it's bloody christmas

Apologies for complete radio silence over the last week. It's been a tough one, and leading up to Christmas, not ideal.

Not feeling very Chrismassy at all, despite wrapping presents last night and heading down to our annual Christmas jamboree with the Brit's family.
Perhaps it's because it's meant to be a time spent with one's lips wrapped around a bottle of champagne/sherry/eggnog/something boozy - and so, it just feels like another sober day.

Sigh.

Christmas blues anyone?

I suppose on reflection, it's been the busiest year of my life. And it's not calming down. I sit here, splayed out on the lounge floor, 23 weeks pregnant and counting, watching the rain fall outside, as the dark grey clouds come in and more storm warnings prevail.

This year I managed to:

Organise a wedding abroad
Get married
Go on honeymoon that involved flights to one of the remotest areas on Earth
Sell our flat
Buy a new flat
Buy a car for the first time since living in the UK, and do day trips across the country 
Was a regular visitor to John Lennon's house
Get planning permission to build
Get denied building this by a neighbour, war ensues
Help manage a press office inundated by some of the most negative stories its had to face
Get pregnant
Get pregnant a lot
It's twins!
Not travel to as many new countries I would've liked, but did get to see the world's oldest rainforest, went to America for a work trip, toured the Mediterranean jewel that is Malta with one of my best friends, and went back to South Africa for a long weekend to celebrate a special wedding.
Have both my skinniest [just before I got married] and fattest body [now] in one year

All in a year's work?!

No doubt, the year where I suddenly catapulted from being an upwardly mobile thirtysomething to an impregnated, domesticated grown up.

It sounds negative, but I am excited for the adventure ahead. Bar a few moments of panic and doubt ("Will I be a good mum? How do I be a mum? Oh my God I'm going to be a bad mother aren't I.")

Thanks for reading and travelling the journey with me this year. 2013 has been epic, and in the 33 years I've lived, the most significant year of my life. And I speak for the Brit too, as it's definitely been the most significant for him too.

Merry Christmas and festive seasons - here's to another crazy - good crazy - God willing - 2014.

xxx