Dandelion Fluff

I used to be a very positive and vivacious person. This past year..or two..or three has given me immense challenges with some joyous moments sprinkled in between to keep me going. The after-effect of all this is that I don't really have the lustre and sparkle to me that I used to have. If you saw me in, let's say, December 2004 and December 2010 simultaneously, you would see huge differences portrayed both on the outside and the inside.

Then....

And now.....
Oh, right-there aren't any pictures of me from nowadays, unless you count giving birth to my second baby 3 months ago (THAT was worth photographing! Beautiful, beautiful day).

Maia a few seconds old!

The point is, I haven't felt like having my photo taken because not only am I not me inside, I am not me outside. And having had bouts of low self-esteem since childhood, the outside counts too.
2011 will be a year of development. Professionally, we have goals to achieve for our business. On the home-front, we have much needed adjustments to make the space in our beloved house more effective for us as a family of four. We will be intentionally taking time to relax and actually holiday this year (including seeing my family, who I haven't been able to visit in 3 1/2 years). And I will be working on me.
Academically, I have studies I'm currently undertaking (a higher level of my childcare qualification), plus a language course to do on the side (brushing up on my Italian! I love it but have never had time to do much with it since high school).
I have some inner-loving to do, which will be a first. This will be courtesy of the beautiful Goddess Leonie's tools (she is amazing).
The outter-me will be the largest job (in all ways!!). Years of eating-on-the-go and lacking in motivation have resulted in the unhealthiest me I have ever known. And I am 100% certain that this effects everything else in my day-to-day life. It's not so much the weight loss that is the point (although it is necessary), but the optimum health required to be functioning on full cylinders. I need to spend time changing my ways back to the vegan, full-of-energy, happy, laughing, positive Liz I was...

For now, may the preparation for that begin by heading to bed at a decent time, so baby's wake-ups and feeds tonight don't make me too sleep deprived :)

Back soon...nighty night!x

The Turning Of The Tides

And here we are with less than 8 weeks to go before our new baby's birth...time has flown by unbelievably. In the past months, transformations have taken place in every part of our lives. Our business has a very healthy waiting list in place for our future childcare enrollments, thank the universe. We have had to look more realistically than ever at expansion and full private day nursery registration (and all that involves--eek! so much work!). We have had to realise that the only "baby" in our little family until now-Mini D-is actually old enough and mature enough to start school in August (so emotional for me). That whilst our families are part of us genetically, we do not actually have to force a relationship with them if it is clearly to our detriment emotionally or mentally. That being on the same page as your spouse is the nicest feeling in the world. That health is everything. That there is more to the world and the universe than we think. That rest is vital. That we need time out as a family to recharge, rather than just always trying to catch up on "jobs". That "this moment only once" is something very important to remember.
That we are so lucky to have what we have, this loving family unit of 3 (soon to be 4!).

Us, 2006....stayed tuned for the new version!