Friday Focus 12/09/2025 – Heavy

Things have felt quite heavy this week. It’s to be expected to some extent at this time of year anyway with Jessica’s birthday, back-to-school, and the end-of-summer sadness, but there have been other things going on that have made this week feel a particularly heavy one.

 

 

A good friend of mine, who was also Thomas’s godmother, died the day before Jessica’s birthday. She’d gone into hospital due to long-term health issues, but it was unexpected. I’m grateful that I was able to see her shortly before she last went into hospital and have a catch-up. She was such a lovely, warm-hearted person and was so supportive when Jessica died. I will miss her very much. The day after Jessica’s birthday was the anniversary of the death of another good friend of mine, my best friend at secondary school, who died the same year as Jessica.

 

Jessica’s birthday was, of course, another emotional day. Sophie helped make her birthday cake this year, which was robin-themed, and made two of the three fondant robins on top of the cake (I made the other to show her how to do it). We were able to have a more leisurely birthday picnic at Jessica’s forever bed this year thanks to it being a Saturday. She would have been 14 now, possibly going to the same secondary school as Sophie. I can’t quite imagine her at that age. I wish I could know what she would have been like.

 

 

On Monday, my father-in-law went into hospital for a planned day surgery but ended up having to stay overnight as he felt quite unwell after the anaesthetic. Thankfully he’s now home again and doing well.

 

I’ve had a couple of hospital trips this week to support a close family member who is having tests for some health concerns, which could potentially be quite serious.

 

My husband has also been away for part of the week and is due to be away again for most of next week!

 

All in all, it’s been a bit of a week. We’re also still adjusting to the new routine, with the earlier starts and adding in the after-school activities this week too. As yet, we’ve not got homework to add to the mix, but that will come in due course!

 

Hopefully the weekend will be a little less stressful! I’ve got some nice activities planned for tomorrow, including an evening out with my husband so that should be good.

 

 

What I’ve been grateful for this week:

 

 

 

• Day 248 – I am grateful that Sophie enjoyed her first day at secondary school.

 

• Day 249 – I am grateful for a sunny day and more time to spend with Jessica for her birthday picnic thanks to her birthday falling on the weekend.

 

• Day 250 – I am grateful for being able to share Jessica’s birthday cake with our church family and for those who have remembered her with love this weekend.

 

• Day 251 – I am grateful for a little after-school treat.

 

• Day 252 – I am grateful for Thomas helping Sophie with her stretching.

 

• Day 253 – I am grateful for a lovely little note from Sophie.

 

• Day 254 – I am grateful for a lovely conversation with Thomas about the Moon on the way to school.

 

 

Other things that have made me smile this week:

• Leaf skeletons on an old flower at Jessica’s forever bed.

 

 

• Our promo stall for Calendar Girls being right by the WI stall at Pinner Village Show.

 

• Meeting a friend for lunch.

 

• Sophie relaxing after school.

 

 

• Bumping into one of my friends from the tap dance class I used to go to before I had my children.

 

 

Joining in with Raisie Bay for Word of the Week.