Hi, I'm Amanda and welcome to my little patch of the interweb.
I've been blogging for several years, but in April 2010 I began this blog with a dream of creating a warm and welcoming place for all visitors.
At that time it was called "Amanda's Patch" and was a blog about living the life you want, no matter what challenges you may face. A prolonged battle with my Endometriosis led me to quit a promising career, but it didn't stop me dreaming. During that first year I wrote a novel, started writing a weekly article for iVillage UK, planned a wedding for a mere £1500 and turned a rented house into a warm home.
At the beginning of 2011 I discovered I was pregnant. Having started trying to conceive with the knowledge that Endometriosis could cause us fertility troubles, we were over the moon at this discovery. However Hyperemesis Gravidarum turned my pregnancy into 9 long months of hell for me and my entire family and so it was with huge relief that our son Oscar was born weighing a healthy 9lb 6oz in September 2011, especially as I developed cholestasis in the final weeks of my pregnancy as well.
I have not blogged as much during 2011 as usual, however I have many things I want to write about and to reflect the new focus in my life (ie my son) I have renamed the blog as The Family Patch.
My motto since starting the blog has been: if I can do it, anyone can do it. And so, The Family Patch is a place of inspiration, encouragement and friendship. And, knowing how important support was to me during the difficult months of my pregnancy and yet how hard it was to find that support, I am also dedicating place on the blog for the topic of Hyperemesis as well as my usual spot for Endometriosis. So come, stay a while, and let me know if you visit.
