The 24 Month Update... And other news

I've debated for a few months now about posting a new blog entry, except it never quite happened.

In 12 months, I/We.....

* Moved into our first house together

* Took our first major holiday together (and survived)

* Added to our household with another kitty

* Survived holding our first joint christmas and easter in our house

And....

We got engaged.

And after 10 months of procrastination and enjoying the fact that we are now almost officially stuck with each other (though I wouldn't be stuck with anyone else, let's face it), I have learnt a few things

* Just because you make a final decision, doesn't it mean will definitely be the final decision. Someone, somewhere is always going to do something that will un-finalise your plans. A special thanks goes to the manufacturers of my original wedding dress who decided, 4 months after ordering and paying (in full mind you) that they should probably tell my dress shop that they are no longer making the dress. Thank you to my dress shop who came to the rescue and have made me a unique dress from scratch at no extra cost.

* Just because you give someone your business, doesn't mean they understand what their responsibilities are to their customer. And don't like it when you point this out to them. A special mention should go to the new owner of my previous flower shop. Apparently taking the time somewhere in the 7 months of buying the business to ring the only (and I do mean only) client that the previous owner had left behind to tell them of the change was somehow not their responsibility and not their problem. I still don't think they get that this might be the reason why I took my business to their rival who knows how to make the effort to stay in touch.

* Small never means small. I'm still trying to figure out how 80 guests makes a small wedding. That said, I'm amazed that I actually know 80 people to invite.

* You will never have any idea how much your wedding is ACTUALLY going to cost. I'm still staggering over how much my wedding band is going to cost. It's three times the amount I budgeted, and I'm only having a plain band.

* The minute you mention a wedding, it is invariably followed with a question about children. Um, can I please get through the wedding first?

* No matter how much you try to keep everyone happy, there is always going to be someone who disagrees with your decisions.

* Pre-marriage counselling. Most people I have talked to, have called it a load of crap and out of all the couples I know who have married in the past 12 years, none of them did the counselling. I say, do it. We have and it is the best thing you will ever do for yourselves as a couple. You can be together for years, live together even, but I'll guarantee you, there are questions that you have probably never thought about asking each other and discussed - but there may very well come a time when these questions, when dealt with after the fact and waaaay down the track, could cause problems. I'm happy to say that we are going into this wedding knowing as much as we can and being as prepared as we can be. Huge thanks to our priest for suggesting we do this, and a little shout-out for our counsellor guiding us through the program.

* Procrastination. Not a word that should be associated with wedding planning. My fiance and I are both champion procrastinators and now, well, now we are paying the price.

* My final piece of advice - take a day or night each week or fortnight and have that time to yourselves. Do NOT talk about wedding plans or any other kinds of plans. Just have some time to be. It is way to easy to get caught up in the planning and forget exactly why you are doing this. Watch a movie, go out to dinner, play a game. Trust me, you'll thank me later.

So, in 9 weeks and 6 days (eeep) I'll be a Mrs.

And who knows (for those who have already been asking) maybe next years annual post will include a new little person/person-to-be???

12 Months Later........

I am still alive. And super slack.

The 11 months have completely flown by and everything in my world has completely changed.

Well, not everything. I'm still at the same job, and still loving it. A rarity for most people so I'm not leaving there anytime soon.

I met the love of my life and in the space of 6 months we have dated, fallen in love and have bought a house together.

Mum and Dad have friends over for dinner and I'm listening to the ladies chat in the kitchen while dinner is being prepared. As much as I'm looking forward to the next phase of my life, I realised today that I really am going to miss my parents! They are probably not going to miss me as much (plans for an empty house party and my room are currently underway).

Life truly does bring the most unexpected and wonderful surprises!!!

TV Dramas

It's 4.18pm. It's Wednesday Afternoon. It's a public holiday.

There. Is. Nothing. On. TV.

I am reduced to watching a season 1 rerun of The Hills.

When did tv become so boring????

A Guest Birthday Post from My Mam

In honour of my 30th birthday today (I will not get used to saying that) my mum has written a blog for me (with a few additions by me).

Get your tissues ready......


"The Most Precious Gift of All"

Thirty years ago I was seven and a half months pregnant with my first child. At 4.00 pm on Thursday, 22 February I had my first fortnightly checkup with the obstetrician. At the end of the consultation the doctor phoned the hospital and booked me in for 8 am the following morning and booked the theatre for 4.30 pm that afternoon (Friday 23 February 1979). The baby had not moved for a month and did not have a very strong heartbeat (A fact now known as me sleeping soundly - do not disturb!). I was having major problems as well, so the decision was made to bring the baby into the world the next day by caesarian secton. We, as parents, were bitterly disappointed but we realised that the health of the baby came first.

At 4.40 pm on Friday 23 February 1979, a beautiful little baby girl entered the world. In those days, Fathers were not allowed in the theatre so Dad waited outside with Nanna and Poppy. When our precious little bundle was delivered the nurse brought her out to Daddy to hold her. He was so proud as he was the first one in his family to have a daughter as his firstborn. He had picked her name when we were first married and he never faltered from his original choice - even with much coaxing from me to include family names. When I was brought into recovery, the nurse placed her beside my head and she immediately curled her tiny body into the curves of my neck and kept crying, "Ooh Lah, Ooh Lah, Ooh Lah" (Not much has changed - I still like my snuggles). She felt so soft and cuddly and tiny. Later on that night when I had recovered a little more I asked to see her. She was in the premmie nursery in a humidicrib. I was told I had to wait till morning but the wait was worth it. She was so beautiful - and that special little cry was something that will remain with me forever. When I was allowed to nurse her, she curled her little fingers around my index finger and held tight.

Time wore on and she grew from a tiny baby into the crawling stage, then walking and teething. Her laughter pealed out loud during her playtimes, mealtimes - in fact, all waking moments. She was such a happy little girl who grew up to have a wonderful sense of humour. A brother came into our little family just over three years after her birth, and she cared for him and protected him and looked out for him during all their childhood years. Her love for him is the kind of love that all Mum's and Dad's would love to see exist between their children. That love for her brother has never faltered.

She cares for her friends deeply and is the best friend a Mum could ever hope to have as well. She has grown into a compassionate, loving, caring woman and still retains her great sense of humour.

For her birthday today, she arranged for a huge bunch of roses to be delivered to our house for her Mum. They arrived at the exact time she was delivered 30 years ago (I seriously did not arrange for them to be delivered at that time - just a freaky coincidence). They are so beautiful and each one of them represent the beauty I see in my wonderful daughter. A daughter who has come so far in her life - not in years - but in the way she cares for her friends, Mum, Dad, brother and sister-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins (a very special cousin included) second cousins and her beloved pets - her two kitties. She has battled with major illness and beaten it and is settling well into a new life in a new State - a brand new start. I look at her each day with pride brimming from me and I am sure that her grandparents will be looking down upon her today from heaven with pride in their hearts as well.

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Honeybunches. May all your dreams come true and may life always treat you kindly. Continue to approach life in the same manner you do now and with your great sense of humour. We are so proud of you. You have brought so much happiness into our lives. May God Bless You Always.

Lots of Love always
Mamma and Dad

OH. MY. GOD...

Days til I'm 30 - 1.


This is getting seriously scary.

Still waiting for the wisdom that comes with age to arrive. Maybe it will arrive in a card tomorrow.

Family Jewels

My brother and sister-in-law have arrived to help celebrate my birthday.

Day one was a wonderful day trip to my favourite place in north-west tasmania (Devonport). Unfortunately I got very car sick and the trip was cut short (bummer - I never EVER get car sick usually).

Tomorrow - my favourite place in Launceston and a picnic lunch.

I am so pleased to spend my birthday weekend with my favourite people - each family member is a precious jewel to keep.

Days till I'm 30 - 4.

Valhalla

In Norse mythology, Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain" is a majestic, enormous hall located in Asgard, Norway.

Valhalla - Tasmanian Gourmet Ice-Cream.

As a scandinavian descendant, is it any wonder I love Valhalla!!!!

ps - A great big sorry to the Superteen that they only started selling Valhalla at the local supermart a week after he went back home.

Countdown to 30 - 6 days!