I loathe the expression “What makes him tick.” It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together again, and sometimes stops like an electric clock in a thunderstorm.
  – James Thurber

As many of you have noticed that over the past month or two there has been little activity on the blog. I have not given up on my committement to make things better for my daughter nor have I lost my focus. No, instead I have much like the above quote broken a little bit and needed to be put back together. Seems like my daughter is not the only one who is having to challenge the anxiety monster. I have always suffered from anxiety attacks and since September my past has caught up with me and made me take some time to sort some things out for myself. I’ve been given the opportunity to look into myself and the way I tick and chime in efforts to help my daughter out there.

This has been an incredible year for both the blog and myself. This year the blog has:

• Been host to some amazing woman who have shared their insight with us such as Ruth Hartman, Jan Lundy and Ruth Hix and Chynna Laird.
• Been selected to be one of the Top 100 at the Baby and Children’s Blog.
• Had a first ever “Blog Contest” where Iris the Dragon books were given away.
• Attended the Parents for Children’s Mental Health conference.
• A wonderful article was written in the Toronto Star by Andrea Gordon on early intervention for children.
• Presented at the annual Parents Information Conference for the Halton Catholic School Board.

For myself I have had the chance to put “me” back together. In the struggle to make things better for Sydney I lost a bit of myself. A panic attack back in September landed me in the hospital and things have been changing a little bit each day since. Don’t worry for the better.  I feel priveleged and honoured to have gotten so many wonderful emails from friends and strangers thanking me for what I do and I must admit I feel a little guilty that I’ve just sort of dropped off the blogging world. I’m sure all parents but especially parents that are raising children with challenges know we must take care of ourselves first and foremost because without us where would we be? I’ve enlisted the help of naturopaths, chiropractors and the therapist from ROCK (as we go through the second phase of the trauma session group). Each one of these individuals I consider to be like Angels that have been placed tenderly in front of me to help me be a stronger more whole and well individual. Everyone knows when we feel good inside great things can happen and that is exactly what I plan to do.

Great things will come in the New Year trust me.

So, as the end of the year draws closer I want to wish you all the best of the season no matter which celebration you engage in. I want to ensure you that the blog will continue and I will do my best to find great things and resources for all of us. The one thing I ask is that you as the parent or the one suffering from anxiety or any other mental health issue be kind to yourself and know that we all have within us a great power and vitality to live. We just as the quote says, “chime, break and sometimes stop” but that doesn’t mean the end it just means that temporarily our path changes but once we’re back on track we have life ahead of us, and the possibilities are incrediable.

Merry Christmas and all the best of 2010.