Jikana Damaru

Mothers Day Firsts

Today is a very special mothers day for me – it is my first mothers day with all my girls – my first mothers day where I feel my family is finally complete. While it is not the relaxing day I was hoping for (Mr A is on the other side of the world for business) – no sleep in, no coffee in bed, nobody else to respond when the kids say “I’m hungry” for the 50^th time before 9am – it is oh so sweet to finally be in a place where time is no longer my enemy and I can relax and enjoy them.

For me mothers day is one of such mixed emotions – I love everything that is symbolizes but it is a day that gets me every year as I am constantly thinking of our precious little Laura and how I felt on my first mothers day seven years ago.

The first mothers day any mother celebrates should be the happiest ever – you have finally made it into the club – the most important club in the world – I however found myself in a completely different club to that which I had longed to be in – this club was one of those clubs that in your wildest dreams you never thought you would be part of but there it was staring you in the face. I was a mother but I was without my child – a mother without a job – a mother being surrounded by nothing but reminders of what it should have been like that day - I know this made me a mother and I was so proud to be a mum to Laura but I felt like a failed mother.I wanted desperately for people to wish me a happy mothers day but most did not know what to say.

I know I am not alone with my feelings – the loss of mother-hood hits so many people on mothers day – not only those that have lost precious babes but those struggling to conceive a baby.

For the past two years I found myself crying at my eldest daughters mothers day concert – while watching her I am thinking about what we missed, I should already have experienced this with her big sister – this catches me completely off guard every year and I know that mothers day tears will stay with me until old age.

So to all those who through infertility, miscarriage and stillbirth are unable to hold their babies as they should and hear the words they so desperately want to here, this day is also for you, you are not alone – Happy Mothers Day xx

Me and my girls having a picnic lunch at "Laura's place" - pretty good timer shot considering Mr A was not here to take a photo of us.

I tried to find just one photo of Louise and I for a Mother's Day post, but looking back over the past two years showed me a very different vision to how I feel. In most of them I just look so dam tired and disheveled. Which kind of sums up what Mums are all about - We give up our bodies, our social life, our careers, our mental state and our lounge rooms but find something so much more... and certainly wouldn't change a thing.

So here is a collage made up of itty-bitty photos of my life as a mum - so tiny that you can't see the bags under my eyes.

Happy Mother's Day!

Hope your having a lovely day

{Oh and to my mum, who had 4 children - you are remarkable and we love you lots}

shadow shot

lots more here @ Hey Harriet

LLFF Blog Love...

Lots of Love going around this week in LLFF world.

These Beachy Snaps made it onto the Accessory Love Shop Guide email this week.

Our lovely Felt Bloom Pretty was on the Things we heart post on the fab Blanky4me Blog

This sweetheart is Zoe - daughter of the lovely Virginia from Mum/Toddler/Babe - she was featured wearing a LLFF Pretty plus many more fab designers in a Little Sootie Post.

If your quick you may still have time to enter the awesome giveaways over at Chantelle's Fat Mum Slim Blog - there is a heap of goodies from lovely designers such as Lovestamp, Susannah Tucker, Mad Stitches, Buttons by LouLou, Scissors Paper Rock and LLFF - Just to name a few.

and

My sweetie Louise just had her bedroom featured on Handmade Kids today

Jump on their Blog to see the interview!

Phew! I think that's it - hope all the links work.

On a side note - Thank you! Thank you! to my lovely Made it friends Tania and Beckie it was great to catch up again. Lunch was full of fun and laughs and a pop over to Meet me at Mikes, the crazy button place and the stitches and craft fair just sweetened the deal. Looking so forward to the next one - hope more of you lovely ladies can make it next time.

brothers & sisters & cousins - oh my!

A beautiful day by the water & these adorable children playing on the sand made for some captured moments that I hope will be treasured.

Kitchen highlight - duck egg blue

House to Home

Karl Juengel

Electric collection by Martha Stewart

Contemporary glass splashbacks by Ideal Home

Ideal Home, September 2009

Beautiful Kitchens, September 2008

Ideal Home, September 2009

Studio 9

Homes and Gardens, 2008

Karl Juengel

Enamel blue scales, a gift from my cute sister!

Recipe tin from the Martha Stewart Collection

Biscuit tin from TK Maxx

I just love duck egg blue and a lot of my kitchen items are in this delicious colour! As we have decided to go for white kitchen doors and drawers, white brick tiles and wooden worktops, we think we will paint the two long walls in a pale shade of duck egg blue to add colour. I also think it will work nicely against the duck egg blue jars, utensils and crockery etc. that will be sat on the wooden worktops and against the white tiles. The two smaller walls will be painted white.

Have a sweet day!

Random Acts of Kindness Giveaway - Will You Enter?

A few weeks ago I issued this challenge. Thank you to the lovely people who said they would take up the challenge of bestowing a random act of kindness. (For some reason a few of my comments ended up not appearing and I have no idea why as I got the emailed version).

So I am asking, have you made it happen, have you shared your smile with a stranger? Have you shared a random act of kindness with someone?

No? Well here is some incentive to all of my cyberfriends - if you do, and if you share your story with me and let me post it here then you go into the draw to win a Jurlique Love Balm. A delightfully moisturising lip balm with a hint of tangerine, just to keep your smile beautiful.

Will you take up the Challenge? You have the whole month of May to enter and share. The winner will be chosen randomly by the Random thingy. Email me your post to thehalffullglass@amnet.net.au

Julique have not sponsored this giveaway, I have just found their Love Balm and love it so much on my lips that I decided I would buy another one and share.