2013 Reviewed

This year has been an amazing year for me.  I think it is possibly the first year that I have not be ecstatic to see the back of for a long time.  During one of my journalling sessions, I reviewed the last few years and gave them titles:

2008  False Hope

2009  Under Pressure

2010  SNAP!

2011  Sorrow

2012  Hope

2013 Joy

Ok, some of the titles might be a little melodramatic, but they are honest summaries of how I found that particular year.

2013 has been a year of great progress for me.  It has been life changing and not necessarily for the reasons you would think!

Family Life

This year I became a mum.  It has been so heartwarming and meaningful for me to finally be able to say that!  I have loved every minute of it so far and look forward to seeing Babygirl grow.  I have enjoyed spending more quality time with DH and it has been so much fun going out more often as a couyple (strange, I know for the year that we became parents!).

Career Changes
I also changed my career and finally left the classroom! I know that I haven't spoken about it much on my blog, but in the new year, I will be sharing my posts about how and why I left teaching as quite a few of you having been asking.

My Blog
I have tried out lots of new things on my blog this year.  I have tried to diversify into different areas and experimented with different topics.  It has been an interesting journey and I think it's enabled me to see what you guys enjoy reading about.  2014 will bring a more focussed blog for you.  But I will be exploring YouTube a bit more in 2014 to share and explore some of my other ideas and passions with anyone who may be interested.  If you would be interested in seeing these videos, please subscribe to my main channel for inspirational and encouraging videos.  I am also hoping to put up some general videos on beauty, life etc on my second channel so you may want to subscribe to that as well!

Personal & Spiritual Development
This area of my life has been AMAZING!  God has used various circumstances to teach me so much this year - He has enabled me to tackle some areas that have such a struggle for my whole life and I feel like a completely different woman! Watch out 2014 - here I come!

So, that's my year in a nutshell!  How was your year?  What were the highlights?  What were the low points and what are you looking forward to 2014?  Comment below to let me know!

And finally ..........

Happy New Year!

Season's Greetings!

Christmas is one of my most favourite times of the year!  I love the whole season - putting up the tree, buying gifts, wrapping them and cooking lots of food!

This year brings the added delight of Babygirl's birthday.  I'm looking forward to seeing her joy when she opens her presents and the fun she will have by spending the day with her new family.

Happy Christmas from DH, Cece and Babygirl x

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:6, 7 NIV)"

I Kissed Teaching Goodbye

I remember my first lesson, it was a year 7 class and I was teaching them about solids, liquids and gases.

I remember the careful planning of the lesson, and the detailed lesson plan being written and rewritten several times.

I remember tidying up after the lesson, because we had run out of time and I had to dismiss the class so they could get to their next lesson.

I remember my mentor taking me to back of the room for me to see how awful my handwriting was on the board.

And I remember loving it!

13 years later, I've taught over one thousand children and marked many more books.  I have attended parents' evenings, written reports and drafted so many schemes of work that I have lost count.

Today, I kissed teaching goodbye.

There are parts that I will miss and parts that I will be happy to leave behind.

I am excited about the new path ahead and interested to see how I will cope with not having bells to organise my life.

Many have asked, "Will you ever go back?".  My answer, "Who knows?" but in the meantime, I am happy to set aside my teaching kit and move on to a life without marking!

Cece xxx

The Final Hurdle (Adoption Order)

Last summer, I wrote about the hurdles in the journey that we faced.  At the time, it seemed like there were so many hurdles to jump and although I felt confident that God would take us over each one - I still felt rather anxious!

Well, yesterday, we received news that the final hurdle has been conquered and the adoption order for Babygirl has been granted.

We are so happy - she is now officially ours and will always be part of our family.

It has truly been a delight watching her grow and develop into the entertaining little bundle of energy she has become!  I thank God that I will have the privilege of watching her grow into the young lady He has called her to be.

This time last year, we were waiting to see if she would be released for adoption and a year later, the final piece of paperwork has been signed.

We get to go up to the court in January for the official ceremony, which will be a real celebration, but tonight I get to tuck Babygirl into her bed knowing that she is truly mine!

Until next time,
An elated and overjoyed Cece xxx

Reflecting on the Past Year

So, the month of December has arrived and we have entered into what is traditionally my most reflective time of the year.  It's around this time that I start to look at my year and consider how it has been.  I then look at the year ahead and think about what I want to see in the next 12 months.


2013 has been an amazing year - I have become a mother which has been life changing, but the major changes in my life have not been limited to just that area.  God has been carrying out a phenomenal work on my heart over the last 12 months and has left me a transformed person.


I have learnt so much this year and the transformation that God has carried out in my life has caused me to look at 2014 with different eyes.  God has systematically unpicked a lot of the incorrect mindsets I have lived with for years!  It has been a gradual work in progress since I started to journey through life with Him, but this year has been the year where all the background work has been brought to the surface and made evident for all to see.

I am SOOOOOO excited about 2014!  This year has been a year of transistioning in my life and I know that much of what has happened this year has been part of God preparing for me what is to come.  I know that God will be continuing to transform me and mould me into the woman He has called me to be over the next year.  However, I am also aware that He has some new ventures planned and I'm excited to see what God has in store!

So how has 2013 been for you?  What has God been teaching you this year?  What will be you taking into 2014 from your lessons of 2013?

Comment below and subscribe to keep up to date with my posts.

Until next time,
Cece xxx