Screenshot September and other silliness

So it would seem that this month I've mostly been overwhelmed and overemotional, welling up or just straight up crying at all sorts of things. Blame it on the heat and sunstroke, being daft, being thousands of miles from most of my family, or even blame it on me being a woman, but I think it just comes down to the fact that I have absolutely awesome friends and family. And sometimes that sucks. Haha! God did an amazing job putting me smack bang in the middle of a huge loving group of people, who despite their various weirdnesses (you may cry 'pot/kettle', I would simply reply 'birds of a feather y'all!') love me silly, call me on my imperfections and support me through thick and thin. And then stuff happens that highlights the distance. Some of it is really horrid, rubbish stuff and you can't be around to support or just hug people, and some is happy happy, joy joy, and you can't be there to celebrate! Because our siblings produce gorgeous nephews and neices who say the darn cutest things. Or because my brother-in-law is really really ill, and there's absolutely nothing physical or practical that we can do, other than pray. Or it's another birthday, wedding or party that we can't be there for, or my sister's making an awesome birthday cake and I can't be there to help, either by washing up, or breathing for her as she holds her breath whilst concentrating! BUT... technology and determination brings us together, family find a way to bridge the distance and I have a million things to be grateful for. So, to show you some of those things, to focus on the benefits of having awesome friends and family, no matter how much it sucks to be far away from you all, to remind you that I do think of you often, whether I'm good at correspondence or not, and to publicly thank those around me, loving and supporting me, here goes!

Skype... it's genius! (Okay, so FaceTime may be better, but this isn't the place for software comparison!) There have some brilliant moments recently. Though I don't have a screen shot, being too caught up in the moment rather, I met my beautiful new niece, Oona, for the first time, which definitely eased the pangs of homesickness, and a hint of jealousy seeing lots of VERY cute pictures of various people holding her! If you do see her, tell her she's beautiful, and loved massively... from all across the world.
I also got to speak to my sister and brother-in-law whilst they dog sat for my parents in law... as this shows!
Meg is undoubtedly a mad little pup, but this moment takes the (dog) biscuit! Having hurt her paw and needing it bandaged she took to using her whole back leg as a new toy:

That same conversation also reminded me of why I married into the Parkinson clan, not only is my handsome hubby endowed with epic face pulling capabilities, it seems it runs in the family!

Emails coming in from afar added to the love and hilarity, and to this wall of memories, wise words and loved ones. Family faces, Bible verses and happy memories or pretty things gather here and remind me daily how blessed I am:

I also spoke to both my mums on my 28th birthday, (a day I've been waiting for, for at least a year, as I have been telling people I'm 28 for pretty much a year already!) and was able to show them the beautiful birthday cake Phil surprised me with, of course from my beloved Blossom, red velvet with chocolate ganache for those who need details. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, taught 3 Pilates classes, celebrated the graduation of the first intake of Blossom girls with international level certificates in Hospitality, and ate cake 3 times in the interest of balance. It was a gorgeous day. Photos to follow for those of you who haven't yet seen them, and yes, I really did cry with joy that I was given a cake, designed specifically for me. I've said it before and no doubt will say it again, my love language would seem to be cake!

The wonderously sneaky boy took me to Blossom, for hot chocolate and a cupcake (both splendiferous just in case you doubted for one milisecond) and after having ordered these sweet treats...

I was presented with this....

 

...causing this delightedly tearful response....

...and ending several days (and plenty of cake sharing) later with this moment...

Other things that happened this month, I broke my sun-glasses and mourned the loss of a special pair of pants, sent to me in the post by my sister, who not only knows the thrill of receiving post, but who also knows the value of pretty pants to a girl's confidence. Good knickers or painted nails on feet even when covered by multiple frost-defying layers are some of the things that bring a smile to the face or a spring to the step. That explanation given, it is a sad day when said knickers (admittedly 3 years older than my marriage), are finally thrown away, with no hope of salvaging the elastic, and a vague sense of pride and wonderment that they'd actually stayed up at all in recent days! (I would like to add a brief note to reassure my mothers that I do still change underwear daily. For their own peace of mind and also their good reputations!) I can furnish you with a picture of said sun-glassses breakage, but to save your blushes, the underwear will stay unpublished!

(And yes...this is what humidity does to my hair. Most of the time. I am in a permanent state of fluffiness!)

Unbeknownst to me and seemingly reading my mind, the birthday celebrations were revived as I received a parcel from my eldest sister when Hanc returned back from his holiday in the UK.

Advised to open it in private, I thankfully heeded that advice, and the same week I said goodbye to pants sent to me in the post by sister, I received pants in the post from my sister. 

(cheeky!)

And again I welled up at the beauty of it! I then proceeded to cry over the rest of the box contents, including these hilarious sun-glasses chosen by my nephew and worn only once by him for quality control purposes. Given my lack of sunglasses, the problem is now solved, though they have caused me to utter a phrase I never thought I would say "The parrot does give rather a blindspot!" 

She then added to the hilarity, acknowledging and confirming my love of moustache related things (please note, I have just the right amount of stuff now, please don't feel the need to add to the collection. A few tasteful - yes I did use that word - items are sufficient) with this necklace.

Another thing that had has happened this month was that I realised how much I miss working at Lush. Every year, just around the time of my birthday, all the new products for Christmas come into the shop for staff training and the fun really kicks off. In previous years, even if I've not been working there, I've been able to feed my addiction and genuine love for these handmade cosmetics by heading in to see my friends in the store and talk with my eldest sister, also a certified addict, and one of the envied few customer testers (all positions are currently filled!) who ensure effectiveness of new products and test on their own sensitive skin, saving bunnies from bubble baths, emus wearing eyeliner, llamas wearing lipstick etc. Anyway- so I suddenly had this realisation that I was utterly not part of this world this yer, with no idea what the new products were and not being in the UK at any point during their sale, so I would miss them entirely. But then. But then...

Snow Fairy Melt arrived! She smells as sweet as she is pink and with average room temperature being in high 20s at least, she's now safey stowed in the fridge!

Cute little chunks of Christmas soap, earthy, creamy and zingy!

Perfect accessories for literally Lush Lips! Lip scrub and gorgeous tint for a perfect pout! Love!

Confused slightly by the snap fasteners, but pretty sure there was genius behind it, or some little fingers snuck them in down the side! Haha! Or they're to rescue previously mentioned saggy knickers! Haha! Plus fairy candles and a cupcake shaped lip gloss!! She knows me so well!

And then this beauty! Having just heard via the grapevine about this new shower gel in one of my favourite fragrances I was just about to put in an online order for this one and do all I could to get it out here when Mum and Dad visit (9 sleeps!). This fragrance captivated me when I first smelt a variant of it in Turkish Delight, a creamy shower smoothie that conditions the skin, soothing sunburned skin or nourishing dryness, and my shower treat of choice from the selection I had brought out with me, but one I am rapidly coming to the end out of. I also met this fragrance as a Bubbleroon, a macaron (I just read in a blog about the difference between macaroons and macarons and would hate to get it wrong! eek!) shaped delight, which when crumbled under running water fills the bath with bubbles and softness...  Baths don't exist over here for the most part other than in some swanky hotels, but not all, so this wasn't a product I could enjoy... and just as I squealed in delight and tried to find a way to get some - it arrived in my lap, literally!

And with a final flourish, my sister sent this, Lush eyeliner, just as I reached the point where I realised the little pot I'd been using since my wedding really had dried out, having seen me through many fun times, including the famous Pirate series (which you do need to watch if you haven't yet - find it at www.freedomchurch.cc under the Kids section). 

So I give you my sister, ladies and gentlemen, who has brought me massively closer to all of you, reminded me of things and people I love, anticipated things that would make me homesick and loved on me in such a big way I feel closer to everyone sending birthday love last month. To Jo, you beauty, who made moments like this possible. Love you babe. 

For the countless others of you have sent love and kind wishes, ecards and cakes, went out with me for drinks or sent an email catching me up with where you're at, I love you. I'm blessed by you. I consider my life richer for knowing you, am blown away by the adventure I get to live and the people alongside me who continually make this possible and encourage me along the way. I am blessed. Thank you.

 And lastly -while I have your attention - another huge source of joy in my life comes from this guy, the adventure I'm on with him and the absolute hilarity of our two mad-cap brains coming together! And here I love technology because after all has been brought into my life this month, I can return that gift and give you this:

Happy Wednesday everyone!