Hallelujah!

Wow - the past 12 hours have been go-go-go!

Firstly, work was just a comedy of terribly unfunny errors, then baby girl started wheezing at nursery, we collected her and headed straight for A&E, it appears she may have asthma! : (

Baby girl stayed home with Daddy and I had to shoot back to work (gotta love a Daddy that steps up to the plate!). I was totally worried about Little Miss O (who wouldn't be) but she was home, playing with Mr O, having fun and not really understanding what that prescription on the kitchen counter meant. Mr O convinced me that this little hiccup gave them an extra half-day of daddy-daughter bonding time, and that if I stayed I would be depriving him of it!

Hmmm, so I went back to work. I did that 'compartmentalising' thing..... you know that thing you do when you feel you just HAVE to get something done, despite a gazillion other things going on at the same time....

...anyway, so I managed to get some stuff sorted at work... headed out of work, lost my swipe-card, found my swipe-card, grabbed a packet of crisps for emergency energy, ran for the bus (I wouldn't never usually, but I wanted to be there to put Little Miss O to bed), found a spare seat and started proof-reading chapter 6 of my 10 chapter thesis (whilst eating hula hoops!)...got off the bus...popped into tesco for provisions requested by Mr O - meanwhile, filling my sister and Mum in on the days hectic events

I walked the 10 minute walk from the tesco to our home, readjusting my handbag, shopping bags, file and phone as I went! I got home.... (yey!) played with and read to Little Miss O, got her ready for bed and stayed with her till she fell asleep....returned downstairs to Mr O with a headache(! - now it was his turn to need me!), searched for paracetamol, found paracetamol, returned to lounge, Mr O asleep!. So, I dried the laundry that I put in this morning before work! inhaled my dinner (lovingly prepared by Mr and Little Miss O during daddy-daughter bonding time, watched a TV programme about a Nigerian family, sent emails to the team for tomorrow (in anticipation that I will oversleep!), finished proof-reading chapter 6, checked my blogger account...started writing this post after realising that this has been one he$% of a day!

I kind of like recording days like this - because it helps me to appreciate the straight-forward and uneventful days! If ever there was a day that I was SURE that the big JC carried me through - it is today! By reciting the serenity prayer and by JC putting the right people in the right place, at the right time - all has ended well with the day.

Hallelujah!

Mrs O
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Serenity Prayer

I'm sure we've all heard the short version of the serenity prayer in some form or other...

This is the prayer that I recite to myself sometimes...usually when I am scared, disappointed or facing some sort of life challenge. But this week, I am saying it, all day and every single day! This is the week that I plan to resubmit my thesis! Eeeek! As the prayer goes... 

God, grant me the...

Serenity to accept things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can, and the

Wisdom to know the difference

Patience for the things that take time

Appreciation for all that I have, and

Tolerance for those with different struggles

Freedom to live beyond the limitations of my past ways, the

Ability to feel your love for me and my love for others and the

Strength to get up and try again even when I feel it is hopeless.

I just find this such an amazing piece to keep in my head and it has comforted many people when I've shared it with them too.

Have a lovely weekend!

Mrs O

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All will be well...by God's grace!

I have FINALLY finished a final draft of my thesis following my examiners feedback.... dun dun dun....

Thanks be to God for giving me the energy, creating the time and space for me to think through things...to enhance my thesis. Really, I should be saying thanks for the opportunity! Thank God for providing Mr O, who is ever supportive. I really couldn't wish for a better husband - Mr O - you rock!! Thank God for Little Miss O - that she always -ALWAYS brings a smile to my face..even on the the roughest of days. Thank God for my Mummy who is always there when I need her...helping with maintaining our home whilst I am busy with work/study/Liana. Mummy dearest, you're officially the best. I wish that day by day, I could grow to have your patience, grace and kind heart.

I'm pressing 'send' today on my thesis resubmission email, and I pray that God helps my examiners to understand where I am coming from, and for them to pass a favourable opinion of my thesis and let me graduate (lol)!!!! Ultimately though, I surrender this situation to the Lord Almighty...there is no point pretending it's all down to me... it isn't...

Now I'm off to spend the weekend with some of my favourite people - sorting out our house(!), playing and chilling with my beau, we may even chuck in a Disney movie...!!!

Have a great weekend!

Mrs O
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Wives submit to your Husbands...

I could write an essay on the topic of us Wives submitting to our Husbands, as the Bible suggests we do in Ephesians.

Being submissive is actually something that had never crossed my mind before we got married. That isn't because I have disregarded the concept, I simply haven't given it any thought before. Until now. I figured I would do my research, I just can't help myself it seems. Obviously, the main thing from my perspective is that both myself and Mr O are happy with my degree of submissiveness and we both believe that the way I conduct myself with him is pleasing to the big G.

I am very much an independent, confident, free-thinking and ever-so-slightly random woman - apparently that's why he loves me *blush* I like to think I am God-fearing and I've noticed that focusing our marriage on what has worked for generations before us, has so far set us in good stead for handling the challenges that inevitably come with being married - in the real world - where everything doesn't smell of roses and where we run through the rain, rather than stand kissing in it as they do in the movies.

I have to be honest, sometimes the Bible doesn't always make sense to me, some things appear to contradict each other and I don't yet feel comfortable to approach my pastor or Church elder with every little query I have with it. Instead, I search online - I especially like Christian blogs such as boundless  and simple marriage. I also seek out books to help me understand things better. 

Most recently, I ordered Debbie Cherry's book - The Strong Willed Wife - Using your personality to honour God and your husband [good ol amazon!]. So far, it is making for a very interesting read. I'll keep you posted as I make my way through it...and as I decide what 'submitting' to Mr O means for our marriage...

But for now, I'm still pondering... Should us Wives submit to our Husbands? If you're not married, do you plan to submit to your future husband? 

Mrs O
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'The God-Father'

This is a mobile upload of Little Miss O and her God-Father. Now, I am joining the club - woo hoo, I'm a God-Mummy!

When my cousin first announced that she had 'something to ask me', I couldn't imagine what it could be...she is intelligent, loving and an amazing Mum to 3 gorgeous kiddies... what could she POSSIBLY have to ask me?

Yep - she asked me to be a God-Mummy! It came as a complete surprise....she was still pregnant at the time!!!

I was over the moon, jumping for joy and have slowly, but surely, told everyone I know - and a few strangers too.

The christening is on Sunday and I am really REALLY excited...more than thinking about what I will wear, I've been thinking about what kind of God-Mummy I want to be. When I was first asked to be God-Mummy, I asked my cousin why she chose me and she said 'cos you'll be a good role model for her' - that was good enough for me, and I can do 'me', so I thought it couldn't be that hard - right?

Recently though I was asked, 'how are you enjoying your duties as a God-Mother?'. I didn't quite know what she meant? Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of 'duties', 'musts' and 'shoulds', so, as I just avoided the question.

I guess it's a bit like asking, 'how are you enjoying your duties as a Mummy?' - surely the only real duties of a Mum are to keep your child safe, healthy and attend to their needs and wants without spoiling them too much? Isn't anything else a bonus? But what are the 'duties' of a God-Parent? I was really grateful that she asked the question though, as it did leave me thinking, what could I do as a God-Mummy?

I thought about my own God-Parents. One has always remembered my birthdays/Christmas, helped with planning our wedding and is always a source of the brutal truth - gotta love her! She has also ALWAYS been there to support my parents. As for my other two God-parents, I have had little to do with them since about age 9 or so... sad really, given that my parents probably thought long and hard over selecting them too.

In thinking about what kind of God-Mummy I am going to be, I also thought about Little Miss O's God-Parents. We chose loved ones who (outside of our immediate family) we would want to be a key part of our childrens' lives if the worst were to happen to us. The three of them are equally fabulous and appear to enjoy their 'status' as God-parents. We also chose them for their kind hearts, good nature and because we thought they were strong in their faith and great role models for our little cutie.

I have to say though, the male God-parent, who Little Miss O calls 'The God-Father', hasn't bought a single present for our daughter. What he does do, is teach her to dance, make her smile and best of all, sends daily scripture readings to inspire both Mr O and I - and this, I absolutely LOVE! It's the biggest gift that money can't buy and amazingly, is worth more than all the clothes in Mothercare plus all the toys in toys 'r' us! Don't get us wrong, we LOVE receiving gifts for our daughter and are always very grateful (as of course is she) - but fortunately for everyone else's wallets, we're simple people and don't, even for a moment expect gifts! For Mr O and I, there is no better way to nurture a child than to support their parents in their spiritual growth and personal development.

You've gotta love The God-Father!

If I could be anywhere near as good a God-parent as our daughter's God-parents, then I'll be one happy God-Mummy!

Have a great weekend...

Mrs O
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My life is like a movie...

So, I'm still on my mission to (seriously) surrender EVERYTHING to God. Having just watched Sex and the City2 (I know, I know - I’m late!), I realised that I’m kind of like Carrie - kind of! My life is just one movie scene after the other!

You see, Carrie plays the starring role in SATC, but really her character is just a small part of something bigger.

In likening myself to Carrie, I considered that actually, Ms Bradshaw Mrs Preston, didn’t write SATC – Candace Bushell and Michael Patrick King did. Sarah Jessica Parker didn’t make Carrie’s character up, Candace did! Carrie didn’t even film it – someone else did!


Carrie is just in the middle of it all. Carrie isn’t even the only person in the movie….what about all the other strategic characters….? They’re important too right? Without them, who would Carrie lunch with? Who would she have fun with? Who would she cry to? Without the other characters, the movie would just be Carrie – talking to her laptop. So, like Carrie in SATC – in my movie life, I’m supported by a fantastic ‘cast’ – of friends, family and random strangers who seem to say or do the right thing at the right time!


Like Carrie…I’m not the only one here (duh!) I didn’t make myself and I didn’t write my life so far…and actually, I’m not really directing the future either… Sure every now and again, I’m afforded some leeway to improvise, to make it up on the spot, to do what I want to do BUT when it boils down to it, I simply am not running this show – God is.


Not the most profound analogy…but it works for me.

So now all I need is a set of practical tips for remembering that I am just Mrs O and that I am not the director! It’s such an easy thing to say, but how do you actually do that?!






Mrs O
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Everybody wants to be my Uncle: Failure (?) no.2...reflections...

Today, I had my PhD viva - I didn't get a definite 'pass' - OUCH!

3 and a half years of research, only to be asked 'what exactly is your scientific contribution to knowledge?'.... hmmm.... it was like taking a bullet to the heart. I can still feel the burn hours later...

I defended my thesis and I was able to convince my examiners of my knowledge, of my contribution, of the fact that I hadn't wasted 3 and half years of my life and that I wasn't wasting their time at that very moment. The result was basically that my work was fantastic (toot toot), my understanding was brilliant - BUT (and it's a big BUT), my actual thesis did not demonstrate my level of understanding - apparently, I had 'undersold' my work... the irony!

Let me explain something, I am no quitter and am certainly not 'used' to dealing with failure. I have always been a borderline A/B student. I have mostly been able to tip the scale over and had pretty much secured a title as a straight A student - until today. The first thing that I ever (and I mean EVER) failed was my first driving test (I also failed my second driving test - but that's another story for another day).

So, what do you do when you feel a failure?

Do you cry? Well in this case - yes I cried (and yes, I'm not ashamed to admit to cyberspace that I cried during the actual viva!!!) - why? I'd been given an opportunity to make my write up even better? I'd been given more time to 'fix' my thesis. It was like a 'get out of jail free' card. Surely I should've been overjoyed?! Ummm - NO!  I was distraught, and I cried. I cried because I am not accustomed to disappointment. I don't 'do' disappointing people - I am the 'Golden Child' of my family, one uncle when describing me to a much loved cousin said:

'everyone wants to be her friend; everybody wants to be her boss; everybody wants to be her Uncle!'

Hilarious statement if ever I heard one! Aside from family relations, I am the superwoman amongst my friends, the 'go to person' at work. It gets to a point when people say such nice things to you, that you actually believe them! Or do you? I became a victim of my own hype?! Yet when it came to 'hyping' myself up in my thesis, I had undersold myself! sigh....goshdarnitdammit!

Alas, I am invincible!

Despite my shock and disappointment, I am pleased to have been stopped in my tracks. To be forced to re-evaluate, not my thesis per se - but re-evaluate who the h*ck is in control here? For the last 2 weeks, I had been feeling really calm about my viva, in fact, worryingly so. I almost felt as though it was all out of my hands...that it was beyond my control...so instead of re-reading my thesis, I was 'thinking' about it. But, yesterday, I lapsed, I stopped thinking and started reading - big mistake! 'Reading' fooled me into thinking that I was in control...that I was the one who would determine my viva success (or non-success as it turns out!). I thought that if I read enough then I could make sure that I would pass. Of course, whilst reading, I realised that I had not read every single document ever written by any person in the world, and naturally, I started to panic - the viva palpitations had begun... (see Sunday's facebook update!)...

Luckily, in time for my viva, I got a grip and remembered, that having prayed for guidance - it was time to surrender the viva - to God.

As if by magic, the control has been snatched from my hands...(as if I had it anyway!) and I was forced to see that 'this is God's game..not yours'. And you know what, I am so very thankful for this lesson.

The thing that saved me in this viva, was all the stuff that I had thought about and not any of the stuff that I had read about. God saved me. I think that in future, I am going to wholeheartedly and consciously surrender everything to God. Not just say it, but actually do it..and I don't mean that kind of pretending that people do and then go on stressing about things anyway...  I mean really surrendering things...and by 'things', I mean EVERYTHING.

So, everybody apparently wants to be my uncle (LOL), but the truth is, I am invincible, I am not superwoman and God is totally TOTALLY in control here - and I prefer it this way.

Thank you JC for the reminder! Now all I need to do is master some practical steps, to make sure that I remember that I am 'too blessed to be stressed'....

Any tips?

Mrs O
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