It's actually taken me a couple of days to sit down and write this message. Not because I'm not eternally grateful, but because I'm not really sure how to express it adequately.
I've been using MN for 8yrs and I feel I take far more from it than I ever put back in. And while this is comforting at times, MN being something of a lifeline occasionally, I really do feel inordinately humbled by the whole thing.
I joined MN before I even had children and I almost left again after having a right ruckus with a member of the estimable royalty. Thankfully, I wound in my neck, namechanged and learnt not to be such a nob.
This old place has seen me through miscarriage and pregnancy wobbles, traumatic deliveries and pnd. There are days when I couldn't face the outside world and was terrified of my screaming dd but MN was nothing but helpful. I have run on and on and on and on about birth trauma and I would never have had a 2nd baby, in fact I wouldn't have even moved remotely passed the shock of dc1 without some of the people on here who listened and empathised and sympathised and gently chided. But for them, there would be no ds. I blame you all. 
I don't know who nominated me or quite why. I sometimes hope that maybe sometimes I help out. I've got sod all to recommend me bar some little experience of the odd thing here and there and a really intimate knowledge of all things gingerbread, but I keep posting and hoping one day I can help somebody in even a tenth of the way others have helped me. I've made some extraordinary friends on here, been privileged to meet a few outstanding people and have seen generosity which has made me sob. And I'm hard as nails. To whoever nominated me, thank you. I genuinely mean that with utmost sincerity. I would very much like to know who you are.
To the person who sent me the voucher. I know some people think, in fact I see it on this very thread, that a voucher isn't a spectacular gift. Wrong. I am over the moon. I used to be a librarian and dh regularly mocks me for the way I sneak into bookshops and sniff the texts. There's something magical about a new book. They're an indulgence we can ill afford since having the dc. I was an academic librarian for years and used to sit awestruck with our special collections because you could still see the wig dust in them from years ago. You can keep your kitchenaids and whatever the frig a fly boot is, books trump the lot. Real, solid guardians of history, keepers of secrets. Your kindly purchased voucher will facilitate my habit nicely. I've been on the wagon for too long.
Christmas is pretty special in our house. I talk about it a lot on here and won't bore you all by going over it again but I work hard at Christmas and love it like nothing else. Two years ago my mother was fighting cancer over Christmas and it was a bittersweet time. We didn't know what the outcome would be, didn't know that baby ds was on his way and I was terrified. Sadly, the cancer came back a couple of weeks ago and Mum's just had more surgery. We're waiting to find out if she can kick it in the gonads again. The kindness I've been shown this year by my nominator and giver has made me cry with happiness. I do really appreciate it. It's been a bit of a funny old year. DH had a nasty accident and still isn't quite there in terms of recovery, my Mum is of course fighting the spectacular fight again and David Mitchell married Another Woman. But there's other stuff too. And as is the pattern for the last 8yrs, a lot of the good stuff has come via MN. In so many ways.
I wish I could mention in person all of the lovely people who have done so much for our family. Boffy and Eleanor and all the Ps (Pol, Pascha, Psamme, Pinot etc etc), Ginny, SueP, Gauchita, LiTR, PJ. Chaos, Flight and on and on and on. I'll miss a million people out, they're just a handful of the people who have made a massive impact on me over the last year and beyond. I wish I could repay it all. Until I work out how, I'll just keep posting the same old shite.
MN174 I think. I haven't namechanged as I'd like my nominator to know I'm pleased MN sat on me until I caved. It's MN17somethingorother. Envelope's over there. I'm trapped under the snoozing boy. Thank you thank you thank you. You are all marvellous.
And finally I'd like to thank my parents. And Sharon.