A grand start to the last year of my thirties!

I lie awake, before the rest of the house,
savouring the quiet, reflecting on the past,
thankful for the love, that brought me to this world,
filling my heart, with all that is good.

This journey I am on, thirty nine years in,
is walked with feet given the best start in life,
appreciating time, the little things,
my hands held with love, now living the present,
opening each new day with a grateful heart.

Waking before anyone else, on the morning of my Birthday, boded well. Half an hour or so of quiet before anyone could start telling me how to enjoy my Birthday.

I even managed to enjoy a bath and get dressed, before anyone started ordering me to open presents.

As I stepped out of the bath my first ambush was a paper airplane delivered message – thrown in my direction by my eldest daughter, followed by a beautiful hand-written note from my seven year old – and later a gorgeous surprise from three of my dearest school friends – which Alice helped me enjoy with a lovely cuddle and a wave of the balloon!

The ‘Birthday show’, which my two oldest girls had prepared was delivered, after some negotiation, after breakfast and coffee, with a little delay and upset when a rogue marble tripped up my eldest daughter.

Lovely messages came by way of cards, letters and messages on Facebook and a quick Skype chat with my dearest Mum and Dad.

Best of all, I knew, by the afternoon, we’d be on our way down to Queenstown, for a week’s holiday of awe-inspiring scenery, fine wines and no house-work.

After an exciting plane ride into Queenstown, arriving to a fine dusting of snow on The Remarkables, we checked in at the beautiful ‘Heritage’ Hotel & Villas, with incredible views.

Whilst Dan and my eldest daughter volunteered to pick up some provisions, I went to the pool with the younger two. The temperature difference between the 24 degree outdoor swimming pool and the 38 degree spa was extremely invigorating (and of course Miss 3 was very keen to jump in and out of the two as many times as possible).

The champagne later, in front of a roaring fire, was gratefully drunk with gusto and my family certainly made me feel very loved and looked after. I really couldn’t have asked for more (except that perhaps it would have been nice if the children had gone to bed slightly earlier than 10pm and my ‘time of the month’ could have held off a day!).

So, despite a couple of minor imperfections (and a still busted ankle), my Birthday was absolutely wonderful and I feel extremely positive that this last year of my thirties will be a very great warm up to an exciting decade of ‘naughty forties’!!!