Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas, a little late.

Xss and I had a great time this year and perhaps started our own tradition. We are Christians so to us Christmas has some deeper meaning than a national holiday, and although it's unlikely that Jesus was actually born on this day, its as good as any other to celebrate such an event.

I think its important to remember that although God's benevolence was so great that he gave up someone so precious to him to prove his point, it is also important to remember how great a man Jesus was. One of my favourite verses is from Romans 5:7-8 states, ' It is a difficult thing for someone to die for a righteous person. It may even be that someone might dare to die for a good person. But God has shown us how much he loves us - it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us!'

Christian or not this is a challenging statement. If there was a little girl standing in the road about to be hit by a car, would you save her and risk dying yourself? probably. What about if there was an adult man? maybe. But what if it was a teenage thug who you implicitly knew that as soon as you had saved him, and lay there dying on the ground, would turn around and shout, 'sucker. idiot. fool.' and continue on his way to rape and pillage, literally. would you die for him, likelihood not. Well, God suggests we should.

Having my sister die at Christmas (Christmas eve) has added a somber element to the season, and since i've gotten over the shock, i just overwhelmingly thankful for the 20 years i did get to spend with her, you've got to focus on the good things not the bad. Who knows how long she would have lived if she didnt die then? If we assume we have nothing, anything you get is a bonus. So turning this around I'm so thankful for everything i have in my life. So greatful, i dont think i need more, and i wouldnt mind dying. I've got stuff to do while I'm here, but if I've gotta go, no sweat. So our new tradition is to spend sometime Christmas morning with each other listing all the stuff we are thankful for, and there's a lot of it. One of them is you.

Recent compliments:

This week has been THE week for people complimenting my pregnant figure, it also coincides with me realising that not only is my bump growing, it has done such a good job of disguising my growing bottom and thighs that i didn't realise today until i put on some PJ shorts and they had turned into cycling shorts over night!

This week started off with someone at church saying:
- 'Your figure has really matured lately and you're growing into a woman' (?)
followed by two people at work saying:
- 'Oh, are you pregnant, you know i thought so from your face'.
The stream continues:
- ' You walk like a pregnant woman' - carrying two heavy bags of Morrisons shopping
- 'You breathe like a pregnant woman' - this when i was peacefully sitting in a car
and best of all to finish it off a lady in the card shop said:
- 'excuse me, sir'

I'm nervous as to what next week will bring.

Winning friends

Have you heard of 'Baby Brain'? I know it exists. I've seen it.

In an attempt to make friends with some girls for work (it sucks only knowing work related things about people) i decided to invite everyone to a quiz. So after 3 enthusiastic emails i managed to get a team together of 4 other girls from work, none of whom i know that well but was optimistic that wining a quiz would be a good way to break the ice. So we all met up in the cornershop well out of office hours, to buy our own alcohol and snacks (BYO) after having travelled in to town. We are in high spirits and wander into the quiz room already chatting and smiling. But it was eerily quiet, and the security guards were looking at us weird.

Of course, we're here for the quiz we jollily explain continuing on our path. Well, they all look at each other and actually laugh. 'The quiz is on next week'. But i am the most organised person in the world, i know this isn't true, its on today, stop kidding us. But why is it so quiet here?

Yes. The quiz is on next week. The shame. We all went out for a drink instead, but it wasn't the same and i think that was it, i think i blew my chance at getting to talk to any of them anymore than about joint clients and work situations, well except for joking about the non-existent quiz!

All's well that ends well... oh.

All is going well. So well that i haven't written on here as no one likes to read about everything going swimmingly. I honestly cant think of a single worry in my life. Well, if pushed I'd name the impending pushing of the watermelon through the grape sized hole but that's gonna happen no matter what- its a different kind of worry, inevitable, a bit like death.

Nesting instinct has kicked in i want new carpets, new sofa's, new paint, new mugs, new anything. As long as it matches. Is matching toothbrushes taking it too far?

I'm reading very little about pregnancy, as the stuff i do read scares me (why does it make me feel odd to know i have 50% more blood than i used to). There is also a never ending list of symptoms which if you have (insert evil super villain laugh here) you are reassured it will go after the birth. AFTER THE BIRTH, that's over 20 weeks away of this annoying symptom!

Here is what i am aware of so far:
- Bleeding gums
- stabbing pains in the groin area
- itching skin, including soles of the feet and palms (this drove me MAD one night last week- only 140 unbearable itching days left!)
- feeling dizzy when standing up
- backache
- heartburn
- constipation (imagine 5 months of constipation)
- dark patches on the skin
- nosebleeds

and that's only what i know from not reading! (Its my pregnancy thats making me a moaner.)