2010 - Review

2010 was an interesting year... bit of a roller coaster with a lot of ups & downs both crafting-wise and personally. It seems only fitting to acknowledge some of these as a final goodbye to last year.

• Losing my scrapping mojo - though there were some relapses of good scrapping I was really pleased with, most memorable for me was the little cases I made for the stick pin swap on Crafting Passionz.
• My father's diagnosis with bowel cancer - though it did mean a trip down to Christchurch for me to spend a month looking after my parents post Dad's surgery and most importantly his chemotherapy has gone well since then.
• Regaining most of the weight I had lost.
• Breakdown of some close relationships and the loss of some friends but then I have also reconnected with some other people and their friendship and support is more important and fulfilling than what was lost.
• Tragedies - Pike River Mine - loss of 29 lives in Greymouth and the ongoing earthquakes, though luckily no loss of life in Christchurch - my home town and where my parents still live.
• My step children's grandfather's diagnosis with a brain tumour and the stresses of dealing with things on his behalf, never-ending trips to hospital for treatments, having to put him into a rest home, watching the changes in him and feeling so utterly helpless and unable to do anything to help.
• The loss of a dear friend and mentor over New Year's. He suffered a brain aneurysm followed by a massive stroke a couple of days later. His passing has left a huge hole for so many people.
• Finally getting some work, albeit only 5 weeks temping work, though it still feels like a good omen of things to come in 2011.
• Receiving in the mail along with a Christmas Card  and family newsletter, the cutest and coolest and most totally unexpected mini personalised calendar from my wonderfully talented friend Gypsy - thank you so much for making my day and my year.
• The birth of my third nephew, Troy and being able to cuddle him both when I was visiting in Christchurch when he was only three weeks old and again in the middle of December when my sister, her hubbie and  Troy visited Auckland.
• Buying my darling hubbie's dream car "Sally" a gorgeous fire engine red Mitsubishi GTO, which I love being able to drive... when he lets me have the keys LOL.
• Making new friends, who get me and who encourage and support me to step outside my comfort zone and try new things and not be afraid to launch an attack with everything in my arsenal.
• Making my charms for a Kiwiana charm swap with my scrapping girlfriends, especially the marmite jars which I just love.
• Receiving the most incredible "Secret Santa" swap gift from Shar at Crafting Passionz. I will post a picture in the next day or two so you can all see how incredibly lucky I was.
• Nana and Sonia-Marie time... the two of us lying on my bed looking over the side to see what we can discover - you have to love the way kids see the world; Sonia patting the step which means she wants you to sit down beside her on the stairs for a bit; the way she grabs one finger and pulls you behind her when she wants to go for a walk (usually outside regardless of the weather) and lots and lots of cuddles and kisses and snuggles - though I always want more.
• Best of all has been every time my darling husband has told me and shown me how much he loves me.

I'm looking forward to 2011, to the opportunities it will provide, the challenges and the possibilities and most importantly to getting my scrapping mojo back.