Recap | Journey From January 2014 to December 2014

So the year 2014 has bid farewell to us all and I must say it was one of the good-est year for me. Was it a good one for you? Don't say it wasn't, while many did not make it to the new year we did. God has carried us safe and sound all through 2014 so why not praise Gd for that? I did, yes, I did have my crisis times (many) but when I count all my blessings I'm contented enough to forget all my worries and regrets. I'd like to share with you a lot today about my journey in the past year 2014. As I said I'm going to ramble a lot here so be patient with me.

This cake picture was
used as the cover picture

2014 remains close to my heart as I was blessed in many ways which I wasn't expecting to come my way. But I always believe that life is full of surprises you'll never know what good things are waiting for you. I gave birth to my precious little bud Jessi on April 2014, and only I know how much I wanted her. So that was my first & best gift of the year. Then my recipes were featured in a popular Tamil magazine "Aval Kitchen" and "Aval Vikatan" which I never fantasized to happen. And the best-est part of it was one of my cake picture was used as the cover for the magazine "Aval Kitchen" (December issue). Only do I know how much I love food photography and how hard it is to get your picture on the magazine cover :) I thank God for He gave me an opportunity that I never thought would come my way so soon. 

Logo of my baking business

And the other one is I officially started my very own baking business. I was so passionate about baking and everyone back at home would find me wandering up and down wearing my oven mitts and fidgeting with my oven most of the mid nights and early hours. Though it was a passion I never thought of diving into a venture relating to baking until my friends pushed me to start one. This was the first cake that inspired my friend to place an order, apparently this step nudged me into this venture. And this one was officially the first order. I'm so happy about all these that I do not focus on the failure nor trouble part now. I'm definitely not going to look back as I am very much contented with all I do and have. 

Recipe I prepared the day
before I gave birth

Journey (Jan 2014 to December 2014)!! Coming back to the journey through days of 2014, I know I was evidently a bit sower in blogging this year, and with all the reasons I've mentioned above, you'd realize that sitting down to make a post was not easy. But not even a second did I forget blogging. I had to take care of my very sweet new born baby, I had to cook, click pictures and blog, I had to experiment and bake new goodies and apart from this I have a family to interact and focus on. Even now I post recipes or bake only after 12 in the night. Among the priority list I have myself on the last and I've really never cared nor had to time to pamper myself. This can be evidently seen on my blog too, I was editing and blogging even on the day before I went to deliver my baby. And that recipe was Hot chocolate which I was literally craving during last months of pregnancy.  (Okay now, is the myth that you'll crave for sweet things when you carry a baby girl true?) Pineapple jam was what I was cooking the day before giving birth to my lil daughter. (They say pineapple triggers contractions and I believe that I delivered a week early because I ate a few good pieces) By now you would have understood how much I loved to spend time with my blog. 

The recipe I posted
the day before I delivered
my baby

Starting of the year 2014, I was six months pregnant and with the little bump I used to stand cooking, run up and down to fetch things, with all the back pain and other pregnancy discomforts I would sit on the floor (which I believe pregnant ladies weren't supposed to do) clicking the food and then in the evenings I would sit and edit them. (Let me remind you here we were sooo longing to have a child after so many miscarriages and I was asked to be very careful this time) I was having so much fun and I missed blogging so much that I would log in and post something atleast once in a while. Then after I delivered my baby I had to pamper my precious gift and I did not have any time to sit back relax and blog. It would be an added stress as you know motherhood isn't easy and this was my first. But still I came back to blogging ten days after I delivered. And the recipe I posted was the one I cooked a day before I gave birth Pineapple jam.  Then again I had time to only randomly log in and post recipes rarely. I was MIA most of the times as I was completely busy with my precious lil angel. Yet I managed to post atleast some 55 recipes after Jessi was born, on the whole I had posted 78 recipes. (Quite happy with that slow yet steady journey)

Briefly!!

• First recipe of 2014 Chocolate chip muffins
• Last one of the year was Chicken oats soup!
• The recipes with most views were, Corn flour cake, Agar agar rose jelly, Restaurant style Chinese noodles & Chicken 65

Pic taken 5 days after Jessi was born

Testimony & words of hope!!! I would like to add a note (and a long testimony)  here for all those who are waiting to be blessed with a child. Nothing is impossible with God, with human it may be the toughest and challenge-able. But with Him everything is possible. I mean everything. I am a living testimony for this, yes, we waited for a child three long years, I know the pain of waiting, the pain of miscarrying thrice and even the pain of answering people's weird and rude questions. And there was no reason for me to miscarry, doctors went way too much deeper to find out the reason but their tries ended in vain. I went through so much and I was so scared and scarred. But later I did conceive again, but with all the past mishaps occupying and terrorizing my mind I wasn't feeling secure. But with the little faith I prayed and God carried me in his arms and I gave birth to a completely healthy and lovely baby which I did not expect to happen so smoothly. It seemed to be impossible with men but it was easily possible with God. I delivered normally and had no difficulties which was PURELY God's grace as it seemed like a big miracle to me. 

When everything seemed to go the right track, the initial ultrasounds showed that the placenta was low lying and I was asked not to take bumpy rides, not do any work and just rest. So we prayed prayed and prayed and the placenta set itself in the perfect place which was revealed in the later scans. When that issue just settled down, the Ultrasound images at my eight month revealed that there were two loops around the baby's neck; in such a case the gyn would only perform a c-section to not risk the delivery. Also I never exercised as I was asked to be completely on bed rest until my eighth month!! The only activity apart from blogging was walking, I would stroll a few kilometers a couple of weeks before due time and that's it. (So now you'll understand why I felt delivering normally would be miraculous!!) With so much difficulties and the scan showing the loops I was so scared that I had to pray so earnestly. But God promised me that the baby will get delivered normally and safe that she will be born so easily before the doctor even realizes it is time. And I believed that so firmly, I held on to his promise and prayed again. You wouldn't believe I delivered so easily without any trouble a week before the due date and even many hours before the doctor thought I would deliver. And the loop never caused a hindrance! Wasn't it God's grace? Oh and how did I forget the best part, it my childhood friend's ma who was my gyn so I was very comfortable with her, which was another blessing I should say. I cannot picture or write down all that I went through but I remember how everything went well and I really praise and God for that. I did have faith that all would end well and I was never shaken too much, the Lord Jesus was by my side all through though I am not worthy of all His love. I praise Him for all the blessings he had showered on me. 

If I were blessed you will be Blessed too, because in the sight of God we are all one. Ask Him and you will receive! You were created to multiply and fill the Earth and so stay positive. God blessed them (Adam & Eve) and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."-  Genesis 1:28 My wait is over and yours will be over soon too. For all the days you were belittled you will be Blessed and magnified double fold. I just wanted to assure all other who've been tired of waiting to be Blessed, your blessing has already arrived and is on the way. Be it a baby or any kind of Blessing, your wait will be put to an end very soon. Those who have been waiting for the fruit of the womb you will bear a child this year and give birth easily without any trouble for sure. Just have faith in Him and ask for the blessing you seek. It is said in the Bible that children are a gift from God, so lets ask Him. "Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him" Psalm 127:3

God's Promise for YOU this new year!! Do not regret or worry or be embarrassed of the past God is working out new things for you and He promises that all goodness will follow you all days of your life. As said in the Bible; "But the Lord says, Do not cling to events of the past or dwell on what happened long ago. 19. Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now! I will make a road through the wilderness and give you streams of water there" Isaiah 43:18-19 The Lord's ways  and thoughts are more wonderful and beyond our thoughts and He knows how to Bless us and it will be in abundance. Patience and faith in Him is all we need. "You (Lord) crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance" - Psalm 65:11

My humble advice for 2015 "Move on"  Lets forget the bitter happenings, leave them behind and just move on, 2015 is here, its a new year and let it be a fresh start. Shake off things that pull you down and just hold on to what you've learnt. I too had the most bitter part but I'm gonna leave that behind and count only my blessings will you? 

Andddddd Thank You!! Yes I'd like to thank you dear people who have constantly kept motivating and supporting me every single day. It was you who kept me motivated to try and post new recipes, it was your comments and emails that pushed me further when I was down. So Thank you my dear readers for such a support. 

I pray that everyone who read this may get comforted and Blessed abundantly in all ways this year. Amen!!

Wish you all a very Happy, Prosperous & abundantly Blessed New year!!