So I didn't make it through to the second stage of the writing competition. How was I ever going to console myself?
Well today I think I found the perfect solution. At 6:02 am, my eldest brother and sister in law graced our family with their first child, my parent's first grandchild and my nana's first great grandchild!
Yep. My other brother, sister and I are now uncles and an auntie. My other sister in law and the mother's brothers, and their partners are also honoured with the same titles, respectively.
After three long days for all of us, and even longer for the new parents, my mother received the phone call she had longed for since their admission to hospital on Friday lunchtime.
As I clutched my Quaker Oats (with a hint of golden syrup) ready to take with me out the door on my way to work, the phone rang. I heard my mum rush across her bedroom to the phone cradle on the far side and answer it.
I'm suggesting she take up auditions for Shakespeare or a soap opera given her award winning performance today. The shriek was worthy of any of the Albert Square cast.
She then shouted in joy down the line to my brother who had called to announce his own joyous news, finally! "Oh Jamie, that's fantastic... Oh, that's wonderful. I can't believe it."
Like the patient fellow I am, I waited for my mum to hang up before yelling up to her. "What is it?"
If she said a baby, I'd bugger straight off to work, not even indulging the joke. We'd all been waiting long enough to be kept in the dark any longer. None of us knew what they were having and neither did the parents. They wanted to keep the surprise until the last moment.
"A little girl. Emmy Janet."
What a way to start the day, especially on my first day back after two weeks annual leave.
Catching up with my mountain of emails, I was irritated, as I usually am, by the whatsapp group I'd been added into that kept buzzing all morning. Everyone had an input, but my mum was the main culprit of the buzzing of my phone every half hour on my desk. (OK, it was like three times, but you get the drift). My mum was asking for just one picture of our newest addition to the family. After a few hours, my brother obliged, and instantly my irritation melted away.
Little Emmy was a beautiful, little thing with my brother's ears and my sister in law's nose. She is going to be spoiled rotten and I can't wait for them to bring her home. If I thought me going travelling in June this year around Asia was special, this little lady has knocked that ball out of the park, never to be seen again. I am today, a very proud Uncle.
I'm drinking in every minute of this euphoria and I send my very best wishes to my brother and his wife for all the luck and happiness in the world with their little family.
To my niece - welcome to the world. You will be loved by all of your family and I will be your crazy Uncle Dan, playing Lego with you, teaching you to cause havoc on your parents and in general, showing you how to have fun.
Today has only sharpened my focus and understanding that family matters more than anything and that I am proud to write about this day!
DEDICATED TO MY NIECE, EMMY JANET, ON THE DATE OF YOUR BIRTH. WITH LOVE, ALWAYS FROM YOUR UNCLE X
