12th July is "I love you" day...

I met my future husband on 12th July 2003. Having first corresponded 17 days before on the internet, he flew to England. It was the first day he ever looked me in the eyes and said "I love you" - and yes, it was at the airport, about 2 minutes after he first held me in his arms.

So it seems even more amazing that on 12th July precisely 6 years to the day, this is the very first time that my 21 month old daughter India looks me in the eye, and says, unprompted, "I love you".

I guess 12th July is most definitely my day... thanks to you both for making this day so wonderful x x

Thank you to Alex

on 12th July 2003, an American man flew to Enlgand and landed at Stansted airport. Around this time, a very nervous woman was driving to the same airport with a printed copy of a couple of emailed photos, a few printed emails, and a lot hope.

Could love really blossom between two strangers, started by an email on 25th June which led to a meeting 17 days later?

The answer, my friends, is most definately yes.



Alex scooped me up in his arms that day at the airport, kissed me and blew my mind. He has been doing that ever since, although he doesn't always know it, and I forget to tell him. Yes, the kids, the jobs, "life" gets in the way, as it does for us all. But that man turned out to be the very core of me, my love, my life, my everything.

Thank you for you, and thank you for India (and New York Houston, Las Vegas, Portland, Germany, France, Mauritius, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and all the other places we've seen together...!)



Happy 6 year anniversary on Sunday, my love. I love you x

the truth about marriage and kids...

Important message to women out there...

Theft Problem - IMPORTANT MESSAGE: - An Alert for women!

You've heard about people who have been abducted and had their kidneys
removed by black-market organ thieves.

My thighs were stolen from me during the night a few years ago. I went to
sleep and woke up with someone else's thighs. It was just that quick. The
replacements had the texture of cooked oatmeal. Whose thighs were these and
what happened to mine? I spent the entire summer looking for my
thighs. Finally, hurt and angry, I resigned myself to living out my life in
jeans. And then the thieves struck again.

My bottom was next. I knew it was the same gang, because they took pains to
match my new rear-end to the thighs they had stuck me with earlier. But my
new bottom was attached at least three inches lower than my
original! I realized I'd have to give up my jeans in favour of long skirts.

Two years ago I realized my arms had been switched. One morning I was fixing
my hair and was horrified to see the flesh of my upper arm swing to and fro
with the motion of the hairbrush. This was really getting scary - my body
was being replaced one section at a time. What could they do to me next?

When my poor neck suddenly disappeared and was replaced with a turkey neck,
I decided to tell my story. Women of the world, wake up and smell the
coffee! Those 'plastic' surgeons are using REAL replacement body parts -
stolen from you and me! The next time someone you know has something
'lifted', look again - was it lifted from you?

THIS IS NOT A HOAX. This is happening to women everywhere every night.

WARN YOUR FRIENDS!

Last year I thought someone had stolen my boobs. I was lying in bed and they
were gone! But when I jumped out of bed, I was relieved to see that they had
just been hiding in my armpits as I slept. Now I keep them hidden in my
waistband.

Thought this was too 'important' not to pass on. Have a wonderful day - with
a joy filled heart.

P.S.

These same thieves come in my closet and shrunk my clothes! How do they do
THAT?

Easter Eggs and Sebastian!

We had great fun Easter egg hunting!!

and enjoyed Sebastian visting us - espeically India, who was obsessed with him!

finally, took this on a visit to Pembrokeshire recently - isn't nature wonderful?!

Time to clamber stiffly back in the blogging seat.

I have no idea why now is that time, but something tells me it is.

"So much has happened" doesn't come close! In October 2007 my step daughter Elena came to live with us. Three days later my daughter India was born, five weeks early. My children increased from one smallish eight year old boy to three kids within a space of days.

India will be 18 months old on Friday. The last 18 months have been a whirlwind of joy, resentment, happiness, sadness, struggles and growth. Perhaps the reason I am suddenly drawn to writing this is that I feel as if we're finally getting through the mists of adjustment and coming out the other side.

India is hilarous! Bright as a button, more beautiful than my dreams ever pictured her. Life without her would have been a life diluted. My wonder son Jak is doing brilliantly at school, and becoming an amazing person. His teacher says he is gifted. I feel like the one with gift. Elena, my stepdaughter, is beginning to taste what stability feels like - and starting to realise that she is loved and wanted. She has moments of peace and calm, where she doesn't fight against everything and everyone that loves her. Maybe she is beginning to stop testing us, to see if we really do want her with us. She and I are starting to sense something growing between us.

We're winning.

Next week we're on holiday in Pembrokeshire, a cottage to hide away for a few days and recharge. I will be taking lots of pictures and we will be building lots of memories. In the meantime, here we all are in March 2009...

Fast forward 12 months....

and here is that little star, the amazing baby who has made my life complete...

Isn't she amazing??????????