Get back on your Chair!

OK, now get back on your chair! Grab a cuppa this might be a long one......
I know it must be a HUGE shock to see a post on this blog after sooooo very long, believe me there were certainly times when I didn't think there would ever be another one too. Most of you who are close to me know all the very heart wrenching reasons for my long absence from both the blogging world as well as the crafting world, not to mention my home in Australia!
Well I promise not to bore you all with details but lets just say I sure do hope for a better year this year.
The last post I made on here was of my gorgeous photos of my mum and dad, well unfortunately I had to return to England and was there for quite a few months nursing my mother through terminal cancer, she actually came through all the treatmeant really well and the Dr's were amazed at her tenacity and bravery. The Dr's ok-ed it for me to return to my family in OZ and said she would be fine for quite some months before becoming sick again. Unfortunately not long after my return my mother passed away peacefully in my fathers arms due to heart failure. It was a true blessing to all of us that she went while still being her normal self, not debilitated by the cancer in any way, she was up in her village shopping and chatting with all the locals that very day and everyone said she looked so well and happy.
Of course my dear dad has been left without his life partner and misses her terribly as we all do, we had a wonderful send off for mum and the little church was packed with friends and family from all corners of the world, this again was such a blessing to see all the lives she had touched while being on this earth.
To top things off, the day my mother passed my beautiful furry friend of thirteen years Coubah also had to be put to sleep. So a double whammy and more tears than I thought my body could hold. I know he is in heaven with mum having walkies with no pain and keeping mum company.
The day after I returned home from England I was sitting next to my darling daughters hospital bed side once again, she had to have another op and is now home making the most of school holidays before returning next week to work.
The day after her op, we noticed our other dog who was only nine had gone blind over night, so off to the vets again and unfortunately more bad news...he was diagnosed with canine diabetes and it was so severe that he also had to be put to sleep, apparently it is common in male poodles between the ages of seven and nine, he was a poodle mix and nine. So Whiddy is now with his mate playing in heaven too.
As you can imagine we were more than ready to begin this new year and start a new page in our lives. My crafting mojo went on vacation somewhere and forgot to come home, so I'm hoping that with some help from all the new products in my hobby room that hadn't even been opened from the new and exciting catalogue and of course now the release of the new SALE-A-BRATION catalogue today, I will be posting some new cards and projects for you to look at.
Thank you to all who have sent condolences and beautiful cards, thank you for all the many prayers that have been sent up for my family over the past year and of course THANK YOU for all your support and patience.
Please find all the new catalogues in my side bar on the righthand side, if you would like to see a hard copy feel free to contact me and I will be happy to send you one.