My glorious children

This is my 13 year old son Morgan (who is already the same height as his dad), ready for his 12 day training camp with the Diss Royal Engineers Army Cadets. He came back as the camp winner in Archery out of 300 other cadets.

This is my 2 year old daughter Turaya who is as bright and bubbly as her older brother Mason (pictured below).

This is my 10 year old (soon to be 11) son Mason. He is a real character, full of integrity, bold as brass and smarter than John and I put together. We have our work cut out with this one.

Mason, Turaya and Morgan last Christmas.

This is my latest addition to populating the Earth, little Vitoria. She is soooo cute and tiny and just sleeps, sleeps and sleeps. We have been blessed by God with our children. Thank you Lord!

Street Pastors in Norwich

On patrol with the Street Pastors in Norwich

BBC Look East has spent a Saturday night in Norwich with a group of Christians who help revellers when they get into trouble. It follows the sentencing of two brothers for the manslaughter of a banker while on a night out in the city.

John and I are both Street Pastors in Norwich although while I'm pregnant I'm intercessing instead. I can't wait to get back onto the streets and start caring for people again.

Sunny days

There's just something about warm sunny weather that makes me feel alive. Just like a flower that opens up, blossums and grows better in the summer. I always feel more energised and raring to go this time of year.

However, it annoys me that I don't feel this way on a cold, dark and damp day. That type of weather has it's benefits too, I just always seem to feel lethargic on those days.

Anyway, today is a lovely glorious day, but we're not doing anything or going anywhere because everything is too expensive and I'm not the walking type either unless it's on a beach or sometype of moutain range where I can see for miles.

Quick update, John has just come in from the garden and decided that we should all go swimming. We're going to a pool out of town because it's free for children, so now we have something to do on this glorious day that doesn't cost a bomb.

See ya, I'm off to get changed.

I'm traumatised!

I'm physically traumatised!

It all started during the night when I didn't have much sleep, which could have been due to my anxiety or excitement about my last exam today. Then at college, Emily wanted me to colour her hair which of cause is no problem because I know what I'm doing, but I only had a short time to foil her hair before I was due for a pedicure in the beauty department and I didn't want to be late, (I still have time control problems and it's really annoying when a client is late for an appointment and I didn't want to be one of those annoying clients). Anyway I was late, but only just.

Once I'd stopped squirming in my seat as the beautician performed her treatment on my feet and I got over the fact that she was also going to cut my toes, I started to relax and enjoy it. She did a great job and painted them a lovely red colour, which they will now be until I have the baby and I can paint them myself.

I was told my exam was at 1p.m. but when I arrived it was actually booked for 3p.m. Fortunately it was later rather than earlier. So my friends and I went for lunch, during which I decided I'd like my eyebrows waxed, something which I have never had done before. So I went to the salon reception to book the waxing and was convinced (bullied) into having my bikini line and arm pits waxed at the same time because the student still needed clients for these assessments. I reluctantly agreed and convinced myself at least it will look nice for the birth.

Anyway, by now it was 2p.m. and the student had less than an hour to do all three treatments so I could get to my exam on time. Without going into great detail about the treatments, it wasn't all too bad but I left the salon with just 5mins to go before my exam, bruised, sore, stinging but fuzz free.

To top all the trauma the exam was the most difficult I've had to do (mainly anatomy and biology) and there were a few questions we as a whole class were never taught. But due to elimination and logic I was able to work out the answers and passed, getting only one wrong. Wahoooo! No more exams or assessments.

Trauma, stress and anxiety over. Oh, apart from one day after half term when I'll be doing ear piercing, not on me though, I'll be doing it to others.

I like cutting.

This week I've finished and passed all my practical assessments in hairdressing. Just one more exam next week and then it's all over and I'm a fully qualified hairdresser, wahooo!

Even though I'm finished I still attend college and will do for another three weeks, mainly because we still have clients coming to the salon who need their hair done which is all good practice for me before I'm let loose into the real world with a pair of scissors and some chemicals. I will also qualify as an ear piercer. I can't wait to start sticking holes into people.

In the meantime, when I'm at college and there isn't anything for me to do I'll be taking advantage of the beauty therapy section of our department because each treatment will only cost me £1. Yesterday I had my first ever facial which was a very relaxing but also an unnatural experience. There's just something not quite right about having another female so close to my face rubbing it with oils.

Next week I'm have a pedicure, french manicure and my eyelashes permed. I've never felt so pampered and oh so vain.

It's not a couch, it's me!

I was supposed to intercede Saturday night for the Street Pastors in Norwich but this allergy I have has made me feel really ill lately and when I woke on Saturday morning I though I wouldn't be able to stay up all night praying, but I still wanted to go. But as the morning progressed and I felt worse it became clear that a decision had to be made. Either I'm going to go or I'm going to have to phone and say I can't make it.

In the end John made the decision and phoned to say I wouldn't be coming. I was so upset and angry that I couldn't go. I hate letting people down and I've been really trying to put my all into everything I'm doing lately. But I just feel like a big fat failure.

I know I'm pregnant and have an allergic reaction to something but there are so many other women out there with less energy, doing hard work. I believe I could better, I know I should do better, I know if I put everything into it I can achieve, but I just don't seem to be.

I've still got two more weeks at college then I'll be a qualified hairdresser, but I can't wash any one's hair anymore because my bump is in the way and I can't bend over because I get a back ache and soon I won't be able to reach people's head because I'm getting bigger.

The only thing I can do right now is continue to eat and say goodbye to the slim, ambitious, determined Tanya and sit and wait until I'm all hands and feet.

I'm poisoning myself

I have been physically ill many times during this pregnancy and I keep having reaccuring colds. I have one at the moment which seems to have affected my emotions (it's more than just pregnancy hormones), but it also feels like I'm poisoned. I don't like to hassle Doctors especially for colds and I only see one if I think something is seriously wrong with me, but I decided to see a Doctor today about this constant cold as I'm worried it may effect the baby.

At the consultation and after various questions and examinations from the Doctor, his diagnosis is that I have an allergy to something. Part of me was quite shocked as I've never been allergic to anything in my whole life, but I also thought the whole feeling poisoned makes sense now, because I really am, by my own body.

An allergy is an abnormal reaction by a person's immune system against a normally harmless substance.

My thoughts now are, exactly what am I allergic to?