Friday Focus 02/12/16 – Let the festive season start!

December is here, the chocolate Advent calendars are being opened, and the girls are getting excited that Christmas is getting nearer! We’re doing a book Advent calendar again this year and I’m looking forward to snuggling up together each evening and reading a Christmassy story together. We also have a lovely Advent scene that the girls’ lovely godmother bought for them – each day we add another character and gradually build up a picture of a school Nativity production.

Advent - this week's word of the week

I love seeing the Advent candles being lit each week at church and this year Jessica and Sophie came forward with the Junior Church leader who helped them to light the first candle together. It was so lovely to see both the girls at the front.

 

We’ve also been to the first Christmas party of the year – the Families of Ocean Ward Christmas party and Father Christmas paid a visit. The highlight of the party for me was watching Jessica make a new friend – a little girl who has also has half a working heart and who has recently had the operation that Jessica is due to have in the next year or so.  To see Jessica and her new friend having such a wonderful time together was so magical and I’m hoping that we can meet up again after Christmas.

 

Things I have loved this week:

  • A reassuring cardiac check-up for Jessica where we were told that her heart function looks good and that the plan is still to keep monitoring and wait until Jessica is a bit bigger before considering her next surgery.

Jessica and Monty the monkey at the Families of Ocean Ward Christmas party

  • Lighting Jessica’s baptism candle on the anniversary of her welcoming service and the reminder of how far she’s come since then.
  • Watching Jessica singing with the other children in the Reception assembly at school.
  • Making the most of the cold, sunny days and getting out and about with Sophie.

Sophie running out into a meadow in the sunshine

  • Waking up to pretty sunrises.

A pretty sunrise

  • Watching Sophie dancing along to the songs in her Bilingua Sing French class.
  • Dancing around the front room to Christmas songs with Jessica and Sophie.
  • The beauty of frosty mornings.

Autumn leaves covered in frost

 

The Reading Residence

16 thoughts on “Friday Focus 02/12/16 – Let the festive season start!

  1. Lovely word, I do enjoy this time of year. The kids are so excited, and there’s always plenty going on. Glad that Jessica’s doing so well and the check-up went well. Hope the girls continue to enjoy the festivities x Thanks for sharing with #WotW

  2. You sound really in the Christmas spirit hun! Lots going on. the weather has been amazing for cold walks. I’m glad Jessica is doing well – good news before Christmas. Have a lovely weekend xx #wotw

    1. Thanks Sarah – loving the cold dry weather at the moment – perfect for getting out and about 🙂

  3. What a lovely week, I’m glad Jessica’s appointment went well. I love advent and I miss our old church where things were relaxed but more traditional. We don’t go to our new church too often now as it’s very modern, loud and crowded and although it’s popular with our locals and so much good work has been done, we do find it a little overwhelming. I will look forward to joining them for carol singing and hot chocolate on the hill though.

    1. Thank you Anne – I quite like the traditional style of our church although I do also like going to a more modern service every so often as well. I like the sound of carol singing and hot chocolate on the hill! 🙂

  4. Oh it’s always lovely when they make a new friend but this one sounds like a really special friendship for Jessica, how lovely. I’ve been enjoying the frosty mornings and the sunrises too.
    Nat.x

    1. Thank you Nat – I hope it does become a very special friendship for Jessica – it was so lovely to see the two girls together at the party x

  5. Awww sounds like a wonderful week, I roo saw my boy sing at assembly this week, user cute X #wotw

    1. Thank you – how lovely that you got to see your boy sing at assembly last week too 🙂

  6. A great word….
    I’m glad Jessica’s appointment went well…
    Ahh! I do love the frosty mornings as long as I know where my hat and gloves are. hehehe
    #WotW

    1. Thanks Kim – yes the hat and gloves are definitely a must for those cold frosty mornings! 🙂

  7. Oh I bet you & the girls game Monty the Monkey the best weekend ever!
    It’s lovely to hear and see that Jessica is doing really well, thriving and enjoying school. You must be really proud of her – it comes across so much in your writing,
    Yes, Christmas has well and truly arrived and it looks like you’re embracing and loving it, too!
    xx
    #WoTW

    PS; sorry the comment is so late, it’s been one of those weeks!

    1. Thank you Tracey – no worries about the late comment – I have weeks like that too (most weeks, I think!) 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.