The last few day my husband and I have been working on a new blog for me. I am making a move to http://theallens.walkbygrace.com
I please make note of my new blog so you can follow up on what is going on with the Allen's. I will give a proper update on the new blog this weekend. Hope to see you all there.
Love ~ Allenia
Friday, 16 April 2010
Thursday, 8 April 2010
Feeling Inspired
SO I have been working on a few projects. As some may well know we have made the decision to home school...I think it is the perfect decision for us. Homeschooling isn't for everyone and I can completely understand that, it takes a lot of work and even more sacrifice on the part of the parents to do it well. We haven't started the "proper curriculum" as of yet because I feel that Judah is still too young. We will be starting after his fourth birthday. In the mean time we are working on some Montessori schooling, what that boils down to is home chores, everyday things that he will need to know to function as a young person. I said all that to say that since we will be starting Judah in his homeschooling from when he is four I wanted to get him involved with other children who are in the same or similar life situations as he. We have met a lovely family called the Brooks. Jeremy and Lydia have five gorgeous kids. Eleni, Noah, Alice, Ezra and Naomi. Judah just so happens to be smack dab in the middle of Alice and Ezra in age. Alice is four and Ezra is two. They all get along so well. I think it can be a bit overwhelming for Judah at times. Recently Lydia told me that she was having trouble finding aprons for her children to wear while helping her cook that fit properly. She showed me one that she has that is totally adjustable and in a way I have NEVER seen before. So I told her that if she would lend me hers I would sew some up for the kids. So that is one of the projects I have been working on...they have turned out really well! (I will post photos soon). I will tell about the other projects as they are closer to completion. I am so thankful to have met Lydia she is so lovely and is a great example to be on how to be a homeschooling Mom and keep your sanity! I figure if she can do it with 3 of her 5 with the younger two running around then I can surely do it with just my 1!
In other news, Matthew and I made a decision that we really haven't shared with many people. Mothers Day here is different to America...and it was about 4 weeks ago now. During that Sunday morning I really felt the Holy Spirit begin to speak to me about things that are time stealer's...and one of them being our TV! When Matthew and I got home from church I shared with him what the Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart and being the wonderful leader in our home that he is said "well then, if this is what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, we will get rid of it". So that is exactly what we did. We took the TV out of the living room and stored it until we can sell it...and have canceled our cable service. Judah woke up to a whole new world! He asked his daddy when he got up the next morning and finally noticed that the TV was gone..."Daddy, where are my movies". Poor boy.. but I will tell you that I have seen a major difference in him.
Now that we have more free time we are listening to sermons online and reading more books. God has been revealing so much to us in the last 4 weeks. We are so very blessed. I am looking forward to posting some of the thoughts, revelations and even teaching material that has come out of this process.
Thank you Lord for the growing pains for in the end I will be beautiful....
In other news, Matthew and I made a decision that we really haven't shared with many people. Mothers Day here is different to America...and it was about 4 weeks ago now. During that Sunday morning I really felt the Holy Spirit begin to speak to me about things that are time stealer's...and one of them being our TV! When Matthew and I got home from church I shared with him what the Holy Spirit was speaking to my heart and being the wonderful leader in our home that he is said "well then, if this is what the Holy Spirit is speaking to you, we will get rid of it". So that is exactly what we did. We took the TV out of the living room and stored it until we can sell it...and have canceled our cable service. Judah woke up to a whole new world! He asked his daddy when he got up the next morning and finally noticed that the TV was gone..."Daddy, where are my movies". Poor boy.. but I will tell you that I have seen a major difference in him.
Now that we have more free time we are listening to sermons online and reading more books. God has been revealing so much to us in the last 4 weeks. We are so very blessed. I am looking forward to posting some of the thoughts, revelations and even teaching material that has come out of this process.
Thank you Lord for the growing pains for in the end I will be beautiful....
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Happy Birthday Sweetheart
Today the love of my life celebrated his 30th birthday. He asked me last night if I could bake a coffee cake for him to take to work....and of coarse I did! I made a two layer rum glazed coffee cake! It was delicious!
This evening we went out to Johnny Wongs in Birmingham (UK) to have a meal out with his family. It was a great time....we were there 2 1/2 hours.
I hope that his birthday was brilliant! I am so blessed to have him. God has been so good to me.
This evening we went out to Johnny Wongs in Birmingham (UK) to have a meal out with his family. It was a great time....we were there 2 1/2 hours.
I hope that his birthday was brilliant! I am so blessed to have him. God has been so good to me.
Friday, 2 April 2010
My Beloved
Have you ever heard women say that they can't wait for their husbands to "get back to work" or "get out from under their feet" or "get out of their hair"??? Well I just can't understand it. I enjoy having my husband around. He is my best friend. He is so helpful to me....He honors me and loves me. He is a fantastic Father...I love to watch him with Judah. Judah adores his father and with good reason. I can honestly say that I look forward to the days he gets to be off work for holiday's or vacation time. I am so very very very thankful that God has gifted me with such a wonderful husband, friend and father to our son. I fall in love with him more and more every day. That feeling that I got when I knew for the first time that I loved him and that he was the man I would marry....I feel it over and over.... I still get butterflies in the pit of my stomach when he looks at me. Thank you Lord for a man I can love and who loves me totally and completely. You have graciously gifted me with such a special man.
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Back into the swing of things!
After being inspired and motivated by my friend Lindsey for being so good about updating her blog I figured it was time for me to get back into the swing of things!
It has been so long since I last posted I could write a book...but to save you all from that LONG and what could be a dull read I will give you the best condensed version I have.
It is now March and I feel like the year is flying by so quickly. My Mother and Sister flew over to visit. What a much needed visit it was might I add. I was getting to the point where I was homesick, not for the place but for the people in my life. I have always been the type of person that can adapt quite easily to most situations, moving here has been no exception. We have been here now going on 2 years and I have adapted to life here rather well. Things are different but you learn to cope. I think that the hardest part is being so far from family and friends. I can't just jump in the car and drive a day or two to get home or go see friends.....I have to get in a plane and fly over the big ole ocean. ahhhh. So as you can imagine a visit from my family was just what I needed. We had such a great time. We went to all the standard touristy spots and a few that weren't. One of the places we went was to Stratford Upon Avon...which is the birthplace of Shakespeare...we did a walk through of his home - It is amazing to me how these people had like 6 + children and lived in a house that feels the size of a sardine can! We also went to Warwick Castle...which was brilliant!
View of the castle grounds from the tower.
Mom, Michaela and I also did a girls weekend away to London and the Paris! It was amazing!!! I love London anyway and was able to show them around as I have been 6 or more times now since we have lived here. But Paris...wow! I have to say that London has Paris beat on the Underground/Metro system...much easier in London than Paris. We got to go up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and it Snowed while we were doing our tour. My favorite place in Paris is the Arc de Triomphe -- the view from the top was breathtaking...and so was the 300 odd stop up a narrow spiral staircase to get to the top! Still laugh thinking about it. Here are some photos of that...
In other news... I just said goodbye to my baby and hello to my big boy about 5 weeks ago. That was the day I cut his hair. What a sad and very emotional day for this Mama! As I was cutting tears were streaming down my face, because although I knew that my little boy needed a haircut and was ready for that next step, I wasn't! The minute I finished I looked at him and proceeded to cry like a big baby because there in that moment my baby was no more...I was face to face with my big boy! Not two weeks later was his third birthday and in that two week span I saw him change more than I have in all the time I have know him. He began to come into his own. I see before me this little person who has personality, independent thought, tenderness, kindness, curiosity, strength and love. Then I think to myself that God has placed him in mine and Matthew's care to shape and mold him...in the physical but most importantly the spiritual. I stand in awe that God would choose me to be his Mother. What a mighty responsibility! My prayer is that the Lord God would guide me in every way...that I may train him up the way that he is meant to go and that I don't fail him. Here is a before and an after! The top photo was taken in January when my Mom and Sister flew over for a visit! More about that to come.
Below: 1 March 2010
We are now homeschooling which is great! God is good gracious and is teaching me daily how to teach Judah......talk about lessons in patience! At the moment we are using the Montessori Method. Basically it is child lead learning and life skills at this age. Everyday, Judah says to me..."Mommy, I do my work today". So he is excited he is also asking for jobs/chores to do around the house. That just blesses my heart. He is also taking an interest in praise and worship in the house and then bible story after. It is amazing to me how much he knows and remembers about God's Word. He has memorized 2 scriptures so far and I am excited to continue planting (hiding) the Word of God in his heart.
There are so many more things I want to say but for now I will just have to leave it......I suppose this isn't such a condensed version after all....but I did have lots to update!
Love to you all!
Allenia
It has been so long since I last posted I could write a book...but to save you all from that LONG and what could be a dull read I will give you the best condensed version I have.
It is now March and I feel like the year is flying by so quickly. My Mother and Sister flew over to visit. What a much needed visit it was might I add. I was getting to the point where I was homesick, not for the place but for the people in my life. I have always been the type of person that can adapt quite easily to most situations, moving here has been no exception. We have been here now going on 2 years and I have adapted to life here rather well. Things are different but you learn to cope. I think that the hardest part is being so far from family and friends. I can't just jump in the car and drive a day or two to get home or go see friends.....I have to get in a plane and fly over the big ole ocean. ahhhh. So as you can imagine a visit from my family was just what I needed. We had such a great time. We went to all the standard touristy spots and a few that weren't. One of the places we went was to Stratford Upon Avon...which is the birthplace of Shakespeare...we did a walk through of his home - It is amazing to me how these people had like 6 + children and lived in a house that feels the size of a sardine can! We also went to Warwick Castle...which was brilliant!
View of the castle grounds from the tower.
Mom, Michaela and I also did a girls weekend away to London and the Paris! It was amazing!!! I love London anyway and was able to show them around as I have been 6 or more times now since we have lived here. But Paris...wow! I have to say that London has Paris beat on the Underground/Metro system...much easier in London than Paris. We got to go up to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower and it Snowed while we were doing our tour. My favorite place in Paris is the Arc de Triomphe -- the view from the top was breathtaking...and so was the 300 odd stop up a narrow spiral staircase to get to the top! Still laugh thinking about it. Here are some photos of that...
In other news... I just said goodbye to my baby and hello to my big boy about 5 weeks ago. That was the day I cut his hair. What a sad and very emotional day for this Mama! As I was cutting tears were streaming down my face, because although I knew that my little boy needed a haircut and was ready for that next step, I wasn't! The minute I finished I looked at him and proceeded to cry like a big baby because there in that moment my baby was no more...I was face to face with my big boy! Not two weeks later was his third birthday and in that two week span I saw him change more than I have in all the time I have know him. He began to come into his own. I see before me this little person who has personality, independent thought, tenderness, kindness, curiosity, strength and love. Then I think to myself that God has placed him in mine and Matthew's care to shape and mold him...in the physical but most importantly the spiritual. I stand in awe that God would choose me to be his Mother. What a mighty responsibility! My prayer is that the Lord God would guide me in every way...that I may train him up the way that he is meant to go and that I don't fail him. Here is a before and an after! The top photo was taken in January when my Mom and Sister flew over for a visit! More about that to come.
Below: 1 March 2010
We are now homeschooling which is great! God is good gracious and is teaching me daily how to teach Judah......talk about lessons in patience! At the moment we are using the Montessori Method. Basically it is child lead learning and life skills at this age. Everyday, Judah says to me..."Mommy, I do my work today". So he is excited he is also asking for jobs/chores to do around the house. That just blesses my heart. He is also taking an interest in praise and worship in the house and then bible story after. It is amazing to me how much he knows and remembers about God's Word. He has memorized 2 scriptures so far and I am excited to continue planting (hiding) the Word of God in his heart.
There are so many more things I want to say but for now I will just have to leave it......I suppose this isn't such a condensed version after all....but I did have lots to update!
Love to you all!
Allenia
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Enjoying Everyday Life
We have been working on a new schedule for Judah as he had be struggling with his sleep schedule. This week we have been doing nightly baths (we had only been doing them every other night or so because he wasn't out doing a lot of stinky boy stuff!) and reading him one of our big books that we have been reading as a couple. At the moment it is The Dream Giver by D Wilkinson. We eat dinner, listen to some worship music for a bit then off to bath time the to bed. This week has been so good...we lay him in bed...say our prayers, tell a quick story and then we say good night and leave the room.....last week he was screaming at the gate until he figured that he better go to bed...now he just lays in bed and goes right to sleep and SLEEPS ALL THRU THE NIGHT!!! 7:30 -7:30!
So I thought that I would put in some photos of Judah at bath time last night.
Judah loves to help me cook, clean, do laundry and vacuum ...so last night I was making toad in the hole (sausages in a Yorkshire pudding batter and baked in the oven) and Judah wanted to help. He helped mix the flour and water/milk and egg mixture. Then he put in the herbs and whisked away! After I put the toad in the hold in the oven he wanted to continue to cook so I let him make a pretend soup! Soooooo sweet!
Just before dinner was finished in walks my wonderful husband with a lovely surprise for me....and gorgeous purple Orchid flower plant and a card. Here are the photos of the orchid.
Judah turns 2
The morning of Judah's birthday I was very emotional. I had been writing in his birthday card, and as I have had the great pleasure of reading lovely things my mom had written to me when I was a tiny tot I thought that I would do the same for Judah. I sat to write to him about how very blessed I feel to have him as my son and how I feel that God has blessed me beyond measure to have chosen me to be his mommy. I told him how special he is and I know that God has big plans for his life. As I was writing my mind traveled back in time 2 years earlier when I was in the hospital waiting to have my little bundle of joy and wondering if my baby was a boy or a girl. The events continued to play on the big screen of my mind. The long labor, then the decision made by the doctor to proceed with the C-section....being in the operating room and then hearing the first cries my baby would ever make!!!! As I sat there enjoying the memories of that most special time I found myself in tears of joy and great gratitude. I realized how abundantly blessed I am to have this very special person in my life. Then a great heaviness came over me, the realization that I have this massive responsibility to shape and mould this little person. Knowing that every word, action and attitude is being carefully studied and mimicked was like being hit by a ton of bricks. Wow, all I could think is that God has entrusted me with this beautiful and perfectly wonderful creation. Even now I am so overwhelmed!
Every day that I get to see his beautiful face, precious little smile, sparkling eyes, curious hands, fast and sporty feet, experience his exciting and playful personality and hear his contagious and joyous laugh I am honored to be his mommy and blessed that God trusted me enough to give him to me.
Just a bit about his party!
I can't believe he is 2! We had such a good time at Judah's party. He had a few friends and a few family members come. I think the decision to have the party at Jitterbugs was both good and bad. Good because I didn't have to set up or clean up. Bad because it was PACKED.... a lot of big kids and they don't watch the smaller children.
When it came time for the kiddos to sing happy birthday to Judah, he didn't want to sit down to have the cake brought to him to blow the candle out....he wanted to open his presents. So to keep him from being upset...he got to open a few presents while the kids sang to him. I was glad he didn't cry when everyone was singing to him.
And some photos for your viewing pleasure.
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