Hello from Northern Ireland, the land of beautiful coastlines, green fields, Tayto crisps, soda farls and potato bread!
I’m Hilary, wife to Bill; mum of two precious girls; follower of Jesus; teacher; lover of books, coffee and all things chocolate.
Who am I?
A 30-something working mum
… who spins too many plates and never fails to smash a few along the way.
A recovering perfectionist
… who is now ok with smashing the plates (sometimes!)
A (messy) minister’s wife
… with a disorganised car, house and life. Come into our home and you’ll never once find finesse, but you will always find friendship.
A ditzy ‘doctor.’
… Think Alice in Wonderland … down the rabbit hole … ‘Curiouser and curiouser.’ Well that’s me! I’m short on common sense, a bit quirky, a perpetual over-thinker, a relentless researcher, and a restless wanderer with a woeful sense of direction.
A quintessential people person
… I spent my early childhood in a real life ‘Eden’ – an African jungle to be exact. Not idyllic by any means, but beautifully enriching all the same. I am still a little wild on the inside, though. I don’t like to follow the crowd. But I do love to get to know the people in the crowd. One of my biggest passions in life is people, of every variety. How they tick … how they love … how they live. Separate me from other humans for too long, and I shrivel up. Any day, hour or minute of the week, I would choose people over animals or nature. My friends are paramount to me.
A determined daydreamer
… When it comes to housework, the motivation is simply not there (sorry if that disappoints you!) I do it when I have to, but honestly, I never desire to do it. I’d rather be a scruffy old sage telling a good story than a sparkly ‘Hincher’ doing her laundry. Dreams, on the other hand – nothing seems to stop me pursuing those. My most pressing goal right now is to write down words that are ‘good to think.’ Words that go beyond small talk. Words that matter. Words that interrupt ingrained assumptions and thought patterns. Words that affect how we feel about ourselves and others, and how we see our situations in the light of faith and wisdom.
Whether thought, read, written or sung, words matter. And here are some words that matter to me. A lot:
- We are all uniquely designed by a perfect Creator.
- We all have something beautiful to bring to those around us.
- We are not alone, but there is a contribution we alone can make to this world.
What (or who) am I here for?
I’m here for me
When I became a mum in 2015, I kept myself (relatively!) sane during sleepless nights and endless feeding sessions by scribbling down new things I was learning about life, health, parenting and my faith. From painful moments of realisation, to funny scenarios, to interesting observations – this blog is made up of little snippets from this journal, which began five years ago and continues to this day.
So I’m here for me (because writing makes my heart sing).
But I’m here for you, too (because writing wouldn’t mean a thing if it wasn’t for someone). This blog is for:
- Those of you who are trying to carve a piece of paradise in the midst of your daily chaos.
- Those of you who at times feel ordinary, overwhelmed and inadequate in life, and are looking for a way to think differently in those moments.
- Those of you who walk a tightrope of countless demands, but are still looking for a place where you can be fully, wholly and unashamedly yourself.
I am all those people too, and I’m so glad you found your way here.
I’d love your company. Make yourself at home.
Whether you’re a trail blazer, a rule follower, or someone who just likes to mess about in the grass, there’s a journey of discovery to go on, together.
H x
Looking for Eden 