Given the discovery of the earliest days of my blogging exploits last night, I thought it might be fun to skim the archives, and pull back a post from each year that highlights an aspect or two of my life over the last eight (eightyears.
First Real Entry - January 2nd, 2003
The beginning of the blog! Published using code I had written while learning PHP and MySQL. Who would have guessed it would still be running 8 years later!
Appearing on GMTV - March 15th, 2004
The beginning of our quest to have children, and an appearance on a national breakfast television show in the UK. Our “famous for 15 minutes” moment.
Autumn Fire Necklace Arrives - September 14th, 2005
A post looking back at my longest helf far flung friend - the incredible Carli (Hi Don, and Derek!), from the US. I can’t remember how or why we crossed paths, but we did, and we still keep in touch when we can (we now both have families - 5 years on). I still get a frown from my better half when reminded of the time we should have met Carli and Don in California, and were in the same place - only 1 day apart!
Problems Concentrating - January 31st, 2006
Written towards the end of our final attempt at IVF. It’s interesting to think that our future children had already been born and were being rescued by the Social Services at the same time we were at rock bottom.
Apprehension - February 4th, 2007
Charting the beginning of the two years I spent working on secondment in central London - experiencing the city life, day on day, for the first time in my life. In a perverse way, I miss the commute, and working for a big company even now.
Learning to be called Daddy - January 28th, 2008
Memories of the first day with the children we worked so hard to adopt, and the beginning of a daily series of blog posts charting our progress as new parents. Probably the best writing throughout the blog, the most honest, and the most interesting. Real “heart on the sleeve” stuff…
A year with the girls - January 27th, 2009
Looking back at a year with the children. I’ll admit that reading this even now brings tears. Being a parent has totally changed me.
At what price can you be bought - January 27th, 2010
Perhaps the most read, and most commented blog post I ever wrote - inviting people to weigh in on a hugely difficult question - at what price they could be bought - to either sacrifice themselves, or to commit an unimaginable act.