During the month of February …not only Summer… but this little space of mine celebrated a birthday. A year ago Phil encouraged me to start MrsRuthbyRuth, an online journal of mostly pictures with a few thoughts thrown in along the way.

Although I am not very consistent or regular with posts I have begun to appreciate the beauty in sharing our journey. If for nobody else, ourselves. Countless times Phil and I have looked back as a couple and now as parents on all those beautiful moments and opportunities we have been blessed with, from the countryside in Northern Ireland to a little apartment block in China.

I guess you could say this has become our digital storybook. Now before there’s any confusion let me make something very clear. I choose what I share carefully. I neither wish to share everything nor do I have complete freedom to do so. Pictures can be deceiving. Often I have caught myself pushing those imperfections out of the cameras eye, but they are still there in our lives; a difficult day, missing family and friends and then there’s a huge pile of washing, dishes and now dirty nappies to add to the mix! Trust me we don’t always have it together.

Yet although life isn’t always a pretty square for instagram there’s always something to be thankful for. I want this space to capture our family and freeze some of those precious moments, so we can look back and remember. I want this to be an encouragement to us and our family many miles away. I want this to record Summer’s big and small milestones and rejoice in what He has done for us. I hope when Summer is older she can one day read these little ramblings of mine and see the love and joy we shared. I want her to know she was formed by God’s hands and placed in this world for His purpose. Summer you are gonna lead a very special life and we pray that it will be a beautiful adventure filled with love and stability wherever we are.

So I spent a little time scrolling through our past year and picked out some of our favourite posts…

1. Shoulder to Shoulder, learning more about one another and marriage.
2. Along for the Ride Part 1 and Part 2, enjoying some pretty countryside.
3. Saturday Pancakes, that little kitchen, that little Chihuahua.
4. Happy Friday with my Students, those faces.
5. This is Kirsty, a good good friend.
6. Apples and Autumn, that time we went apple picking.
7. 26 weeks, knowing I had a little one on board.
8. 12 Dates of Christmas/ 01, a festive family tradition.
9. Lady in Waiting, memories from Ireland and waiting on Summer’s arrival.
10. Summer’s Easter Tea Party, a day spent with family.