2014 Relections

Although 2014 was not totally my "annus horribillis" year - it was a bitter sweet year for me.  A year of huge ups and terrible lows.

Sweet, oh so sweet in that our 6 year very expensive immigration journey finally came to an end with New Zealand citizenship and lovely new Kiwi passports.  That journey in itself came at a huge financial cost to us over the last 6 years, was filled with a number of anxious times, but it has finally come to its conclusion.  We have never regretted it for a moment, although we have shed many, many tears along the way, tore our hair out in frustration and have asked ourselves at times whether we completely mad to do it.  Despite the financial setback, we have never looked back and regretted our decision and love our new life here in our new country.  And slowly, slowly as the years pass by, we have become more settled and starting to feel like we belong.

And the lows, loosing beloved family family along the way.  In April I lost my darling mother at the age of 88 years, after a 2 year battle with the effects of a devastating stroke.  I did expect to loose my mom due to her age, but it was still heartbreaking when she passed away.  I miss her dearly.

The lowest and most unexpected blow of all in 2014 was loosing my cherished sister in law to cancer and a very aggressive brain tumour in October.  So unexpected and so quickly.  From the time of diagnosis of brain cancer resulting from breast cancer, she was gone in 6 weeks.  This loss has been huge on my poor hubby who spoke to Linda on Skype just about every day and on me as well as I looked upon her as my own sister.  It is a difficult loss that we cannot reconcile with and still leaves us reeling in shock.

RIP mom and Linda, we love you and always will.  Till we meet again.