I’ve noticed that on every post where I’ve been gone a while, I’ve written about what’s happened in the preceding months and years. Bit late with this one, but here we go!
Since 2012, there’s been a LOT of life changes, good and bad.
- In 2013, I started a business with my fiance – still going!
- In 2014, I welcomed my second child into the world along with two kitties.
- In 2017, I finally married my fiance after 19 years together!
- In 2018, I learned to drive and passed my test at the grand age of 37!
- In 2020 – we all know what happened that year!
- In 2021, my husband had a heart attack. 🙁 Thankfully minor.
- In 2022, I became a school governor and then joined the PTA.
- In 2023, Storm Babet happened (see previous post).
- In 2025, my youngest started at a specialist high school for autism.
And a couple of biggies expected in the near future:
- In 2026, my eldest starts sixth form / college.
- In 2027, my husband will be 60!
Reading this list, it seems like an awful lot of important things have happened in a short space of time. Yet some of it feels like a lifetime ago and I can longer imagine a time when things were different.
My life predominantly revolves around being a mum – the days of being a care-free twenty-something are a distant memory. It’s actually kind of scary knowing my eldest could be at university in as little as 3 years. Not sure what the future will be like for my youngest – he’s incredibly smart, but autism will shape his life story. Having achieved the holy grail of a special school place, he has every opportunity to thrive and succeed.
Going into business with my husband has been one of the best decisions we ever made. While the responsibilities are large, the freedom it’s afforded us to spend time as a family whenever we want is priceless. It fits our lifestyle, our work ethic and we love what we do.
Health is something that has comes into sharper focus these last few years. Aside from generally getting old, my husband has heart issues and diabetes and I have a lifelong eye condition. The aforementioned autism forms a daily part of our lives and now my eldest has been referred for assessment – he has been struggling with severe anxiety over the last few months, along with some other autistic traits that have come to the fore. I’m sad that I’ve passed on my anxiety, but I hope my son will be better able to face it than I could.
As for my wider family, my dad died in 2015. We were estranged for some years and he’d never met his grandsons. I understand he died of cancer, in a nursing home. My mum and I have been in regular contact since just before my boys were born, and she now lives in a nearby village. I don’t see my extended family, though they pop up on the radar occasionally.
The next decade will undoubtedly be filled with change, that I hope will be mostly positive. I know my husband can’t wait to retire and collect his pension and (hilarious as it sounds) I’m actually looking forward to menopause – bye bye endometriosis! 😀