Day five: Great Friends!

I have been lucky throughout my life to have fabulous friends. They have come from very wide and varied backgrounds and lifestyles.

Today, I am feeling very grateful to have two very great friends - Chris & Suzy!

Chris, Suzy, Daz & I alll participate in an Advanced Coaching Program, where our minds, bodies & souls are stretched! We have an "Intensive" session about once a month and there we are challenged with new tasks for the month ahead.

I love that I have chosen these 2 gorgeous women to be on this journey with Daz & I. I know that I am loved, I am a friend and that I am safe with them. I am so grateful that they are my 'safety net' and I can talk to them about absolutely anything that is going on in my life... and I mean anything!! And they will always be there for me.

I am so grateful for the support that they have given me over the past year whe have been working together. I am so excited to be embarking on a new year of "Generosity" with them.

Tonight, I am so grateful that they were there to support me when I left Alex home with Daz for the first time in ages (to attend a Hen's Night). I was feeling very upset & teary at leaving my little man - very emotional, like I was being torn apart from him and that he wouldn't be okay. Yes, I know! It was irrational, but nevertheless, this was how I was feeling. They were both there as a shoulder to cry on and to support me 'feeling my feelings'. I love that I can express clearly with them, that they can question me generously and get to the bottom of the issue with ease.

Day four: My in-laws!

A lot gets written about the "dreaded in-laws", but I must say, in marrying Daz I really an grateful that I also chose excellent in-laws! For those of you that know D&T, they really are the parents you wish you had! I am so grateful to have them in my life. These amazing people welcomed me into their home from day dot, as a friend and eventually a family member. They blessed the union of myself to their son and have walked with us, every step of the way.

Today is just one of those days where I am reminded of how grateful I am, to have them in my family. D calls this morning to say "Hey, I'm going to the supermarket, do you want me to pick up anything for you?" "Yes, please!" and Daz lists of the dozen or so things on our shopping list! An hour later here is the shopping done for us!

D arrives with bags of groceries and a big smiling face, to embrace us - and her gorgeous grandson, our Alex! How gorgeous to see the two of them together - Alex all sleepy and blinking after a nap and snuggling into D's shoulder for a cuddle.... and then the inexplicable delight on Grandma's face as she experiences it :-) To think, such joy!

T arrives after work and has some lunch with us all... and Granddad chuffs over his little grandson! He then proceeds to help Daz set up the battery charger on his bike... Always there to lend a hand and assist with some gadget or another! Not to mention, always there with a trailer to help move something!

Ah, a lucky & grateful daughter-in-law I am!

Day three: My sister!

I am grateful to have an amazing sister who I am very close to! Fi was born almost 2 years after me - funnily enough she was a premmie too! It's quite amazing to know I have a sister and a son who are premmies (not to mention 2 nieces on Daz's side of the family as well!)

As little people and in our early adult lives, we had a rather tumultuous relationship. Just imagine a 19-year-old Alison who was very studious, half-way through a degree and quite a 'surf-brand' dresser - and in contrast 17-year-old Fi who was a goth chick, dropped out of Uni and working at Maccas! Phew there were some sparks!

Luckily this has smoothed out in time and now we are in out thirties, we are such good friends. We are closer than ever and even embarking on similar things in our lives. Obviosuly, I have just had baby Alex and Fi is due in March with their first child! This has really bought us much closer. It's also been so surprising that our pregnancies have been very similar - no morning 'sickness', just nausea, cravings for tomatoes and milo... even carrying in a similar shape! I am so grateful that Fi is looking like carrying her bubba a little longer than I did!

I think it is such a blessing to have a sister who is your friend. Someone to call on when I'm having a bad day. A yoga partner and a food/wine expert who knows how to treat her Taurean sister with great food!

I look forward to many years ahead of being 'Aunties' to each others' children - our kids who are 'cousins' running around together! Of being friends and confidantes and shoulders to cry on.... and a sounding board to toss around ideas with. I am so grateful to have this amazing relationship in my life!

Day two: My Son!

I am so very grateful to have been blessed with our beautiful son Alex. I am eternally grateful that out of all the wonderful parents around, he chose to come to us. Even though he decided that he would come some 9 weeks early as a surprise, he really makes me so very happy every day.

I marvel at his perfection; his 10 little toes and his 10 little fingers with tiny little finger- and toe-nails. I love his beautiful olive skin and his cupids bow lips. I wonder day-by-day whether those once blue eyes will stay darker blue or go hazel or brown.

I adore and delight in watching him thrive and develop before my very eyes. I know that I play a large part of his life and I am grateful to be the one who sings him nursery rhymes, coos and gurgles at him and spends hours poking my tongue out at him and playing peek-a-boo, just to see him respond.

Having at least one baby/child was one of my life's biggest dreams - and I feel honoured and blessed each day that I have been able to fulfil this desire.... with my amazing husband along for the ride!

Day one: My hubby!

I am so very grateful for the most wonderful man in the Universe being my husband. Daz makes me happy, and he makes me laugh! He loves me when I'm having good days, bad days and awful days. He is always there for me no matter what... with a smile, a word or two or just a hug when I need one. We accept each other exactly as we are, and exactly as we are not! Our love for each other is unconditional.

I love that when I met you I loved you so much I thought I would burst.... and then we moved in together and I loved you even more!!! I thought I couldn't love you any more than when we got engaged... and then came our wedding day - I felt as though my love tank had suddenly expanded and was full to the brim. And along came our son, and that tank was expanded to such a huge size that I thought it would surely explode! But, here I am replete in the love he have for each other and our little man!

I am so grateful to have met you, to have you in my life and to spend the rest of our days together.