family catch-up (and about time too!)

So, how are we all going? I'm sure I heard you ask.  

Steve is busy with talk-writing - three talks a week at the moment, two of those repeats (thankfully!). We're looking forward to things quietening down in September. He did some wonderful talks on judgement at our mid-year conference. You can listen to them here.

I am recovering, slowly but surely, from a brush with anxiety and panic late last term. Unpleasant. It's taking rest, and sleep, and exercise, and some sensible reading - Arch Hart's The Anxiety Cure and Ed Welch's Running Scared - but I am slowly getting better. Now we have less doctor's appointments, I'm enjoying having the energy for a bit of extra ministry: mentoring some girls in our university Christian group and hosting a church Bible study in our house once again.

Lizzy and I have been poring over year 10 subject choices - very exciting! She is choosing a range of subjects, from Visual Communications, Cooking and Community Involvement to Literature, History and Chemistry. I love that she's interested in so many different "pathways" (that's what they call it now). We tell her she can study anything she wants at uni, as long as she does a degree in Christian Union!

Ben was at school between 2 and 4 hours every day the whole first month of term. I was so proud of him! He's still in pain most the time, but he perseveres at getting better. A nasty cold meant he just missed a week's school: we're counting that as a God-given mid-term break.

Thomas recently turned 10. I love this age, when children come out of the "middle childhood wobblies" (that's how I think of them) and grow in responsibility and independence. It's good to see him growing up so well.

Andy has been sick a lot lately - sore tummy, a bout of flu, and now he's coughing hoarsely from a cold. So he's been a bit grumpy and miserable. Picture us sitting on the couch while I read piles of old favourites: Shirley Hughes and Lynley Dodd. Lovely!