Being home-based makes me happy. I have a daughter with Asperger's and working from home means I can give her more support. My volunteering makes me happy, as does my faith. I converted to Judaism four years ago. My dad died of cancer, and several weeks later my mum died - we said it was of a broken heart. I remember sitting by Dad's bedside with a baby kicking in my stomach. That kind of experience blows your mind. Something's missing in my life, I thought. It's what led me towards Judaism.

My husband and I are liberal Jews. I did 18 months of weekly classes and learned about every festival and the structure of the year. I learned Hebrew and loved it. There was the rich tradition of Judaism to take in, with so much history and culture to understand. I went up in front of a board of rabbis. It was a big service and it meant a lot. I cried. I read from the Torah scrolls. If you had told me 10 years ago that my parents wouldn't be here and I'd be Jewish, I wouldn't have believed you.

We were married in 1994. We had the reception at Heathrow Terminal 4. After I converted, we had another wedding in the synagogue. For me, this offers a structure. A lot of unhappiness comes from isolation, especially when families are spread out. We can sit with candles on Friday with a nice meal. The little ones can sing their blessings.