         Photos (top to bottom): where I lived with Anna & Carly, a trip to the New Forest, Hen day, wedding, Roger & Carol Munt's 25th anniversary, weekend in Portsmouth, my car which was sold in Oct, Mike's 27th birthday, New Year's Eve on the South Downs. Soaking in the sentimentality of New Year's Eve, I have been reflecting on the year that was. There are so many things that I am thankful for. I began the year living with the lovely Anna and Carly. Towards the end of my time with the Wordsworth girls they hosted my Hen Day. My friends spoiled me with Abba-fun and LOTS of underwear! In April, Dave and Jules Loveland invited me to live with them in the weeks preceding the wedding. That was a special time of being with the Lovelands and a real privilege to share my final single weeks with such kind and godly people. May 26th 2007 was perhaps the single most enjoyable 24 hours of my life so far. Wise friends warned me that I shouldn't expect my wedding day to be perfect. So I didn't. But it really was! Our families and friends were so generous in their support: emotional, practical and financial. I had such a happy day. There are many photos of the event at www.michellechalmersphotography.com (email me for the password). So since returning from our honeymoon in June, I have been a Mrs. That is strange enough. But now I also have a different name. I always thought that when I got married I'd get a better surname. Not so. Mike says it's a privilege to bear his family's name. I love being his wife. I wouldn't change that for anything (most days!). The second half of the year has been largely occupied with the paradigm-shifting adjustment of marriage. It's been an adventure of highs and lows. I think the adventure is known as life. I feel very alive! I am very proud of my husband who has worked with perseverance and integrity to secure his first permanent, full time job in design. He works for the Sussex Sign Company in the creation of all manner of signs and displays. He has developed a whole new vocabulary of presumably design-based words which I usually just pretend to understand. I may not totally 'get it', but I can see that he's happy. I am working for Off The Fence (www.offthefence.org.uk) as a part time Schools Worker. It is a local Christian charity with the aim of challenging social and spiritual poverty in Brighton & Hove. The Schools team works in 6 different secondary schools across the city running Christian-based lunch clubs. The project has grown massively in the last 6 months with the launch of a girls' group in a local school attended by more than 60 girls each week. I am so grateful to be doing the work that I do. On the brink of 2008, I feel thankful and peaceful. I am assured of God's blessingsin Jesus Christ. That is a safe place to be. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in our adventures in 2007. The Force be with you. Rachelx | 
