It has been a long time friends. I decided to take a hiatus from blogging last year that took longer that I thought it would be. It has been great to spend some time to grow and learn and better myself as well as spending quality time with my nearest and dearest. Now, I’m back to tell you all about my time away.
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Meeting the little man who made me an Aunty <3
In the summer of last year my mum and I were spoilt with a visit from my sister, her husband and their 3month old son. This was the first time I got to meet and hold the little man who made me an aunty. I have to say it is the best job in the world. There are a fair number of kids in my life who I adore and dote on but there is nothing quite like the love I have for my nephew Daniel.
My sister and I never had the opportunity to grow up with much family so we had a bit of a warped sense of what an aunty is. Can’t lie, I am making it up as I go along but hey, isn’t that what makes life interesting.
The family were in the UK for almost 3 months which was such a treat. We got to show them some of our favourite places and experience new ones with them as well. My sister got to reconnect with the extended family here and build relationships with them as well. Mum and I got to see some big milestones for Daniel while he was here, including his 1st tooth and sitting on his own.
I cannot express how grateful I am for the time I had with my sister to mend some old wounds and become closer than ever. One of my favourite moments was the evening when we went for a walk because neither of us could sleep. It was just the 2 of us and we just talked. Such a small thing but it was really powerful.
Being made redundant and finding a new job
The beginning of my 2023 started with hope and excitement. I thought I had found the job of my dreams the previous year and was working on getting a promotion. Unfortunately, life loves throwing curve balls. During my time at my previous job, one of the things that was always said was if you wanted an appraisal or a performance review, all you needed to do was ask. I asked my boss if we could have a check in regarding my performance and aims in the company. With my self appraisal form in hand, I walked into the meeting to find more than just my boss there. You know how there is always one person who deals with getting rid of staff. If you get called into a meeting with them, you know your pink slip is on the table. Well… there he was. I couldn’t believe my performance review had turned into a redundancy hearing.
I could not believe this had happened again. What the hell was I going to do now? I gave myself 1 day to wallow and then I needed to hit the job sites and get applying. I couldn’t believe my luck when a job in the IT department came up at a company 5 mins from my house came up. After showing my interest and applying for the role, I went through the interview process and got the job. Things don’t always have to look so dark. Now it was time to prove myself and get going.
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My trip to Australia
Oh wow was this one of the best experience ever. This was the first time I was able to go and see my sister in Aus since they moved out there. A bonus was that I got to reconnect with a close friend of mine who moved there a few years again as well. Perth is such a gorgeous city. I couldn’t believe how much I wanted to stay.
Two huge things happened during in my trip. My nephew turned 1 and my sister and I went to see Backstreet Boys live in concert. Two of the greatest moments in my life I would say. Daniel started walking just before his birthday and he enjoyed showing off his skills to his aunty.
Seeing my friend and her kids and reconnecting with my family in Perth made the visit even sweeter. It is my dream to be able to move over there permanently some day. Having people I know and have a relationship with will make that easier and more comfortable should the opportunity come.
I can’t believe a year has gone and these are just a small few things that have gone on. I’m glad to be back but I’m also glad I took the time out to embrace my life without distractions.
Look after yourselves and until next time…
