waiting + waiting

hi there all of you!

As is often the case, this is a bit of a 'bibs and bobs' kind of post.

Firstly, sorry for the delay in updating, it's been a real kicker of a few weeks. *sigh* I've got a little gadget down the bottom of this blog that has what looks to be a crow (or Raven) and the initials BWO--in case you're not sure what it means, just click on it (hopefully the link works!)...it will take you to the breakdown of the meaning, but basically it means Blogging without Obligation. Not feeling the NEED to blog 65 times a week or the need to apologise if you don't, if you have a long update or a short one etc etc. I love this idea. That a blog is it's owners OWN blog and can be whatever we want it to or not to be (that is the question...lol. sorry couldn't help myself). So I want to make it clear that when I say sorry I haven't updated in a bit, I mean that I"M sorry I haven't done it. I love updating a couple of times a week and giving you all something else to see. (even though you're a quiet bunch, I know you're reading from my stats page lol hint hint).

So it's been a busy and stressful few weeks for various reasons but thankfully most of it's over now. Charlotte's surgery was last Thursday and it took a bit longer than expected but everything seemed to go well. She had an awful time in hospital, much more aware of what was going on and bursting into tears several times a day if she ever woke up to see me sitting anywhere but right next to her (and often even if I was there). When we got home she seemed fine until about 2-3 days after the surgery she developed a bit of a rash and an upset stomach (to put it delicately) and she screamed and screamed for hours. The poor little love, she's usually so cheery 24 hours a day, this was a real shock to us and hard to deal with.

For the most part she's better but she's still having some minor side effects from all the medications she's on for the next month. Hopefully it will all settle down asap. For those of you who aren't aware, she doesn't have any serious condition/illness; she has had issues with the tubes leading from her kidneys to her bladder which could have been serious but aren't now that they're fixed.

OK, so while we waited for her to come out of surgery, I took this quick shot of us waiting for her. It's such an awful time waiting for a child to come out of surgery, it's like a limbo. I can't imagine what it's like for "serious" surgeries, but this one was bad enough. I didn't take ANY photos for her last surgery, it was too much to think that it could be her last photos (as tends to be what runs through your mind in such stressful times). Matt said he didn't want to ever remember those moments, but I know: photos or not, I'll never forget them.

This time however, I decided to capture the memories as they're something that really makes up our lives right now. Her medicine, her doctors trips, her surgery etc. It's all a part of our lives and that's worth remembering.

Here is a layout I did using that photo and Studio Calico papers. (or papers from their store anyway, they're various manufacturers);

Tim Holtz Rosette die in overdrive for this one!! I also used the uber pretty Hero Arts children's parade (called It's a parade I think?!)stamp down the bottom of my journalling 'tag'. love.

 This layout was quite plain and dark at first but then I thought, 'no, there were moments of hope throughout that time so it needs bursts of colour to represent that.'

I hope you like it :)

I'll have some (late) Valentine's cards to show you next time as well as some gorgeous Valentine's that the lovely Ayana made for the other blog, but I didn't get to use. They're late, but hopefully that will be forgiven :)

talk to you soon

Linda x