Welcome, Shroomie

It's been too long since I've posted here, and it's safe to say that for me 2018 has been the year of change. From moving last minute in March, to my partner Jamie unexpectedly changing jobs in the same month, to taking driving lessons and going on some mini breaks, it's been a wonderful but challenging year that has left me with little time to truly stop and take a breath. But this year is only the beginning of an entirely new adventure we're embarking on, and I wanted to come back fresh with some updates I'm so incredibly excited to share.

I'm really lucky to have a job that I enjoy - it's rewarding, enjoyable, and something I'm proud to do. But I can't deny I've often felt I'm missing something. The commute (an unfortunate downside to our house move in March) has felt quite draining, and has meant that I have really missed having the time and energy to work on my own creative projects, namely illustration and blogging, both of which are an important outlet for me. It's also more expensive, which in turn creates financial stress. Learning to drive will help ease these issues, but I have had to take it slow and steady in order to fit around commitments like work and planned holidays, and this can be hard to take when you're a slightly(?) impatient perfectionist like me!

Jamie and I really wanted to travel more together this year, and in a bizarre coincidence of alliteration, this year we've been able to explore Aberdeen, Aix en Provences, Amsterdam and Antwerp. The former two holidays we were visiting family - we had a gorgeous time in freezing Aberdeen in January, staying on my uncle's farm, then we flew to Aix en Provences in June to stay with Jamie's mum and partner (and of course to see the dogs, Pixie and Dolly, who are very much enjoying the sunny south of France.) We then went to Amsterdam in August, our birthday month, where we enjoyed five days staying in a yurt and exploring as many areas as we could. Finally, last month we drove to Antwerp - mostly to attend Desert Fest, which was incredible: seeing Amenra for the first time was an absolutely unforgettable experience - as well as spending the mornings pottering around trying local vegan fare in the unseasonably warm weather.

Shortly after returning from Antwerp, we collected our new kitten Moshi. Through a colleague, I was told about a Maine Coone/Bengal mama who had unexpectedly given birth to four kittens. Our older cat Mitten is very anti social and likes to keep to herself, but we've often thought we'd love a more active playmate for our younger boy, Mistofolees. We went to meet the litter when they were two weeks old, Moshi staked her claim on us, and that was that! Seven weeks later she was home and she's settled in so well - she's feisty and a little mad which fits in brilliantly with our clan, but she's also incredibly sweet and loving. She's bonding really well with Mistofolees which is all we could have hoped for, and he's loving fatherhood - having someone to play with, to teach to hunt, and he comes in far earlier every evening. I'm so thrilled that they have each other, particularly because of our final update...

It's surreal to share this news as it's the biggest and most life-changing thing that has ever happened to me, but Jamie and I are expecting a baby! Due in May 2019, we've nicknamed them Shroomie because I imagined them to be the size of a little mushroom and - well - the name stuck. (I promise we'll try and be slightly more sensible when it comes to actual baby names...) It's been the hardest secret to keep, but we felt it was finally time to open up and share our news. I'm so excited to document this journey here - it's going to be such an adventure!