Today is Day 6 of the 30 day gratitude challenge #30bbdaysofgratitude, and today’s theme is My Inspiration.

For me, there is only one answer to this, it has to be my Mum.

Unfortunately Mum is no longer with us, having lost her battle with breast cancer in June 2014. I have missed Mum more this week than ever, particularly with the impending arrival of my new baby, and the fact that things aren’t going quite according to plan (see 38 week pregnancy update). I know that if Mum was here she would have some amazing words of wisdom for me, so for now I have to just imagine what they would be.

So why my inspiration? Well for lots of reasons, but here are just a few of them…

Brains & Beauty!

Look at her – just look at her! My mum was so amazingly beautiful in her youth, those legs!! She wasn’t just beautiful however, she was also incredibly smart. She turned down the opportunity to be a forensic scientist to spend time at home with myself and my sister until we were of school age, and then spent most of her adult life working as a science technician at a college. She loved working with people, and had an unbelievable talent in getting even the quietest of people out of their shell. She was an extrovert, she loved to chat, and she always had a story to tell 🙂

The Shark

A caring mother and grandmother, we used to nickname her the shark, because the minute one of her grandchildren was put down she would “attack” and sneak up for a cuddle 🙂 – she was at her happiest around the children, and said being a grandparent was the most rewarding thing in the whole world. I am so grateful that she was there for the birth of Erin – it was possibly the best gift I could ever have given her. I love this photo of her and Erin and have it as a screensaver on my phone. Despite passing away when Erin was just 1 year old, Erin remarkably still knows who she is, and often tells me that she used to have another nanny when she was a baby, but that shes “gone now”. 🙁

Mary Poppins

Mum had an amazing ability to swoop in when I was at my lowest and pick me up before quietly drifting off, having worked her magic and made everything better. Mike used to call her Mary Poppins because at times it was like she had magical powers, it all seemed so effortless. During the early days after Erin’s birth, I was struggling to cope with the lack of sleep. Mum came round about 10pm, packed Mike off to bed and cuddled Erin between feeds whilst I slept on the sofa. She sacrificed her own sleep and comfort to make sure I was ok, and once the sun came up, she kissed us both goodbye and returned home to the comfort of her own bed. Magical.

Bravery / Glass Half Full

Despite her cancer diagnosis in 2013, Mum remained remarkably positive until her last days, and was incredibly brave. I  am sure at times she was terrified, but she never let it show, and made the most of every single moment, counting her blessings and fighting as much as she could. When I think of my Mum I have nothing but happy memories, and feel incredibly lucky to have had her in my life for 30+ years.

Becoming a mum again without my Mum is going to be tough, but I know that if it is possible, she will be watching down to have a good old nose and wouldn’t miss it for the world! 🙂