As hard to read as it was to write.

Hello Dear Reader,

I have been contacted by the lovely folk at the Mums and Dads blog awards asking me as a finalist to pick my three favourite blog posts about family life. I was sobbing when I wrote these and visiting them again was no less painful. The first post I picked was about my son's visit on Mother's day. He is a carpenter and joiner, 26 years old and now lives with us again. He used to live with his girl friend, but when they split up, his life fell apart and as his mum, I did all I could to pick him up again.

There's no work locally, so he's a contractor. He goes where the work is, wherever he may be contracted to work. He shop fits and to make sure he stays in demand, he takes every job he's offered and work every day his boss tells him to do so. He can often work for twelve weeks, in excess of twelve hours a day as a shop fitter and the work is gruelling. The constant use of power tools is damaging his hands, the heavy manual work has transformed him into a muscle bound work horse and the long hours have meant sometimes he is so tired that he gets injured. My first favourite of the three blogs I'm picking is FINGERS TO THE BONE. I picked it because I'm incredibly proud of my wonderful son for going where the work is, no matter how hard it is to keep a job.

My second blog post that I decided to pick was sadly inspired by the tragic and untimely death of Amy Winehouse last year. As a mum of a daughter whose life style could be life threatening, I've learnt to sleep with one eye and one ear open all night. I swear, I slept more when she was a baby. As an eighteen year old she would often go missing and phone calls or knocks on the door could have meant a police liason officer starting the sentence with "I'm really sorry....." There were some long and dark nights where only prayer and my faith have kept me from screaming aloud in the darkness. When I heard that Mitch Winehouse was on the plane to New York when his daughter died, I knew someone had to take him quietly to one side and tell him that Amy had gone. When my own daughter was going  through the darkest days in her life, I knew the reality, that I could have lost her. I haven't yet and every minute with her is so very precious. My second favourite post is SOMEBODY'S DAUGHTER

My final choice was inspired by the 2012 Olympics. When I first started blogging, I set myself the target of paying off all of my debts by the 2012 London Olympics, infact, I paid off all £45K by the summer of 2011 and have been a saver ever since. I have so very much more to celebrate this year. I have more contact with my lovely girl, she is taking her medication, she keeps doctors' appointments and she is seeing a brighter and happier future for herself. Most importantly, like the words of 'Trainspotting' she is actually choosing life. I know her depression will cause her many many struggles but she is engaging with the world for the first time in many, many years. Now some parents post graduation photographs, or family holidays, mine seem humble to the point of insignificance in comparison. My girly, who now is in a work experience placement, and turning up, offered of her own volition to be part of the Olympic torch relay celebrations. She face painted all day and proudly texted us to say she had. Here's my final choice of my three favourite blog posts
BRIGHTER THAN THE OLYMPIC FLAME

Well, those are the posts I chose, the rest is up to the judges. I'm now off to scrape off the snot and tears that are smeared all over my face. No one ever said being a mum would be easy, it isn't, but they are mine; I totally love them and I am so incredibly proud to be their mother.

Until tomorrow,

Lots of Love,

Froogs xxxx