As another year rapidly comes to a close I find it’s time to try and give you all a breif review of our year as a family.
If only I could be a more consistent blogger then I could simply point you at all the relevant posts! But consider this our way of being a little bit greener by not printing out 100′s of pages to send to all family / friends – and what’s more, it will still be here long after Christmas if you want to check something.
Health:
We all remain in good health with only minor (or should that be common) issues affecting us. 
The other issues, such as Coel’s infant IBS is on-going and the experts in Bridgend and now Cardiff remain baffled. Jenna’s asthma remains stable and her allergy to the hair on animals and fluffy toys isn’t helped by her ever expanding collection of them! Owen, we think, is mostly well but who really knows what a teenage boy gets up to at University. I had two prolapsed discs this year, but some intense pill popping, chiropractic and accupuncture along with time on my inversion table and starting regular exercise brings me (at this point) to a stage where I’m mostly pain free – not something I’ve experienced in over 25yrs. Kathryn had a scratched cornea due to an accident involving one of Coel’s fingers – this requires antibiotic drops from time to time when it gets infected and flares up.
Holiday(s):
We’ve been fortunate as a family to spend time in Teneriffe at the apartment that belongs to the parents of our good friends Steve & Helen Martin. Steve & Helen were also there along with their children and whilst sleeping arrangements were “interesting” we thoroughly enjoyed our time. For Kathryn & I it was a return to the place we took our honeymoon – I’d always vowed I’d never return …. but what do I know?
Six weeks later found us, courtesy of Tesco clubcard vouchers, spending a week at Hafan y Mor Haven Holiday Park. Again we had Steve, Helen & family along and a good time was had by all.
Kathryn and the children also headed off on what had become an annual jaunt to Faith Camp 09 – I couldn’t make it this time round but Owen once again did me proud on helping set the caravan up. Next year, for various reasons, Faith Camp is being replaced by RiverCamp.
The family briefly returned home to wash and touch base with me before heading off to the South coast and a week in Bournemouth – again with the caravan. Finally Kathryn’s mum took them all away for their annual October half term sojourn – this time for a week in the gorgeous Wye Valley.
Birthdays:
Coel turned 7, Jenna 9, Owen 20, myself 46 and, well it’s not polite and Kathryn’s trying to deny it. For my part I don’t feel 46 but Owen turning 20 and my not being able to call him “my teenager” anymore does make me feel old. I realise I have a young man as a son!
Education:
All, eventually, are doing well at school and university. I say eventually as Owen had too much fun in his first year and eventually managed to fail it overall – and being the way these things work he has to resit the entire year again. However he’s taken it on the chin, found a new attitude towards it and is now doing pure Computer Science. His current plans are to complete his CS degree and then take Physics at Swansea later. Time will tell.
Jenna is developing into a writer. She loves to make up stories, plays, magazines and this can be seen in her school work as well. This year she undertook a project on the Tudors with minimal guidance / input from either of us and got glowing comments from her teacher. She’s also thrown herself into tag rugby, netball and learning the violin [note to self - must take earplugs from work home] – she’s represented the school a number of times at tag rugby and the team were even promised to be on Sky TV running out as match mascots for the Welsh Rugby League team. Due to some idiocy on the part of Bridgend Rugby Club it didn’t quite happen but Coychurch won all their games and for the smallest school in the borough can be proud of themselves.
Coel is our fun-loving builder, inventor and mathematician. Already he can do Jenna’s sums quicker than she can and we frequently have to settle a familial dispute when he answers before her! He continues to excel at making up jokes – some truly funny and (to me) unique whilst others are just bad but at least it shows he’s thinking. It’s freaky how a like he is to his older brother at this age and a recent discovery of some pictures of Owen reveal just how like each other they are. Coel has taken up full contact rugby and a recent highlight was getting Wales and Lions legend Rob Howley down to coach them for an afternoon.
Church:
We are in a weird place with our Church. Kathryn joined me this year in dropping all leadership responsibilities and whilst I won’t share the reasons I will say that we aren’t happy at present. Specifically we aren’t happy with certain aspects but we are still there, still keeping the faith and still trusting in God to show us the way forward.
For the first time I can recall in a long time, this Christams Kathryn is only singing and playing an instrument at her parents church – she’s even persuaded our friends Steve & Helen to help out as (for entirely differing reasons) they too are disaffected with the church as well.
As I said, it’s a weird place we’re in but …. watch this space.
Other Stuff:
In an effort to do more organised family things and because it helps to get the children away from the TV we’ve undertaken some extra, extra-curricular activities. As a family we’ve started geocaching – which is described as a high tech treasure hunt. In short, people hide “caches” which typically include a logbook and goodies. The idea being you hunt out the cache, log your find and then take / leave goodies. See my post here for more on this.
Additionally myself, Jenna and Coel have taken up a martial art. For my part I know I need to improve my fitness and I don’t do going to gyms or running (too lonely and boring) and secondly I want the children to undertake a martial art that involves a whole body philosophy of training both mentally and physically. On my part I’ve long wanted to take up a more “offensive” martial art as judo was always my thing. Anyway, we’ve taken up Tang Soo Do and are members of the Traditional Tang Soo Do Federation of the UK – apologies for the ugly site but I hope to discuss this with M’am in due course.
Anyway – we started in September and at the end of November undertook our first grading. All three of us successfully attained our 9th Gup or yellow belt.
To Finish:
We want to say thank you to all our friends that have supported us this year either spiritually, emotionally, mentally or physically – in some cases all four. We do love you all and pray God’s richest blessings on you wherever you may be and wherever 2010 may take you.
Do enjoy the festive season whatever your feelings, beliefs or ways of celebrating are and in closing let me leave you with a few quotes:
“Reflect on your present blessings
of which every man has many,
not on your past misfortunes,
of which all men have some.”
Charles Dickens.
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world,
and behold, everything
is softer and more beautiful.
Norman Vincent Peale
Blessed is the season which engages the
whole world in a conspiracy of love.
Hamilton Wright Mabi
And the angel said unto them,
“Fear not! For, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy,
Which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you:
Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, Lying in a manger.”
Luke 2:10-12
NB: just click on any picture to see it in a larger version!
