Mike's musings

New nephew!

Bad me: I was thinking so much about our hospital visit that I forgot to add that Jim and Nina had a baby boy yesterday: Frank Peter Osbourne (sp?) Bursell. Yay for them.

Labels: baby, family

EasyJet Ministry

(backposting) Got into Helsinki 10 minutes early at 0125 local, and got to my hotel a little fater 0200. My boss was _well_ impressed to discover that I was phoning him around 2 in the morning local time! Stuff to do, and I was in a taxi with nothing else to do, so why not?

Took a while to get to sleep, and up at 0840 for a breakfast with Harri, a colleague. 3 interesting meetings, and then back on a plane, taking off around 1855, arriving at 1955 local: 3 hours in the plane. I slept for about an hour, and then woke up.

Next to me was David (hi, David!), a photographer. I asked him about his book, he told me about it, and then noticed mine (Tim Gorringe's formidable Furthering Humanity: A Theology of Culture). He asked me about it, and I told him that I'm training for ordination as a priest. What followed was a fascinating discussion, which we dubbed "EasyJet Ministry", although we weren't on an EasyJet flight, and EasyJet would probably dislike the term. But it sums it up: I quite often have discussions about ministry, church and theology on these trips. You have an hour or two tops to discuss where you're coming from, and to talk about your beliefs - both of you.

David's "not a churchgoer", but he has a strong belief in a purposeful creator, and he thanks Him/Her/It pretty much every day for the beauty he sees around him and for the life he lives. He's turned off by churches ("I think 'cold, uncomfortable, unwelcoming'"), and his view of priests is as being out of touch and unlike him. We discussed where I'm coming from, and how I feel strongly that part of my ministry (alongside this kind of interaction) is to be doubting, clear, and honest about my faith to people like me. It was interesting to see how little - but how much - someone from outside the church knew about the Church of England. We discussed doctrine (including justification by faith alone, one of my favourite topics!), Hell (not literal, thanks), the authority of scripture, tradition and experience, and a variety of other topics, including architecture and music. I think that he's now more open to the church as a possibility for him, and I hope he'll be reading this blog. If so, David, please comment from your point of view!

David was very excited to hear about what we're doing in SecondLife, and alternative expressions of mission. Maybe he (and others like him) can be prevailed upon to visit the cathedral we've built, and maybe even attend a service.

Anyway - I felt that I'd been honest, and that being so had at least helped David to realise that the church can be at least a bit relevant to him and people like him (and me). I felt affirmed and strengthened in my ministry. Thanks be to God.

And a baby!

D had a baby today: Lotte. I found out via an MMS once I got off the plane. 5lb, healthy. Hallelujah!

Labels: baby, ministry, theology, travel, work

Tomorrow - baby

Tomorrow we need to be at the hospital at 0730. We'll have a new baby by the end of the day, God willing. Please pray for us.

Labels: baby, prayer

Rethink

As I think I've blogged previously, Moo's been booked into Colchester General Maternity for Tuesday, 17th of April for a caesarean section. That's fine: we've had her parents booked for a while, we've both worked out what we're doing about m/paternity leave with our employers, all that sort of thing. So, when the midwives rang from the hospital this morning, we couldn't think why. I turns out that they're rather busy on Tuesday: would Catherine mind coming in this Friday, instead?

So, we're going to have the baby on Friday, instead.

Labels: baby

Hospital appointment

Off to the hospital. Baby's big (surprise, surprise), so they decided to do a scan. Moo's currently 35 and a half weeks gone. The measurements were:

• head measurement - 37 weeks, 4 days
• femur measurement - 37 weeks, 4 days
• abdomen circumference measurement - 40 weeks, 0 days

Pretty much like Jo, really. Current weight is estimated at 6lb 13oz (3.1kg). Yes, you read that right: coming up for 7lb. Don't forget that Jo was 9lb 8oz (4.3kg) at birth. Moo's really feeling quite uncomfortable now...

Back there next week. Currently expecting a C-section sometime in the two weeks after Easter, but we'll see.

Labels: baby, Moo

39 weeks

We had a hospital appointment this morning at Colchester, because Mum's tummy is rather big. We were a bit late being seen, but the consultant was very nice, and very unconcerned by Moo's size, given her history. But the plan is now definitely a C-section at 39 weeks. So, we've got a likely date - a week earlier than expected - and we know the method of delivery. That's fine, and it means we can plan a little more. We've got another appointment on the 21st March, and we should get a definite date then. All's well.

Labels: baby, Moo

Jo's new bed

Si and D came round today, and Si (and Morgan, a bit) and I put together Jo's new bed, the last piece of furniture for her new bedroom. We've been clean to get her into her new room as part of her "turning 2" (soon) celebrations, because we didn't want her to think that she was being turfed out of her current room by the arrival of the new baby. She slept in it for her nap this afternoon, and we made the decision to move her into it today. We went to see our friends Kirsty and Matt in their new (well, in July) house in Cambourne, and Jo had a lovely time, but we got back quite late, and she was therefore very sleepy. It meant that she went down quite quickly - we'd been concerned that she might be a bit over-excited. So, she's now in her first proper bed. She looks so _small_ in it.

The midwife came to visit this morning (coincidentally, arriving just before Si and D had to head off, so we didn't get so say goodbye properly). It was Debbie, who looked after us last time: she's not been around before for any of the appointments, and it was lovely to see her again. Moo's 29 weeks today or tomorrow. And measuring 36 weeks. She was measuring 34 weeks this time last pregnancy, and second babies do measure bigger, apparently, but still...

Labels: baby, friends, Jo, travel

Birthday/new baby preparations

(backposting) Still ill - really not well at all, but Jo's birthday's coming up, and we need to get her new bedroom ready, partly so that the new baby can have hers. So, I've had to do quite a lot, as there's a bunch of things (lifting, putting things together, reaching high stuff, carrying) that Moo can't do as she's pregnant.

Felt a bit better in the evening.

Labels: baby, illness

Another on the way

It took a little time, but as Moo gets to 26 weeks gone (and therefore the 27th week), we have some news. News that I'd been expecting, but it took a while. I was feeding Jo her supper - well, I was sitting next to Jo, as I read the Church Times as she fed herself, as you do, when she announced that she's got a baby in her tummy - in her womb (she was specific). She can also feel it moving and wriggling.

I suspect this is not unconnected with her feeling the baby move again today - and probably getting it for the first time. Anyway, it's very, very sweet, and clearly not the case, but that's fine. She's clearly engaging in the process.

Labels: baby, Jo