For the last few years we have donated to charity instead of sending the majority of our Christmas cards by post, and have instead sent e-cards by email and Facebook. This year it felt appropriate to write our Christmas message here and send it out the same way I share most things – everywhere on social media!
So the very first thing we want to say is:
“MERRY CHRISTMAS!”
The “merry” is really important. What a year it has been!! We all need a bit of “merry”, this year more than ever.
The “Christmas” part in terms of its literal meaning is less important to us, as we are not Christians. Yet those of you who read my blog last year about the seasonal festivals will know how important is Christmas to me, and this time of year is a big deal for our family. Phil’s birthday, our wedding anniversary and the midwinter festival all fall within December, and this year Phil and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage – an additional reason to be merry!
Current and world affairs this year have knocked us for six in the Calvert household. Moreover, Phil has needed some support as we come up to what could potentially be another surgery year for David in 2017. The feelings of gloom, despair and helplessness that we and so many of our friends felt after Brexit and then the election of Donald Trump led me to add a new page to my website – a page called Get Moving! New ideas every day of how to make the world just a little bit better.
But it has been far from a terrible year. Phil got a new job in July, and is now Chief Information Officer at TK Components. Edward started in Year 1 in September, and is currently enjoying swimming and horse riding outside of school. David now attends preschool playgroup two and a half days a week, and has been swimming with me and really enjoying it. Both boys are gorgeous cheeky monkeys who make us laugh all of the time.
I have been continuing with my various campaigns and voluntary positions, and brought together most of what I do under one umbrella with the “heartmummy connection” website at www.heartmummy.co.uk
Phil and I had a fantastic holiday in America and Canada in August – Phil was best man to an old school friend in Seattle so we took the opportunity to visit my godparents in British Columbia as well. Our thanks to both sets of grandparents who looked after the boys brilliantly. We are also dashing off to Paris for two nights just before Christmas to celebrate our wedding anniversary, and are then looking forward to a family Christmas.
So that’s the obligatory “round up” of the year in terms of the what, where and when. It doesn’t really capture the elation, frustration, love, joy, irritation, sadness, wonder and hilarity of another year of family life, but you all know what that’s like. We’ve all muddled through another twelve months and are set to celebrate the depths of winter so we can stand up strong and muddle through a further twelve. As ever, we want to thank our family and friends for being continually and unceasingly amazing, and if you are reading this then that means YOU! We are surrounded by inspirational, incredible, kind and loving people and we count ourselves very lucky.
Have a Christmas filled with love everybody. Bring on 2017!
Helen, Phil, Edward and David xxxx
Heartmummy Musings 