grateful

Over the weekend I packed up the car, rugged up Macie and headed for my parent's place.  I hadn't been home in six long weeks and was itching to rub my darling sister's pregnant belly and spend hours catching up with my parents.  Six weeks is usually the longest I can go without going home and soaking up the goodness....and this weekend was no different.

Toasty fires, lingering cuddles with my mum (I can never be too old for cuddles), warm fluffy doonas and more importantly, seeing that twinkle in Macie's eyes when she realised where we were.  As soon as I turned into home and she realised....she punched her hands in the air and said "MIMI and POPPYS!!!!".  Now that is just enough to make me want to visit every weekend....

It was cold, with a wind that would make your bones shiver and your lips turn dry. The kind where you wonder if 5 layers is excessive....and if Macie will punish me for dressing her like an eskimo. But it was....home....and I needed it more than I realised. 

For the week just gone, some of my closest friends have endured the worst things imaginable.  Broken bones, ill relatives, loosing their close ones, unwanted test results and just general bad luck.  I have found myself feeling completely useless - wanting to make it all better for them, wanting a cure for cancer and wanting to have that special wand where I can give them more time....for that is what everyone wants. 

All I could do was cook, bake, clean and lend my shoulders for support.  For that is friendship...and I will continue cooking, baking, cleaning and supporting for as long as they need it.

It is times like these where I really take a step back and be thankful.  Thankful for my quiet life that is sometimes mundane....sometimes crazy.....and sometimes hectic. Even if it means that my crazy yet beautiful daughter eats the playdough and draws on her pants and Milly the puppy can climb like a cat.  I am thankful....

 

For life can be so cruel to the best of people....especially to my beautiful friends. 

So in the words of the famous Sir Winston Churchill..... "If you are going through hell, keep going."

and I promise to be there by your side.  X