Sunday 19 February 2012

Sunday morning, listening to music, drinking coffee out of a mug that says "Mr Happy" and thinking about all the great things about my life right now in London.

There are so many great, inspiring people that I get to spend time with! Every person has had different experiences and each one has interesting things to pass on. Yesterday I had coffee with a lovely girl from Finland and then got to spend the afternoon with my beautiful French friend shopping, eating french crepes and talking (I tried out my French but soon got stuck). We pondered on how life can be made so busy and complicated yet its the simple things we appreciate and remember the most.

Last night was girls' night with girl talk (mostly about boys), yummy snacks (I of course brought bananas and chocolate), nail polish and a whole mix of nationalities. We were together in London representing England, Germany, France, Colombia, HongKong, Holland, Bulgaria and a bit of Sweden. How cool is that?!

Last Friday I spent the night at my awesome American friend's place. She made scrummy apple pancakes for breakfast the next morning and we talked about God and small glimpses we have had of who He is. Its so amazing when we get to see even a tiny bit of how great and full of love He is. Its like another reality, so much deeper and more beautiful than the world we can see. Everything else around fades in comparison. She really inspired me to keep seeking out God and listening for His voice in my everyday life. Its not always easy but it is so worth it!

I love staying in a beautiful room so close to the busy city but still in a calm, family area. I love all the new places I get to see and the new things I get to experience. We spent a few days out in the country and had mussels for supper one night which I tried for the first time. Delicious! I also love the fact that the sunshine is back! Hopefully this means spring is here to stay.

What really makes me smile right now is the fact that my darling little sister is coming to visit me next weekend! She is one of my favourite people in the WORLD and I get to show her some of the best parts of London (Starbucks, Hillsong and Brick lane). Whatever we end up doing I'm just looking forward to spending some quality time with her.

I love the fact that I have so much to be thankful for right here, right now!

Tuesday 7 February 2012

More from me

Hi everyone! Long time you no hear from me, so I have lots to tell you from the exciting life of being an au-pair. Well, you know, hopefully its interesting for you too.

On Friday afternoon we all got packed and bundled into the family's Range Rover for a weekend out in the country visiting relatives. We arrived at the house two and a half hours later and were met by the friendly butler. Seeing how a country house like that is kept was a new expereince for me. After leaving your bedroom in the morning, you can expect the bed to be nicely made for you on your return, the meals were all delicious, made by a talented chef, and everything was done just right and almost always by someone else.

I got to hang out with the two year old a lot this weekend who is such a sweet girl and fun company. We were bumping down the stairs on our bottoms, discussing what dolly was having for lunch and forever asking "do you need to do one on the loo yet?". I call her "Bumblebee" and she calls me "Hannah Panna".

Sunday morning we woke to a beautiful blanket of snow and I have to admit I was just as excited as the kids at the sight. We all had a disco in the 7 year old cousin's bedroom, breakdancing and spinning around at ten o'clock in the morning to Snoop dog and Rihanna. After another delicious lunch, finished off with a treacle tart , we packed everyone and everything into the car and headed back to London.
Yesterday was a pretty good Monday. Waiting for a friend at the tube station, I started talking to this guy from Texas who was also waiting for someone. We didn't say much before he found his friends and left. Then I had a nice lunch with two girls from YWAM that I know from Sweden and we caught up on all our news.
So today during my morning break I really felt like some alone time with my diary, a good book and a large decaf latte at Starbucks just to recharge and think some smart, deap thoughts. Who walks in? The Texas tube station guy from yesterday with a group of friends. We started talking again and turns out him and his friends are visiting from a Bible school in America and are connected with YWAM. I postponed my deap-thinking-alone time and joined in their conversations instead. It seems the world is a small place, either that or God just really enjoys connecting people for fun.

Been reading "The Screwtape letters" by C. S. Lewis lately, a great book written as letters from a demon to another about how to ruin people's lives. Sounds a bit strange I know but it is well worth reading. I just want to share a part I thought was really good;

"The man who truly and disinterestedly enjoys any one thing in the world, for its own sake, and without caring two-pence what other people say about it, is by that very fact forearmed against some of our subtlest modes of attack. You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the 'best' people, the 'right' food, the 'important' books. I have known a human defended from strong tempations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions."

What he is basically saying is to enjoy the things in life that you enjoy whenever you can. I like that. So now I'm leaving my computer to enjoy the rest of my afternoon off in sunny London. Cya!