Goodbye 2020!

 Hello, my lovelies! Can you believe that we have stepped through the doorway into a new year? It seems so strange to be here. 2020 was a long year – yet it seems like we have been stuck in that strange state of limbo that Sleeping Beauty found herself in. One minute she was enjoying her birthday party and the next she’s waking up and it’s 100 years later! I’m sure we can all relate a little to that story this year.

Are you wondering why we are here…on blogger? Well, let me tell you. I asked a little while ago which platform you preferred to read my blog on. Some said here, some said the new platform, and most said that they didn’t mind which.

I’ve spent a bit of time pondering on it all and really delving into why I keep this blog and my motives behind it. And the plain and simple truth is that I love to write. I love to share my faith with others. I hope that readers are encouraged when they visit this blog.

I love to write about faith, family life, homemaking, crafting, and homeschooling. Everything that is dear to my heart. I desire to encourage others in their walk to raising Kingdom children and walking a faithful, simple life.

To serve those purposes this platform – good old blogger – is all I need. WordPress is fab but I feel it’s aimed at people who are hoping to make a living out of blogging and it has costs that reflect that. Making a living out of my blog is not my intention so I have decided to let go of my WordPress site when the two-year subscription I paid for expires in March and rather continue my writing and recording of life’s simple pleasures and moments right here. Thank you for being patient with me while I explore different things.

I have re-routed the .co.uk domain here so no need to change anything and if you still subscribe here then again – no need to change anything.

Yesterday we took a walk through the forest – our final 2020 walk of which there were not enough. We’ve had very cold weather in the UK since Boxing Day and although Chester has remained snow-free it seems that snow has fallen all around the city which is slightly annoying for this snow lover.

Thankfully we only have to drive 10 minutes outside the city to get our snow fix. I love how the ground crunches underfoot, how the air is so cold that it makes your breath catch and your limbs tingle – you know you are alive!

Even the lake was frozen. The last time I saw a frozen lake in winter was when we were living in Chesterfield a good 6 years ago! In fact, we’ve had very mild winters in the UK since 2015 with a brief snowy interlude when the ‘Beast from the East’ arrived for 3 days when we were living in Devon.

 As you know I love, love, LOVE the seasons and how different and distinct each is. Mild winters, therefore, are just not my thing. I don’t want prolonged blizzard to weather it’s just that I feel winter should be wintery – frosty a bit snowy, that sort of thing. So needless to say I’m rather happy with the current state of weather affairs. 

After a walk that left us chilled to the bone, we came home, made a nice hot cup of tea, and fire. Bliss.

The highlight of our walk was meeting this little fellow. He landed on a branch along the path and we stopped to take his picture. Well, it turns out he quite likes people and he bravely hopped closer and closer until he was hopping around my feet and looking up at me. 

I’ve never had a robin do that before. He was utterly enchanting and totally made my day – small things.

And now here we are, 2021 stretching ahead and 2020 finally behind us. Looking back and looking forward. Although 2020 has been an exceptionally challenging year – one which I hope our planet will not see again in a hurry – there have been blessings too such as finally buying our first home here in the UK and getting to work 9 months of the year at home and landing a part-time job which I start next week! It has not been all doom & gloom.

For me, 2021 is a year of hope. Hope that the vaccine will go a long way to getting COVID under control. Hope that we can all get back to meeting together and enjoying visiting, hugging, and fellowshipping together. 

In this month’s newsletter which you should be getting shortly, I have gone into more depth on my thoughts on hope and 2021 plus I have a little challenge for you! If you do not receive the newsletter and would like to receive it please do sign up below.

And so my lovely friends here’s wishing you a very happy New Year. Let’s step into the new year with hope and trust that better days are to come! I’ll see you back here very soon.