happy new year!
Can you BELIEVE that it’s about to be a brand new year? It will be a new decade too… Of course, this is a time to look back on the past and wonder what the future might hold. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas - I know I did. We spent time with rellies, visiting from Victoria and it was so great to be with family. The kids all played so well together and had a lot of fun catching up with their cousins. The adults kicked back and relaxed, chatting and eating and drinking.
Now it is New Year’s Eve and Christmas seems so long ago. I had a great year and I know next year will be an awesome adventure. I head to Uni in about 4 weeks to begin my Bachelor of Graphic Design at University of Canberra and I’m really excited. I know I will get a little nervous too, as it creeps closer to the big day. In April, I will turn 40. A big milestone age and one I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. I don’t feel old (and I am always being told that I look about 10 years younger than I am!) but going off to Uni is the problem, as I know the 17 year olds will think 40 is positively ancient. I know I used to think that, at their age! I keep saying to friends: Do you think I can get away with telling my new uni friends that I am 29, not 39?
Ten years ago, I was working as a web designer at the biggest and best design firm in Sydney. In truth, I found there was stacks that I didn’t know, as I was self-taught and everybody else had their degree but I learnt a lot and had fun. I wonder how things would have been now if I had stayed along that path. Anyhow, I gave that up to have Jack. I resigned from my job to spend my pregnancy getting my shit together, as I had only recently tackled and beaten a major depressive episode. I worked hard on myself, sorting out some issues and got ready to be a mum. I threw up all through my pregnancy (and had to be hospitalised for it) but I chilled out and I had an amazing drug-free water birth. I loved being a mum but I thought I would have lots of time to do other things so I briefly set up a home-based web design business in Sydney. I took on a few jobs but soon realised that my baby needed me and I needed him, so I closed up shop. We moved back to Canberra and I settled in to being a mum.
About seven years ago, Jack was getting a little older and I was getting itchy feet so I went along to an Open Day at the School of Art and decided to study to become a professional photographer. I began getting my portfolio together and was about to sign up officially when I fell pregnant with Emma. There goes that idea and it was back to being a mum. My beautiful daughter makes my heart so happy and I’m really glad she came along though! Still with the itchy feet, I started up my handmade business while pregnant and had my first market stall about 2 weeks from my due date! It was pretty easy to bring a newborn along and the business grew as the children did.
Sewing and selling my things at markets and online kept me sane and gave me something else to think about besides the children, but two years ago we made the tough decision that I would have to go back to “proper” work - at least it was part-time. After an initial reluctance, I really enjoyed working out of the home and I was glad to find that running my business meant that I had kept all of my skills current, despite being out of the workforce for over 8 years. One job finished up due to the GFC and I quickly found another. I kept the handmade business going as well, though I found it hard to fit everything in! I have just finished up that second job to begin Uni and I am winding up the handmade business to go back to my pre-baby roots - design and photography.
Over the last ten years, I have battled (and then conquered) major depressive episodes. I have put on (and then lost) weight. I have gone from damaged self-esteem to confidence and real belief in myself and what I can do and offer. I have settled back into life in Canberra after some fun and lively years in Sydney, and I’ve made new friends and pushed myself to try new experiences. I became a mum and in the process, I grew up. Five years ago I married the man I love and after 13 years together, we are still very much in love, giving support and balance to each other.
Things haven’t always been rosy - I’ve made some really dumb choices and I’ve had to do a lot of work on myself (along with some therapy) to undo some of the long term effects of those dumb choices (marrying a nasty and abusive man at 21) but looking back on those times and those lessons, I know they made me stronger and I now know I can handle whatever is thrown at me. It’s all a mixture of choices, luck and hard work.
I know that right now, my life is awesome and amazing! I hope yours is too! Happy New Year and Happy New Decade!
ps. did you like the goofy kid photos? Jack got some silly glasses for Christmas so I took a few shots with my iPhone. Aren’t they priceless?
Related Posts
tags: 2009, 2010, beginning, happy new year, new year, nye, year
It’s great to know you’ve come so far in learning about yourself and growing as a person. And really good for me to see that having kids, while a major “disruption” to how we want our lives to be (ie, thinking I’m going to have loads of time to do freelance design work with babies at home is a bit of a pipe dream I think!), are invaluable to making us who we are. And of course, there’s always time to catch up on things later on, as you’ve shown with going to Uni at age 29 =)
Good luck for 2010!
Mikaela´s last blog ..Happy New Year
Happy New Year! It’s never too late to start anything.
BTW- that shot reminds me of the Christmas Lights at Ivanhoe. Check out this years lights: http://foodrehab.com.au/2009/12/25/hamburger-cushions-christmas-lights-the-boulevard-ivanhoe/
Hi there super Jen, well you know i think you’re awesome, you certainly don’t look close to 40!! I just learned so much about you in one blog post, wow, you’ve had a journey indeed.
Enjoy Uni, i do remember looking at the over 25s (who are now called Jubilee students, when i was at Uni aged 17 to 23, they were ‘Mature Age’) but man, if i went back now (34) i would do so much better, having LIVED!! I would love to re-do my psych degree now i have 3 tween age daughters, give me strength!!
All the best Jen, you’re fabulous & amazing, it’s a whole new year, love Posie
HOORAY! You are a wonderful human being! I am so inspired to find your blog.