Mel Norval

Seconds before disaster

One night this week, when my insomnia was intense, I took a break from my usual window shopping (digitally that is). I looked through the folders on my phone to clear out any unnecessary photos or videos, like duplicates, old ones, or anything that is no longer needed. The first folder I looked through happenedContinue reading “Seconds before disaster”

Oh, the distance

I know this move is what we were meant to do to bring us where we are meant to be. God opened every door that needed to be opened and provided everything we needed to make our dream a reality. Our new life and home are the fruit of years of trusting and waiting onContinue reading “Oh, the distance”

Ready. Set. Adapt!

It’s been a little over two weeks since I broke my ankle. And much like my previous medical experiences, it felt like those weeks crept and flew by at the same time. I thought we had crossed the hardest part of the process – being the surgery and the first couple of days. But lifeContinue reading “Ready. Set. Adapt!”

Broken, but not broken

Nothing cements the end of a cross country move like an unexpected surgery! Our little fam has been praying about moving to a bigger city for years, and each time it was a resounding “not yet”. Until this year, when God finally gave us the clear message that now is the time to go. AndContinue reading “Broken, but not broken”

Struggling

I recently learnt something, that I wish I could unlearn, about a couple of people whom I thought I’d become close to… It wasn’t a shocking revelation or even surprising really. But still, the wave of shock managed to wash away the thin veil of the benefit of the doubt that kept long-held suspicions neatly fromContinue reading “Struggling”

Still me, let’s see

With how quickly the first semester of 2025 has flown by, I’m grateful that I didn’t dive into the “new year, new me” trap. So muchs happened that it feels like the last seven months were at least three and a half years long. It’s not that I didn’t have dreams to focus on orContinue reading “Still me, let’s see”

Queens wear crowns

August is women’s month in South Africa. And coincidentally it also baby season! There were 3 baby announcements in my immediate vicinity in the last month or so. Some planned, some less planned, but all welcome. I knew there would be micro seasons where the topic of children would be pervasive and unavoidable. So consciouslyContinue reading “Queens wear crowns”

Oh, the ticking clock…

Throughout my life, I’ve become very well acquainted with nightmares. It’s something that I experience periodically, but more frequently during times of intense stress and/or anxiety. Although I know it’s a pretty standard thing that happens, it’s the brain’s way of processing things in our subconscious. Knowing that, unfortunately, doesn’t help me make sense ofContinue reading “Oh, the ticking clock…”

Scanxiety

This month is check-up month and the scanxiety is real. I find it much easier to not worry about the outcome when the appointments are still a couple of months away. “Out of sight, out of mind,” as the saying goes. But once the notifications become visible in my calendar, the little gremlin of fearContinue reading “Scanxiety”

Triggers

I recently started rewatching the TV show, House MD, for the umpteenth time. It’s one of those shows that triggers mega nostalgia from inside jokes with friends to bonding with hubby over it when we were still very newly wedded. Despite how big of the big role such shows played in shaping the early-twenties-me IContinue reading “Triggers”