Twas the night before Christmas....

and all through the house, the only sound that could be heard was the clink of the keys, as I type.... well not quiet how it goes but close enough :) .

Christmas has to be my favourite time of the year, with festivity everywhere...from Christmas lights, to trees, little ornaments and getting stressed about shopping. Christmas songs and Christmas cards and candles lighting constantly ....what could you not love about Christmas ?  It is beautiful .

Visiting family and friends with gifts, or just to catch up. Hot chocolate , candy canes , wrapping paper, fairy lights, prayers and wishes .

The tradition I love the most is for sure going to my nanas house every Christmas eve night and Christmas day. Listening to my aunts and uncles chat about random topics, help my nana as she subtly sneaks back into the kitchen to get something done for Christmas day, watching silly Christmas television after the Choir service .

I can hardly wait for tomorrow to come, to see my cousins , aunts and uncles. For more Christmas carol services and singing "Happy Birthday Jesus" with all of the Children tomorrow morning . Eat my weight in food and watch my niece opening more and more of her presents , then spend the rest of the evening in the greatest place in the world - my nanas.

While wrapping presents the other night , I read Jesus' Christmas party a few times before I had to wrap it for my niece , but it is super cute , and I am glad to pass it onto my little Lilly.
So the hot Chocolate has been enjoyed, the Christmas lights are sparkling , my nana is busy and everyone is happy and festive and it really is the most wonderful time of the year. <3

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold , everything is softer and more beautiful~ Norman Vincent Peale ♥ 

Pictures so far. 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

Wish I may...wish I might ....

 As I lay in my bed at silly of clock , with a million different things running around in my head , I decided to lift my curtains and glance at the night sky .... nothing too momentous in that but when the sky is full of fantastic stars then it does in fact have a rather stunning element to it .

  I just lay there as the minutes pass me by staring mystically at the star full night - as I watched and focused each star seemed to brighten before my eyes , each one twinkling in a different way , each one with a different kind of shine .

 Each in their little constellations which I don't pretend I know anything about - each shining on this cold winters night.

Then , across the sky flies a shooting star- how beautiful, how magical, how heavenly !

Star light,  star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Grant  this wish I wish tonight 

My wishes on stars are little prayers really - Why wish upon the stars when you can pray to the one who made them ? . 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

Thankfulness

     Last weekend I ventured up to Dublin to visit my friends . This was a big deal for 2 reason, firstly it was the first weekend I was not going home from college, which made me very sad indeed - being a complete home bird this was so strange- getting on a bus to Dublin rather then a bus home was weird....but I did it ! Secondly I have not seen these friends in rather a long time so it was more then fabulous to go and visit them for a weekend and catch up on life events since we last spoke. So mixed emotions were felt last Friday night but I immediately felt much better about being away from home when my friend Sarah came to get me from the bus and I got my first hug from her in a couple of months.
     I was welcomed when I walked in the front door by a very big hug from a lovely little boy . Mr.Cillian. and an equally warming hug from a slightly bigger boy Mr.Adam.  I must admit that I was looking forward to seeing these little kiddies, they have grown so much since I have seen them last but they are still young enough and lovely enough to give cuddles ...which I love. Sarah being a wonderful mommy knew that ,  it being my first weekend away from home that I would need some serious mothering , and mothering I got ! She showered me with food and warmth and comfort and I loved it .
     It is so fantastic to see old friends ! I was in Dublin particularly to see the choir Sarah sings in Perform , Contando were fantastic and the music was heavenly - but I also got to see other music friends that I usually only get to see once a Year, so that was also fantastic....But my favorite part of the weekend was probably sitting on the couch with a little Cillian giving me cuddles while we watched the TV with the family, or playing junior scrabble with the boys, simplicity at its best but super fantastic . Such a beautiful weekend with beautiful people

     Something else that I decided to do this week was to be a tourist in the town that I know (technically) live in .  I have now been going to college in Galway for about 10 weeks .  Before I decided to go to college there I had no recollection of ever being there. Now I live here the majority of the time therefore there seemed like no other logical thing to do then to get to know this place a little bit better , and get to fall in love with it a little bit more then I already am.
     So I ventured into the City snapping photographs of the Cathedral , the river, the streams , the little shops , the swans, Shop Street anything that I liked , anything that I thought was beautiful ....anything . I don't claim to be a photographer , but I do love taking photos - so being a photographer in Galway was fantastic , I loved it , but there are still many more places for me to discover in this beautiful City....good thing I am here for the next 4 years then ?!?

      But now I am home, I sit here typing this from the comfort of my own bed , in my own house and it is purely blissful . They joy in the familiar , the pictures on my wall, the books on my shelf ,the quilt , the smell of home - nothing is more perfect in my eyes .  Recently I find myself walking and suddenly a random smile will creep across my face, a proper full on smile...sometimes I even let out a little giggle. This is because I am so blessed to have things to smile about , people in my life that love me , and I love them , experiences that will stay in my heart forever , and good days just because . On the day after Thanks Giving  I realize I have so much to be thankful for - I am thankful that God has chosen to be part of me heart...to be my heart and that he has blessed me with wonder in my life. I am eternally Thankful.

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪ 

This is my winter song to you....!

I love seasons like this. Truth be told two of my favorite seasons are Autumn and Winter, as much as I love Summer and Spring also , there is something about red/orange leaves falling from the trees to the ground , bare trees , crinkling leaves and a chill in the air.

We have officially made the transition into winter , the air has started to get that little bit colder , when you can see your breath escape from your mouth and travel into the air you know that it is extra cold...to be honest I love that.  Few things make me happier then fluffy socks, big hoodies , jumpers, hats , scarves , boots , pjs,candles, hot water bottles and plenty of hot chocolate and tea ♥.

Something I love to do now is sit on the window sill with a cup of tea and look out at the world . Looking up at the stars that I only really get to see when I am home , without the street lights and glow from the city it is much easier to see them here, and I love it. I also love watching the rain fall from the sky , especially when I am not outside in it . The sound of it beat off the window and the roof is very harmonic and beautiful.

Last night I got to spend some well needed time with two of my dearest and oldest best friends. These girlies have been around with me for a very long time , since we were wee little things , but since they did an extra year in school , I don't get to see them as much any more because I am in college and they are still in school- so I miss them very much . So last night we got to eat lots of goodies, and they caught me up with all the goings on in our little town that I have missed out on . It's amazing the things that can happen when I go off to college for a few weeks. Spending the night relaxing with my two Lanes was much needed and I thank God that we have remained such good friends even with the distance between us.

So since I have been gone to college I have missed out on Christmas choir practice , so tonight for the first time I got to rejoin the choir and hear a few wonderful pieces of Christmas music for this year- This has just heightened the Christmas feeling in me, which to be honest I really didn't think was possible as I am already on a Christmas high. I have already started wearing Christmas cardigans , and have my cranberry chutney candle lighting ( which is good all year round but especially near Christmas ) . It was also really nice to get stuck back into music again, I had kinda forgotten what it was like to look at music on paper . Since I am no longer studying music in school ( which saddens me deeply) I had forgotten what it felt like to get stuck into sheet music again ....I love it - I got tangled in minims and crotchets and rest and it was beautiful ♪.

So winter is creeping upon us , Christmas time is coming , frost is near , cold is outside and fires are inside . So I hope you all are enjoying this fresh and cozy time of the year as much as I am . ...oh 'Have yourself a Merry little Christmas' just came on....bliss !!!

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

P.S. I have a personal favor to  ask of everyone who read or even just comes across this blog. One my oldest and dearest friends is ill at the moment. She told me today that she got results from some tests and things weren't quiet right - she will be fine and in a couple of years things will be back to normal again. She is in fantastic spirits and I thank God for that. But if you could pray for her I would appreciate that so much - she is a very special person and I love her so much ♥

When leaves are fallen....

I love Autumn, and everything it brings

when trees and beginning to loose their leaves and they fall...one by one to the ground, gently.

When branches become bare... 

       

...and the ground becomes full.

 

as the beautiful

reds and oranges of autumn show themselves

and miles to go before I sleep....

I walk to hear the crunching of the leaves beneath my feet

  each leaf different and brilliant.

a drop of dew fall.

 Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

Home ♥

Friday

I walk in the sound of my mother calling my name, my father following behind me having brought me from the bus. I drop my bags and automatically breathe a sigh of relief…home , finally !

It’s the little things for me that make me feel relaxed again, makes me feel back to normal in my cozy little house. The sight of my room exactly the way I left it last week, my photos , my books and bits and bobs that together give a picture of who I am.

The smell of vanilla candle burning in the bathroom and the delicious aroma of milk and honey hand-wash that lingers long after I have left the room.

I have quite a few quirks, one being that I love to come home and put on a big hoodie or cardigan and relax, this is not the most attractive sight, but my word is it comfy . Comfort is vital – the little things go a long way. I kneel at the edge of my bed, saying my prayers before I go to sleep, a thing I do at college…but the prayer always seems to much more in tune when I am at home, maybe I feel more focused , closer to God. When I am here my heart is in it that little bit extra when I am at the edge of my own bed.There is nothing like crawling into your OWN bed after leaving it for a week…. it excites me…sad as it might sound, but it really does. I pull the covers almost all the way up, until only my eyes are uncovered and I look up to the winnie the pooh lamp shade that is hanging from my roof. I am an 18 year old child.

Saturday

I love Autumn . I love the fresh crisp feeling of October air, the leaves falling from the trees daintily and gracefully and landing on the cold ground .  I love getting to wear big cardigans and boots and scarves and hats . I love how when my breath escapes of lips outside, the cold air reacts to the warmth of my breath and for a moment makes my air visible, I’m sure there is some scientific term for this, but for me this is cool and beautiful . It takes my breath away….

Another perk about coming home from college is seeing my niece, getting a big bear hug from her as she runs through out front door into my arms. I am now no longer aunty Aoife , or Aoife but I have gradually become Eef – cute.

Visiting my nana is one of my favourite parts of being home also. Her house at this time of year constantly smells of baking – Christmas cakes and Christmas pudding , the combined smell of cinnamon , mixed spices, almonds and whatever else she puts into the mixture . Sitting down with my nana drinking tea as she asks me how my week was, is what makes my week. No one makes tea like my nana. Truth be told one of the things I miss the most about home is seeing my nana every day, but it makes the times I do see her all the more special, sitting in her kitchen drinking tea , eating chocolate cake and talking to her , my dad and my aunties is so special and so worthwhile.

So I sit here, in my pjs, fluffy socks, a big cardigan and a cup of tea , embracing everything that is autumn and home. Sitting on my window sill gazing out at the night sky , the stars twinkle above me something I can’t see in the city , something that makes me feel at home.  The lights of my town radiate an orangey glow in the distance, far enough away as to not interfere with my stars .

All of this is what makes me remember that Home really is where my heart is. 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

As the sun sets ...

So something that is really annoying is when you are stuck in a moving vehicle when the sky is doing something beautiful. At present I am sitting on a bus , at sun set and it just happens to be one of the most beautiful sunsets I have seen for a very long time. I would love nothing better than to be outside taking pictures of the beautiful God made creation, but that is not how it happens to be.  I guess this sunset wasn’t meant to be captured, just watched in awe.

I watch on as the castle in Adare looks almost pink in colour as the sky glows its orangey pink colour, the sky is almost perfectly reflected in the river ,with just  a ripple of the water here and there.

This is stunning. Glorious.

The clouds are illuminated perfectly , this is a masterpiece by God. The heavens are telling the glory of God.

There is a plane just floating in the redness of the sky now, I wonder who is in that plane , where are they going to , or coming from, and what does this sunset look like from up there ?

When I was younger I always thought that every plane, no matter where it was going to or coming from had to pass over my nanas house. I’m not sure why, I think it was because whenever I was playing outside I would notice these planes in the sky, wondering about the people in them, what adventures they were heading for – It was a thing of innocence .

These were my thoughts last week while on the same bus I am on now, heading for home. The sun is shining brightly through the windows once again but a week has passed in-between. The thoughts of a girl on the road, how insignificant my words are, but I write them anyway, because I can.  So as I sit here legs crossed, raindrops drying on the window and a paper cup of cold tea beside me, I venture home once more…and I can’t want .

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

My rambling thoughts ….

You know in movies sometimes you see aspiring writers, or authors sitting on buses or in cafes writing , penning or typing words, waiting for them to form into something magical, something wonderful , something everyone would want to read. Well, I imagine that’s what they are thinking, who am I to assume that’s what they want. For me I don’t know if it’s like that. Sure I adore writing, but I don’t set out in the beginning for it to be something I want everyone to read. I am not expecting to get a writing deal from my blogs , somehow I doubt that someone from a publishing company looks forward to the latest installment of what I have to say about my life. I write because I love to write, it’s not like I write about anything too out of this world, everything that I type is pretty basic, but that doesn't stop me doing something I love.

Right now I am sitting on a bus home from college, as much as I love college , the people, the new adventures the new lease on life, I still get so excited about coming home every weekend . Coming home to see my family, my old friends,  the people who mean so much to me. So as much as I hate bus journeys I know that it will end soon and I will be home.

There is something about the familiar that makes me so happy. I am about 20 minutes away from home now, the moon is promptly beginning to peek out behind some clouds , even though it is still relatively bright outside. That is something that always confused me when I was younger. I could never really grasp why the moon could be out before it was dark, or at times could be seen when I got up in the morning. I can’t say I exactly understand why that happens now, but I have come to accept it. I guess we all do that about a lot of things in life. We don’t really know why some things happen  , but we just accept it and move on . Sometimes I wish I was more inquisitive about some things  , like when I was little- asking why, when, who , what ??? Always wondering , always wanted to know more. It’s not that I have given up , but I have relented and taken things for what I think they are, and not question it as much anymore.

So as I sit on this bus, swiftly approaching my town, my home, I look at the red sky setting over the trees and hills ahead of me, I look at the wind mills in the distance and the trees beside the road. I delight in the known, I exult that the lord has blessed me with a home to call my own.  I don’t question it, I take it for what it is ,and I’m glad.

Please excuse the ramblings of a wandering college girl .

                                                                                     Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪      

Just one out of 18,000 !!

Hello.... :) 

Since I haven't written here in a little while I decided to take this time, while I have it to write something, while I have a few thoughts in my head.... because lets face it , I am now a college student so who knows how long any thoughts will stay in my head. 

So I am now in my 2nd week of college , and I still have to stop in my tracks walking around the college and think to myself...." I'm actually in college , how did this happen?? ". I just cant believe it sometimes. If you had said to me this time last year that I was going to be studying arts in Galway in a year I probably wouldn't have believed you . Probably because this time last year, I was a very panicked 17year old, freaking out about a new school, so many people, an unwelcome change (on my part) and a year with work that was piling on top of me , so much so that I couldn't see where things were headed , I was going day by day and generally trying to stay up with the rapid pace of a final year and big change. 

But ...here I am, a year later....in Galway!! Sitting on my bed in the room I will be living in for the next year , wondering when did this all happen, and how did it happen so fast ? At times sure , leaving cert year felt like it was dragging , and so many times I wished I was not in that school anymore... at times I would have given anything to be gone to college or anywhere to be away from that place . But now looking back I can not believe how fast that year went , how everything that I was freaking out about came and went and I survived it all and came out the other side better because of all that mayhem . 

So right now, I love college, I love pretty much everything about it . The people are so kind and so nice, everyone smiles here , and I love that because I smile at everyone so its really nice to have that reciprocated every now and again , I love the societies , the clubs, the lectures ( most of them ) the individuality ....pretty much college life in general . It is awesome , and I can not imagine myself in any other university then Galway   right now.... I am so glad this is how it all worked out !!

..........

But today I realized something , today it kinda hit me how my life has changed before my eyes and its just kinda creeping up on me now. I got a phone call today from my friend and my music teacher , they needed help setting up the piano because they didn't know how to do it .  Instinctively I was panicking trying to sort it out over the phone , talking about wires and plugs and whatchamacallits and thingamajigs , but then when it was all sorted and panic at both ends of the phones had subsided I thought about it . I now live 2 hours away from home, 2 hours away from my old school and my teachers and some of my friends . Obviously I knew this but it kinda came into context today.  My music teacher decided to ring me , because she needed my help.... that made me feel so amazing and so special. This person who I look up to needed me to help her do something even though I wasn't there. To feel needed like that , and to feel special and wanted like that was amazing for me. For the first proper time since I have gotten here I felt home sick. I missed seeing my teachers, I missed my family, I missed my friends, I missed going into a school where everyone knew who you were , be it by association, by recognition or even by " that girl who runs around the place doing things " . I have gone from a small school where everyone knew me , and knew what I was like and was willing to help....to being 1 out of 18,000 . I am now a grain of sand on a very big beach. The anonymity of it all frightens me! Sure , now I have the freedom to be whoever I choose to be, but I think I chose to be who I am a long time ago, so I don't really plan on changing that anytime soon . Really it just occurred to me today that something that I did, even if it seemed to be small , helped someone along the way...so much so that they ring to find out what it is that I did do.  
So I rang my music teacher again this evening to make sure everything was alright and all ready for tomorrow , and it was awesome talking to her, it was strange hearing her talk about something that I used to be such a big part of , and that I am heartbroken to miss, but most of all ...it was touching and special to hear her say that she missed me !!! As much as I love college and everything that comes with it , right now I am home sick . 
I miss everything about home right now - especially being just Aoife . 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

The new chapter - College

This week marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life - not to sound cliche or anything but it really is.
I have, at this very moment in my life put 13 years of education being me . That is a lot ! But yet , here I am about to venture into another 4 years of education , but this time it's different. This time it is bigger then it has ever been before.

Firstly, my transition from primary to secondary school was quiet literally a step across a road, that's pretty much what I had to do, change uniforms, get new teacher walk across the road! It was, at the time a massive deal to me and my classmates of course, but compared to this transition it was a piece of cake.

Now, I have moved. I am now in Galway, a different county, a different province then I am used to . I am specializing in subjects that I actually have an interest in, rather then ones that I had to do for the sake of an exam. I am living on my own, without my mommy and daddy taking care of me, I have to take care of me!! It is without a doubt a scary experience , but totally exciting too ! Despite the fact that the volume of people and the size of this college is so overwhelming , I love it - I completely love it .

I feel like I am on one big adventure ..... life is an adventure ! This happens to be one of my first really big ones ! A wise person once said " The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams " . My dream ever since I was small was to go to college , now I'm here and I couldn't be happier . Of course packing some of my stuff from the room I have lived in for the last 18 years of my life was strange, setting up a new room somewhere complete different without my parents was strange ( and upsetting ) being a proper adult is strange- but it is all a wonderful strange . I can safely say that this is going to be the most exciting , most interesting chapter of my life so far and I can't wait to see what God has in store for me .

The chapter so far : 

So far, I have fallen in love with the City I will be calling home for the next 4 years. The buzz around Shop Street as you walk down it is amazing.  Men playing upright pianos in the middle of the street, people painting picture and musicians standing on railings  . The fact that I am in a city and do not have 2 fields either side of me with bellowing cows ( yet there remains to be " cows that say beep " ) , everything being so fantastically friendly - it is fabulous, and I am in love .

I have spent more time with my best friend and her fabulous sisters , which is epic. They have taken me under their wing so to speak and I couldn't be more blessed with such fantastic friends in my life.

I am experiencing God in a whole new way....and I kinda love it ! My faith has been woken up somewhat recently . In a way I have been praying for. I feel alive , enriched and inspired! It is something I am going to have to really think and pray hard about now. But I am thankful that I am experiencing my faith in a whole new way.


To put in simply - I love it here , I love college !

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

As summer draws to a close

This summer has been one to remember ...for many reasons - But I am not going to recap on all that now!

Yesterday was in most ways the end of my summer holidays. Although I have a few days left before I start at college ( ahhh ) those days will be filled with unknown tasks and getting to know my new surroundings ... so yesterday was the last day of fun before all this scarily exciting stuff begins. 

I spent this last day with very special people. To start off the day I went back to my secondary school to see my dear teachers....post Leaving Cert. I hadn't seen many of them since the whole exams/ results so it was a fantastic reunion . Speaking to them no longer as their student, but now as a friend made me feel so grown up , and yet so very humble , that these people whom I have respected so highly the past 5 years of my life now speak to me like an adult . It was wonderful getting to see them all again .

Following this my evening was to grow even more eventful ! I spent the rest of my day with my best friend, her darling little sister and her parents :) . My second family minus 2 . I couldn't think of a better way to end my summer then fixing i-pods, climbing trees, searching tree houses, swinging on swings , playing with stones, taking many many pictures and having the most fun I have had for a while in the company of a wonder friend. 

So before I venture off into a few adventures of my own ... as one chapter end , another is beginning and I can't wait to see what this adventure has to bring ! But no matter what, the adventures I have with my friends will always have a special place in my heart !! 

 

                                     

I love my best friend ♥

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.’” 

                                            ---- C.S. Lewis 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

                        

Sun Showers

I love that rain that only last a little while but is simply perfect. Those showers of rain that come at the most unexpected times , but seem to fit perfectly into the day. Those showers that you just want to run out under the rain , look up to the sky and smile , as the chilly raindrops fall heavy , yet softly on your skin.... I know this because that is exactly what I have just done.
  As the sun was preparing to set at the west of my house this evening ...a sun shower appeared out of no where , to liven up the air, to remind the earth that the most magical things can happen at the most unexpected times.... I mean who ever expects it to rain when the sun is shining ?!? But it is just like magic. The rain began to drum on the driveway of my home, the rhythm is something you couldn't remake, just listen to and enjoy.
 It was that kind of rain you notice, not another regular shower that Ireland is famous for....this was different . I immediately stopped what I was doing and went to the window , watching each drop race to the grown and rest there ... I put on the closest shoes I could find and ran out my front door. To my dads confusion I just stood there , getting wet, but loving it ! Twirling as the rain fell onto me, watching the drops fall onto my skin.

the rain gathered in puddles , each drop sending a new ripple in the water, so simple, but truly beautiful . It amazes me how stunning the world is , you don't need to see the northern lights or the alps to see that beauty, to appreciate true beauty you just need to look out your window... Look what God has created .

 

Nothing like a rainbow to excite me...just like it did as a child. 

And then....when all is done , and each drop has fallen to the ground....the puddle rests , to reflect the sky that just open in abundance . 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

It has been a while !!

So much has happened in the past few weeks that I haven't had time to write here....as much as I wanted to the moment never felt right.  Since I started this blog in January I find that , when I'm in certain situations I think to myself  " I must blog about this " ... this has happened me several times during the past few weeks, but when I sat down to do it nothing deep or meaningful came out ( not that it ever does) . But now I feel I must write something, if only to get rid of this summer writing block I seem to have picked up.

Last time I was here I was awaiting the results of my exams, painstakingly waiting for the results that determined whether or not I was going to college....so as you can imagine a lot of anxiety came with the wait.  Spending hours pacing the floor , praying , crying , praying some more. Restless nights and early mornings where spent worrying ....and when I look back on it now it really was just for a sheet in an envelope. I mean yes, what was on that sheet was important at the time for sure, but what you get does not define who you are. I would much prefer to be remembered as a nice person then for what I got in my results .
Anyway.... so yes all the waiting and worrying turned out to be all for the best. I am officially a college girl , along with the majority of my friends . Heading to beautiful Galway to study and I couldn't be happier . I have fallen in love with the city and the college and can't wait to start this new adventure. I am of course also terrified of this new experience ahead of me ...moving away from home , new college, new people everything will be very different but it is so exciting . God will be there to guide me .

In other news , I got to spend some much needed time with my cousin Lisa this weekend. Lisa lives in England and doesn't get to come home to Ireland too often, but when she does the excitement and celebrations are fantastic . She inspires me so much , she is so kind,caring,sweet and she has been through so much , yet she continues to have that beautiful smile on her face . There is nothing like a squeezy hug from Lisa and aunty Hannah to make you feel better..... nothing .

My Lisa ♥

Nothing like the bond of family to hold you together

So very exciting times ahead , and some fantastic memories made with family and friends alike. God bless the road ahead, where ever it might lead . 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

Reminiscing & Nostalgia

I sit here now, at my desk in my room , facing the window and looking out at a pitch black sky. It is not yet time for the stars to appear, but I imagine that tonight the sky will be full of beautiful little lantern like stars, dotted at every available part of the night sky....the sky is everywhere and tonight I think the stars will be everywhere.

While I write the smell of cranberry chutney yankee candle is filling my bed room , a pleasure I so adore. My candle sits on the window ledge, it is still warm enough to have the window open , so the flame gentle dances with the breeze entering my room, swaying from left to right ...... it is the simple things in life I adore the most.

Today I finally finished cleaning my bed room. I don't mean that usual quick dust and tidy up the things that have been taken out of their normal spot....I mean full on proper cleaning my room, wardrobes ,presses, book shelves the lot!!! So time consuming, but when it is all finished and everything is in its new rightful place it is also so worth it . I love it when my room is neat and tidy , when I know where everything is and have things in the order that I like... I am, you could say a tiny bit of a neat freak when it comes to my room, I hate when its messy and when I cant find what I'm looking for , so now that it is perfect , I am a very happy camper .

The process of cleaning my room is slow, but slow because I want it to be. Sure I would love if I could click my fingers and it would all be magically done for me , but I really do enjoy the process too. While clearing off my press I find little gems that had slipped my mind , receipts from a shopping trip with my Best friend, that little piece of a poem I scribbled down months ago on a post-it and then forgotten about, notes from people, and most importantly my letters. The letters I have are something I hold very dear. Envelopes and envelopes scattered on different shelves of my book case, from very dear people. Letters from my best friend, letters from the past, letters from someone I will never receive a letter from again. Every letter brings different stories, different occasions, different times in both mine and my correspondents lives . I keep them all , because they are all important , and they all mean so much to me. They make me nostalgic ,and I love nostalgia.

Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: You find the present tense and the past perfect.

P.S. The first star has appeared :) 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪ 

The Laughter of a Child

After a rather long , stressful and upsetting day , I returned home this evening to find my niece running around my busy house . Hearing "Auntieee Aoifeee" and having a child run at you is a truly uplifting thing. Immediately I felt so much better then I did before I walked through that door.  


Presently my house is a bit of a building site, we have been renovating our bathroom all this week . I say we, I really had no part to play in this process at all- I stand back , watch and make sure I don't get in anyone's way ( I am good at this job though :) )  . This process is finally coming to an end thankfully , but with new bits and bobs being installed comes many box's .....can you see where this is going ? Yes, I have spend my evening playing in a cardboard box with my niece... and I haven't had that much fun for a while . 


 I changed out of my black dress into a tracksuit and a cardigan and I was ready to play . Lilly , my fantabulious niece decided that her aunty Aoife was going to be shipped off to China for a while. I have this evening traveled to China a few times, sometimes with Lilly on board, sometimes she was the one on the outside laughing at me and closing up the box. Whatever it was, it was hilarious, i was tickled,she was tickled , we giggled and giggled and giggled a little more. ( My sister took great pride writing this on the box >>
"please do not return" ) 

The laughter of a child is so amazingly healing. Today was difficult , but with the help of my almost 3 year old niece it was a little bit brighter by the end of the day - Thank you Lilly bean , I love you. 


On another note, Today in Esther day. Now I assume many of you do not know what this is ...so let me explain , because I feel the more people know the more we can make this world a better place. Esther Grace Earl was born on August 3rd, 1994. John and Hank Green  honor her on her birthday, dubbed "Esther Day." On Wednesday, August 25th, 2010, Nerdfighteria lost Esther to metastasized papillary thyroid cancer.Let's all celebrate Esther Grace Earl: a shining star who never forgot to be awesome. Today would have been Esther's 18th Birthday - she was the same age as me , which is very scary. On her Birthday each year we try to honor her memory by telling people you love , that you love them , be it friends , family someone you have been meaning to say it to for a long time but never had the courage....now is the time. It was Esther's wish that people spread love and tell people how much they cared so everyone knew that they were important. In my opinion it should be Esther day everyday- Always tell people how you feel please. " This Star Wont Go Out "

Never forget to be awesome. 

  

To any of my friends reading this- I love you ! 

This star won't go out ! ♥

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

An Irish Summer

I sit here now , on the step of my front porch embracing this beautiful weather that has finally decided to grace us with its presence.  Most people would be rather bitter...."Where have you been sun?...We've been waiting for you to come for weeks now???" but no , I shall be happy to see it come and take it all in for as long as we have it, because knowing my country it probably wont be for very long at all.

When one wakes up to such a bright sunny morning , one cant help but be in a good mood . The curtains in my bedroom are very light , they are white and leave in any bit of light that appear...which is exactly the way I like it . I love the sun seeping into my room when it is bright outside...can you think of a gentler and nicer way to wake up every morning ? So this morning , as the sun lit up my room I woke up smiling and just hopped out of bed . Instantly happy , such a great feeling .

  I think it is an Irish thing , that when the sun comes out we get excited . Mothers wash every possible bit of clothing in the house to put out on the line , fathers decided the grass must be cut, cars are washed, people start gardening , some ( like me ) relax in the sunshine :) . We feel deprived from the heat and the sun most of the time that when it does appear we grab it with both hand and make the most of it... which is great, at least we appreciate what we are getting .

So now I sit here, under a blue sky , with a few white clouds dispersed around , listening to the branches on the trees rustling , the slight hum of traffic from the main road, which is far away as not to disturb ones train of though , but still close enough to remind this daydreaming girl that other things are going on around her. I hear the ringing of the wind chime just inside my front door sporadically sounding from the slight breeze  that is inevitable no matter how sunny it is here. That same wind is brushing through the curls in my hair , like gentle fingers . The birds are singing , the smell of freshly cut grass ( my dads handy work) is filling the air, which is a favourite smell of mine.

It feels so great to not have to wear shoes walking around all the time, especially outside , I have been taking full advantage of that today, walking outside on the warm concrete , my bare feet touching grass for possibly the first time this summer .... it is the simple things in life my friends.


 I sit here, Lizzy Bennet and co. keeping me company , with my sunglasses on and sipping cloudy lemonade. I am taking it all in , and I am loving every minute of it . I hope that where ever you are, the weather is just as lovely, and that you are having a wonderful day :) . 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪ 

P.U.S.H !

BEST FRIEND

Someone you can trust with your life who has seen the best and worst of you and will be there whenever you need someone to talk to. There is a balance in the relationship between give and take . You feel so in sync with them that you can comfortably share your innermost thoughts and feelings. This is what a best friend is - This is how I feel about my best friend . ♥

Pray Until Something Happens :) 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth ♪

Just some of my favourite quotes.....just because :)

• There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people my halves ; it is not my nature . ~ Jane Austen ♥
• I have chosen to be happy because it is good for my health - Voltaire 
• ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.~Jeremiah 29:11
• “Poets are always taking the weather so personally.”~ J.D. Salinger 
• "I will never leave you, I will never forget you."~ GOD
• The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can not read them ~Mark Twain 
• Don't forget to pray today, because God did not forget to wake you up this morning .
• I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it , but because by it I see everything else ~ C.S.Lewis . 
• “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
• Love never fails. Love without Limit 
• The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched . ~Helen Keller 
• “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”~ C.S.Lewis 
• The past can hurt, but the way I see it , you can either run from it , or learn from it .~ Rafiki (the lion king) 
• The Will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not Protect you . ♥
• Jesus does not ask that we care for others ,He demands it . ~Katie Davis 
• Listen to God in the silence of your heart and you will know his perfect plan for you ~Psalm 37:4
• There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so . ~ Shakespeare 
• A friend loveth at all times. ~Proverb 17:17 KJV ♥
• Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree , it will live its whole life believing it is stupid~ Albert Einstein 
• To love another person is to see the face of God ~ Les Miserables 
• There are far, far better things ahead then any we leave behind .~C.S.Lewis 
• The most wasted of all days is one without laughter. ~ E.E. Cummings 
• “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”~C.S.Lewis 
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.~Proverb 3:5-6
• May your life preach more loudly then your lips ~ William Ellery Channing 
• If what ahead scares you and what behind hurts you just look above , he never fails to help you 
• When faced with two choices , simply toss a coin. It works not because it settles the questions for you, but because in that brief moment when the coin is in the air , you suddenly know what you were hoping for. 
• “In the end, that Face which is the delight or terror of the universe must be turned upon each of us, either with one expression or the other”~C.S.Lewis 
• Every person’s life is a fairytale written by God’s fingers.
  -Hans Christian Anderson (1805-1875)
• It takes courage to grow up and because who you really are ~ E.E. Cummings 
• Fear can keep you up all night but, faith can make one fine pillow 
• You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and Love you . ~ Mr.Darcy 
• I have no special talents, I am just passionately curious .~ Albert Einstein 
• “Shakespeare might have met Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in the white streets of London, or seen the serving-men of rival houses bite their thumbs at each other in the open square; but Hamlet came out of his soul, and Romeo out of his passion. ~ Oscar Wilde, The Critic As Artist 1891
• “This above all,—to thine own self be true”~ Shakespeare , Hamlet 
• “Do not compare your love story with those in the movies. Those were made by human writers. Yours is made by God.”

This was a "just because" post... I love quotes and this is just a few of my favourite ones. 

Aoife Marie Elizabeth  ♪