The Eccentric American Mama in Cumbria

"Whether it’s a friendship or an intimate relationship, when someone loves you, you know it.  When they look your way, the world looks better.  When they say your name, the world sounds better.  When they touch your skin, the world feels better.  You know your soul is safe in their care. But even more so than any physical interaction, there’s a silent connection between you that you can feel in your veins.  You can sit in front of them for hours, without saying a word or moving a muscle, and yet still feel them with your heart.  It’s almost like they’ve always been a part of you – like a long lost fragment of your essence has found its way home. It’s important to note though, that you learn about this kind of love slowly as a relationship grows.  It’s not something you realize all at once.  It’s about how two people treat each other, respect each other, and work together over a prolonged period, through good times and bad."   ANGEL CHERN...

In January I started a one sentence journal for Cyril. I've never been much of a writer, as you can no doubt tell from my sporadic blog posts that are only written when I feel a sense of urgency to get an idea in my head down on paper before it's forever lost in Tatiana world. The idea of keeping a daily journal, where I painstakingly document what I've done, thought or felt has absolutely no appeal to me. However, a one sentence journal where I simply write the most memorable experience with Cyril is definitely doable as it takes me only about 30 seconds. Some days I forget or don't feel like doing it so I just leave it until tomorrow when I might be more up to it.  This will no doubt be boring to the majority of you but since I have so many friends and family that don't get to see him on a day to day or even a month to month or year to year basis I write this for you. So without further adieu ... April 29th Hobo is on a diet, poor guy seems starving, I snuck...

"Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, 'Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?' " Mitch Albom I've learned a lot my first year of parenting, some things I wish never to repeat and others I'd repeat all day long if I was able to. The amount of growth that has happened this year to both Cyril and I is shocking. There was a point, maybe halfway through through my first year as a parent that I felt like I was drowning. Drowning in guilt, regret, impatience, and anger. Anger at the dog, anger at Cyril, anger at Josh and anger at myself for deciding to leave my closest friends and family behind when I needed them more then anything. There was also a feeling of loneliness. Days when I would wake up to an empty house apart from Hobson barking and Cyril crying, in those dark moments I did what any good mother would do and I put one foot in front of the other and prayed for the best. I...