The year that was...

So  I'm a few days late with the 2012 au revoirs! The whole year seemed to go at rapid speed, that even the end of the year caught up with me and it was gone before I knew it (or posted about it!)   

It's  now done and dusted.  It was a year of  amazing new journeys  and incredible moments. It  also had some very sad ones too. 

It was a year of acceptance for me, and for continuing with challenges that the last few years have thrown me.

There was plenty of coffee drinking,  loads of adventures with Darby and just some everyday life thrown in too, oh and an overseas trip in the middle!

It was a roller coaster of a year, but really isn't life a bit like one giant ride on the Scenic Railway! 

I am looking at 2013 with such excitement and anticipation.  I have a feeling  it will be a fantastic year no matter what happens.  It is going to be a year of big changes for both myself and for Darby.

We cope well with change. It keeps us motivated and learning.   Darby will be at School and his little mind will be learning so much.  I  on the other hand will have some time in the day to myself, such a new thing,  I'm not sure how I will fill these 12 hours a week, but I'm sure I will find a way! 

It is going to be a year where I will have fun and I will make it my number one priority! And whats not to love about that. 

As a little tribute the year gone by, I have compiled a few (that means alot) of my most treasured  photos from the year, as a reminder  to myself of what we have achieved as a little family unit of two. 

So long 2012.....

Happy Xmas...

2012 has been a very up and down year for me. It has been a big one, thats for sure and it has gone ridiculously fast! 

Flown by really, and I am so glad that I am ending the year on a happy note. Feeling happy on the inside and injecting happiness into my life! Its a really positive way to end the year. 

Just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and very happy Xmas and start to 2013. 

Lets hope it is an awesome year for everyone. 

Until next time, Life is too short for crappy coffee

I Heart My Body

I have been in this world of really loathing my body in its current state, constantly comparing, not how it stacks up against others, but how it stacks up against my own in my former life. 

I know I cant keep doing that, I am never one for looking back at other aspects of that life . I try to keep moving ahead, forging ahead. I know its time I do this with my body too. Let go of the past, the negative thoughts and stop this comparing game. 

To be honest, I know how remarkable my body is on the inside.  I really truly do. I am happy to share that all the time. I just need to start believing that the outside is not just, but more remarkable. 

I believe I celebrate the beauty in others, but I don't rate my own at all.  This has got to stop.

Its holding me back from achieving a happier self, its holding me back in my quest to find love again.  

But it is stopping right now! 

I am going to listen to the voice of  the many other extraordinary women with stories like my own.  I am going to read each and every I Heart Campaign post to help me feel inspired. I am going to talk to myself and my body with self love and gratitude of how hard it has worked for me and how truly beautiful it is. 

I am going to be kind to myself when and if I fail, because my body is strong. 

I love that my body has healed itself from several major operations on my hip. It survived and thrived from having a Hip Replacement at 26. It birthed Darby naturally only 12 months after said hip was "replaced" something not even I could have imagined.  I know that I have many more operations ahead of me, but this just inspires me more to look after my self.

I love that I have my dads eyes, and even his cute pudgy little hands. I love that when I smile, my whole face smiles with it, and if you are lucky tears will spring to my eyes! I love this expression I do, I cant describe it,  but I am so happy that Darby has inherited this. 

Every time he does that little face, my heart sings and I see me, a beautiful me. 

I love how even though my skin is smattered with freckles, that it is flawless underneath.

I love how strong my body is, my personal trainer always comments on how I never give up. I know my legs have so much power in them. They are on there own journey to proving themselves.

There are times I do just want to fall into a heap, but I don't,  I keep going, making myself stronger, but I know its limitations too and I am not too hard on myself for that. 

I know that I need to show kindness to my body and the remarkable journey its taken me on, and I  know I will. 

Today with so many other women  I pledge to Heart my body, now and forever more.