautiful people who really seek the Lord, and we've all found true brothers and sisters there.  My relationship with Jesus is now an integral part of my life, and I never want to go back to that dark place before receiving Him as my personal saviour.  Praise God I never have to!!  The peace I have known in the last 7 years truly does surpass all understanding.

10.  Last one (this has been written in 3 sessions so far!  My boys are BOTH asleep- a rare event, so Ill try to finish!).........

The greatest desire of my heart has always been to be a Mother.  From a young girl playing with my dolls, to the teenager who always sought out little ones to care for at parties or social gatherings, babysitting etc., I became a married woman who prayed for a real baby of my own. God heard my prayer and blessed us with Saraya just 10 months after we got married. :)  Since then He has also given us our two beautiful boys.  All healthy, all precious and straight from His hands.  I couldn't be more thankful.

The reality of Motherhood certainly isn't the picture I had painted in my mind before Saraya was born, and the first year of her life was a completely humbling experience!  No-one can know what it's like to have your own children until the moment they are placed in your arms.  Anyone with children knows this. :)  Having said that, I am happier right now, at this stage of my life, than I have ever been before.  There are days when I miss the freedom of working a job outside the home, the extra sleep, the choices to just do what I want to do........ but then again, I feel I've been given a strong purpose and responsibility too, and want to take that seriously right now.  There are many other seasons coming for me, and I'm going to try to enjoy each one as much as I can!

There.  10 things you may not have known about me.  Phew.

Now it's your turn, if you feel inclined!!  It's fun and a bit of a brain-stretch.  

Thanks for reading!