What a year…

2016 has bought our world the highest of highs and the soul crushing lows.

January we were filled with hope, Team Radford were joining forces with many others to build and keep alive City Baptist Basketball club. I don’t think I would have believed you if you had told me the incredible friendships that were about to come our way.

Also Our Radfield house grew with the arrival of our very own home hatched chickens, Rosie, Peyton, Lola, Coco & May

February our biggest made the leap from Primary to High school, starting High School at St Pats College.

I finally turned Dirty 30, I was overwhelmed with the love given to me by my friends and family, the most beautiful box of letters to me for my birthday was given to me by my beautiful Liss, something I have relied on reading for the latter months of 2016.

My Birthday Bunnies Sirius and Grey became part of our family too.

My Jamberry business was booming through March and we had another group of chicks hatch, This time we got 8!! Lemon, Michaela, KFC, Steph, Miley, Princess Layer, Lucky and Luna!!! Our time was taken up every weekend with Basketball and training night through the week was one of my favourite things I got to do. March also bought the Easter Bunny and time spent with our families.

April started well but ended abruptly at 1am on Friday 22nd April when I got the call to say that my incredible father had been called home to Heaven to finally be at peace. I could never grasped how my world was going to change or more specifically how I personally was going to change in this moment and for the days to come. Only today 253 days past that day I found myself crying uncontrollably with the same tightness in my chest as that day…… I am starting to think that it is something that won’t ever pass, I hope I can reach a point that I can think of Dad without overwhelming sadness.

May bought along hope in finding out that not only was I going to be an Aunty again with Liss and James pregnant, my dear friends Evan and Jackie had another little person on the way and one of my best friends in the world Kimberley and her Husband josh were pregnant with their first baby!!! So much hope and life after what had felt like a lifetime of loss.

More time with our basketball family, My team’s first win was also had!!!!

June was the first and possibly only time that We got flooded in at St Leonards and we couldn’t get out for a short amount of time!!! My Ed Guitar finally came home to live with us… ONE DAY I swear I will play it…

On June 24th, we lost the Matriarch to our Ibbott Family, a woman that if I am lucky enough to be HALF the woman she was I will consider myself a success. My beautiful Nan was laid to rest and reunited with the love of her life and her two sons who had only recently passed.

July we escaped reality for a family trip to Hobart and had some much needed R&R, we also managed to steal our mate Lachie who has become not only part of our family but my friend, A kid who has given our household so much Joy, I cannot thank you enough Penny for yours and Lach’s friendship. Our trip was a little rocky with storms and losing power while we were in Port Arthur (aka Port Arthritis) but man we had a great time!!!

August I was so fortunate to be accepted into our Emerging Leaders program at a surprise lunch at work & had a lovely diary presented to us for documenting our journey. We celebrated the upcoming arrival of Baby Wescombe and had a baby shower that was filled with lifelong friends and bumps :p

We had our City Baptist Awards night where all who attended got a trophy for being a part of an awesome season!!

September was one of the firsts, making it through Fathers day without Dad was hard, I got through by hibernating at home and buying myself a gorgeous collage for our lounge room wall. Then on 18th September I woke up to an amazing message, our little Albie Wescombe had arrived & was just perfect!!

October we had and original Ed Sheeran T-Shirt join the family and we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Baby Allen which was a heap of fun, I even managed to win myself a game & Lily had to drink out of a baby bottle!!! At work we had our Tassie’s Night Of Triumphs which was a scaled back more relaxed awards night but was still an awesome night with fun had by all!!!

November rolled around our baby had his Kinder Orientation and I still can’t believe he’s about to start school. I managed to sweet talk my incredible husband to go to Los Angeles in December to attend the song awaited movie premiere of “The Bounce Back”…..

Then our world was shattered again with the loss of one of the most brilliant men I was privileged enough to know, My father in law Wayne. I still don’t know that i’ve let myself accept it due to the incredible grief we have already endured. The world was absolutely a better place with Wayne in it and whilst I know we will meet again, our time without him will be duller without him around.

December finally arrived and we boarded the plane, I got to fulfil a life long dream of visiting America even if it was JUST for 4 days…. We made the most of every second there and I would by lying if the getaway wasn’t exactly what Roger & I needed.

We got to watch the NBA Lakers vs Jazz basketball from two rows back and visit Universal Studios, I felt like a kid walking into Diagon Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter!!!!

Then the big day rolled around, I was finally going to meet Shemar Moore…. and see the movie that I, along with many others had put love and effort into promoting 3.5 years ago to help have it made!!!

The highlight was meeting some of the friends I made along the way, Keith, Nikki & Natalie, Tiana, Kristen, Lisa, Keyscha & Juliette…. it was the best!!!

So as you will see, it has been a complete BI-POLAR year, up and down… I have been fortunate enough to have had some career highlights as well being accepted into the Emerging Leaders program, being assigned the BEST mentor in Kylee, Being successful in a spot in the Westpac Aspire program & most recently a change of role to be in our Lending Solutions team!!!

Whilst I am still feeling so broken as we end 2016, I also have so much to be grateful and thankful for with so much more to come in 2017. Starting next week with our Basketball Tournament in Launceston!!

I am not making resolutions this year, I am however putting my faith in the big man upstairs and praying that he can give me the strength that we need to continue our days with those who left us and that we can find peace and hope in the blessings we have here with us.

So tonight please hug your loved ones tight and be grateful for all that you have, I sure know that I am

For now, Signing off,

MrsJRad xxxx