busyness failure…

Dear friends
So after a Superwoman morning, it didn’t last and I feel I spectacularly messed up this afternoon.

Daur1 contacted me at end of school (using a friend’s phone – hers is broken and we haven’t replaced it, yet) to say Daur2 had an activity after school so what should they do. I was certain I said, “wait for her and come to office”  (about 10 main walk). However they never arrived. Thinking the activity had run late, or they had gone to the library to wait for me, I walked up to library, to school, back to the office. Nothing.  By now, (nearly 30mins after I first expected them) my husband knew what was happening and said to let him know when I ‘found’ them.  I didn’t quite fall on my knees but I was certainly worried. Then, a call from our home phone – Daur1, in a voice almost as distressed as I felt, saying I had said, “wait for her and go straight home.”  I called my husband – he was out, driving, no doubt looking for them.
So I arrived home, dear children and husband safe and well, exhausted (I had my laptop on my back since I’d left work early).
To add to my distress this afternoon, my colleague came back from a meeting with the local authority tree officer to say it was bad news – some trees need to stay – do we redesign?  I brought it home to look at – I think we can move the building further away from the tree and pavement – but we still need to inform the client!!  At least we know! 
I really need to go running – it’s been a while – early morning seminary has started back and then with making early morning station drops, that leaves me with no time in the morning.  I already wake before 6h every work day. I’m going to try tomorrow and Saturday…
I’m rambling now so I’ll finish. But, truly, I have much to learn and hopefully one day, my weaknesses can become my strengths (Ether 12 v27).

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

back to busy-ness

Dear friends
A quick one from my phone.  It’s 0905h and I’ve missed not one but two buses already. But I’ve also…
Taken one child to school,
Set other three off on buses and train,
Made one pot of very yummy porridge, well received despite…
Three children claiming “I don’t eat much for breakfast,”
Dropped one husband at station “thanks for all you do,”
Prepared six packed lunches,
Showered and dressed and am ready for site meeting at 10h.
Let the day begin!!
Oops… I must read a few verses on the bus! Ether 12 v27 is a good reminder that I am not Superwoman!
Hope you have a great one too.

a musical assignment

Dear friends

When I was around 8 or 9 years old, I really wanted to play the piano.  I was already learning the tenor horn at school but I absolutely became desperate to learn piano.  I received a small electronic organ for Christmas but I must have continued to pester my Mother, or my Mum decided that a child playing piano was a great thing, because on my 10th birthday I received piano lessons which my Mother continued to pay for for the next several years… I think until I moved away to university.  Sadly, we could never afford more than my two octave keyboard, and I was never that diligent in practising…
The first opportunity I had to live with a piano came several years later when I served as a missionary.  I was in Lancaster, Lancashire, and our house had a piano, and of course, a church song books.  The hymns were tricky but the children’s song book… So over the following couple of months, I spent time on our free day playing piano and became fairly competent at a few pieces. 
After my mission, I had a flat mate with an old piano who left it when moving out to make room for my dear husband.  We kept the piano for the first flat move but with children and subsequent moves it got left in a large unfurnished two bed with a moisture problem!
Several years and two more children later, we decided to put together some Christmas gift vouchers the children had received and buy a Yamaha keyboard – 5 octaves.  I recall Son1 was not too keen on a family keyboard taking the place of more wooden train tracks.  He still remembers that!
So here we are, Daur2 is learning piano, Son2 will hopefully start piano lessons at school this term, and I often have a nagging feeling that I’m not using my musical talent…
Flash forward to last Sunday and after church meetings the choir director is in the hall getting support and I hear her call out – I need someone to play piano.  In a moment of generosity I admit I can, enough to play the melody, in fact all four parts but not at the same time (I’ve never truly mastered playing more than one key with each hand!).  Then, out of nowhere, my dear mother states – oh yes, Vanessa can play, did piano lessons for years! And I’m thinking – please don’t big it up too much.  Sister Choir Director thrusts some sheet music into my hands and asks:

Can you play this?
With some practice!

I respond. And that’s it! I don’t even recognise the hymn – but it’s not like it’s in C major so that’s a plus, I think.  On telling my dear children on the way to the car, Daur1 asks, and when are you going to find time to practice that!?  Mmm… a good point me thinks!! This post has taken the best part of 3 days to write.

It’s nearly the middle of the weeks, four full days till next Sunday, and I’ve yet to touch the keyboard but I have done some air piano :). Maybe Sister Choir Director is planning on the hymn being sung a capella and only needs the melody played to learn the hymn… doesn’t everyone dream of doing a piano recital… I’ll update you on what happens…

road trip…

Dear friends

I’m in the back of a hire car, travelling back to the office with two (male) colleagues, having visited a school site some miles away. 

Starting to feel a little travel sick – 70+ miles per hour for much of the last hour on UK roads (bumpy) – I think my stomach is in resonance! 

Work road trips are always a  welcome break from the routine of the office but are always exhausting even though I’m not driving. 

I find it fascinating that ‘cars’ have featured much in the front conversation… and that’s why I’m writing this!!

Oh, I’m developing a headache…