Wednesday, January 12, 2011

A year at a glance...



Happy New Year My dear Friends and Family!
May the blessings of the Christmas season still be ringing in your hearts -
I know they are in ours!
The Childers are still alive and well in England and loving every second of it. It has been a year, yep, nearly a YEAR since I last posted! Aggh! I am so embarrassed. Can you see the red in my face from there? The more time went by, the more excuses I had as to why I couldn't pick it back up. Sometimes I don't get it (myself, that is) because blogs to me are one of the coolest means of communication in the world. It gives a girl like me, an amateur writer, the chance to express herself and share her daily musings with those she loves and treasures the most. As one who truly believes that God has done nothing short of a miracle in her life, I jump at the chance to share these life experiences.
Plus, it seems that so many of my daily stories end up with a sub-title of "Today's Cindy's Comedic Adventure was....".

Since this post is more like a belated Christmas card, I thought I'd take the chance to update you on a bit of what happened in the hearts and lives of these FOUR Childers in the last 12 months. Note: Now having written, edited, revised, edited some more this poem, I realize how truly crazy I am. Knowing you might not read the whole thing, I mixed some pictures in hoping that it might hold your attention. *grin* I'll get right to it:

We welcomed the New Year, with neighbors and friends,

and a beautiful covering of snow;

Weeks later we traded, our truck known as lemon,

for a Land Rover to get to and fro.



Natalie settled in - quite nicely with Ms. Jill,

who teaches at the local preschool;

She painted, sculpted clay, baked sweet lemon cakes,

that surprisingly would make you drool.


(Peanut is on the front row in pigtails wearing the yellow and pink.)

While Liam excelled right next door to his sister,

in a school known as Newton Tony Primary;

Reading, Writing and Maths (!) became essential,

along with phrases like “bins, squash and ‘blimey”.

(Liam is on the back row far right)

Often we ride (bikes), go for runs, float "boats"

down the river in our quaint little village;

However, one of the prettiest blessings thus far,


are the sunrises and sets over the tillage.



Cindy's busy with bible study, playgroups, and the gym,

as well as being travel agent connoisseur;

She also started singing with the St. Paul’s church band,

*what a blessing*, and something she adores.


Clark tutors the students at Empire TPS,

He flies every day - come rain or sun;

He realized he's got the best job in the Navy,

*shhhh*, don't tell anyone!


April began the start of what became,

An amazing travel season;

First off, was Spain, the beautiful Oviedo,

the amazing countryside of the Northern Region.


However, not an hour had passed did our feet,

hit home soil in the great UK;

That Cindy would get sick and realize later, she had Campylobacter,

food poisoning - NO WAY!


Not one, not two, but three weeks later,

did she began to feel somewhat human;

Just in time to throw a *Circus* Birthday Party,

for her sweet little favorite twosome.



My goodness, your thinking, how much more can there be,

she's now just hit the month of May;

Standby, my friends, there is so much more,

we've only gotten to 120 of 365 days.


If April showers bring May flowers,

then I've seen loads of what the Almighty creates;

By the end of the month we'd been to Venice. Stockholm.

And several enchanting estates.


The summer in England was unusually warm,

High in the 70s with no rain;

Odd for this green grassy land we call 'ours'

where our ancestors, once called this "home terrain".


The month of June was full of firsts,

Liam lost a tooth and had his first campout with friends;

For Clark and Cindy, it was the first time we've known,

the Stonehenge “Summer Solstice” trend. (Brrrr)



The beginning of July, Clark and Cindy had a blast,

At the Boscombe Down Summer Ball;

There were bumper cars, magicians, poker tables, fine china

– it was extravagant, nothing small.


With hearts full of glee, two kids and their Mommy,

boarded a plane back to the great US of A;

Two weeks in Georgia with family and friends,

made the red eye flights worth it - in every way!


Just days after returning to Jolly Ol' England,

Clark had us packed up and ready to go;

Off to Disney Land Paris we went straight away,

a vacation that left "all four kids” aglow.


In September the kids went back to school,

to a place in Salisbury: Chafyn Grove;

We cannot say enough about where our kids learn,

we just count our blessings, in droves.



In October, we were blessed with a visit from friends,

The Howells posted overseas as well;

They came from Italy to tour this land,

we loved showing them where we dwell.


November was a blast, with Clark stepping out

in a new and exciting role;

He played several parts, in our Church’s “Mark Drama”,

giving breathtaking performances to many souls.


We wrapped up the year, just the four of us,

Snuggled 'round our Christmas tree;

Thankful for all the blessings we’ve been given,

Knowing God gave His Son for you and me.





Happy New Year! Be blessed in every way and may those blessings overflow to all those around you.

Love, Cindy

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." Philippians 1:9-11 NIV

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