Welcoming in the new year

Happy New Year to you all! Yesterday we farewelled 2012 with a fabulous family fun day. And as we leave 2012 behind, our family leaves behind a massive roller coaster of a year.

Last year's early and fun Christmas celebration with my family - an hour before Stu had a seizure and we were catapulted into the roller coaster that was 2012.

A year during which my husband was diagnosed with epilepsy, and due to his massive seizure last Christmas, was unable to drive for 3 months, causing some pretty tough times for us. But through this, we found out how supportive our community and family is and also, through the scariness of watching my husband have a seizure and be transported off in an ambulance, I realised just how much he means to me.

It was a year when our bank balance started off fairly low, and our main source if income was snatched away by a company closing down all of its rural and regional branches and thus making my husband redundant. But it was also a year when we became more self sufficient, and eco friendly and much less consumerist, resulting in us not only making a massive dent in our 'carbon footprint', but also saving a lot of money. And it was the year that Stu was offered a job by a business contact and was therefore lucky enough to walk from one job, straight into another.

It was a year for watching generations change. We sadly farewelled three grandmothers, and while we and our children felt the loss, we were probably most hit by watching our own parents grieve the loss of their mothers. But as we farewelled those three special women, we welcomed a new special woman into the world. The arrival of our first niece, Clover,was not only a truly amazing time for me as I was invited to share in her birth, but we've loved watching her grow these last few months, and hope to continue to be a special part of her life.

As I listen to my happy, healthy, bright and gentle children play in the next room and look out to my thriving garden and animals surrounding our uniquely special home, I am very grateful for all of the experiences we've had this year - good and bad - as they have shaped our family into what we are today as we head into 2013.