One Woman's View – Blog

Tag: kids

  • December 17, 2011

    I have always heard that as you get older time seems to speed up. I found this to be true but in other respects certain things feel like they have been part of your life forever even if it is truly only a few years. On December 17th, three years ago tomorrow, is when these anomalies in time really kicked in. It was on this day that my incredible partner joined me at the Registry Office in Oakham (a community in rural Rutland in the heart of England), to exchange vows that would bind us for the rest of our lives. At that very moment I went from being a single person with no children to a married person with 2 kids (I hate the “step” people use in these circumstances), with 2 daughter’s in-in-law and 2 grandchildren! How cool was that?

    Since then we have welcomed 2 more grandchildren into this world. So in some ways, like when I think of that crisp December day it feels like yesterday, then when I look at everything that has happened since that day it feels like this has been my life forever. All I know for sure is that on that day my life changed into this awesome dream that I am now living. Thank you to Pamela for this wonderful gift and to the rest of our crazy Wilks side of the family for the love you share with me every day.

  • “E” for excitement

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    The letter “E” is significant in the English language but recently it has taken on a whole new dimension. Just over three years ago we welcomed our granddaughter Ellie into the world. Today the power of “E” has increased as we now welcome the newest addition to the Wilks/Matthews Clan..Erin. “E” now stands for so much more! I have not been able to see Erin yet as I am away on business but I intend to make up for this that is for sure.
    This ever expanding family is phenomenal. We cross two seas (Atlantic and Irish) and multiple countries. As if the arrival of our newest member was not enough to rejoice we also have the pleasure of welcoming another new family member, by marriage, Amanda. Two new family members in as many days…wow, how lucky are we?

    Congratulations to Matt, Sarah and Ellie and to Mark and Amanda! Thank you for writing the preface of the next chapters of our family history.

  • Never a Mother but now a Grandmother x2

    I never thought I wanted children or maybe it was more that I never wanted to be pregnant  and the whole giving birth thing was just not me.  I would however, have liked to open my front door one day to find a little bundle on my door step.  As you can imagine that didn’t really work out.  I guess I’ve always been fairly maternal and kids do take to me most of the time but having one of my own seemed out of the question once I turned 45.  As you may know,  if you read my posts, I recently got married to my partner Pam.  Pam has two wonderful sons and both are married with lovely wives.  I have become very attached to the loving, crazy clan.  In December 2010 Pam’s eldest son and daughter-in-law gave birth to Ellie, then hot on the heals of Ellie, Jessica arrived born to Pam’s younger son and daughter-in-law.  We have been in both of their lives since the day they were born.  So, last December when Pam and I got married this family suddenly and legally became my family too.  I love them all to bits and don’t think I could love them more if they were my own.  What a game changer…going from a single person to a married person with step kids and grand kids. Now that is the way to do it!  I love being Nonna (Italian for grandmother) and I’m feeling things I’ve never felt before.  My maternal and protective instincts have kicked it up about 10 gears.  I would seriously hurt anyone who wronged any of our kids or grandkids.  Having this family has been a life changing experience for me and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

  • Half Term

    It is that time of year, which at Christmas seemed so far away…half term. Time for the kids and their parents to spend some quality time together.  For those of us without school aged children it is still a special time with pros and cons, like all things. Pro – Traffic is much much better. Con – Business hotels can turn into holiday camps. Case in point; I am staying away for work this week and my business hotel is full of business people who have cashed in their well deserved points for free hotel stays for their families. Hence the occurrence at breakfast where I was passed by a running, 3 year old, blond child screaming “mummy what I gonna eat for breakfust”. Bless her, she was lovely but my brain was not totally in agreement as I had yet to have my first sip of coffee. It is funny how we can experience things so differently. Whatever you are doing this week I hope you are enjoying it!