Heading back home........ (oh yes, its my birthday as well!)

I'm heading back to Northamptonshire today after an incredible week in Crewe with Anne's New Generation exhibition.  I should be putting some pictures and blog post on the website (www.mt4life.org) over the next few days so you can check out how it all went on there.

It's been fantastic but tiring so once we're packed up I'll be hitting the road to get home.  I think tomorrow may well be a 'duvet day'......... :-)

As I was laying here early this morning and just running through things in my head there was a niggle I'd forgotten something.  Then I remembered it was my birthday! You'd have thought after all these years 1 - I'd remember more readily and 2 - I'd be thinking about slowing down a bit. 
Well, failed (and failing) miserably on both counts I'm pleased to say.

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while you may recall I was recovering from a serious illness when I turned 50 and as I realised it's now 5 years on from that I remember getting up at my birthday party and saying I had this incredible sense the 'best was yet to come'.  Well, I can honestly say I think that's starting to come to pass.

I love every day of my new life.  I get to spend so much time with amazing people. I've been staying with the most wonderful lady called Susan, Socks the dog and Jinx & Maggie the cats.  There's also a few chickens living in the back garden but I haven't been sitting on the sofa having a cuddle with them in the evenings! We've enjoyed great conversations, good food (you should taste her homemade quiche.........), few glasses of wine but more than anything we have laughed so much.  I will miss my evening ritual of coming in, getting straight into my 'jimjams' and joining Susan in front of the wood burning stove to wind down and chat about the day.  But I have a sneaky suspicion I'll be invited back and I hope to be able to reciprocate the hospitaity when she comes to visit me.

As I say, life is so good. I get to choose where I go, when, for how long and despite working harder than I think I have ever done I am so glad, and grateful, to the prompting of God to have made the decision I did last year. 
The best birthday present I could get is the assurance I'll never have to go back to that 'safe' 9-5 office job existence ever again.
With all the things that are happening I have a sneaky suspicion that's not going to happen.  As I said to my surgeon when we were discussing my knee op last year 'God has a lot of work for me to do over the next 25-30 years so these knees have got to be able to carry me around!'

Thankfully this week they've not only held up really well as I've been on my feet 7-8 hours a day but also as I've climbed ladders, lugged frames around and stacked boxes.  Today they need to keep me going as we try to figure out how to pack 34 massive silk panels, metal frames, numerous boxes of stock, 1 suitcase, 1 bag of shoes and various random bags + me into my car!  This should be interesting...........

Need to get up and get going.  It's a short few days turn around before the exhibition goes up in Bedfordshire from the Easter weekend.  Check out the website for details under Events.

Next post will have pictures, I promise.

Have an especially blessed time this Easter as we remember what Jesus did for every single one of us at Calvary. (and if you don't know what that was...........I'm always happy to share the story with you)
God bless
Jules xx