11th April 2025

We have had a very busy week this week. And it’s all been pretty, or incredibly, enjoyable. We’ve had lots of sun, we’ve had picnics and garden dinners. We’ve seen friends both on purpose and accidentally and we have managed an average of 10,332 steps a day. (I did the maths)

So it was hardly surprising that when we woke up this morning, the Daft girls weren’t feeling as full of beans as usual.

And that is okay.

We decided that as I needed to run today, we would do another scoot/run in the morning which should smash our step target and then that will leave us to whatever means of relaxing in the afternoon.

We headed down to Lower Granton Road again as it’s lovely and smooth for scooting, it’s beside the sea so it often has a wee breeze coming in off the waves and it’s far enough away that we can get decent milage, without accidentally ending up in Portobello.

Steps done in time for breakfast and a day of not doing much else. Aside from waiting for Daddy Daftie to get home from work.

Speaking of Daddy Daftie, let’s talk a bit about him today, shall we?

I have heard awful stories about how loss and trauma can really rip some relationships to shreds. We’ve been through our fair share of trials from the very surprise discovery of Wee Daftie in the first place (she hid herself for 24 weeks and 5 days before we found her on a scan) to facing hardships during Covid lockdowns to having the longest house move in December 2023. Nothing that a smile and some clever planning couldn’t surmount.

Losing Saoirse was a whole other thing.

And I know I couldn’t have done any of it without his support and love. I’ve never doubted or worried about our bond but this whole event in our lives has totally affirmed (reaffirmed?) that he is my person and I am beyond grateful.

There was not one moment when it clicked just how great he is and how much he does for me. There have been countless in these past months. Leaving his hoodie with me in the hospital so that Saoirse and I would have a piece of him while he cared for Wee Daftie. Making the phone calls I struggled with when I was more tears than person. Letting us celebrate his birthday even though it was the last thing he wanted to do – it happened to be the same day we had an appointment to arrange Saoirse’s service. Making sure I ate. Taking the lead in conversations I couldn’t face. Crying openly as a family. Crying together as parents of two children who won’t grow up together. Being open about how hard and hurt and sad and lonely and desperate this kind of loss can leave you.

Making me laugh and smile when I didn’t think I could. Ensuring that I ate. Going on a date (genuinely only our second evening date since becoming parents 8 and a bit years ago) and being in town on a Saturday night together. His unwarranted and unwavering faith in me and my notions.

All of this is hard but it would be so much worse without him.

I have permission to embarrass him like this, by the way. As I always say, I would never say anything about him behind his back that I wouldn’t say to his face!

I have a huge walk planned with my very dear and oldest, in every sense of the word, friend tomorrow. The other two members of the Daft Family Household will have some special time together. I have no idea what they have planned but I know they’ll have a great time while I crank up our step count even more!

https://www.justgiving.com/page/carolynne-murphy-3?newPage=true