It has been a very busy few weeks recently, and so now is my time to catch up a little bit - on many things, including sleep. So, on the Saturday after I was hacked, my eldest brother got himself a wife! The wedding was beautiful. It was held in the Lake District as that is where his (now) wife is from. We went up the day before to set up the reception venue etc. Now, I had three roles at the wedding - I was 'Best Girl' which meant just making sure everything was ok for the service, I was the caterer liaison for the reception to make sure food was served correctly, that wine was flowing throuhgout the meal and the bar was flowing throughout the evening (the best thing about this role was that I was able to have my gin and tonic hidden), and my main role at the wedding was singing when Andrew and Anne signed the register. Now, yes, I like to sing, but I have never, ever done anything like this!! I was singing Schubert's Ave Maria, and Songbird (made famoud by Ewa Cassidy). The irony of starting a second song which has the openning line "For you, there'll be no crying" to a congregation in tears. I just about managed not to cry when I was singing, but fully blubbed when I sat back down. So yes, I now have another sister in law! The priest was weird, confused by the new translation and a bit muddled. When I spoke to a friend a few days later I told him that I want a priest who knows what they are doing officiating my wedding!! He said that was manageable* * he is a priest!! Secondly, I took a group of young people on retreat. I have been wokring with these young people since December, and at times, they have been hard work, but really it has been my pleasure to be their catechist. I took them to the SCYS retreat centre where they had a weekend programme, that they threw themselves into with gusto. I was so proud of them...they were well behaved, really learnt and got to understand me a lot better. There were also a lot of tears. Some of the young people during the reflections got themselves a little upset, the silence spoke to them. They were very upset, so I took them to chapel, sat with them, gave them time to cry, gave them time to explain why they were upset and then prayed for them and with them. Special times. Thirdly, well yesterday, was the actual Confirmation service. It was truly beautiful to see 32 young people stand up to be confirmed, to kneel infront of Bishop Pat and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. They were all smiling so proudly, looked so smart, read brilliantly, and were just really good. I was so proud of them. So proud that I spent most of the service crying like an emotional relative. Afterwards, the Bishop came and congratulated me on my work with the kids and a lovely service, and many parents came to thank me for working with them (and the other catechists), and really being able to engage with them at their levels. That was what was most important - the fact that parents realised what I had done. I had made prayer cards for all the young people as a gift, and I hope that we can now keep them engaged and excited about their faith. So yes, busy times. And amongst all this, I am still writing my PhD, keeping that going, and keeping that to time as much as I can. I am struggling a little bit as I am not sure about my funding post July, and I am quite frankly wanting to get the thing done so I can move onto the next pahse of my life...what that is going to be I am not yet sure...I am praying for guidance on this one... And that is pretty much it for the time being!! should keep you updated for a little while!

Busy, busy times...but I have a little time to blow my own trumpet...a little bit! I have been teaching confirmation to 30 young people since January, and at our sessions I am usually given the "Bible study slot"....I thought this was going to be hard engaging the kids in that...but...it has been ok actually. From spontaneous applaud from the young people, to questions being asked...Monday's study involved a quiz... But (as in other weeks) I am more worried as to what my priest will say about what I am saying, and not the young people....but then I get this feedback: "many thanks to you and the others for your work and commitment. Your talk on Monday was excellent! You must deliver some of these in other contexts....we can talk after the weekend" hoorah!