2018: The Year of No Regrets

2018: The Year of No Regrets, will forever be the year Bilbo was diagnosed with cancer. But it does not define our year. Why? well because until D day, we had one of the best years of our life.

Over the last 60 days i’ve spent a lot of time reflecting, thinking back, swiping through photos on my phone, scrolling through our Instagram feed. And what is clear, we were living our best life.

And despite the diagnosis we will continue to live our best life because it is the only way we know how to live.

We believe you only get one life so make sure you live it!

This was the moto I shared on this blog when I first created it in 2017. And I think 2018 was the best example of us doing this in spades.

The fact is from the moment we’re born we’re dying. It may sound morbid but it is true. Of course none of us know how long we’ve got. And this year has been a stark reminder, life is fragile.

And when you’re faced with that fragility, whether it is in your own world or through reading a little bit about ours. Grab life with both hands and live the shit out of it. You never know what is round the corner.

2018 the best year of our lives

What makes 2018 so great? Well let me tell you…

We welcomed 2018 in dancing on a beach in Thailand, we enjoyed fireworks, great food and even better company.

Bilbo learnt to ride his bike

We enjoyed the snow inside and outside.

We continued our obsession with all things Gruffalo, we read it, watched it, performed it and rode the ride.

We celebrated hen parties and stag do’s.

We enjoyed the arrival of spring.

We took the decision as a family to support refugees again in Lesvos. I traveled to the island to volunteer, we’ve raised over £5k and sent dignity packs, aid and mountains of support and love.

We had the most wonderful holiday in Ibiza with our friends. We showed the boys the island that means so much to Rich and I. And we did things we’ve never got round to doing like driving round the island and experiencing the beauty the entire island has to offer.

We ticked Italy off our bucket list and watched our beautiful friends get married. With a spare 2hrs we managed to see the leaning tower of Pisa and squeeze in a pizza and some pasta.

We celebrated the Head wedding take two in the UK.

Both boys grew as little humans in so many ways.

We traveled to Germany and visited with Uncle Gaggin.

We grew plants, flowers and tomatoes in our garden.

I traveled to Nice with some of my besties

We chose love not hate. I protested against Trump and we protested against Brexit as a family.

Bilbo graduated nursery and started school.

We enjoyed decorating rocks and leaving them for people to find.

At the last minute we squeezed two extra trips to the beach, first Cornwall in September. Where we woke up at 6am to see the sunrise and walk the beach. We taught the boys how to crab, ate fish and chips, traveled on boats, trains and discovered caves.

And then Great Yarmouth in October for Bilbo’s birthday so we could visit dinosaurs and the great British seaside.

Rich and I committed to Jump for Joel – we need to raise £2k for Joel the Complete package by 1st June 2019.

So far we’ve raised £525 and we still have six months to go. We’ve completed one out of the four challenges with three more to complete in 2019 including jumping out of a plane. You can read more about it here.

I met my idol Stacey Dooley at a book signing and then she won Strictly which Bilbo and I were delighted about. Although secretly I think Bilbo would have liked Dr Ranj to win.

We picked Pumpkins in a field.

We were diagnosed with cancer.

We stared it in the face and decided we’d take it on in the only way we know how with courage and strength.

We’ve raised £7000 for CLIC Sargent.

And so many pints of blood have been donated in Bilbo’s name.

And so there you have it, our 2018 in pictures, for every image i’ve included there are 100 more magical memories and moments I can recall. 2018: The Year of No Regrets. One of the best years of my life and I will continue to remember it this way. Even through the misery of cancer diagnosis we were reminded just how lucky we are. We have an army, a community, a support network that stretches round the world and for that we are grateful.

We know cancer will feature as a major part of 2019. BUT we refuse to let it define us, so expect the Godber’s to kick the ass out of 2019 cause that is what we do.

We believe you only get one life, so we will be making sure we live it!