Thank You

Just a brief post, just a quick one to say a massive Thank You.

Thank You to the Universe, to whatever it is that led to this. To all the things that were hard to understand at the time that meant I'm now right here, feeling his happy, excited and content.

I think it's important to show our gratitude. So this is me, putting a little gratefulness into the Universe.

Hello 2012!

Happy New Year everyone! 

I've got good feelings about 2012 on the whole. Sure I thought it was going to be a very different kind of year from the one it will turn out to be. Certain adventures I thought would happen now will not. But maybe other ones will instead. Regardless of where I thought it would go. The time will pass none the less and I plan to try and only have good feelings for the year as a whole.

To be honest its not got off to the best of starts. Nothing major events wise - just where my head and hearts been at. Not in the best of places, or the most positive of frames for the start of a new year to be perfectly honest with you gentle reader. (What is that from...? Series of Unfortunate Events?)

But....there's little things that make me smile. That make it easier. That help me weather the tougher moments. Sure some of them may not all be smart, but in life we cant always be smart. Sometimes we have to be a bit mad.

So I would like to propose a toast: "To smiles and to friendship. To talking, laughing and not worrying. To taking risks. And to having the guts to do something a little bit mad every now and again."

Faith

On this, Christmas night, one of the most holy/special/poignatnt times of the year my mind turns to Faith. Whilst I have never affiniated myself with any particular religion or deity, there are some imoprtant thing in this world that I have always had faith in.

I have faith in loyalty, honesty, friendship and laughter. Faith in love, kindness and above all - in humankind. Faith that no matter how bad things can seem, these traits remain a solid foundation in our lives and if we can hold strong in our belief in them, and have actions that prove them - the world will always seem a little brighter.

The one thing in that list that I have always held most dear is love. Now love is all encompassing but above all I have always believed in love conqueringg all. And in true selfless love not only exisiting but showing itself to us when we are ready. Call me idealistic, call me naive - I believe in in and my belief in it makes my heart sing.

And so the most terrifying thought to me over the last few months, has been the concern that I would lose my faith in love. And in turn, because I had had my faith so harshly tested - begin to lose faith in everything else.

I'm not going to lie to you dear readers - I came close. All too close. So close it scared me. But I held on to a tiny little glimmer of hope and belief in the goodness of the world.

And what happened next restored my faith in everything I had before tenfold. I've told you before that I can never adequately thank my friends and family for the last few months. Not for any particularly huge gestures or actions, but for the millions of tiny ones that filled my heart every day.

For every text, offer of a cup of coffee, heartfelt concerned PM, every hug and every giggle about something completely unrelated - I am so thankful. Because not only did I feel cared for in my time of need, but I have never felt more loved in all my life.

And on top of that, I asked the universe to allow me not to lose faith in the ability to find love. To someday find an intelligent partner, someone that cares, someone that could make me smile. I asked the universe to try and ensure that this setback didnt turn my life onto a path of loneliness in a house with a hundred cats and no hair products. And it even had the ability to ensure I did not lose faith in that either.

So in a funny way my faith in faith alone has given me new reasons to smile, to be positive, to laugh and to have a little twinkle in my eye at the thoughts of new possibilities.

And so, as I settle down to sleep and prepare for Christmas 2011, I would like to send a little message of thanks to every single person that has touched my life. I truly hope you all have faith in something. Whether it be religion, science or love, believe in something bigger. Because in the words of George Michael...You gotta have Faith!

And thank you to the Universe. In things bigger than me, in little signs that show me the world is a good place to be, and for giving me the strength, positivity and love to celebrate Christmas day with loved ones tomorrow.

And finally:

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!

Promoting much loved sites

Hello all, today is a blog not about me at all, but instead promoting two amazing sites that need help for two amazing reasons.

Loving from a distance

This is an amazing website that has helped me tremendously with my Long Distance Relationship. (LDR) From the amazing articles and ideas of things to do with your SO (Significant Other - the sites standard acronym) but most of all to the wonderful friendly forum filled with people at many different stages of their LDR and more than ready to offer advice, suggestions or just an understanding shoulder when things get really tough.

They were doing really well (and rightly so!) with the number of visitors finding them until....Google changed their algorithms (bastards!) and now they're ranking really low down, sometimes not until the 10th or even 60th page in some countries!

So by my linking to them here, I will hopefully help them a little bit but I need your help for that. I need all my wonderful visitors to follow the link and spend a few minutes browsing around the different pages. You dont need to join the forum or anything, just have a browse.

I particularly recommend these pages - they might give you some ideas for you and your SO even if your not in a LDR!

Writing Love Letters What could be more romantic than that?

98 things to do from a distance Many of which can be used or amended for Close Distance

LDR Gift Ideas Again they work great at any distance and are very sweet!

So please visit Loving from a Distance using any of these links (in particular the one below) and help the website stay afloat! It would be heartbreaking to the owners of the sight (Michelle and Frank who feel like our best friends with all their wonderful advice!) not to mention the 1000's of people in LDR who use this site.

Long Distance Relationship

The ex-Pat Bride

This is a wonderful blog written by fellow LFADer. She shares my name, is also getting married really soon, and whos relationship is also USA/UK based (except shes in the States)

Like most Brides shes on a super tight budget but has been offered the chance to get some freebies in return for advertising on her blog. However she needs more followers.

So please visit her blog and become a follower, she says you dont even then need to read her updates (although I would if I were you!) its just the overall number shes trying to increase.

The ex-Pat Bride

And while I'm on the promotions....I may as well give myself a very small and quick shout out.

If your someone that regullarly reads my blog, but is not one of my faithful few 13 followers - please do! I think it'd increase the overall attractiveness of my blog. Not that I'm being vain or anything...

And finally:

You are a superstar! 

Engagement Photos Competetion

So as any of you who have, or who are planning a wedding - those things cost a pretty penny! Being an Event Organiser, knowing lots of people who are planning weddings, and being able to save in £'s and pay in $'s are all helpful additions but regardless - we need to save money where we can!

So imagine me and Codaniel's delight when this competition, run by Eric and Moriah Photography popped up in a Facebook sidebar advert. (Yes! They are occasionally VERY helpful!)

Win $750 worth of photos, including them on a CD AND a guestbook! Perfect!

We really want to get engagement photos done, but really don't have the money to do so. The comepetion requires us to enter our 'Valentine'  which will be judged on the "Most creative and overall 'sweetest' couple"

We worked really hard on our entry, both playing to our strengths and helping each other out, tweaking here and there and THIS is our finished result.

Click to enlarge

We're really proud of it, and really think its a strong candidate to win.

However...


Eric and Moriah encourage people to comment on the entries. We're not certain if these comments will heavily influence the judging or not, but other entries seem to have a lot of friends and family commenting on them. "Clear winners" "Amazing entry" "Adorable couple" etc etc

So we would REALLY appreciate any comments, "likes" etc to on our entry on Eric and Moriah's Facebook page 

Now its a bit of a faff. You have to log into Facebook and "like" Eric and Moriah photography" before you can comment. But be assured, we will really REALLY appreciate it. And if we win you will be rewarded with....well...seeing our engagement photos! :D

Which granted isnt the most amazing thing, so perhaps instead you will comment out of the goodness of your heart? An act of kindness, paying it forward and who knows - maybe the Universe will return the favor?

And before I disappear I just want to say a HUGE thank you to our lovely friends who have already commented and "liked" You guys definitely have the more original comments over the other entries! You are awesome and we love you!

So if you have 2 minutes to spare...please please please help our entry, allow us to win, and mean we have an extra $750 towards our Wedding fund!

Click right here :D

(And if nothing else...do it for the cute cat pictures! I even included one of Jasper :D)