12 highlights of 2023!

2023 - where to begin?

It's been a busy year - with so many highlights I couldn't possibly share them all - not mentioned are our crazy weekend round trip to Norway which involved cancelled flights, last minute glam hotel stays, getting to Dave's cousin's wedding by the skin of our teeth, aquarium receptions and flights home in the cockpit! Then there were the theatre trips - Wicked, The King and I (totally underrated but fabulous!), To Kill a Mockingbird, and of course the Junior Theatre Festival itself. Also let's not forget the countless small moments that make up the memories - library books in front of the (fake Netflix) fire, the boys coming in from football covered in mud and smelling of fresh air and grass, time with dear friends, Bible studies and good food and all the things that make up a year in the best possible way.

It's not been without its challenges. I spent much of the spring feeling constantly nauseous after our little discovery, Dave's new job has been great but a definite shift for us in family life that we're still adjusting to, and my work has been wonderful but busy too.

And so I thought I'd look back over the year - a year in which I have utterly failed at blogging - and share some of the highlights... to "fill in the gaps" so to say...

So here we go - one highlight for each month in 2023!

1. January - Good news for Heidi's heart!

We kicked January off with our annual trip to London for Heidi's cardiac appointment. This has been a yearly event (initially a lot more frequent than that!) since Heidi's little heart was attacked by Kawasaki Disease when she was 9 weeks old. This time the Consultants were really happy with the progress and stability of her arteries and she is off meds, down to 18 month check-ups and thriving. How I wondered if I would ever hear those words! How good God is. There have been some extremely dark days on this journey, but each time the bottom has fallen out of our world, we have discovered the everlasting arms of our Father God lay beneath us. He has never failed us. Not once did we walk alone. I am so thankful. We're not through the woods, but it was a milestone appointment, and one we appropriately marked with a trip to the Hummingbird Bakery as we walked back to the station and prayed thanks to God for his faithfulness to us!

2. February - Kidzania with the kids

Our trip to Kidzania in February was a highlight for everyone - a Christmas gift from Dave's parents, we had been excitingly waiting since December. It did not disappoint! The kids spent the day being pilots, cabin crew, undercover agents, surgeons, bank security, police officers, radio hosts and air conditioning facilities managers! We had a fabulous day at Shepherd's Bush - and it was bonkers, busy and hectic but wonderful! It's a once in a lifetime thing - definitely ideal for KS2 kids and just epic fun for everyone. We loved going there with our friends! Top tip - get there as early as possible; it definitely got busier as the day went on!

3. March - British Museum with my biggest girl

In March, Ava had a one off INSET that the others didn't, so the two of us headed up to London to the British Museum (my favourite!) for a geeky day of ancient and biblical history! It's a museum I haven't braved with our younger kids yet as its not particularly family friendly and you have to have an idea of what you're looking at. But Ava was the perfect age, and both of us loved seeing familiar bible stories sitting in front of our eyes! Absolute highlight! We loved the gates of Ninevah - pretty gruesome, but helped us understand why Jonah was pretty loathe to go there!!

4. April - Word Alive with our church family

Word Alive has been an annual highlight of our year since Dave and I first started going as students (far too long ago for my liking!) Every year, we take a group of anywhere from 40-100 from our church family and have an epic week of Bible teaching, fun and fellowship. This year, the sun shone gloriously and it was wonderful. The children love going back and seeing their friends every year, and we enjoy quality time with brothers and sisters who, for the most part, come back with us every year. Sadly its not able to run this coming year, so we'll be a bit lost without it in 2024, but hope it will be back with a vengeance in 2025!

5. May - trip to Bath with Heidi

Last year, I took a surprise trip with Ava to Oxford for her 10th year, and straight away we knew it would be a trip we would take with all of them. It is so precious to have intentional one on one time with your children when you have a big family, and I was excited to take Heidi to Bath for a long weekend - a place neither of us had been before. Heidi and I explored every nook and cranny of Bath, dug deep in God's Word in the evenings, thinking through the topic of identity and how having firm foundations in Christ as you become a tween/teen will hold you firm through these tumultuous years. We enjoyed the deep and meaningfuls and the lighthearted giggles, ate our fill of pizza, pasta, Bath buns, wraps and Cajun chicken... visited Jane Austen's house and William Wilberforce's house and the Roman baths and the cutest little toy shops you ever laid eyes on. We also enjoyed our daily walk from Nuala's beautiful home down into the city. It was so precious to spend time with Heidi... and I know its memories we'll both cherish forever! Creating milestones has been something we want to be intentional about, and two kids in - I can't recommend it highly enough! Make the time to create space for relaxing, talking, sharing and just being together. You won't regret it!

6. June - telling the children about our discovery!

The discovery for Dave and I in May that we were unexpectedly expecting our fifth baby was a surprise only topped by our children when we told them when I was 8 weeks pregnant. We had intended to wait until I was 12 weeks and we'd had the scan to assure us that all was well, but I was so sick between weeks 6-11, and Heidi found me too many times with my head down the toilet, that we knew we'd need to tell them before they worried that something was seriously wrong with Mama. 

All four of them have responded so beautifully to the news of this baby - some with a bit more drama and reaction than others (I'll let you figure out who's who!)... but they are all so very excited and have wanted to be fully involved in every step of the journey. It's been a joy, and I catch myself often thinking how blessed this kid is to have four such fab big siblings (who very much have their moments and are far from perfect but will shower this baby with a lotttttttt of love and affection!)

7. July - Theatre - Chitty and Kipps!

July was tough. I was throwing my guts up and feeling rough pretty much all day every day, completely hooked on egg mayo sandwiches and orange juice (I didn't want anything else) and driving two big girls back and forwards to rehearsals and shows while two little brothers had to be extraordinarily patient with being a constant taxi service!

In July, Heidi played Truly Scrumptious in her Drama School's production of Chitty. She absolutely aced it and loved every minute of it. Theatre has been such a gift to her, and enabled her to really grow in confidence and in stepping out of her comfort zone. It was a joy to see her perform!

Ava also had the amazing opportunity to play "Young Ann" in a full scale adult production of "Kipps: Half a Sixpence" at a local theatre. It was a wonderful opportunity to taste real theatre life, perform on consecutive nights and perform with adults. We were blown away. She loved every minute!

8. August - Italy and Norway!

Two glorious weeks in Italy with my family, followed by two fun-filled weeks in Norway with Dave's family - opposite cultures, opposite weather - but equally fabulous! We are so blessed to have such wonderful families who treat us so generously. And Elias enjoyed acrobatics in the pool - this boy, honestly!

I blame the gymnastics...

Italy was a glorious blur of swimming, Rome, olive oil farms, pizza, homeschool projects, family time, history, sunshine and relaxation. After a rough first trimester, my sickness cleared up just in time for the summer and it was wonderful to feel more like myself again! 

The highlight for all of us was our glorious day trip to Rome. It was just wonderful to be able to introduce the children to a city I have loved for many years, and our little history-geeks were on cloud nine with all there was to see and learn. I think we cherished it all the more, knowing that travelling and sightseeing might be a little trickier again for a while, so having the freedom to explore with bigger kids and just make the most of it was wonderful!

Norway was wet, but so stunningly beautiful that it doesn't really matter. It was lovely to be back at our home away from home and just spend quality time with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and second cousins galore. We hired a car and had an eventful time with it (always seems to be our story with hire cars!!) but it also kept things light and we laughed at the comedy of it. I celebrated 38 years, and Ava 12, and we just had a wonderful time with friends and family!

9. September - Meeting our new little nephew and niece!

In September we returned home to meet our new little adopted nephew and niece. It has been wonderful to get to know these precious little ones this year, and to be able to support my brother and sister-in-law as they do something so incredible. We've learnt loads and are loving all the time we get to spend with the children!

10. October - Annual trip to the Pumpkin patch!

Nothing else could fit in the October slot. It's our annual trip (I think we've been going since Heidi was born!), and though its a bit more curated these days (gone are the days of trudging through an open patch looking for any pumpkins that hadn't been pecked away at!) its still good fun, and the children enjoy all the photo opportunities! This year we took Bestemor and Bestefar with us which added to the fun!

11. November - Transport Museum with Uni friends

Catching up with two of my housemates from uni and their kids was a definite highlight of November. It's been 17 years since we lived together, but it always feels we pick up where we left off, and the kids get on like a house on fire!

I got barely any photos (mainly video footage) and nothing of us adults but it was a fun day out for all!

The Transport Museum gives you a years access for paying adults (kids are free!) - its an absolute gem and we've been a couple of times this year!

12. December - The arrival of our littlest niece, Robyn

Weighing in at an incredible 10lb 12oz (well done to my sister!!) gorgeous Robyn arrived just in time for Christmas - needless to say, we're all smitten, and the kids are getting in some training before our own little bundle arrives in the new year!

So many things to be thankful for. Of course, this is the highlights - there have been plenty of tears, heartache, frustration, exhaustion and disappointment as well... those things are part of life, and help us appreciate the good bits even more.

For 2023 we can testify that God has (as he always is!) continued to be faithful through the highs and the lows, the joys and the heartaches, the shock discoveries and the difficult disappointments. I'm so grateful to know Jesus - the one who holds me together and gives me all I need in the day to day... and promises me a rich future where all that heartache will come to an end!

And so that's it - our top picks from 2023! I'd love to know what your highlights from this year have been?

I'm excited to be back in this space as we head into 2024! I hope to see you here!