Hello everyone!

I will keep this short and sweet.

2014 was both a great and challenging year for us.

It was amazing because Loulou was born and turned us into parents in overnight. It became more amazing every day from the 1st of June on, as we watched her grow and develop and smile and then crawl and the stand up and laugh and shout and make all sorts of funny noises and faces.

It was also a great year because I completed the first issue of Lou, my bilingual book series for children.I learned a billion things regarding book printing, promotion, art fairs and markets. And there are a ton more to learn in 2015 of course.

2014 was the year that revealed to us how love multiplies, when a child enters the family. We were showered with love every single day and I feel very grateful for that.

2014 was also amazing because my best friend here in the Netherlands completed her PhD and she opened her own company, making her dream to work on her field in her own terms come true. Her graduation ceremony was very moving. I am very proud of you M.!

2014 was challenging as well. It was challenging because having a child turns your life up-side down. I realized that from now on, I will never be care-free in my life, as I will always worry for that little creature of ours. I am sure that you get used to this constant worry and learn to live with it, but it can get overwhelming, especially those first months, when the little one is so helpless. You also have to adapt to a completely new routine with much less sleep, where the baby’s needs are the first priority, no matter what.

2014 was also challenging for N. in terms of career. I am really proud of him, because instead of sulking, he did something about it. He took his chances and is now making a fresh start in just a couple of days. Our job occupies the majority of our day. It is a shame to stick with something that loads us with negative feelings. There is a way to make changes, even if they are not radical, that will make your work environment more enjoyable.

2014 was much more challenging for my two best friends in Greece, who were faced with very serious health issues of people they love. This has become a repetitive pattern and it really sucks. I hope from the bottom of my heart that 2015 won’t be so cruel to them (or to anyone, really).

New Year’s Resolutions

I am not going to post any New Year’s Resolutions, simply because I don’t want you to make fun of me this time next year. Let’s just say that we will try to live more mindfully, be grateful on a daily basis, be a bit more organized and have a bit of fun each day.

If you do want to share your New Year’s resolutions in the comments, so that I can make fun of you this time next year, please do!

Happy 2015!