Our new arrival

I'm delighted to share our happy news with you all.

Our new daughter, Molly, arrived safely and we couldn't be happier with her.  She's perfect in every way!

The days since her birth have been somewhat blurred into one continuous round of feeding, changing and sleeping - we're all settling down and getting used to life with a newborn in the family.

I'll be back soon but in the meantime I'm taking a little break to concentrate on Molly and Lizzie.

Thank you for all your lovely messages!

Debbie x

Refreshed and recharged!

Every now and again we all need some time out, some time to reflect and re-focus.  I for one have been taking that time recently to re-charge my batteries, take stock, and spend time with my friends and family in the run-up to our baby's upcoming birth.

I've been spending a lot of time in peaceful places.  How lucky are we to have views like this almost on our doorstep?  The kingdom of Fife is a beautiful place indeed and there are so many wonderful places to spend time.  I've been to the beach a lot, enjoying the sound of the water and breathing the fresh air.

Spending time in my garden has also made me happy.  Now I'm no gardener by any means, but I like to look at pretty things and seeing all the beautiful spring flowers bloom over the last few months has certainly lifted my spirits no end.  First came the crocuses, and they brought a welcome splash of purple to the garden after the long months of winter.  Next the daffodils appeared, and their cheery yellow heads bobbing up and down made me smile from the kitchen window as I washed dishes.  Finally my tulips made an appearance and their lovely colours brought brightness around the edge of the patio.  I'm so glad I thought to plant bulbs last autumn and I was delighted to see all the colour in the garden.

For the first year since moving into our house, we have daisies growing in our grass.  Every time I see one I smile and think of our darling Daisy.  It will be her birthday soon - where did the last year go?

It hasn't been all peace and tranquillity!  There's been trampolines and picnics, trips out and visits to the park, school activities, after school activities, camping, creativity and mess - in general just a huge old dose of real life.

There's also been an extreme amount of DIY going on at home, with the PC buried under a pile of dust sheets for what seems like weeks!  It's finally been uncovered and we're now back up and running online.

And I'm back to blogging.  I enjoy writing; it's good for me to have an outlet to write and share.  And of course I get to interact with lots of lovely readers, which pleases me no end.

Thanks for all your continued good wishes and kind messages - it's always so nice to hear from you!

Best wishes
Debbie

Happy Easter!

We've had the chance to spend lots of time baking and making in our house recently.  Here's Lizzie's Chocolate Nests - so easy for the kids to make and such an adorable treat for Easter!

The snow and cold weather may have kept us indoors (unusual for this time of year) but we have made the most of it instead by raiding the craft box and having fun coming up with Easter-themed creations.  Here's our paper chicks!

Now that the lighter evenings have begun and the daylight hours stretch out longer and longer, I'm hopeful that the snow is finally behind us and we can look forward to warmer, brighter days enjoying the outdoors!  First we have two weeks of school holidays to fill and enjoy, so I'm off to browse on Pinterest for more ideas!

I hope you have all had a lovely Easter weekend however you have chosen to spend it.  It's been an indulgently lazy day for me today; very much needed and thoroughly enjoyed!

Best wishes
Debbie

As 2012 draws to a close...

At first when I was thinking about the year 2012, I was thinking along the lines that it has been, without doubt, the worst year of my life.  However, I got into the way of thinking that, although the worst experience of my life happened in 2012, there were other things that happened this year which weren't bad at all.  I've written many, many times about the crushing pain that followed Daisy's death; the overwhelming grief and sadness which, although not as sharp and searing hot these days, remains there - every day.  So instead, for my final post of 2012, I'm going to focus on the positive experiences I've had as a way of drawing the year to a close.

Firstly, my pregnancy with Daisy was a definite highlight of the year.  I thoroughly enjoyed the final months leading up to Daisy's birth, my bump blossomed and grew, I delighted in every change in my body and I really felt I had the chance to bond with my unborn baby.  No pregnancy will ever be the same for me; so I will always look back on my special time carrying Daisy with fond memories.

Maternity leave has given me the chance to spend some quality time with my oldest daughter, Lizzie.  Having worked full-time since she was a baby, the opportunity to spend some time just focusing on being "mum" has been very special indeed.  I've loved our walks to school and back each day, chatting about this and that, and everything in between.  Life has taken a much slower pace and we've had the chance to spend many happy hours together.  Lizzie needed it, especially after Daisy died - and so did I.  It's been a special time for us and one I'll miss when I return to work in the new year.

My marriage continues to be full of love, affection and support.  My husband really is the most amazing, wonderful man and we have managed to pull even closer together since Daisy's death.  Without him I wouldn't have pulled through the dark days.  I remember saying to him one day, "I'll never, ever be happy again".  He helped me to see that I would - and he was right.

It's true that, when the going gets tough, you realise who your true friends are.  Support came from those I expected and some that surprised me with their level of compassion and understanding.  Either way, to know that you have a support network around you that will be there to wipe your tears and to listen on the days you need it most, is very comforting indeed.

I've met some amazing, inspirational women since losing Daisy.  Other mothers, who have endured the pain of losing a child, who have picked up the pieces of their shattered lives and pulled their families together again.  These women have supported me and helped me to cope, and given me hope for my own future.

Finally, I've changed - and hopefully for the better.  I like to think that losing Daisy has taught me about kindness, compassion and understanding.  I hope that when one of my friends or loved ones needs support, I will be able to offer them a level of comfort that I otherwise wouldn't have known how to do.

Family Life continues.  There are smiles and happiness despite the sadness.  Daisy will never be forgotten; she will always remain in our hearts and in our thoughts.

Thank you for sharing 2012 with me.

Best Wishes
Debbie

Family Life

I found this quote on my travels and I thought it was so nice, I had to share it.

Family can have so many different meanings; for some, it's the people they are related to, for others, it includes close friends.  Some people have children in their family - be it their own, or nephews, nieces, cousins or children of family friends.  In some families, pets become members of the family too.  It's those that we are close to, that are there for us, and we're there for them.  It's the ones we love, unconditionally.  It's a bond, a close relationship, the ones who are there through thick and thin, the people there through highs and lows.  Every family is different, with a unique set of connections that tie people together.

I love this quote.  How nice to know that you will always be loved.  Sometimes it's worth taking a moment to reflect on how nice it is to be a part of a family, to be part of something special.

Best Wishes
Debbie

Source: onevelvetmorning.wordpress.com via Debbie on Pinterest