Hope Springs Eternal

Every now and again, we are reminded that life is really bloody good.
Take for example Fri - an impromptu get together with friends on the lane, or Saturday, not impromptu at all, but a get together with friends of long ago.
Or today, a phone call reminding me of good times gone by.

Then there is the news that my nephew (and his parents) are coming to visit from Ecuador.
A word out the blue from an old colleague.
A nod of the head from an ally.
The potential agreement of funding for a new project at nursery.
The blue skies and bluebells that have graced the Spring days of late.
It's all good.
Life is all good.

17/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

Nut Free Chocolate People to the rescue at Easter - a shout out

Chocolate at Easter? Of course.

With a peanut allergy? Not so simple.

Wait a minute...

Nut Free Chocolate People to the rescue.

Ah.

Pure brilliance!

And quite delicious.

Peanut Allergy & Anaphylaxis - A feature

CAUSE FOR CONCERN - Peanut Allergy & Anaphylaxis

EMMA OLIVER REVEALS A STORY THAT’S VERY CLOSE TO HOME AS SHE INVESTIGATES THE EXTREMELY HARMFUL ALLERGIC REACTION ANAPHYLAXIS

Esme a few minutes after eating peanuts 

New Year’s Eve didn’t quite turn out how it was planned. Sitting in A&E with my six-year-old daughter having steroids for an allergic reaction to peanuts, had definitely not been on the agenda. She only ate four, and then began to swell immediately, saying her lips felt funny and her throat hurt.

En route to A&E, as Esme began to cough and wheeze, I was just thankful to have administered anti-histamine. And to have left straight away.

20 minutes later at hospital, the steroids eventually calmed her hive-covered body, and after a few hours we were all able to leave: with an epi pen and a referral for blood and skin prick tests.

We’ve yet to discover the severity of Esme’s peanut allergy. The doctor thinks it is likely she will suffer with anaphylaxis, as this first reaction was both intense and immediate.

Anaphylaxis will take some getting used to for all of us, but especially Esme. A peanut allergy is almost certainly for life, and of course she does not yet fully understand the implications, saying: “At least I get to go to the front of the dinner queue at school now Mummy.”

Settling into motherhood sometimes takes time

Not so long ago, I wrote a feature about settling into motherhood, and how finally, I appeared to have managed it.

I put it down to the fact that my two daughters were over their allergies and intolerances.

How wrong was I? My eldest, Esme Grace was diagnosed with peanut allergy last New Years Eve - we await testing to see how extreme it is, and Sofia Faith, my youngest, has an appointment for gut related problems next week.

Although the allergic issues continue, I am more settled as a mother than ever before. It is probably worth reminding other mums though, that sometimes accepting motherhood takes time.

16/52 The GraceFaith year long art project

The weekend that I was test driving a family car for Ford, the GraceFaith girls decided to test drive their own...

...steering obviously needs tightening.

FRAMED - intricate beauty

Parenting is...

...striving to make life as simple as possible

15/52 The GraceFaith year long art project & a girly gift to love

Getting creative - with a little bit of science thrown in, as Esme makes perfume - with GALT

Scandi Living

Until last week, Scandi Living was a shop up the road from us. But then my family disappeared into Finn Air, only to be seen again disembarking at Rovaniemi Airport, Lapland - into Arctic conditions. The sign announcing 'reindeer burgers' greeting us, acknowledged Scandi Living as our new reality; and so, Finnish Lapland and an adventure courtesy of Activities Abroad, began... 

Northern HIGH-Lights will be out in the Oct/Nov issue of Little London Magazine - available to buy Sept 2015.

FRAMED - Currently my 1Grace1Faith

14/52 The GraceFaith year long art project