tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48505700682480257562024-03-14T05:17:06.801+00:00on a wing and a prayer.brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.comBlogger238125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-65468066147656589442015-01-06T14:40:00.002+00:002015-01-06T14:40:57.491+00:00new year. new blog. i'm starting a new blog. a different feel. a different platform.<br />
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same girl. same guy. same kid.<br />
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<a href="http://madebybrie.wordpress.com/">madebybrie.wordpress.com</a><br />
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see you there.brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-67561159918024518132014-07-27T14:55:00.001+01:002015-01-06T14:35:02.350+00:00Canadian adventure :: Jasper & The CanadianI'll start with an apology for the long lag in my posting. We travelled across Canada by train while we didn't hit the most remote parts of the country we certainly didn't have cell or web access for days. Upon our arrival in Toronto we were thrust into wedding whirlwind - and we've literally only just emerged. <br />
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Speaking of which a sneak peek at my absolutely radiant sister! <br />
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So Jasper. Amazing. Love it. Would return in a heartbeat without a doubt my favourite part of the Rockies. Banff is very commercial, Lake Louise is very touristy, but Jasper feels like a town real people live in. (Probably because they do). <br />
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It was incredibly hot in Jasper - too hot to do much hiking, but too hot to hike means hot enough for a mountain lake! <br />
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We just enjoyed the sunny weather and the (smokey) views of the mountains (there we're forest fires in the area). <br />
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Wee man enjoyed some antics in the tent - aka a really big play pen - and we realised that he can be completely entertained by toggles, zips, buttons, and tags. Oh and burying himself in sleeping bags is hysterical! <br />
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We ended our time in Jasper by boarding the Canadian - the train that crosses Canada. I have always wanted to do the trip by rail and when the fares went on special in June we decided this year was as good as any! Wee-man was the star of the show, of course. How could he not be? <br />
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The day on the train goes like this: wake, eat (an excellent) breakfast, return to your carriage and nap, read a bit, eat (an amazing) lunch, read/nap/look out the window/chat with your travelling partner/get a coffee, eat (a scrumptious) dinner, retire for bed. Talk about relaxing! <br />
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Our cabin had two bunks, a toilet and a sink. All our meals, in a white linen dining car, were included and delicious! Really we enjoyed our time so so much. The experience is relaxing and enjoyable and time just seems to pass - one morning we all napped for two hours! Bliss. <br />
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We ended our train journey in Toronto. Where we were met by Grandpa and then entered the 'wedding zone'. <br />
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-17376192530559872022014-07-15T17:24:00.001+01:002015-01-06T14:35:32.094+00:00Canadian adventure :: Lake Louise Lake Louise is about an hour north of Banff and truly it is a nature's playground - if you can get away from the tourists! On our way up we experienced exactly what I had in mind for this trip - roadside picnics! <br />
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We arrived in Banff and took a stroll down the Lake Louise path - it was a zoo! And really, if I were to do this trip again, I'd increase our time in Jasper or Banff at the expense of Lake Louise - the crowds are immense and seemingly inescapable. <br />
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Day 2 we decided to hike up to the Lake Agnes Tea House - us and half the world!<br />
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At the top of the hike we were rewarded with a great view and some pretty decent poppyseed lemon loaf! <br />
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Day Three we hung around camp for a while, enjoying pancakes and eggs (who says you can't eat well while camping? A whole post on camping eats coming up!). <br />
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Eventually we decided to go out to Moraine Lake - arguably a more enjoyable experience and therefore many believe, a prettier one. We headed up the path to Consolation Lakes. This trail has a mandatory group of four rule - bears are a reality here in the Rockies and hiking in groups of four or more is a proven deterrent. We waited at the trailhead and ended up joining a family from Windsor ON, which is about as close to finding people from your backyard as I could hope for. This trail was much less busy - we maybe saw 20 other hikers during the three hours it took there and back. But the peacefulness and the final destination were definitely worth it! <br />
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Might I just say that le boy has done an incredible job acting as chief baby packer? Wee-man and I appreciate it so much! <br />
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Today we headed up to Jasper - via the Icefields Parkway - amazing but again massively commercialised. <br />
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It's super hot this week so I think we might forego hiking in favour of a lake and the beach! brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-17822856521224101902014-07-13T00:52:00.001+01:002015-01-06T14:36:16.189+00:00Canadian adventure :: Banff As previously mentioned we are camping for much of this trip - it's cost effective and fun! And we really enjoy camping so we thought we should introduce the wee-man early on. <br />
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The drive from Calgary is an easy hour and a half - definitely another big plus for Calgary! As you leave<br />
the city the mountains start to become more clear and then you are confronted with this: <br />
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Truly spectacular! <br />
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We arrived at our campground early evening and we we're vey impressed. Two Jack Lakeside is a smaller campground right on the edge of Two Jack Lake. <br />
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From some of the reading I'd done ahead of time we were worried we might be the only ones crazy enough to camp with an infant - but actually the campground was full of children of all ages and LOTS of babies! No guilty feelings when wee-man started fussing early in the morning! He's actually taken to camping very well and on the whole we're enjoying camping with a baby. <br />
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We took the gondola up Sulphur Mountain for some extra special views. <br />
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And just enjoyed the town of Banff - which I have to say marries the best of European alpine flair with North American sensibility - free parking and a reasonably sized grocery store! <br />
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Our time in Banff finished with a short hike around Johnson Lake. Next up - Lake Louise. <br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhonebrie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-7638924125917561772014-07-10T19:06:00.001+01:002015-01-06T14:37:40.555+00:00Canadian adventure :: Calgary Days 1-4Firstly, I have to admit, Calgary completely exceeded my expectations. I clearly had some Ontario bias that I had to get past - lesson learned. Calgary was incredible. It is the height of summer so no dealing with frigid temperatures or arctic winds - it's been a glorious 25 or more every day, the sun has been shining and the sky is BLUE - so so blue. <br />
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Our first night saw us arrive at the camping store 30 min before close. The money we spent in that time might be record making - let's just say they were very happy to see us (as they were on Monday and Tuesday!). <br />
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We put a very tired mommy, daddy and baby to bed rather early, but regardless 4am came early! <br />
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Monday we went to the number one breakfast spot in town and it's easy to see why OEB Breakfasts don't fool around. We quickly followed with analog coffee - incredible!!<br />
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Our trip happened to coincide with the Calgary Stampede - think fair meets agricultural show meets rodeo - on steroids. It's incredible - very family friendly and so so much fun. We watched a very moving (for me) flag raising with a drum circle of Native Canadians, enjoyed some really good food and went to the rodeo - there was no fooling around! <br />
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The day ended on 17th Ave which is the peak of boutique shops and restaurants with dinner at Clive Burger - a very very good burger indeed - but then you'd hope so in the heart of cattle country. <br />
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Tuesday we went to Drumheller to see one of the world's finest dinosaur museums - in the heart of the Alberta Badlands - Alberta is home to some of the finest dinosaur bone and fossil deposits in the world. And this museum was incredible, I was only sorry that wee man isn't older - this place is paradise for a little boy. <br />
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Dinner back in Calgary at Brewsters was really fantastic as was the surprisingly refreshing Raspberry Beer. We ended the evening grocery shopping for our camping trip. <br />
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Wednesday we returned to OEB Breakfast - we needed a second round! Packing up and organising the car has been the name of the game today - lunch at Market has just capped off our Calgary experience - and now we're getting ready to head into the mountains for a week of fun, camping, hiking and nature - with a 7 mo - pray for us!!!<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />
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Location:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Calgary,%20AB&z=10">Calgary, AB</a></div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-89413995733386936012014-07-01T22:52:00.000+01:002014-07-01T22:52:10.912+01:00oh canada. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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happy canada day!<br />
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this year we're particularly thrilled to celebrate my 'home and native land' as we're about to embark on a cross-canada adventure.<br />
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before we were married we listed ten core values for our family. the first is our relationship with god. the second, our relationship with each other. the third, our family. somewhere further down the list but not at the bottom, is adventure. also appearing is travel. and learning.<br />
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the mountains are beckoning. we're camping - with a seven month old. then a train journey across canada to toronto. aptly named 'the canadian.' the midpoint - the highlight - a wedding between the two most fabulous andi(y)s in the world. and then east-coasting.<br />
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we're excited for what's in store. we feel on the edge of new things. we feel expectant. i love this feeling.<br />
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currently stocking up on: books, knitting ideas, baby travel gear.brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-2166962616293768282014-06-29T23:30:00.002+01:002014-06-29T23:39:01.624+01:00quiet, no more. in the last year this happened:<br />
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we were blessed with a beautiful, healthy, absolutely incredible, baby boy. </div>
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Simeon James Barton Doyle</div>
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6 lbs 8 oz - Nov 18, 2013</div>
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simeon means he who hears - it is our prayer that this is a truth that categorises his life.</div>
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he's travelled more than most adults - by six months he'd been on ten airplanes and five countries.</div>
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he is unabashedly the star of our show.</div>
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delightfully cute - and he knows it!</div>
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breast-fed and baby-led.</div>
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an absolutely tremendous little guy.</div>
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not so little anymore. </div>
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now that's done. i'm reinvigorating the blog for a few of reasons, i'm terrible at scrapbooking (i've tried and failed). and we're about to embark on an epic adventure, five weeks of travelling across canada - a trip that demands to be recorded. and finally, and perhaps most importantly, i miss this space. so i'll start writing again, and hopefully, people will read again. and if not, the grandparents will be happy!</div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-74586329433197727492013-08-27T11:57:00.001+01:002013-08-27T11:57:17.704+01:00for babe: deux. three months to go and i'm getting the urge to nest. i've been making lots of bits and pieces for babe. two knit blankets are in progress. a couple of small jumpers (sweaters) are being finished up in the evenings. and i've got a list a mile long of other things i'd like to get started on - this wee one won't stay 'wee' for long!<br />
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i had it in my head that i wanted to make the baby a blanket - something that maybe could be something held on to - enjoyed - for years. it needed to be suitably sophisticated and large enough to transition from baby-sized to child-sized. oh and it needed to be easy.<br />
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in my mind i enjoy sewing. in reality i'm a bit of a lazy seamstress. i like sewing just until the end of the project when i get bored and can't be bothered to finish the seams 'just-so' or be super careful about how the binding goes on...needless to say, i'm probably not going to set up an etsy shop filled with hand sewn creations. oh and those drapes i made last year - they are still un-hemmed. i foresee an afternoon sitting under the windows streaming public radio for distraction in my future.<br />
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so easy.<br />
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but cute.<br />
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and long lasting.<br />
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oh and gender neutral.<br />
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enter - <a href="http://katiedid.squarespace.com/katie-did-journal/2009/1/27/quilt-how-to.html">the ten hour quilt</a>. i saw this on pinterest a long time ago. declared it genius and promptly pinned it to my 'secret' baby board.<br />
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but just so you know - it's not ten hours. it took me max five. ok eight if you include the washing and drying. but i mean the washing machine did that - PTL for washing machines, can you imagine the days before there were washing machines?</div>
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i did not pre-wash the fabrics. the batting is a bamboo-silk-cotton mix that is supposed to shrink about 5%, combined with 100% cotton cloth, a very hot wash and a hot tumble dry leading to the crinkle quilt look. which helpfully covered up the inevitable puckers in the stitched fabric. top recommendation from this experience - save yourself and buy the bias tape pre-made - it was just brilliant to have pre-made bias tape when it came time for binding.<br />
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i simply cannot wait to wrap our little one in this for years and years to come. amazing to think that we're only eleven weeks to go!<br />
<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-42604207447314866032013-08-22T11:49:00.002+01:002013-08-22T11:49:52.266+01:00thoughtful thursday. i have had the enormous pleasure of reading this summer. i think god has been giving me an opportunity to indulge in one of my favourite pastimes before the babe comes. what a joy!<br />
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two books that have been hugely influential on how i am framing this next season have been <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Margin-Restoring-Emotional-Financial-Overloaded/dp/1576836827/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377168295&sr=1-1&keywords=margin">margin </a>by richard swenson, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bread-Wine-Letter-Around-Recipes/dp/0310328179">bread & wine</a> by shauna niequist.<br />
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<i>margin </i>suggests that we live the moments of our lives right up against the next moments - leaving no space for rest or play or unscheduled 'interruption' but that in actuality, the margin is where god has space to show up and move within our lives. if we are living without margin we are unable to grasp the grace-times the father has waiting for us. if we are always rushing to the next thing we aren't able to stop for a chat on the street with a neighbour, or meet a friend for a spontaneous coffee. we aren't able to rest well or to play well. we are late and 'too busy' and tired. and we lose the space for grace in our lives. further, we lose the space for showing grace to others.<br />
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<i>bread and wine</i> is a fabulous you-must-read-this-book-right-now collection of stories about food and faith. about gathering together around a table, breaking bread, sharing wine, doing what jesus did with his friends in the upper room, and engaging in community. on our holiday le boy and i reflected that one thing we have not done as much of in the last six months is open our home and fill our table with friends and food. and while there are good reasons for this - namely the small soul joining our family in november - it has felt a more empty season in our home and is something we hope to press into more as we go forward.<br />
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and so what have i done as i think about making space for grace? how do i make space for the sacred around in our lives, around our table, living intentionally in community and being available for the spirit to use me in unexpected ways? how can i live a less busy, more intentional life? i'm sure i'll be puzzling this through for many, many years to come. i imagine this is an area where i might always struggle. but i know what i'd like my life to look like - i know that this is how i'd like to live.<br />
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-74873462245363765992013-08-16T17:00:00.000+01:002013-08-16T17:00:14.130+01:00for babe. une.i can only imagine there will be dozens of these posts so i'm starting a series: for babe.<br />
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my handmades for the baby.<br />
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i have a feeling i'm getting a winter babe this time around because god knows that this knitting-mama needs to be able to wrap her wee-one in the warmth of a handknit blanket (or cardi, or trousers, or booties, or hat...) and so here's something that's just about to come off the needles. it's been so nice to have this small project - each panel has been completed in a different country - the uk, canada, italy - a little of this babe's travels woven in. hours of sitting on planes and in cars. time available to think and ponder and pray for whomever this small soul will become.<br />
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dogwood from <a href="http://www.tincanknits.com/">tincanknits </a>- a canadian(!) affair - when pieced together i'll post the whole thing for now - the first panel as it was being blocked.<br />
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-46587692328365966702013-08-12T16:02:00.001+01:002013-08-12T16:03:05.745+01:00beach vacation by plane we've arrived home from two weeks of italian babymoon today. it was absolutely fabulous - the food, the sun, the roadtrip, the gelato - all of it - and despite 16 days of constant contact le boy and i never had a fight! pretty good eh? <br />
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despite living on an island we seem to take most of our beach vacations abroad (no the irony isn't lost on us either - but the unpredictable nature of UK weather and the quality of beaches in the UK make things a bit more challenging - many UK beaches are stone). so we fly to the beach - which of course brings with it a certain amount of planning. here are my tips: <br />
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- pack half the clothes - even if you're heading somewhere trendy - we mainly wore bathing suits everyday<br />
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- be prepared to rent beach chairs and an umbrella - your time will be so much more enjoyable! Factor this into your budget. Most places in Italy have been priced at €15-30 a day. We also rented chairs and an umbrella in Hilton Head two years ago. <br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/109079726993604944443/OnAWingAndAPrayer#5911238222066266482"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tzjoFLfZXoA/Ugjv2Aj4sXI/AAAAAAAAMjs/m64zFUk6Fl0/s400/1376200858.494708.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="400" /></a></center>
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- bring towels with you or be prepared to also rent those, even at high-end hotel pools! we brought small towels along this time - otherwise it would have been €3 a day / person! I'm going to watch out for deals on packable towels the next time the outdoors stores have a sale! <br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/109079726993604944443/OnAWingAndAPrayer#5911238302710490690"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PtuLRxYXxYM/Ugjv6s-95kI/AAAAAAAAMj0/Nv1kLFGOvMg/s400/1376201330.661167.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="267" /></a></center>
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- bring a lightweight cooler - I brought my BUILT lunch bag - perfect for keeping drinks cool in the heat! <br />
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- a handbag/tote for the plane that doubles as a beach bag - I use a le sportsac that is easy to wash and looks good both in the airport and on the beach <br />
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- and finally - an e-reader is really useful on such vacations - I bring both my kindle and iPad - I'm much less precious about my kindle so if it gets sandy (or wet) i won't be devastated and the no-glare screen is really the best in sunlight <br />
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and finally: a babymoon belly shot. yup. it's getting bigger!<br />
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-28836334054616479772013-06-05T17:12:00.000+01:002013-06-05T17:12:27.972+01:00potato salad. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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last night was one of those where you rush into the house, rustle up dinner and are back on the road not too long after. we have a lot of those nights - something about church life requires it. at times i find it exhausting, but usually, i love that we have a community to love us, a place to go that feels like home, and adding a good meal to that is just icing on the cake.<br />
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years ago i created a roasted potato salad with pesto. it might be the first real 'recipe' i ever thought of on my own, i was proud and my family LOVED it. one night at a dinner party a friend of my mom's asked for the recipe, the highest praise. but the beauty is that it's just humble ingredients.<br />
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heading home last night, knowing i was short on time and there were few ingredients in the fridge i wondered what i could do with eggs, bacon and potatoes that wasn't breakfast for dinner...an hour later this was on the table...and it was good enough for lunch today.<br />
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roasted potatoes and red pepper, greens slightly wilted by the heat, crispy fried bacon, and just perfect hard/soft boiled eggs (i'm talking about the sweet spot in between a soft boiled egg and a hard boiled egg where the yolk is just slightly gooey and the whites are hard).<br />
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pesto potato salad meets breakfast.<br />
serves 3-4<br />
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time required: 45 minutes, 25 hands on.<br />
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ingredients:<br />
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<li>6 eggs </li>
<li>1/2 kg (1 lb) of baby new potatoes</li>
<li>1 red pepper </li>
<li>2 tbsp olive oil </li>
<li>8-12 rashers (strips) of bacon </li>
<li>two large handfuls of greens (i used baby spinach, watercress and rocket) </li>
<li>2 tbsp pesto (prepared or homemade) </li>
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directions: </div>
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<ul>
<li>heat oven to 200 C, 425 F, place a medium pot of water onto boil, cut bacon into 1/2" pieces, roughly dice (1") potatoes and red pepper </li>
<li>spread potatoes and red pepper on baking sheet, toss in olive oil and season with salt and pepper, roast for 30-45 until golden and crisp</li>
<li>over medium-high heat fry bacon until crisp, once done, set aside, but do not drain (you want the flavourful fat)</li>
<li>once water is boiling cook eggs on a low simmer for 7 minutes (essential for the perfect middle). when finished run under cold water for a minute to allow handling, peel and chop roughly.</li>
<li>once potatoes are roasted transfer to bowl, along with roasting oil, add bacon and rendered fat and toss with pesto. add salad greens. </li>
<li>plate salad, add eggs, enjoy. </li>
</ul>
</div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-8131826282838405102013-05-20T12:46:00.000+01:002013-05-20T12:46:26.656+01:00fifteen. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">15 week baby bump. yes that is laundry in the background. just keeping it real. i'll probably not do this every week because i'm bad at keeping things like this up, but every so often i'll jump on in with a bit of a pregnancy update! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">How Far Along:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> 15 weeks</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"><b>Size of Baby: </b>o</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">range</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Total Weight Gain/Loss:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> +4 ish </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Gender:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> keeping it a surprise!</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Movement:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> nada. but soon hopefully!</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Sleep:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> sleep has improved massively with the second trimester. so that's a blessing. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Maternity Clothes:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> yes. mainly. occasionally i can wear non maternity trousers with a bellaband - but that's getting less and less comfortable. and while i still fit into non-maternity tops they aren't long enough to cover the stretchy panel of maternity trousers. :) </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Symptoms: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">nausea has completely gone away, although my sense of smell is super strong and my stomach can quickly be turned! otherwise, round ligament pain, sacral-illio pain and a nosebleed. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Aversions: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">emptying the rubbish bin! </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Cravings: </b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">cheese. chocolate milk. salt & vinegar </span><span style="line-height: 22.859375px;">crisps</span><span style="line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> (chips for those of you across the pond). water - i get very suddenly thirsty, even if i've been careful to keep my liquids up. </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">What I miss: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">honestly? a beer. yesterday it was lovely and warm and relaxing and sunny and the only thing that would have made it more perfect was a cold beer. le boy said he was willing to take one for the team in this case ;)</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Worst Moment of the week:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"> nothing really. le boy might go with my mood swings, which have definitely increased...whoops. i'm quick to apologise for my crazy, and blame the baby of course!</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;" /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">Best Moment this week: </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">super enjoyable, relaxing and productive saturday that included a coffee date with a girlfriend, walking to and from pregnancy yoga class (in my neighbourhood!) a bit of pampering, fresh flowers on the way home and chatting on the phone with marvellous, an impromptu visit from friends and their cub, and hosting a small dinner party later that evening. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;">oh and starting to plan the 'babymoon' by purchasing our flights to italy for this summer! </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.86458396911621px;"><br /></span></span><br />
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-26420576271189770232013-05-09T11:56:00.000+01:002013-05-20T12:46:41.060+01:00baby. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
the reason for the blogging break.<br />
<br />
it turns out that the beginning of growing a small human is incredibly exhausting. and so my days were spent like this: wake up (late). work. go home. lay on sofa. go to bed. with a little nausea thrown in for good measure. hence there wasn't anything very exciting to write about. except the most exciting thing to write about (which we weren't telling anyone) - a baby!<br />
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well, there you go. i'm due in november and now that i'm enjoying the relatively less exhausting, less ill-feeling period of this pregnancy, i'm hoping to be a bit better about recording our lives.<br />
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we are overjoyed. blessed beyond measure. marvelling at god's goodness. overwhelmed by the tiny miracle happening inside. it's good. very good.brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-45468899591990194362013-03-08T16:32:00.002+00:002013-03-08T16:32:59.142+00:00recently read. back from a break - not intentional, just not blogging. so i thought i'd ease in with what i've been up to recently: reading.<br />
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and seeing as yesterday was world book day, it's only a day late!<br />
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i've had a string of good books this year - and really these things deserve to be shared. </div>
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flight behaviour - barbara kingsolver</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">set in small town a<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 19px;">ppalachia, this is a wonderful story about engaging climate science and daily life from the perspective of a young mother. this novel deals with the challenges of intersecting faith, education, small town life and climate science. this novel reminded me of the life that happens outside of urban, educated, well-to-do london. it is beautifully written with stunning poetic language that engages you from the beginning. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">anything - jennie a</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19px;">llen </span></span></div>
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what happens when you say - 'anything' to god? and by 'anything' you mean, that you'll no longer try to control or restrict or keep areas of your life from god. you won't say, anything, but...that's this story. jennie allen and her husband prayed that god would do, take, have, give, move <i>anything</i>. and he did. it was a book that really challenged my thinking on what i was holding onto too tightly. </div>
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the round house - louise erdrich </div>
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a reflection on how a boy lives through the aftermath of a brutal attack on his mother and the way a community grapples with violence. a coming of age story that is haunting and painful but so readable you can't imagine putting it down.<br />
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help, thanks, wow. - ann lamott<br />
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ann suggests there are three prayers: help, thanks and wow. moments when we call on the divine for assistance, asking for a need to be filled, a gap to be bridged, a hurt to be mended; moments when we simply praise god because that's what we were created to do: worship; and moments when you just sit back and say 'wow, god. just wow!'<br />
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the shoemaker's wife, adriana trigiani<br />
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a sweeping historical novel set in italy and america at the turn of the 20th century. this book might not be the next pulitzer winner, but it definitely entertains, is decently well written and thoroughly enjoyable. it grips you early, doesn't let you go and allows you to fully enter the story with the characters. my only criticism is that maybe it tries to reach just a little too far, the decades from 1890-1940 were tumultuous to say the least, and this novel tries to touch on all the big events...regardless, you can't help but want the characters to triumph!<br />
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happy reading!</div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-66581422001067813712013-01-24T10:48:00.000+00:002013-01-24T10:48:09.748+00:00linked. may i just encourage you to visit this today?<br />
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may our days reflect this balance of the word and work and wandering. amen and amen.<br />
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<a href="http://www.incourage.me/2013/01/25-point-manifesto-for-sanity-in-2013.html#comment-171502">ann voskamp on how to keep sanity. </a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.incourage.me/2013/01/25-point-manifesto-for-sanity-in-2013.html#comment-171502" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="424" src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8051/8409928735_6fec1a141b_z.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: right;"><a href="http://www.incourage.me/">via incourage.me</a></td></tr>
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-55045516664930052552013-01-22T17:22:00.001+00:002013-01-22T17:22:27.631+00:00works. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>it's cold</b>. well cold for london. below zero for almost a week now, and no signs of warmth until the weekend. on my lunch break today i took the opportunity to go for a walk and grab some lunch. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />it's cold. so i was wearing a ski jacket, a hat, a cowl, and warm gloves. i also had snow boots on my feet. there's nothing particularly special about this, except that i was going to come face to face with one who had none of this. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />i went to my favourite sushi restaurant (even typing that sounds pretentious) and after purchasing my meal and diet coke i sat down and started on my current bible study - james by beth moore. it is one of those that hits you upside the head. james' central message is that <b>faith without works, is dead</b>. that is, if we truly have faith, if we are in obedience to god, we will be showing this in how we live out our lives. we will care for the poor and the widow and the orphan. we will seek justice for those who need it. <b>we will be the hands and feet of christ</b>.<br /><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">to say the least. it is getting to me. i live a very comfortable life. and while we tithe and give and serve, i know that <b>i rarely step outside my comfort zone</b> and engage with those who aren't like me. when i do, it's almost always in 'safe ways,' through church, or volunteering with a charity. if i'm honest, the homeless make me feel uncomfortable. i'm ashamed to admit that often times i look away, just not wanting to make eye contact, not wanting to acknowledge that there is a gulf, an ocean, between us in terms of money and social status. ugh. i loathe even writing that. but it's true. <b>that is the state of my sinful heart. </b></span><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">so back to lunch, i was walking to the post office, i needed to get there in the hour i had. i didn't make it. at the corner i had made a decision between two post offices, equidistant from my office. for no particular reason, i chose one, probably because i am most familiar with it, but really, a post office, is a post office, right? as i was purposefully striding down the street, warm in all my winter gear, i was suddenly confronted with a guy sitting on the very cold pavement. he couldn't have been much older than myself, and i think he was probably younger. and we met eyes and i smiled, he extended an old coffee cup for change, and i said that i was sorry. and as i passed i got a check in my spirit.<b> i could do something about this.</b> but i didn't have any change. i tried to argue with god about it, i had no cash, we're on a tight budget at the moment (although, clearly i had money for lunch!), i'm now fifty yards away. 'turn around and offer to get him a sandwich.' and so i made a u-turn. and if i could describe the feeling inside my chest, i would. but i can't, except to say, i thought my heart would burst, i could sense above all, that today, i was supposed to walk down this street, at this particular time and encounter this man.<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'excuse me, sir, i don't have any cash on me, but could i buy you a sandwich?'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'oh love, that's so kind, what i'd really like is a coffee,' he said in a garbled scottish brogue (difficult to understand at the best of times), 'a lat-a'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'pardon me?'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'with LOTS of sugar, a lat-a, with lots of sugar'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'oh a latte?'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'yes with lots of sugar, bless you.'<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there is a starbucks about 60 yards down the street, this street is filled with people just like me, busy, well-dressed, business people and university students, i'm almost sure that most of us would have enjoyed to eat and drink during our lunch break today. 10 minutes and £2.50 later, with a fistful of sugar packets i returned. we chatted for a minute, i asked him if he had a warm place to sleep and from what i could understand (again, the scottish accent is difficult to decipher at times) he said he'd met someone earlier who was referring him to st mungos. i wished him good day, that i hoped he could keep warm. i walked down the street, dressed in my warm coat, into my warm office with tears stinging my eyes.<br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i don't tell you this to ask for praise. the feeling in my soul today, knowing that i was serving one of god's precious children was more than enough. i tell you this because it's cold here in london, and it's cold in much of states and canada. it's too cold to sleep outside at the moment. if you see a homeless person who you think might be sleeping rough, please contact your local homeless agency, in london you can contact <a href="http://www.mungos.org/tell_us_about_a_rough_sleeper" style="color: #1155cc;">st mungo's.</a><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i asked god to open my eyes to need this week, <b>to show me where i could make a difference</b>, how i could put my faith into action, today i got a task i'm particularly good at, i bought a cup of coffee. with LOTS of sugar. </span><br />
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brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-71176295645854781752013-01-21T15:51:00.000+00:002013-01-21T15:51:33.866+00:00bearing with.<br />
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i wrote this originally to a friend in the midst of a grief, but now, i realise, it is for all my friends, my family, for people i don't even know, who are grappling with living this side of heaven. the world is full of weight isn't it? </div>
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it's mainly a jumble of thoughts. but it's all i could manage.</div>
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Your email came and I resisted opening it. I knew what it
was going to say, my soul sank. Even before reading your words, <b>my heart took
on a heaviness in mere moments that can only be the Spirit asking me to bear
with you, to carry this burden to the Lord</b>. I was wondering how it gets to be such a gloriously
beautiful day and for this news to shatter it. I've been ruminating on what it
means to bring a sacrifice of praise, I’m sure you could teach me a thing or
two, you always could. And so with this heaviness I am praising him, from whom,
we know, flows everything. Him, who works all things for good. Him who lead
this stumbling girl to your family almost a decade ago and said, love her, and
you did. I love you as one of my spiritual mothers, I love you as a sister in
Christ, I love you as one who does not say it nearly ever enough.</div>
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You are stronger than you know. I am honoured to be on your
prayer list. I think of your family, of you, so much, so much. I am waiting and
working to become a woman of the Lord and the Word as you are. I am astounded by
the grace with which you live. </div>
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<b>I am unable to give words to this thing. </b></div>
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I suppose
I should call you one of my first mentors (I hate that word). The hours you
spent loving me toward Jesus. The hours you heard my heart when it was covered
by so many words. The times you honoured the woman-girl as she worked out this
thing called following Jesus. What a task. Thank you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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May I tell you that my single best hug of all time came from
you? I can remember the weight of your hand on the back of my head as you
brought me close. I can remember the children dancing around our legs. I can
remember thinking this is the best hug of my life. It was full of gratitude and mercy and
Christ and grace. <b>It was on an ordinary Sunday morning</b> in the Church hall, with the smell
of Freshee and Elmer’s glue still lingering in the air. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I know this comes as a blow again. I know there are no words
for this pain, this confusion, this hurt. I know there is darkness the creeps
in around the edges at times like these. I was loved toward Jesus enough to
know that all of this is ok. I know that you know this too, but<b> I’ve learned we
sometimes need to be held in prayers by those who can believe for us, if only
for a moment while we gather ourselves and with our fingernails cling to faith. </b></div>
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<br /></div>
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I know that in moments like this there are knots in your stomach (mine too…)
and it feels like you’ve come to the end of yourself. I could say something
like but it’s ok, because at the end of yourself is where Jesus will carry you,
and he will, he has, he is. But it’s not comforting now to say that. It sounds
hollow in my head, my heart beats faster and a lump raises in my throat. Tears well. It is impossible to not sound trite at a moment like this. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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But know
that we have this incredible ability, my sister, to bear with each other. To carry
grief for one another. And I am pleading with God for some of yours. He’ll give
it, he’s faithful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I will bear your burdens and pray for grace. I will expect
miracles, I will give a <b>sacrifice of praise</b>. I can only hope it will ease this
somehow. I can only pray for that. <o:p></o:p></div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-76746551232016308422013-01-16T16:33:00.000+00:002013-01-16T16:33:14.776+00:00wordless wednesday: winter wandering<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-58631325913281904332013-01-09T14:29:00.000+00:002013-01-09T14:32:39.362+00:00starting. what is it about a new year?<br />
<br />
every blog i read, i find myself nodding along to - yes, it's true. we love a new start don't we? a year is stretching out in front of us and we're unsure of what it holds and how it will end up, but it holds so much potential doesn't it? so much possibility. so much life.<br />
<br />
tomorrow le boy and i are a taking advantage of an unexpected day-off and spending some time planning our year. we'll do this individually and together. together we'll focus on what we'd like to achieve as a couple, how we want to handle our finances and where we'd like to travel.<br />
<br />
individually, it will be well, personal to each. for me, i'm hoping to create a small journal for 2013 where i can assess my intentions monthly and keep track of things such as books i read, crafts i make, places we travel, memorable incidents, memory work i undertake.<br />
<br />
additionally, i'm hoping to use<a href="http://simplemom.net/new-year-new-goals/"> this resource</a> from simplemom.net to set intentions for 2013. and to use the seven signs of spiritual life, ideally, i'll go through this quarterly so that i can assess where i'm at spiritually and grow in my relationship with jesus this year.<br />
<br />
i've made a printable so that i can keep it in the back of my 2013 journal, ready to hand.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/%3Cp%20%20style=%22%20margin:%2012px%20auto%206px%20auto;%20font-family:%20Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;%20font-style:%20normal;%20font-variant:%20normal;%20font-weight:%20normal;%20font-size:%2014px;%20line-height:%20normal;%20font-size-adjust:%20none;%20font-stretch:%20normal;%20-x-system-font:%20none;%20display:%20block;%22%3E%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20Seven%20Signs%20of%20Spiritual%20Life%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/doc/119623948/Seven-Signs-of-Spiritual-Life%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3ESeven%20Signs%20of%20Spiritual%20Life%3C/a%3E%20by%20%20%20%3Ca%20title=%22View%20Brie%20B-D's%20profile%20on%20Scribd%22%20href=%22http://www.scribd.com/brie_bd%22%20%20style=%22text-decoration:%20underline;%22%20%3EBrie%20B-D%3C/a%3E%20%3C/p%3E%3Ciframe%20class=%22scribd_iframe_embed%22%20src=%22http://www.scribd.com/embeds/119623948/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-1iokl0kw4xul007i2jfg%22%20data-auto-height=%22false%22%20data-aspect-ratio=%221.41108545034642%22%20scrolling=%22no%22%20id=%22doc_61844%22%20width=%22100%%22%20height=%22600%22%20frameborder=%220%22%3E%3C/iframe%3E"></a><br />
<div style="-x-system-font: none; display: block; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 12px auto 6px auto;">
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/119623948/Seven-Signs-of-Spiritual-Life" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Seven Signs of Spiritual Life on Scribd">Seven Signs of Spiritual Life</a> by <a href="http://www.scribd.com/brie_bd" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View Brie B-D's profile on Scribd">Brie B-D</a> </div>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="1.41108545034642" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_61844" scrolling="no" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/119623948/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-1iokl0kw4xul007i2jfg" width="100%"></iframe><br />
<br />
this comes originally from a sermon by our worship pastor <a href="http://mattsouthcombe.wordpress.com/">matt southcombe</a> at st michael's southfields.<br />
<br />
finally, i'm challenging myself to undertake<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2013/01/3-marriage-habits-every-marriage-needs-to-fall-in-love-again/"> the three marriage habits</a>. <br />
<br />
i'll check back in soon with a recap on our day-away. so looking forward to this!brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-48816856476667813982012-12-17T10:04:00.000+00:002012-12-17T10:04:23.439+00:00christmas card 2012. i downloaded a design from <a href="http://www.beckyhiggins.com/freestuff/">becky higgins</a> again.<br />
<br />
this isn't exactly what we're sending because the source i was ordering from wouldn't resize properly...but it's pretty close.<br />
<br />
this is what we'll send by email, as a pre-card, we were hoping to get these in the mail much earlier but there was a mistake with the printing and they only arrived over the weekend! i guess we know what my lunch hour will be spent doing this week :)<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
merry christmas everyone!<br />
<br />
i'm linking up with faith's <a href="http://walkwithmebyfaith.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/christmas-card-carousel-2012.html">christmas card carousel</a>.brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-29637917079687064542012-12-05T17:41:00.001+00:002012-12-05T20:18:14.505+00:00december. i've been quiet recently. but much to the chagrin of those who know me - that's never going to last long.<br />
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<br />
<br />
i missed reviewing october/november so here's a combo post.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>::october/november recap::</b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
spiritual: </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<ul>
<li>we've started a new bible study in our homegroup and we're moving through it, will finish for christmas, it's been revelatory to grasp the concept of grace more fully </li>
<li>working my way personally through the beth moore proverbs study: wising up - and let me tell you, i am! </li>
<li>started a breakfast bible study with some ladies from church, so good to be drinking the word (and coffee) with sisters in christ! </li>
<li>memorised: ephesians 2:8, philippians 4:6, habbakuk 3:17&18, psalm 127:2</li>
</ul>
<div>
mental: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>read: case histories by kate atkinson, readable but not my very favourite </li>
<li>read: start your family by candice and steve watters, a good biblical overview of the role of family in a believer's life, now the question is when to start? </li>
<li>winter of the world by ken follett, the second in a trilogy spanning the entire 20th century, readable, gripping, multiple storylines and LONG, but in a good way, worth the read, but absolutely necessary to read the first book! </li>
<li>the secret keeper by kate morten, this book has been much touted this autumn, and it's good and a compelling read, but it feels very similar to other kate morten books, in the way that all john grishams feel the same? it's a formula, it works, but it loses its magic once you've got this insight...sorry. </li>
<li>dear life by alice monroe, this book of short stories stole my heart, i ached for each snippet of life that was detailed. it probably helped that the stories mainly take place in places so familiar i could exactly picture the scenery the bleak and beautiful scenery of southwestern ontario farmland in winter, the beauty of lake huron in high summer. in honesty it made me a little home (and heart) sick, and isn't that what the best of books do to us? if you are familiar with the places of southwestern ontario, particularly those communities near the shores of lake huron, read this. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
physical: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>i didn't start a 10 km training plan, but i have lost 40cm since july, so i'm feeling pretty great </li>
<li>i can leg press 100 kg, yup, you read that right. these quads are on fire!</li>
</ul>
<div>
creative: </div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>well i quit photography class. that's ok. </li>
<li>i did photograph a friend's wedding and if i say so myself, the photos are at least passable for decent, mainly.</li>
<li>i've knitted three jumpers and two hats. </li>
<li>knitted the cosiest throw blanket in the world</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>::december intentions::</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
spiritual: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>finish off beth moore proverbs lecture series</li>
<li>finish off bible in <strike>a year</strike> two years</li>
<li>advent bible study, slow down, wait expectantly for the saviour of the world. </li>
<li>two more scriptures make 24 for the year! </li>
</ul>
<div>
mental: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>reading against a deadline: great expectations and life of pi (i know) both before i see the films, big hopes people. </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
physical: </div>
</div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>'tis the season for cakes, and dinners and lunches, and deliciousness, so let's do this alongside the gym eh? </li>
<li>legpress 110 kg by 2013!</li>
</ul>
<div>
creative: </div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>christmas cards</li>
<li>christmas knitting </li>
<li>christmas decorating</li>
<li>christmas baking </li>
<li>christmas day menu - so many decisions! </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-45067325041196884212012-11-28T14:48:00.001+00:002012-11-28T14:48:33.057+00:00november.this month has been out of hand. and mainly looks and feels like this:<br />
<br />
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<br />
i'm ready for the waiting of advent. the preparation of our hearts and heads of the coming of christ.<br />
<br />
<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-51300177485998686812012-11-12T13:00:00.000+00:002012-11-12T13:00:08.758+00:00sunday, slow. a day to simply rest - isn't that a thought?<br />
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<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-quicker-individual-pot-roasts-with-carrots-20032?utm_campaign=topblock&utm_medium=web&utm_source=thekitchn-recipe">individual pot roast lunch</a>. a perfect start to sunday afternoon.<br />
<br />
watching the all blacks dominate the pitch against scotland. while snuggling under the just-finished (and blocked!) knit blanket.<br />
<br />
walking along muddy paths in late afternoon light.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
hot chocolate as the sun sets.<br />
<br />
evening service at church praising the one who always remembers.<br />
<br />
<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4850570068248025756.post-18675919220553988342012-11-09T13:17:00.000+00:002012-11-09T13:17:24.616+00:00quitting.<b>i quit this week.</b><br />
<br />
no, not my job. but the period of frenzy that gave way to the deep discontentment at work was<b> met by god's unfailing grace</b> and we are back in a place of sweet contentment, affirmed in the knowledge that i'm here for a reason and a season (just a season longer than i had originally anticipated).<br />
<br />
i quit photography class.<br />
<br />
earlier this autumn when signing up for both junior league and photography class and adding that to leading bible study and actively participating in our church community and being intentional in my friendships <i>and </i>my marriage, oh and that small part of my day called work; i did wonder if i was biting off more than i could chew. <b>perhaps i should listen to that internal prompting a little more? </b>two weeks into class i knew it was going to be a bit much to handle. i knew because i was struggling to make it all fit. i knew because it meant that i was definitely out of the house three nights in a row. i knew because it felt like my life was spinning out of control.<b> i knew because that angry monster of anxiety that's been on my back all autumn was getting bigger and louder and more overwhelming.</b> i knew that something had to give.<br />
<br />
but what's funny is that while dropping the photography class was the obvious choice - it's a finite course of 10 weeks, it was offered at our local community centre so it was relatively inexpensive, and i had only gone for two weeks so it wasn't as if i had half a term of work behind me - my first thought was to drop my volunteering with junior league. and so i got to thinking about it. because really dropping junior league didn't feel right. i had invested a significant amount of time and money and i did enjoy the people and the cause. so why was i thinking to quit it instead?<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b> i think it was my own selfishness getting in the way.</b> i <i>wanted </i>to do the photography course, but it was only going to benefit me, there wasn't going to be a significant impact to the wider world. now please hear me, i think we should do things in our spare time that bring us pleasure and joy. i already do a lot of those things. i read and knit and watch tv and go to movies and cook and workout. we travel extensively and have a nice home. i am not saying that taking a photography course wasn't a good thing to do, i am saying that one of those other good things i just listed would have had to go instead, and i wasn't willing to make that sacrifice.<br />
<br />
for a couple of weeks i wrestled with quitting junior league, it didn't feel right and yet staying felt overwhelming. i took it to god in prayer and discussed it with le boy. i chatted about it with friends. and then i realised that actually, what i was being called to lay down wasn't junior league, it was the photography class. and when i did. when i made the decision, the feeling of relief that swept over me was remarkable. i need flexibility in my evenings. to spend time with my husband, to cook and keep our home, to go to the gym or see a friend for a glass of wine. <b>i need the flexibility so that i can give of myself</b> in the homegroup we lead, and the church we attend, and the volunteer activities i am invested in.<br />
<br />
<br />
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<br />
last night i realised the reason why this felt so right is because it lines up with our value statement. before we were married le boy and listed our ten values in order. i made a word collage with them and it hangs in our living room. and i realised that i had made the decision in accordance with those values. and then last night when i was worrying about one item over another, i realised, <b>go back to the value statement</b>, what we have decided is important to us as a couple - use this to make decisions.<br />
<br />
<br />
our values in order are:<br />
<br />
god<br />
marriage<br />
family<br />
hospitality<br />
community<br />
health<br />
adventure<br />
learning<br />
travel<br />
service<br />
<br />
and so when one part of my life conflicts with another, i will choose according to our values. in some ways it made the decision making process, the weighing up and going back and forth in my mind, the pit of anxiety in my stomach about making the right choice, simply disappear. i know we've already thought long and hard about what we value, so more often than not, making a decision in submission to those values will be on track as well.<b> and that my friends is what i call a lesson in the freedom of obedience</b>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />brie.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09221057552309257405noreply@blogger.com1