The Half-way point

My littlest child, my precious baby girl, is six today! It feels like a significant point in my life. Ten years ago, I was seven months pregnant with my first child: I had no idea about motherhood, or home education. From when I got married I had always worked and earned and I was used to being independent. In ten years time, my youngest will be sixteen and my eldest approaching twenty. I am not naive enough to think that my mothering journey will be even close to being over: my eldest is adamant that he will live with us always (although my middle son intends to travel the world in a camper-van before settling in Spain to be near the oranges.) However, I can see that my life will be very different. I will be able to leave them unsupervised, I will be able to go for a run in the day, or arrange a day-time appointment, I will have more time to pursue my own dreams, perhaps even get a paid job again.
Ten years ago, I could not have imagined the person I have grown to be and I am excited to see where the next ten will lead me.


Meanwhile, some celebration pictures:
We had a day out at Hampton Court Palace (back in 1543). We dreamt up a stew,

and admired the fire. The 'fire-man' was kind enough to give it a stir and produce and impressive display of sparkles. This fire is just a token. On some weekends they cook Tudor style and the fire reaches a stupendous 1,000 degrees Centigrade. In Tudor times, one ton of oak would have been consumed per fire, per day.

They are still celebrating Henry and Catherine Parr's wedding, so we went to help Catherine and her sister chose the wedding gown. Some of it, of course, needed modelling: And King Henry himself was kind enough to pose for a photo with the birthday girl!