Toasting (the end of) 2013

I hate to say it because it saw the arrival of my adorable boy, but 2013 was quite disappointing and very difficult. Between leaving the UK (tears), struggling to settle down in Malta (more tears), the battle with the Maltese gynae system (so many tears), learning to cope with two kids (tears), facing up to the fact that we are still struggling to settle down and not completely happy here (you know it... more tears), it's been a somewhat emotional year.

However, there have also been positives. A fantastic summer, relationships with my little brother and sisters have absolutely blossomed, I've gotten to know David's parents better, our parents have gotten to know the children, I've come to respect myself as a mother in the face of a lot of adversity, David and I have been reminded how to have fun together, and what our priorities are. All precious positives that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Some pictures of the best moments of 2013, because this is the way I'd rather remember it:

Emily's 2nd Birthday

Revisiting old childhood places

Adam's birth, and the beautiful moment when Emily met her brother

Family time

Fantastic summer moments

Visits from best friends in the UK

and cousins

and more great friends!

Emily starting school and meeting her first proper best friend

Watching these two bond

Getting to know this little monkey

Time away with my best friend

 Adam's first Christmas

And Emily's first Christmas that she truly understood. Magical. 

2014 doesn't promise to be a quiet one either, but hopefully it'll be a better, happier one. 

Happy New Year dear reader.

Of Adventures Ahead

Our farewell to 2012 looks to be a quiet one too. I'm not moaning, just stating facts. Yes I would have preferred to have something to look forward to, but that's just the way this holiday season was going to have to be, seeing as how we scheduled our move right after it. Not to mention the fact that Emily and I are now both unwell anyway - even if we did have somewhere to go, we probably wouldn't have made it!

The Amazing Frannie (because she is) listed her 5 awesome things about 2012 on her blog. She then asked us, her friends, to list our own 5 awesome things. I turned into a whimpering, hormonal mess because I couldn't think of anything. I said to her that I feel numb, that the last 6 months seem to be a complete blur in my mind. I guess that's why they list moving house (country!!) as one of the most stressful things a person can do in life.

But she calmed me down, as did David, and eventually I came up with a list. Realistically, 2012 was a full year, and a meaningful year. In many ways it was the year I really grew up and sorted out my priorities. Perhaps many things cannot be listed, they're lessons rather than events or occasions - but they don't count any less.

My List
- I helped Emily grow into a beautiful, caring toddler
- We created a new addition to our little family
- I became very close to a few particular friends whom I couldn't have made it through the year without
- The huge decision to move back to Malta was taken
- David and I became closer, and saw a return to the carefree relationship we had before we moved to England

2013 will be an exciting year. Not an easy one by any means, but an exciting one. A whole new life to build, three house moves, resettling into a country I don't particularly like (I may or may not go into this in a future post), reigniting bonds with family and friends, less feelings of loneliness, hopefully a fuller and happier life, not to mention a special little arrival sometime in March or April! So much to look forward to and nurture. Let the adventure begin!

[image credit]

Thanks

I usually write an end-of-year post with highlights from the year gone by. Yeah, well I started my end-of-2oo8 post at the beginning of December, but I kinda got stuck at March and never quite finished it. Suffice to say it was a very big year for me. It was the beginning of my happy ever after, the year I married a man who is not just my best friend, but an extension of myself. I cannot begin to imagine a life without him. 2oo8 is all about him.

In addition, there are some people I know I would not have made it through without... I think you know who you are and I hope that my appreciation shines through at any given time we talk or spend together. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being there and for being you. For being the type of friends many girls could only hope to have.

And to David, thank you for being a husband dreams are made of; for making my soul beam with happiness; for making my life complete.