GOOD FRIENDS AND GOODBYES

Sorry it's been so long since I last posted anything. Although I finished work last Thursday it has been non-stop since. Last week there was a whole bunch of leaving meals - Monday lunch was the formal one with the Church Leaders at the Oystercatcher (not good food!), Tuesday lunch was at the new over-designed seaside Cafe fondly known locally as "The Turd" (although Steak Sandwich was excellent), Wednesday evening was my highlight with all the staff that I work with at Wickbourne, Sure Start and the Church. We had a buffet at the local Indian Monsoon which was superb. At the end of the meal a number of staff made speeches and provided me with certificates for different achievements I had made (some serious and some humorous!). Sally & Wendy from the kitchen wrote a poem and Sonia had 3 pages that had me on the verge of tears! Around 25 of the team turned up and it was a great night - what a privilege to be part of such a great group of people. Thursday was my last day and Sure Start had laid on a surprise buffet and Sally had made a goodbye cake (with Fire Engine).

What an incredible week - it has been so good to work with so many amazing people, they will be missed...

AND LASTLY...

This week has been a real "lasts". Last Friday was the last Connect Group (a small cell group/post alpha kind of thing) - they bought me an intriguing cake, some socks and one of those really annoying cards that sings to you every time you open it!

Sunday was our last ever morning at Arun Community Church which was really special. They put up some photos on the screen of Lottie and I over the last 11+ years and read out all the different things we had been involved with and then people spontaneously stood up and gave a standing ovation. I must confess I had a few tears in the eyes and declined to say anything (which is difficult for me!) as no words could really sum how much Lottie and I care for our friends and family at ACC and how much we will miss being with them...

Monday it was my last Sure Start AGM which was an incredible line up of people sharing how the Centre had transformed their lives in some way. If it was in a church it would have been testimony night. The church and God hardly got a mention but I am sure he smiled when the teenage parents got up and danced their hearts out, when the Mum who had suffered post natal depression talked about the caring staff who helped her through it and when the Nursery children sang their songs at the tops of their voices. But the highlight for me was when the Creche Manager (not a christian) told the story of "The Three Little Pigs" and brought a moral to the story of building our lives on good foundations. Now where have I heard that before?

Today is the last day my boys go to Rustington Community Primary School (the same school Lottie went to - some of the teachers are the same!) it is also my last day as Chair of Governors as I have now resigned officially.

Today was also the last Launch Pad Breakfast Club of the year with a well deserved summer break coming up for the staff. This was a project I started working on at the beginning of 2006 with my friends Rosie and Jon and it is brilliant to see it up and running and completing its first year. The children who attend are referred for different reasons and come with all kinds of home lives and backgrounds - but watching them this morning celebrating together on the bouncy castle followed by party food (!) you would not have realised how much transformation has taken place...

But the end of a chapter in a good book leaves you excited and impatient for the next chapter and I guess that is where I am at the moment. Sad to be leaving so many good friends behind but excited by what God has in front of us...

LABYRINTHITUS!!!

I know - I didn't know what it was either until this week.

It has nothing to with Labyrinth the Movie (thanks Jon and Joe for your helpful and caring emails!), I have not turned into a David Bowie lookalike or spend the day searching for my brother before he becomes a Goblin!

Apparently it is something to do with crystals that settle in your middle ear which affects your balance. You know when you go on the roundabout at the children's play park and then you get off and try and walk - it's like that, only all the time.

Trying to walk in a straight line takes a lot of effort! The Doctor has given me a prescription which sounded really grand but turned out to be travel sickness pills and suggested I do some weird laying on bed while turning my head exercises (don't picture it!)

So it's been a kind of strange week. Just finished my last Connect Group at Wickbourne Centre tonight and we have our last Sunday at Arun Community Church this Sunday. Lottie has been at the church all her life (I have only completed a mere 11 1/2 years) so it will be a difficult morning - please pray...

Southampton is coming together with a visit last Wednesday to the boy's new school Kings Copse and the new house - they loved them both and can't wait to move!

I will try and give more detail next week (sorry I haven't blogged for a while - I have got sucked into the world of Facebook).

WHY DOES ANYONE MOVE HOUSE?

Apparently moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do (next to changing job) and we are doing both!

The last house in West End sadly did not work out and so we have changed tack and explored the village of Hedge End. We found a lovely semi detached house built around 1900 with an incredible south facing garden on Sunday. Today we put an offer in and (after a little haggling) had it accepted - hurrah!

The local primary school has space for both Levi and Zak and so things are starting to come together - Thank you God..

On a completely different note we heard yesterday that the school bid in Southampton has been completed and the partnership that New Community Church are involved with have been successful in taking on the running of BOTH new Academies - wow!!! Exciting stuff - not sure exactly what it will mean for myself and the church but it is definitely an excellent time to get involved and I am looking forward to seeing how the future will pan out. More on this to follow...