Life of a yummy baby ... and now there are 2!!!!!

Oh my goodness - I have been meaning to write ... but don't know where and how to start. We have had MANY 'challenges' in the last 6 months, I was almost wondering if I could ever get back to blogging again.

I am glad I could and ... I finally did (after suffering from general lagged behaviour and tardiness)!!!!

The main highlights:

1. Sold our family cottage home in Malvern, UK and eventually moved to a classic french rented apartment in Nancy, France last November.

2. Lewis made a career shift in industry - from manufacturing to medical devices.

3. Me attempting to speak french - "je parler français un petite peu" - and after 4 hectic months ... still desperately trying!!!!

4. Learning all about the french way of life - From meeting apathetic french beauracrats, to setting up bank account and receiving health care. It's not quite just about drinking wine, eating croissants and smelly cheese! Settling in, making friends and finding our feet around Nancy has been both fun and frustrating!

5. Morgan starting school for the first time in a french-speaking "maternelle" ( or what is known as school for 3-to-5-year-olds in France).

6. Being a second-time mum amidst all of this - and baby number 2 expecting to arrive before the 28 March 2009! Ooooh what was I thinking !?? (obviously I wasn't!....)

All this time, we've had many adventures & misadventures of being in Nancy.

Language is our biggest barrier. And if you have made some mad decisions like us, to move very quickly to a country where neither you nor your spouse could speak or understand the language, then you would definitely meet with some REAL challenges! I wasn't prepared to accept this disability till I see how it affects my everyday life - from speaking on the phone to performing simple jobs - everything just seems to take twice as long and thrice the effort!

Having placed ourselves in the deep end from the beginning, there simply wasn't any time to think through things till we had gone through them. We had the most wonderful time over Christmas with all the family in Aberystwyth but unfortunately it was also the last Christmas for Lewis's dad who suffered a fatal fall at home on New Year's eve. With his passing in January, its been especially difficult for mum and the direct family. Thanks to the kind support of many relatives, friends and people of the Aberystwyth community - we are grateful for their offering of moral, mental and physical support throughout.

I cannot say more for how I feel but its like we've had our heads underwater for a long time. And only now then I begin to feel the air above us. Perhaps this is also my personal first step to learning the real lessons of life. There are many events we have not and cannot plan enough for. The people we love .... we must not and should not ever take them for granted. Having to shoulder some life-changing challenges in a short space of time has suddenly provoked us to learn more about ourselves and facing the real issues. I am grateful for this opportunity but I will also be honest that its not been an easy ride for us.

Well the coming of spring brings us greater things to look forward to - a warmer weather, a new baby, more visitors, more travels ... so wish us a wonderful year ahead! bon annee!