Tribute to Bear

It has been an emotional weekend... many tears have been shed. But to cut the nitty gritty out basically it happened like this:

1. My sister has a huge fight with her fience' - First set of tears



2. DH and I gave away our baby for the last 3 years China... as many of you may know her from some of my work... she was becoming to much of a handfull and kept running away and with the baby here so soon we decided that she need to go to someone who could give all the attention that she deserves... she went to a really good home and is being spoilt :) - No tears but still sad



3. I get totally over being pregnent and have a moment/several moments of tears - Second set of tears



4. And finally My sister (yes the same sister who had the fight on friday night) had to put down her puppy, one of China's pups, Bear. She contracted Parvo and my sister couldn't afford the $3000-$4000 vet bill that it cost to have her saved and even then it was no gaurentee that she would survive and make it to a nice old age... Bear was only 4 months old.

Bear was a sweet puppy that loved to chew on your toes and lick your legs... she always thought that everything in your hand was something she could eat or chew. She loved to drop at your feet as your where walking and roll over for a tummy rub. She was a good friend and loved cuddles. She had been apart of our family since the day she was born... I watched her grow from this tiny little pup that fitted in the palm of my hand to this small-medium size dog that just loved to be all over you.

Parvo is a very contagious and very fatal deases that attacks the division of cells and because puppy cell division is at it highest in the intestines that is where they usually attack first. It is not something that can be treated quickly and tecqunically there is no cure for it. My sister said that within a few hours she had gone from just being lathargic and mopey to partically parilised, druly with internal bleeding. I am glad I didn't see her this way.

I miss having our four legged friends bantering outside and howling for our attention... I have no words to discribe my sorrow for my sister in loosing her baby Bear... She will be greatly missed and always loved.

So as you can tell this weekend pretty much sucked... life can't always go as smooth as you want it to.

Tonight I leave you with a picture of Bear in her memory who is now in a better place.

2 Weeks 4 Days

Well it is getting to the nitty gritty now and even though my little man's official due date is in 2 weeks and 4 days he can come at any time now. I am getting all the signs that it is close even getting my nesting thing happening in the sense of I have all of a sudden had an urgency to get every finalised and ready for the baby.

I have been working hard the last week to mental prepare myself for a natural birth and practice techniques to deal with the pain and all of that... and I am feeling really positive and starting to get really excited. I keep visualising seeing my little man for the first time and all the emotions that go with that and seeing my other man, my DH, see our baby for the first time as he is so excited! As strange as it may sound I am really looking forward to the moment when we finally see the miracle that has been taking place for the last nine months. I just can't wait.

Anyway I have been working on some scrapping well I participated in the The Stamp Shack's January Cyber Crop and there are my creations.

Challenge 1 - A LO about yourself

As you can see I have taken a simple approach to this challenge and basically used a photo of me at a happy time in my life and just journaled that I am still happy even several years on.

Challenge 2 - A card based on a sketch

This challenge was based on a sketch and since my friend has just recently had her baby I decided to use this challenge to make her a card.

Challenge 3 - A LO about your 5 Fave things

Once again I took a different approach to this challenge. Whist most others did 5 of there personal Faves. I felt that I wanted to do a LO about my better half so I did my 5 Fave things about us as a couple. Whist it is about us as a couple can still get a feel for the type of people that we are as a couple and as individuals.

Challenge 4 - Valentine's Day Card

Well My DBS (Darling Baby Sister) who isn't so little (she's 20) :) she isn't into all of this scrapping business like the rest of us. She is the artist of the family and uses paints, charcoal, oils, pastels etc to create her masterpieces. Anyway since I asked her what I could do she asked if I would make her a card... based on her design so really this is her creation I just put it together for her. I was great to do this activity together to see our to totally different creative minds work together. I look forward to doing something creative together again.

Well I must be off to bed so that I can be as rested as possible for when my precious little man comes.

Take care friends and don't worry I will let you know when he comes :)

3 weeks 3 Days to go

Ok I took the plunge today and let my DH Michael take a picture of me. I haven't had many photo's taken through out my pregancy becuase of the amount of weight (due to fluid retention) I have packed on. But considering I only have 3 wks and 3 days to go I figure I should take a few. So here is me and my tummy.

Here is my tummy in all it's hugeness!

Aside from resting and getting pampered with a foot massage today, I have been a busy girl the last 2 days... here is what i have been up to...

This is a picture and layout of my Nephew Kaleb. They are so beautiful when they are asleep.

This is a black box that I have covered/scrapped as a keepsake box for my little man when he comes. This is the top side.

This is the front of the box and i have done all 3 other sides in the stripe.

Baby Shower invite and New LO

OK as promised here is a picture all be it not a good one of my Baby Shower invite... I would take another one but I have run out of invites... need to make more...

This year I have decided to be apart of the "Gratitude Album" Thread on Scrapchat (http://www.scrapchat.net/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=730). Each month there will be something to be grateful for that we have to scrap. This month January is "Things that make you laugh". I have chosen to scrap two pictures of me laughing and then on a tag state the top 12 (one for each month) that make me laugh. Undecided though I may put another small flower in the top right hand corner but will mull over it for a day as I will need to get more paper to make the flower.

4 Weeks 5 Days to go

Well it is only 4 weeks an 5 days to D day and already I am wishing for the pain of those on contractions and the hard work of labour... ironic I know... though I think my precious little man has other ideas and will be here until the end of near enough. I think this is more about me needing to learn patience and long suffering then it is about him being ready to come... :)

Well today was my final day of work. As of now I am officially on maternity leave for 12 months. Yay! though I don't think that it has set in yet. I am sure that it won't take long before it does :)

I have a whole list of things that I would like to do before our little man comes but the doctors orders are to rest and put my feet up so that my kanckles have a chance to go down... but everything is so out of sorts and is driving me crazy... I guess it will be a slow process and I will just have to suffice with doing a little everyday... though i have been reading a lot and I managed to make 30 baby shower invites... they are so cute... i will take a picture and post it here when i get a chance.

That's another thing I want to do. Because my baby sister has moved from Melbourne and moved in with - trust me she is worth her weight in gold!- Our office has now been turned into the office/scrap room/nursery. So the nursery side has been done but the rest looks like a bomb has hit it and I don't have the room to scrap... so I really want to get stuck into it so I can scrap. I am dying to scrap!

Anyway I better be off to bed as I have some final things to tie up with work and do some errands before I can retire to the bed as the doctor ordered.

I hope and pray this finds you well.

love
Me

Happy New Year - 5 Weeks 5 Days to go

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!

Being the first day of the first month of 2008 I have decided to do the usual new years resolutions etc... Like keep my Blog way more updated then I have in the last 3 months since I started it :).

Well Christmas is over and to be honest I am glad. Don't get me wrong I had a really nice Christmas but I think I am just tired right now being only 5 weeks and 5 days out from Baby being due.

I have had to stop work a week and 2 days earlier then I expected as my body is having trouble coping with the baby and all the things that I want to do so Baby has won and I just have to learn a lesson in patience and an application for doing things in bed. - Mental note to self be more fit and healthy before next baby and then maintain it during the pregnancy.

Though this time in bed has allowed me to read and get stuck into my Baby Shower invites that should have been out at least a week ago but will be lucky if they make it out this week. Why is it that all the cute stuff takes the longest to make... yes I am making them all and they require a lot of cutting out of small pieces... and yes I am aware that I am crazy but they will be well worth it in the end... even if no-one else appreciates them but me :)

My how 2007 has gone fast... I found that once I turned 18 I started to notice every year get faster and faster... and last year was no exception. I have great plans for this year and I feel that it will be a great year... well for starters my dearest sweetheart and eternal life mate, my Hubby and I will be celebrating our 2nd (I know only 2 - but it seams longer then that probably because of everything that we have been through together in the last 4 years together) Wedding Anniversary next week; We are expecting our first baby in Feb; I have my baby sister and one of my step-sisters getting married this year... and it is only Day 1 of 2008.

I have great plans for this year... I hope to discover myself again this time as a mother, I hope to face some personal fears and challenges, I hope to tap into the spiritual me once again, I hope to become a better wife and friend, I hope to be more charitable and give more service. I know there is a lot to do but I feel that with the birth of our baby that I will become empowered and find myself once again actually probably for the first time. I was afraid of being a mother and all the challenges that I would face like would I be able to cope; would I be a good mother; would my relationship with my Hubby change for the worse.... but as the time grows closer I see small positive changes that give me hope and courage. I see that my relationship with my DH is changing but it is getting stronger we are getting closer we are seeing each other in a different light and accepting that and using that as another reason to love each other. I am starting to see the blessing of motherhood and beginning to understand that there is nobility and divinity in my role as a mother. I am starting to feel I guess at times a little empowered by it... I hope and pray that this empowerment that I feel will continue once my beautiful baby is born and as we learn and go individually and together as a family.

I have to say that if still feels a little surreal still... even though I am waddling around with this huge belly. I don't think that it will be come really for me until I am holding him in my arms. I can't wait. I wish he would come now... not just so that I can hold me but for a number of other reasons too....

Well I better be off to bed as my Kankles (yes you heard right I have tree trunks as feet, ankles and legs at the moment) are huge and my eyes so wiry that I can't really seen the computer screen... but never fear I will be back soon

Night all hope this year holds all the wonders you desire and more.

love
Mandy xxx