July 3, 2012
LEGO biscuits.
~*~
Here’s a photo of the LEGO biscuits I made for Ronan’s birthday last week – they’re a bit odd-shaped (and the icing is a bit dodgy), but hey, he’s nine and thinks anything topped with M&M’s is totally awesome!! Tee Hee. I think we can all agree that I won’t be going into the biscuit-making business. LOL.
*laughs* At least they tasted alright.
All I can say is; thank goodness the children are so forgiving!
(Let’s not even think about the food colourings!!) ><
They went nicely with his LEGO themed birthday card (and YES, he got LEGO – STAR WARS – for his birthday!!)
February 25, 2012
Butterfly Fly Away…
You tucked me in
turned out the light
Kept me safe and sound at night.
Little girls depend on things like that.
Brushed my teeth
and combed my hair,
had to drive me everywhere
You were always there when I looked back.
You had to do it all alone.
Make a living, make a home.
Must have been as hard as it could be.
And when I couldn’t sleep at night,
Scared things wouldn’t turn out right,
You would hold my hand and sing to me.
Caterpillar in the tree
How you wonder who you’ll be
Can’t go far, but you can always dream.
Wish you may
and wish you might
Don’t you worry
hold on tight.
I promise you there will come a day.
Butterfly fly away
Butterfly fly away
Got your wings now you can’t stay
Take those dreams and make them all come true.
Butterfly fly away
You’ve been waiting for this day all along
and known just what to do.
Butterfly
Butterfly
Butterfly
Butterfly fly away.
Butterfly fly away.
Butterfly fly away.
(“Butterfly Fly Away” by Miley Cyrus.)
Sung at his funeral service on 9th September 2011 by Chloe
at special request of dad.
Dad, my beautiful dad, died on the 3rd of September 2011; a day before Father’s Day, just a week before his 66th birthday, two weeks before mum and dad’s 44th wedding anniversary and too soon for any of us. Dad had a particularly aggressive form of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma which was first diagnosed Christmas of 2009 although to look at and spend time with him, you’d never know he was so unwell – he wasn’t one to complain or be angry and maintained his special sense of humour throughout. February marks a year since he underwent a Stem Cell Transplant which has held a lot of memories of daily trips to the hospital with mum. We knew even then that there wouldn’t be a cure for his lymphoma but we underwent the Stem Cell Transplant with the hope that we would be gaining more time. We didn’t know it would only be so little – within 8 weeks of treatment he could feel some symptoms again and by 9th of May 2011 we had the news that it might only be 3 months. Within four months, he was gone. But we were blessed with SO many good days. I took the children out of school to spend time together and we had some wonderful days – some beautiful, magical, fun days. I have lots of photos of the time we spent together but of course, now, I wish I had more.
Words can’t begin to describe the emptiness and sense of loss I still feel, and that I still wonder; how can he NOT be here? Those who truly understand …. well, you understand. I’m doing okay – I really do believe I’m doing better these days. Perhaps that’s why I can finally get back to this blog – I’d felt that I had a physical block about posting since losing dad. I wanted to blog again, but how could I post pretty cards as if nothing had happened, as if it wasn’t important? I couldn’t ignore what had happened to dad. Even though I really don’t need to (or want to) tell the whole world, I needed to acknowledge my beautiful dad and the loss we’ve all suffered by his not being here with us.
Last year was particularly difficult but I did make time to make some cards for my personal relief and to create some special scrap pages of dad which I’m so thankful for now. I still have so many photos and wonderful memories that I want to put down in an album and I’ll continue to make time for that in the coming year.
For my friends and those who know me; thankyou for your support and care during the last year and for your patience whilst I’ve been absent from blogging – I haven’t been absent from cardmaking so you’ll hopefully see some more action here from now on. Credit goes to Alisa Tilsner for her card which I took inspiration from to make dad’s page.
In memory of Kenneth Smith, my beautiful dad.
10th September 1946 – 3rd September2011
Fly free.
April 21, 2010
My beautiful dad.
My beautiful dad gave me the best news today – his cancer is in REMISSION! It’s gone. The chemo worked! He’s having his last cycle of chemo tomorrow – just as a ‘booster’ shot really, but he’s all clear.
Dad was diagnosed with Stage 3 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma right on Christmas after struggling with various symptoms for months. We all had a difficult time coming to terms with the news, but once that diagnosis was FINALLY made things moved along very quickly. From that first day with the confirmation of NHL in the doctor’s room at the Hospital there was always a lot of HOPE. We were all very optimistic and up-beat about it and knew it was just something we had to get through and that dad would do what had to be done.
In the beginning, dad was very weak and couldn’t even drive or walk without getting exhausted, so I became the transport for mum and dad – which I felt at that time was the only thing I could do – I couldn’t help in any other way, so this was my ‘bit’. I keep saying I was fortunate to go along with mum and dad to each appointment and chemotherapy cycle because I was then able to see, feel and take in all the positives that the staff gave out either deliberately or just by their beautiful natures. For every bit of hard news or side effect from medication there was always a positive piece of information or a suggestion about what to do to counter-act side effects – everything was balanced (perhaps even tipped towards the HOPEful) and there was ALWAYS so much support from the wonderful staff. I think that if I hadn’t been able to hear the ‘good’ news with the ‘bad’ news, I could easily have fallen into the depths of fear and hopelessness. So, yes, although no one wants to watch someone they love go through chemo, I feel blessed to have been able to share these moments with mum and dad.
I’m getting teary even now, which I know is just relief and joy at dad’s wonderful news but perhaps it’s also a release of the anxiety that I was holding in all this time. We’re so lucky that treatment worked – I have my beautiful dad and I’m the luckiest person in the world today.
Last month, I took this photo of dad and his three “girls” at the Lyell McEwin hospital – these nurses kept our spirits high and brightened each chemo day with their laughter, cheeky-ness and smiles. Oh the laughs we had! Most often it was at dad’s expense, but he was ‘hooked up’ and couldn’t really fight back. LOL. They truly are angels of HOPE.
Design by Julia. Stamped Images © Stampin’ Up!
I can’t even say how relieved and happy I am. Thankyou to all my friends and customers who have kept me and my family in your thoughts, it has been truly appreciated.
Julia XX
April 19, 2010
12 Years and counting!
Hubby and I celebrated our twelfth wedding anniversary yesterday!!! WooHoo!!
We’re pretty casual about our anniversaries – just an “I love you!” and a bit of reminiscing over our happy day will usually suffice but darling hubby surprised me with a beautiful charm bracelet yesterday. He had already put three charms on it – an “L” and an “R” for our children’s names, and a love heart with a gem inside. He spoilt me – what a lucky girl I am!!!! *le Sigh*
I *DO* feel very lucky every day; he’s my Best Friend! And we have two beautiful children… we’re so blessed.
Anywho – just sharing our happy day. :o)
Julia XX
~ Bejewelled Creations ~ 