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So here it is. 2015 already. Happy New Year everybody!

It's a little bit scary, being right at the start of the year again. We never know what the days and weeks ahead might bring. 

No different to any other day of the year of course, but it just feels different.

We started ours with good friends and a blast of fresh air. Getting out more is one of my resolutions. Resolutions which of course I don't make, because then I just feel guilty about breaking them.

So I definitely won't mention the getting fitter and healthier, or the extra effort I'll be putting in to make sure Sophie has the support she needs to develop to her full potential, or the not writing late blog posts and going to bed earlier (ahem) or else you'll all be able to hold me to them.


I've wondered on and off over this festive period about carrying on with writing my blog. 

It started off in a very small way as a personal diary, almost 5 years ago now, right after Sophie was diagnosed with autism. I'm not sure it's progressed much from there. 

I've worried intermittently that I'm not doing this well enough; I stress about what titles my posts should have (see above), I slip down the rankings tables, am never nominated for awards, and often feel pushed for time to keep it up. It can all get a tad disheartening at times.

I've read a couple of other fantastic posts lately which say you should blog for yourself, in the way you want to, if you want to. That's true, but there's also a whole other side to it.

Our blog is not just for me. It's for our girls, it's for friends and family, for the people we come into contact with whether that's daily, monthly or once in a blue moon. I've been inspired to carry on by the many messages I've received over the years thanking me for sharing stories and linking to information which has helped other families in similar situations. Those messages have been the icing on the cake. I don't feel any pressure to blog for others but I do feel pleasure in being able to help.

I've also made some amazing new friends due to blogging, and learnt so much more about many topics, so I have a lot to be thankful for. In March I will be part of the inspirational #TeamHonk again, and I'll be joining hundreds of others, dancing for 6 hours to raise money for Comic Relief. So I guess that 'getting fit' resolution will have to stay then.....

I will continue with training for parents of children with disabilities this year, trying to spread optimism and support wherever I can. I am passionate about increasing understanding of PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) and making sure help gets to families who are in desperate need of it. I'd love to travel the length and breadth of the country talking about it, but I'll be starting locally, on a small scale, in school hours, so that I get to spend as much time as possible with my amazing two girls.

I will continue to blog, but there are no promises attached. I'm guessing it'll be as varied and random as ever though, so I truly hope that suits you too. Stay with me for the ride, let me know if I'm over-sharing..... but most of all, I hope you all enjoy your own versions of 2015. Life is amazing; let's all make the most of what we have.

I'm going to leave you with my favourite quote, which is (true to my form) nothing too intelligent or profound, or clever... but I hope you like it anyway.