The first few years of a childs life are so full of magic and excitement. I am blessed to share every special moment with my two and three year old. Whether it's my son singing song after song and creating elaborate adventure stories with his trains or my daughter hugging her dolly with her eyes shut as if there were never a love more real, every second is heaven to me. There's no better time for me than early mornings, when they pile into our bed with their various cuddly toys, big hugs and echoes of "morning mummy". I would have thought now that I'm nursing night and day and existing on a few hours of broken sleep, I would be less enthralled in their comings and goings - but somehow it all seems more dreamlike. Having my husband home this week to share these memories has made everything in life seem just right. The first week home with my newborn has me excited for what she'll bring to our family. I am totally in awe of her already, and thankfully her siblings adore her! Holding her tiny body with her knees drawn tight to her stomach and staring at her teeny pudgy face is all I need to remind myself that every ache and pain and the lack of sleep is completely worth it.
When I lived in Los Angeles, Counting Crows were very much a part of my life from the guy singing on the car stereo to the guy next to me in the bar. Unlike some, who consider their style of music depressing, I find their music reviving. The way Adam sang about the rain all the time was the first thing that got me into them and in turn is what made me like him as a person. The rain can be code for so many things, life, renewal, pain. To me it's everything. My favorite CC song is Goodnight Elisabeth, whenever I hear it I have so many good memories flood back - "if you wrap yourself in daffodils, I will wrap myself in pain, and if you're the queen of California, baby I am the king of the rain"... "Elisabeth" was sunshine to his rain. A bright light for his darkest days. It's raining here today and to many it would be dreary, to me it brings hope of a new tomorrow. New flowers in the garden, new puddles for the children to jump in. A better life ahead and beautiful memories of yesterday. One of my best memories from LA was one night when a group of us drove out to Joshua Tree to watch the biggest meteor storm I'd ever seen. We drank bourbon and eggnog and lay on flatbed trucks for hours staring up at thousands of falling stars. I phoned my Mum in Scotland at what must have been 4am my time and I remember I was in tears I was so happy at being able to experience something so amazing. Mother Nature is truly awesome. I saw these wonderful photographs taken by storm chasers Mike Hollingshead and Eric Nguyen - to me they managed to capture the hidden beauty in these powerful storms that others so rarely get to experience in person.
