Dear 2012

I can hardly believe that I’m sitting here writing my annual “end of year” blog already. It feels like just yesterday that I was jetting off to the States to see in the new year in Times Square with my closest friend. But here I am, looking back and reflecting on the year that’s been. My initial reaction when thinking about this year is that it was a really really tough one…but it wasn’t all bad. There was a lot of good contained in this year too…a lot of happy moment shared by myself and the ones I consider dear to me.

Every year I write a little post listing big events or things I’ve learnt and this year shall be no different. Please feel free to add anything I’ve missed in the comment sections…since you guys share such a big part of my life anyway:)

I kicked of the year with a massive party in my favourite city in the whole world. My close friend and I traveled to the States to conquer Washington DC and New York and to party in Time’s square along with millions of other people. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my entire life, and to be honest when I think about it I can almost not believe that I was really there:)
The rest of our holiday in the US and I extended my stay with a week to go visit my brother and sister-in-law.
I get to spend my brother’s birthday with him for the first time in many years
I felt Baby B (nephew) kick for the first time and I accompanied my sister-in-law on one of her visits and was able to hear his little heart beat. I’m not broody at all…never have been. But hearing that little heart beat…my eyes filled with tears and that little baby stole my heart right then and there…even though he was still a few months away from being born.
The Italian somehow managed to squeeze over my walls and swept me off my feet…sadly it didn’t last and later in 2012 we broke up.
After months of waiting (having ordered it in October 2011 already) and secret keeping (very few people knew) my gorgeous and epic car arrived in January. My little MINI, spec’d to a level of crazy and exactly as I wanted it:) MINI FTW!!!
For the first time I was faced with the harsh realities of being self-employed. It’s a scary world and I’m grateful that it was only a small scare.
My gran became seriously ill and was admitted to a hospital in Durban. I flew down for one night as we were all convinced she wouldn’t make it thought the weekend. I return to Jozi broken-hearted, convinced I’d never speak to her again
My gran makes a miraculous recovery from the pneumonia and is sent home…but the cancer is back with a vengeance and we all know it won’t be long.
My close friend got engaged to the girl who stole his heart:)
Early one morning I ended up in ER with everyone convinced I was having a heart attack. Biggest SCARE EVER! I made hospital art after the ECG.
I move into a new home. I LOVE it! probably twice the size of my previous place and I have a little garden.
I meet the neighbourlady…which in the few months that I’ve lived in the new place, has become an amazing friend.
My gran passed away peacefully while taking an afternoon nap. I think this was the one single event that shaped my opinion of this year. It broke me. Utterly and completely. She was the strongest most amazing woman, she was my best friend and just like that she was no longer with us. I still feel my eyes filling with tears just thinking about it. I miss her so very much.
Baby B is born the day after my gran passed away. The most beautiful and perfect little boy and despite not actually being able to hold and cuddle him he has stolen my heart:)
My mother receives my grandmother’s Ruby ring that my grandfather gave her on their 40th wedding anniversary and she decides to give it to me. Ruby being my birthstone and all. (happy tears) I wear it every single day:)
A rather scary event (work related) forces me to reconsider my chosen profession. I love my job…but is it worth the danger I put the people I love in? It took weeks of prayer, planning and a lot of personal analysis to figure this one out.
I took my parentals to see my dad’s all time favourite band when they were in SA – The Moody Blues…what an awesome concert!
I turned the big three oh. Most other people I know had a little episode when they realise they were turning 30…me not so much. If nothing else it has brought me to a place in my life where I’m less concerned about what others think and more about the happiness of myself and the ones I love. It’s brought a new confidence and a happiness all on its own. So I’m 30..so what…age is just a number:) It has also brought along a new motto: Some will, some won’t, so what, next.
I went to see Madame Zingara and became part of the show:P
My mother had to go for a really big operation and I was a complete wreck. Grateful that I was in a position where I was able to work from their home for a week and look after her.
Christmas 2012…our first without my gran…a joyful and sad event.
It’s been a year of incredibly long hours and hard work and a lot of pressure work wise. I still haven’t quite figured out how to relax…I’m trying my best to master this art though:P But I still tend to go overboard and work myself to the edge of a burnout.
I’ve learnt that no matter how hard you try, for some people nothing will ever be good enough.
The ones who hurt us the most are the ones we trust and love the most, because it is to them that we open our hearts, our dreams, our desires and our weaknesses.
I’ve once again realised that you can make really good friends in the most unlikely of places.
Not everyone who proclaims to be your friend will treat you as such.
True friends are worth more to me than any riches
People will judge and oppose that which they do not understand.
It has been a long year…I’m beyond tired and I’m still working. No holiday plans for me yet and it was with shock that I realised that I haven’t been off since returning from the States in January. Not a weekend away, not a weekend off, mostly work work work and more work. But it has been a good year and despite some events that made it seem like a yucky year I have been blessed. I realise that a lot of people who read my blog do not share my beliefs when it comes to God, but how can I say goodbye to a year without including the most important part of who I am and what I believe. God has provided me with a lot of grace and love and understanding and comfort this year. He has also blessed me in ways I can not even begin to explain or even comprehend. He is my Rock:)

Well my lovelies, I think that about sums it up. My 2012 in a nutshell.
As far as 2013 goes…I think this is going to be a big year all round. There are many exciting things in the pipeline…weddings, engagements, work things, friend things, family things and hopefully some epic holidays and fun times with the people dear to me. I wish you guys all the best for 2013. Make every single day count. Do what makes you happy. Take responsibility for your actions. Tell the people you love that you love them as often as you can…they might not have a tomorrow. Laugh a lot. Dance and be silly. Work hard. Do your best in all you do. 2013…look out, we’re coming for you!

Love
Ruby
xxxx

#6of365

For the last three weeks I’ve been doggy sitting for the parentals while they went about the task of meeting and getting to know their grandson, my gorgeous nephew Baby B:)
Sally, the dog, is one of the most remarkable animals I’ve ever seen and over the years she’s literally become a part of the family. She was so beautifully behaved and I absolutely loved having her:) The parentals and Sally returned home today…my house seems so empty and quiet without her:/ So today’s picture is of my darling doggy Sally:)

My dearest Gran

Happy 86th birthday!

As I sit here writing this wee little blog post I can’t help but shed a tear, give a little sob and just cry. My heart is just so full when I think of you and all that you are and what you have overcome that I don’t even know where to begin. Less than two months ago we were all convinced you wouldn’t ever come out of the hospital, let alone walk around the house with only a walker as aid. You’re a little miracle all on your own:)

You’ve overcome so much in your 86 years…fighting and surviving aggressive breast cancer, the loss of the love of your life, the death of a son, a hip replacement and heart failure to name but a few. And yet here you are…a fighter, a survivor, a never-ending source of wisdom and love and teases and hugs and one of my closest friends.

There is so much I can write here to say what an amazing person you are and how much you mean to me and truth be told I’ve written and deleted this post about a million times…because no matter how I try the words just don’t come out right and they sound hollow and don’t do justice to you.

So instead I will offer you just this. Thank you for being such an amazing grandmother, mother, sister, child and friend. Thank you for loving us so much that it feels like our hearts will explode. Thank you for teaching me how to make traditional ginger beer and how to bake bread. Thank you for being the perfect example of child like faith in the midst of darkness. Thank you for being a fighter and for showing me where I got that pig-headed tendency from:P Thank you for believing in miracles and sharing them with us. Thank you for believing in us. But most of all thank you for the role you played in my life.

With more love than I could ever explain

Ruby
xxxxxxxx

Dear 2012

It’s been so long since I’ve typed a blog post that sitting here doing “this” feels rather strange. But here I am, nevertheless, getting back into the swing of blogging…finally:)

It’s only the end of February and 2012 has already proven to be quite the year. So many things have happened, so many changes have taken place. 2011 ended and 2012 started with a big bang. The adventure of a lifetime. Jetting off to the States with my best friend to see all the sights and sounds of Washington and New York and to most importantly spend New Years eve in Times Square. This has long been a big dream of mine and I can not even begin to describe this experience to anyone. It is overwhelming, amazing and now when I sit and look at the million of pictures we took I can not believe we were actually right there in the thick of things when it happened. Such memories:) It was not my first trip to the States, but as it was my friend’s I was lucky enough to once again experience some of the most amazing places and to experience some I had not yet seen.

Much shopping was done, plenty of fun was had and we came back with so many memories and experiences. I look back and all I can do is smile. I was also lucky enough to extend my stay in the US with another week to go and visit my brother and sister-in-law. As many of you know they are expecting, and it was also during my trip that we found out I will be aunty to a little boy. I was also blessed enough to experience listening to his little heart heat and to feel him kick. The emotion this brought, I can not even begin to explain. I’m by no means broody or in any state of mind where I want my own. But there was something that touched my heart so deeply that tears were very very near the surface when I heard that little beat.

Anyhoodle, enough with all the emotional stuff…I’ve included a few pictures of the holiday. Between the 2 of us we took over a thousand and choosing only a few is hard and does not do justice to it. But here they are never the less:)

At the Lincoln Memorial....being a tourist

I could get used to sitting in the Oval office

Half frozen pond in Central Park... -11 will do that to you

Happy little family - Sis-in-law, bro and Charlie the dog

With my bro - even though his eyes are shut

P1050433 — Just a tad of the craziness that is Times Square on New Years Eve

P1050469 — Happy new year!!! Blessed 2012!!!!!!

Unfortunately, while 2012 started off well, I was greeted with a consultants worst nightmare when I came back. Our investigation had finished and we had not yet been reassigned to a new one. While I had no doubt that I would be reassigned, it did meant that I came back to 3 weeks of unemployment…..and in the consultant world no work = no pay. It was just a TAD stressful, but thankfully all that has been resolved now, and February saw me returning to more regular (almost full) working hours.

But things weren’t all bad:) There were also a few really good things that happened along the way. For one, I’ve finally received something I’ve been waiting for since October:) It is gorgeous and I love it to bits.

So my dearest 2012…we’ve gotten off to a fairly good and somewhat rocky start. We’ve got 10 months left to make this the best year of my life. Let’s do this!

Love
Ruby
xxxxx

My dearest baby cousin

Happy birthday baby cuz!! Although I suppose at 15 you are no longer a baby. You are however the youngest of many and therefore you shall remain the baby cousin for eternity:) it’s an affectionate reference, so I don’ expect you to become difficult about it:)

I can’t believe you’re 15 already! How on earth did that happen? You were no more than a small child when I moved to Jozi and suddenly here you are, a proper teenager busy turning into a beautiful young woman before our eyes. Please don’t ever lose yourself in the world around you. You are beautiful and pure, affectionate and compassionate and your face is always ready to bestow that lovely smile of yours on all and sundry.

I hope you have the most amazing year ahead and that you are properly spoiled today. My the years be filled with love and happiness and may God bless you beyond your wildest dreams.

Much love

Ruby
xxxx

Rubyletters

Letters……….

Tag: Family

Dear 2012

#6of365

My dearest Gran

Dear 2012

My dearest baby cousin