2009 New Year's Eve will be hubby and I and a bottle of wine.... Christmas Day is with his sister and hubby in Kent, England. New Year's Eve will be an early one this year as we fly out early on the 1st Jan to South Africa for nearly a month!
We will have belated sunny Christmas and mum's 60th in the mountains and Kruger National park - absolute bliss.
South Africa wildlife photos
2008 New Year's Eve we arrived in New York City ON the evening (madness!), really struggled to get to our hotel (btwn Times Square and Central park), and it was a tad noisier than it will be this year ;)
Our New York photos
What were you up to 2008 and what will you be up to 2009 Christmas and New Year's Eve?
It's 1 month till Christmas - this got me thinking about what we, as kids, did on Christmas Day.
Growing up we would go to an inner city hospital after church on Christmas Day, to take pressies for those who had no family visit them on Christmas Day. They were too sick to go home.
We especially used to go to the terminal ward for children - there's nothing more special than seeing a child give a broad smile and hold your hand, even though they don't know you. How special is that? We sang with the kids and helped make their Christmas special.
I was a child myself at the time... and this meant the world to me!
My friends at school thought it weird and felt sorry for me, saying ''You must have had a horrible Christmas Jenny'' - where the reverse was actually true.
Anyway, the true gift at Christmas is Jesus - not pressies... and so to bring a bit of joy and laughter into a hospital ward on a bright Christmas Day is probably the best present we could have brought them.
I am so glad I have a mum who brought us up this way as this view of people and their needs has gone with me into adulthood in a huge way.
Were you walking down the lane by the park today? Did you happen to see the gorgeous lass with a bright red buggy at the cash machine? Did you see her having a blonde (she is a redhead!) moment and walking away from the machine, CASHLESS???
If so, you saw ME!
My next question to you then is... ''Did you take my money??''
Gosh, how ditzy (thick!!!) can one get? I'll tell you what swayed my attention away from what I was doing though.. I saw a friend of mine with her child a little way off.. yelled... ''Sian!'' and then hurriedly yanked my bank card out the machine (thank goodness I remembered to do this!), grabbed the baby (thank goodness I remembered to do THIS too!), and walked over to her, well, galloped really. I haven't seen her for a while and wanted a natter!
An expensive natter it turned out to be!
We chatted about this and that, upcoming Christmas parties etc...
''Jen, I am making fairycakes for the toddler group Christmas party on the 17th, what are you making?''
''Hmmm Sian, I hadn't given it much thought to be honest (small things like asthma attacks and hospitalisations being on my mind more!!!), but maybe I should make a healthy platter of carrot batons - julian style - with tomato and cucumber, with dips''
''Oh yes Jen, that is a good idea! And if the kids don't eat them (and we all know that most won't...), we can!''
So there it was. Christmas party goodies sorted.
I still hadn't realised I had £30 missing from my wallet!
I say my goodbyes and saunter into the fruit and veg shop. I did not have my two little helpers (2 and 3 year old mindees that LOVE helping me shop), so had to carry everything to the counter.
I wave hello to the lil one in the buggy. Big smiles.
I chat amicably with the fruit and veg lady ''Where is your hubby today?''
''Here I am!'' comes the gruff reply from behind the semi-closed door. ''Where are your helpers today?'
''With nana and grandad'' I reply. ''They'll be back tomorrow.''
All the while, fruit and veg lady is totting up my goodies. ''£22.80 please.''
I take out my wallet, calmly open the zip, wave to the lil one again, then look in the side pocket, then look in my handbag... maybe I put it there??? My movements are becoming a tad more frantic.
There is no money. I freeze. Where? How? Oh!!!!
''I think I left themoney in the cash machine, I will be back in 2 minutes!''
I run out the store, veer to the right and head straight for the cashpoint, eyeing out everyone with suspision.
I arrive at the cash machine. It is empty. No surprise there!
My first thought is ''What do I tell hubby? Last night I told him we had a phone bill for £127 for phoning my mum abroad last month... and now this... aaaaaahhh!!!''
I might as well just donate all my salary to charity... at least then something worthwhile is being done with it.. and it is being handled responsibly!
The walk back to the fruit and veg shop was slower. I am not a happy bunny. I take out my card (yes, the card), and pay with it.
''Do I tell my husband?'' I ask the fruit and veg lady.
''No, don't. I never tell mine about my parking fines''. She grins.
What is the first thing I do when I get home? I phone my husband...
Did I tell him?
Sorry, here with unhappy news again re ttc... hubby and I have been trying for 5 years to have a child, and the last year and a half have been having test after test, his final *test* was last month when he had a little operation. We found out on Thursday that it was not successful. So we will never have a biological child together.
We have always wanted a BIG family, a couple of our own and then adopt a couple of kids too, and now science has told us we have no choice... been crying loads, keen to adopt at some stage (far too stressful to go through all that now though), will check out the donor route in the meanwhile too... just feel all upside down and angry and fed up.
My hubby was reading stories to my 3 x 1 year olds (kids I mind) on Thursday afternoon when he got back from the hospital, and it was so hard to sit there watching him, I was fighting back the tears... he is a born daddy, an amazing man... and this has been denied him. Denied us.
Why do so many people have kids so easily and don't care for them properly and others battle SO much??? We have a solid marriage and a loving home. I have always longed to have a child, and when I met my husband, that longing only increased, knowing what a dad he would be. I don't have words anymore, just tears. I know it'll get better with time, but right now I cannot see past tomorrow. I also have a husband who is dealing with much guilt, and I am trying to be strong for him and have told him over and over it's not his problem, it's ours, and that we will be parents one day. But it won't have curls and specs... like ours invariably would. Right now, we cannot get past that.
I am a firm Christian and do know God performs miracles, and am praying for one, but at this stage I am just seeing red and cannot stop crying. Adoption is also a miracle in itself, I know how very very special it is... but at the moment we are both grieving for our children that will never be.
I have to say I LOVE travelling, but the novelty and excitement of airports is long gone!!!
We always fly with Virgin for our longhaul flights and on our very first flight with them they ran out of food!!!! We were on a direct overnight flight from London to South Africa (11 hours!) and we could hear the steward telling those in front of us ''sorry ma'am, we only have 2 of the 3 choices left now...'' and didn't think much of it tbh.
But, when they got to us they said ''we have run out of food, we are so sorry! But we can offer you a spud with beans, the steward food. Plus you can have free food from the snack counter all night (twas a night flight)''. (!!!)
We were NOT happy! I was dieting (no carbs!!!) and beans on a flight are a big no no for me haha. And I didn't want crisps and chocolate and *crap* to eat for 11 hours! So we were starving by the time we reached Joburg.
We were not charmed and thankfully every flight since with Virgin has been a good one. But seriously Richard (Branson), you do need to ensure your fridge is stocked properly dear lad!!!
As a woman who has tried to have a child of my own for many years, my mindees fill a special gap in my life that I cannot fully explain.
The kids literally fall through the (open!) door when they arrive and dive into my arms, do they never tire of me??? Their love is overwhelming... I love the tickles, the hugs, the knackered head on my shoulder, the little hand reaching for mine, watching them take their little starting steps and the pride when they have made their first poo in the potty at my place! Mums at my toddler group thought I was the kids' mum at first, till we got to chatting and they realised I wasn't... I do treat them as if they were my own, so easy mistake ;)
''What is mistlefingers used for?'' asks my inquisitive three year old...
and
''Farmer Christmas is going to bring you a Stanley train if you are good!''
hehe I got the hint! I chuckle so often over the funny little things they say when they start to talk, with mispronuniciation or not understanding the meaning... never a dull moment when you are dealing with adorable little sponges.
From a *high flying* and thankless corporate job, to being home as a childminder has meant the world to me. Wouldn't change it for anything... not for all the t in china.
'A charity shop in the US has returned £5,000 to a man who mistakenly donated the money with a pair of old shoes'
The story goes on to say how a new assistant found the money in the shoebox the shoes came with, turned it into Goodwill Charity management... they then had to track the owner down! Which they did! What a breath of fresh air to see that there ARE honest people in the world.. would you have turned the money in? ;)
Photo from article below
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20081118/twl-5-000-left-in-charity-shoes-3fd0ae9.html
Oh gosh, but isnt Colin Firth the MOST delectable Mr Darcy? I am a huge Pride and Prejudice fan, I really enjoy Jane Austen as an author generally, but think P&P was her masterpiece. Lance got me this poignant movie on our 1st year wedding anniversary, from Jane Austen's own home (now a museum) in Bath. The BBC version in 1995 is long but just fabulous, and I try and watch it every 3 months or so. Colin Firth is an amzaing Darcy, and Jennifer Ehle plays a becoming Elizabeth.
Today I am back at work! Will take it easy with the kids as am not 100% yet, but am feeling so much better! Delighted. I also got another lovely surprise.... my blog is 'blog of the day' on Fuelmyblog.com! It's exciting (albeit a tad unnerving) knowing other people are reading about my life.. my thoughts, my photos etc. But I do love writing and sharing, and am grateful for this award today.
