First half of 2021!

Who would have thought that the world would change as much as it has over the last year and couple month. Trying to adapt, adjust and path our way through a new normal. It just doesn’t seem to get better, just went we think we’re getting there, or we can finally breathe (no pun intended) we hit with a new variant or another wave.

Let me take you through the first half of my 2021.

Never did I begin to imagine that 2021 would start off with such great sadness, one of the greatest sadness I’ve ever felt in my lifetime. Early January both my in laws tested positive for COVID-19 and both were doing ok when my father-in-law suddenly had difficultly breathing for 2 days in a row. On the 13th January 2021 just after 7pm my husband Rob, my in laws and a few other family members had a video call to catch up and to pray together. Rob had the call on speaker and my father-in-law sounded so happy and chirpy I unfortunately couldn’t join the call because I had to attend a class. That same evening just after 10pm my brother-in-law called to let us know my father-in-law had passed away. It literally felt as if someone had kicked me in my stomach, like my heart my ripped out. As for Robert, never have I seen my husband cry as much as he did that night when he saw his dad lying on his bed. My kids took the loss bad because this was the first time we had such a close loss. It was a difficult moment, because we could not even have a proper burial for him because of COVID-19, but my mother-in-law had a small memorial service for him. A beautiful service for an incredible human being, for a man who was as straight as an arrow. Allen Conroy Phillips was and will always be the true definition of a man. I will always remember him saying his superpower was his honesty. Dad may your soul rest in peace. We will continue your legacy.

Now the same day my dad passed away, we had to rush our 14-month pit pup, Thanos to the vet, he wasn’t well. He happened to share a birthday month with my father-in-law. The vet would call every morning to give an update and by Friday Thanos was doing well, we were so happy but unfortunately the Sunday morning call was a difficult one. The vet said Thanos did not make it, he had passed away during the night, in the space of 4 days we had suffered to 2 massive losses. But it didn’t end there, a week later our Summer-Love a pup from Thanos and our eldest litter also became sick and 3 days later she was gone. Another blow for our family, the losses were so deep that to this day as I sit here writing this post my cry is still as raw as it was in January. One day at a time, but these losses showed Rob and I we need to check in on kids mental well-being because we don’t realize how these losses affect our kids. So every month we take our kids out away from home for breakfast, lunch or supper to check in on their emotional and mental well-being and teach them that it’s ok to not be ok, it’s ok to cry, it’s ok to feel their feelings.

One day at a time is what we do to get by but not forgetting to deal with our emotions and taking our kids out once a month for a catch-up and check in family sessions. Well, February came with its own share of emotions. The month we moved into our new home as we start to prepare for our new adventure as a family. Also, we got the newest and youngest member of the squad, our pit pup, Blaze. Mr busy body, he is 5 months old and trust me anything and everything that is chewable Blaze is chewing it. We have a toddler on our hands. The month of February was when it was all writing, writing and more writing. My book was written in the month of February, it’s the month when I poured my heart and soul onto paper. Writing each chapter took me back to the place I was in some not so good which had me crying because the emotions are still so raw. It’s raw because I remember where we were, I remember where I come from, and I never want to forget where I come from.

Get your copy of my book on www.11yearsofnappies.co.za.