2020, its been a year! I think alot of people are quite keen to leave this year behind. Personally I don’t mind either way, I mean I’ve had some pretty crappy years when I was struggling with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) which was my own personal struggle. However this year has been the year of a global pandemic and if you have family overseas like I do, it’s meant not being able to see them (well it has in my case). Thank goodness for facetime!

Despite the global pandemic, I feel like the year hasn’t been all bad. One thing I’ve really enjoyed has been exploring and making the most of our beautiful country New Zealand. Exploring new parts and visiting friends and family that we don’t often get to see. Earlier in the year we went on a family road trip, we stopped in Rotorua. This is where my husband smashed out an ultramarathon (100km run, yes I’m one proud wifey). From there we headed to Ōhope/ Whakatāne, Gisborne and the Hawkes bay! It was so nice to get out and explore, I might add that travelling with a toddler has it’s challenges, but it also had many highlights. Visiting the Fancy Meow Cat Cafe Rotorua in Rotorua and the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier were more than entertaining with my little lady.

Once the affects of Covid-19 were starting to be felt in my part of the world, the country was thrown into a restricted lockdown. Fortunately for me having experienced ME/CFS,  I knew what it was like to be housebound so I just went about my days treating it similar to that, just with a toddler in tow. Thankfully we were in a country where Covid-19 had not gotten out of hand and within a couple of months our strict restrictions were slowly lifted.

Life started to get back to normal, I was able to get back into my studies and our social activities and outings were slowly re-introduced.  I was so pleased to have been able to tick off 3 papers at Uni during the year and during the last semester I learnt that I was pregnant! It turns out that twins were onboard, never in my life did I expect to be having twins… but here I am, 19 weeks pregnant with twins!

We finished off the year with a another family roadie just before Christmas, heading up to our home town where our daughter had her very first sleepover with her Nanny and Grandad (my inlaws). My husband and I  headed up North, Whangarei Heads, to a wedding and spent a couple of nights away. We then spent a few nights with my inlaws and then headed over to Mt Maunganui. Again travelling with a toddler is not for the faint hearted!

We are also lucky enough to have a cousin that runs Tokannu Lodge Motel, it’s located up by the Mountains in the central plateau. It is located as a good halfway point when it comes to seeing my husbands side of the family. We love spending time up there and were lucky enough this year to spend our little ladies 2nd birthday there, she got to experience snow for the first time (it was not a hit). We also spent a couple nights  there around Christmas with my husbands side of the family. The accommodation is great for kids and pets. This means our pooch Snow can join us whenever we go up and visit. Mineral hot pools are on site and they are amazing!!!

2020 has been a wild ride, but like at the end of every year its always nice to welcome the new year and see what lies ahead! I know 2021 is going to be another interesting one, but aren’t they all in there own way!

Adiós 2020, wishing you all the best for the year ahead.

2021 lets do this!!!

Lennae xxx