"Keep your face always towards the sunshine and the shadows will fall behind you."

I've had a rough few weeks, possibly even just had a rough month, hence the lack of posts. I've struggled with my anxiety and depression, I've been tearful and I've found it incredibly hard to find the joy, even in things that normally leave me elated.
I'm generally quite transparent with my mental health but it just took a bit of a knock lately and I've felt somewhat... reclusive. I haven't wanted to be transparent, I wanted to close myself off and stay away from the world, I just wanted to be with my girls, I didn't want to be a burden to anyone else because I felt like I was burden enough to them. I've struggled to find things to write about, or frankly, absolutely have not had the will to write about anything. The limited time that I've had to feel good I've spent with my girls, just trying to enjoy them as they grow in front of my eyes. I haven't really documented much in the form of pictures which is something I really enjoy and feel strongly about - I will have so much to look back on when they're older, I will have so many stories to tell them about the adventures we went on and things and I can't help but feel that these little dark periods where I struggle is setting that back in a big way.
But then the sun came out, and almost instantly, like a little plant I perked up. I started to feel a bit more positive, I started to think about things to do, where we can go, things we can do OUTSIDE. I started to look forward to things again - this time last week I wasn't excited about even my birthday, and birthdays are a big deal in our family! Now, I can't wait, we have a day in the park planned and I'm going shopping with my mum.
So in the past few days we've gone out and about, cost ourselves a fortune in petrol, but have two tired and contented kids and a very tired, but much more whole set of parents, and a mama who is a lot lot less tense. It's amazing what the weather can do!
My beautiful girls have been to the forest for a dog walk with their Nanny, to the pub for a play in the sunshine (and mummy may have had a cheeky little cider...), to the splash park with their Grandad, and played in the garden in the water-filled tuff tray, much to Sylvie's delight! It's been so lovely and so freeing to enjoy things properly again, and it's really lifted my spirits.