TUM - Children

I hope I'm not the first one again this week....I always seem to be! In defence, I'm waiting for the Auditors to come back to me, and I have a moment's peace and quiet, so what better way to spend it!

This week's theme was Linda-Maree's, and another lovely one, I thought. First up, Linda-Maree's picture, taken a few years ago, but of both her children, and I can see why she chose it - it is lovely.

Next up, Claire, with her two lovely girls.

I really like Pam's picture this week......

And, finally, me...or should I say, Maxine....

I chose this picture because it captures Maxine in her favourite place, the bath, and it captures her innocence, which is nice to still see as we rapidly approach the dreaded teen years!

I've often wondered what it would have been like to have had more than one child.....how I would have coped (more, or less neurotic....probably more!), and it made me think of Pam's words of a few weeks ago about creating our own destiny. I think I'm more a 'my path has been mapped, but it is for me to make the most of what cards I have been dealt with' kind of person. I feel I was chosen for Maxine (or perhaps, she was chosen for me), and that I wasn't destined to have more than one child.......perhaps that just helped me accept the fact we couldn't, I don't know. And I wish my dad could have known her, and been touched by her.

But one child I have, and a most precious one at that, and I wouldn't change her for the world.

On Friday night we received a copy of the report done on the recent Floating Harbour study, and they have indeed found the gene that is responsible for FHS, or, rather, the mutations of the SRCAP gene that are responsible for FHS. We should receive back more specific information within a few weeks. I'm not sure how I feel about it, if I'm honest....a bit nervous, I think, because Maxine has always been called my 'mini-me', and so I have always felt I was responsible........and I'm even more afraid to read it in back and white.

And so, looking back at my brave and courageous girl........our lives would be empty without her.

I think that's the thing with children.....when they're young you believe you can protect them from anything....and yet, as they get older, you realise you can't....and I do worry what lies ahead for my little girl....

I'm sure she'll be fine (she always is!)....and, yet, still, I worry.