An advent reflection

Christmases 2007 and 2008 were full of wonder for Princess Morag. While she listened to the story of Jesus' birth, she was keenly aware of the new life growing inside her and felt a closer connection to the Christmas story than ever before. And suddenly Mary seemed to matter a lot more; she was not some side-line character - she was amazing, an inspiration, someone to be marvelled.

Motherhood binds women together in a way nothing else can, and the binding element is pain and sacrifice. It is absolutely inevitable from the moment of conception that this will be the outcome. So in this advent season Princess Morag prays for all mothers: that they wait with Mary for the joyful birth of Jesus, receive him in their hearts and be filled with the love that will bear any pain or sacrifice for their children whether they are on earth or already in heaven.

Princess What's your name?

Princess Morag has reached the new world and is settling in nicely with lots of space for the little master and maiden to play away the sunny days. Meeting people and making friends is being hindered slightly by the decision made 31 years ago by her parents to give her the lovely Scottish name that she bears. "What's your name?" is asked followed by some strange attempt at repeating the very simple two syllables that Princess Morag just uttered. It is all to do with emphasis and accent and apparently it is more difficult than Princess Morag realised. She has considered using a different name but the problem with that is that she has always been pretty happy with the one that she was given and can't really bear the thought of answering to a different label. So perseverance is the answer, plus she has worked out her preferred pronunciation: "More-rag" - the coaching of the locals can now commence!

All at sea

Princess Morag feels like her life is in the middle of the Atlantic ocean right now. She can almost see the shores of the New Land but so much paddling is still to be done! Sir Rianus has already left for their new home town and is looking for a suitable dwelling place in which their family will be reunited. Meanwhile Princess Morag is packing up their old life and hoping to leave all the rubbish behind.

With many big hurdles already overcome, Princess Morag is desperately clinging on to her faithful God - He is a rock to stand on, and has the power to enable her to achieve the impossible. Not quite able to see how everything is going to work out, Princess Morag is having to rely on hope and trust and friends - the real treasure of life wherever it is lived!

Sharing a moment in history

Princess Morag recently watched the royal matrimonial festivities with her daughter.  The young maiden Kayley was captivated by the combination of princess and wedding - what more could a little girl ask for?  It was a moment in history and a potential topic of female conversation for years to come!  A day that every princess (whether the title is accurately bestowed or simply claimed as their own) looks forward to, that of being a bride.  Sir Rianus and Princess Morag had only the week before celebrated that six years had passed since their own nuptials so William and Catherine's wedding naturally harked back to their own, especially since both couples met in the same ancient town.

Young master Ryan showed only a passing interest in the events unfolding on the television screen.  His attention was mostly directed towards the computer screen where the activities of Thomas the tank engine and his friends on the island of Sodor were centre stage.  Gender stereotypes are alive and well in the house of Renfroana (and on television advertisements for toys!)  From her own observations and from the research of noteworthy psychologists, Princess Morag is sure there is credence to the idea that these differences in male and females are a result of nature.  But she does not underestimate the importance of a nurturing environment in developing healthy patterns of behaviour and relationship for each of her children and continues to strive to help them in their growing years towards the lofty goal the Bishop of London spoke of in his sermon at the Royal Wedding: to find "their deepest and truest selves".  Come Holy Spirit to help all families live lives full of love, joy and peace.

Empathy and Alcohol

On the occasion of her thirty-first birthday, Princess Morag concluded that an appropriate celebration might involve a small gathering of her friends with whom she has journeyed the last three years of motherhood.  So off to the pub they went and on her return Princess Morag was bearing a big smile on her face.  This does not happen frequently enough, especially in the last year when she has felt quite blue quite often.  One of her friends attributed this change in affective state to the benefit of empathy and alcohol.  Princess Morag thinks she is probably right.

The hardest job in the world

Princess Morag is starting to return to the land of the living after 3ish years of being a mummy of 2. Sleep deprivation is not as severe and her small charges can almost be trusted to be left alone to play. In fact master Ryan and maiden Kayley are excellent playmates for one another - something that Princess Morag daily thanks her Heavenly Father for! So while usefully engaged in domestic activity of daily living, Princess Morag got complacent for a minute after thinking - "wow I've been so productive today, this staying at home mummying is getting easy". Obviously a psychic challenge for her daughter to have an 'accident' on the playmat and then take the skin off her big toe and require TLC for 20 minutes.
But still, Princess Morag had dinner ready for her husband coming home (only been achieved a handful of times since master Ryan was born!) and left her workplace for refuge in wise counsel and choral singing, safe in the knowledge that her mother in law was probably right the other day when she said "you're doing the hardest job in the world".