2009 Goals

2008 wasn't really a fantastic year for achieving goals. Although I did manage to run that one half marathon before everything in our lives fell to pieces. Well - that is probably a little bit of a negative way of looking at it isn't it? Here is a run down of 2008's happenings in our family:

• Jan - April 2008 Trained for and completed the Brisbane Half marathon
• March 2008 - Jo (Mark's mum) diagnosed with Oesophageal Cancer
• March 2008 - I scored my new job here in Canberra and plans were set in place to move in May
• April - Further diagnosis for Jo - this is a slow and frustrating process
  
• May 2008 - Came down to Canberra to help out with Jo - went out for a bike ride and broke my Elbow - out of all fitness action for 2 months. Work start date postponed because I couldn't drive. Jo commenced Chemo.
• June 2008 - Commence at my New Job, Mark remained in Brisbane for 6 weeks to finalise the house and finish up at his job.
• June 2008 - I find out that we are expecting a baby.
  
• June - End August - Morning Sickness and a Canberra winter. Urgh. Need I say more.
• July 2008 - Mark commenced his new job in Canberra
  
• August 2008 - Jo finishes up Chemo and it appears as though things are looking up.
• September 2008 - Jo scheduled to have operation to remove Cancer and part of her Oesophageas. This was unsuccessful - the cancer had progressed too far and at this stage further treatment was futile.
• October 2008 - mark and I finalise the purchase of our new house in Canberra and move from Jo's to the new house. We like our new house. Mark continues to go to Jo's a few afternoons per week to walk the dog.
• November 2008 - Jo deteriorates further but the doctors seem unable to fix any of the problems at this point. It is very frustrating.
  
• December 2008 - Jo has some radiation treatment to ease her problems with vomiting and bleeding. It seems to work and she is able to eat again. She remains in hospital for 3 weeks and doesn't seem to improve - although the hospital wants to discharge her home. She goes to a respite bed at Claire Holland House Palliative care facility in Canberra with the view to recovering to a point where she can go home. It appeared as though this would happen - however her fast deterioration over the christmas week ultimately ended with her passing on Boxing Day. Her funeral was held on New Years Eve, 2008.
• December 2008 - I am now 8 and a half months pregnant and looking forward to a New Year with MANY MANY less stressfull events in our lives

SO 2009 can Only be better right?

The first hurdle to get through is to meet the newest member of our family in February sometime. We aren't really looking much past then at this point. However, I am keen to regain my fitness so I only have two goals this year that are fitness related. They are:

• To get back into a routine of training and complete the Melbourne Half Marathon in October 2009.
• To regain my core strength and work on balancing my glutes and hamstrings out with my quads. I never again want to have SI Joint pain like I have endured for the past 9 months!

I have a wonderful supportive husband and family here in Canberra and they are all supportive of me achieving these goals - even with having a new baby in February. Starting with baby steps - I hope to be back running 3x per week by May and then start the slow build up of kilometers to be fit enough for 21km by October.

Not too long and you will be reading a fitness blog here again! Yay!

Fresh Start

Well what a massive day we had yesterday! The funeral was at 10:30 and by the time we got there at 10am the majority of people had already arrived. I have never attended such a big funeral and it really makes you feel loved and supported when so many people come out to honour and celebrate the life of someone who had an impact on them in some way.

Mark's mum Jo was a teacher here in Canberra before she retired and there were many of her old colleagues who came along as well as a couple of past students.

We had a post funeral lunch at Jo's house and everyone seemed to have a good time remembering good times past.

At about 3pm it was mainly just family and close family friends left and I had had enough - mainly of sitting around because sitting is becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

So I suggested that we move on from the wake, change venues to our house and have a sausage sizzle and a swim and tranfer over to a New Years Party instead. That was thought to be a good idea by all!

So we carried on into the evening last night - but by about 10:30 most of us had had enough and I think we pretty much saw the new year in asleep! But that is OK.

Today I still feel as though I could sleep forever - but I think it may just be the whole of the past week catching up with me.

Bubs has maneuvered himself into an uncomfortable position and is right in under my ribs, it doesn't seem to matter how I sit, stand or lie at the moment - it is uncomfortable!

Some of my Nursery things

I have been happily crafting away on things for the baby's room for a little while now but I have been waiting to put up pics until it was closer to finished.

Last night I was bored and decided to play around with my Mobile concept. It is a little bit shabby but still cute I think it is more a Dangle than a mobile. Here is one of the fish....

And the dangle from a distance.....

I did these paintings a little while ago now but I have waiting to hang them beofre I took a picture. I am really happy with how they came out....


There are other things but I will save them ntil the room is more together.

Calm after the storm

Well after a very bad nights sleep on boxing day night - Mark and I both kept waking up every few hours, remembering something poingant or funny about Jo - having a bit of a cry - then finally going back to sleep - we had a restful day yesterday. All the stress of the past few months appears to be lifting and we are turning our minds to the new year and making a fresh start for 2009 to be full of joy and good times and happy memories.

Jo's funeral has been organised for New Years Eve in the morning, and while that does seem like a strange day to have a funeral, we all want to write 2008 off as a tough year with many more downs than ups and move into the new year with all of that behind us.

Jo was a strong, independant lady who was always happy when all the people around her were happy and having a good time - so that is what we will do on Wednesday.

I am sure that there will be many many more tears to come this week yet - I am crying again as I write this. But that is OK - because 2009 is going to be an amazing year with a new baby and lots of good times with our family here in Canberra.

New Project

This is the beginnings of the last project for the baby's nursery (If you exclude the mobile - I'm still working on the concept for that.) It's not much yet but I hope it comes together. Thats if I can even get it to hang on the wall once it is finished. LOL - it is so heavy!

Sad news

After having a lovely couple of hours with us at home for christmas yesterday, Mark's mum passed away this afternoon at around 5pm. She went quite peacefully and her last hours were spent with family.

It has been a very long day and we are all a bit sad - but also relieved that she is no longer suffering.

So Rest in Peace Jo - you are with spike now - together again. xo

I love this picture of mark with his mum - it really captures the relationship they had.

Sad News

After having a lovely couple of hours with us at home for christmas yesterday, Mark's mum passed away this afternoon at around 5pm. She went quite peacefully and her last hours were spent with family.

It has been a very long day and we are all a bit sad - but also relieved that she is no longer suffering.

So Rest in Peace Jo - you are with spike now - together again. xo

I love this picture of mark with his mum - it really captures the relationship they had.