End of April

WHERE DID THIS MONTH GO??????????

Something exciting happened on the weekend...

A picture speaks 1,000 words...

Anzac Day 2008

It's Anzac Day here, where we remember those who died in war time - & also honour those who returned...there's so much I wish I could ask my grandfather now. He died when I was young, & I hardly remember much of what he told me about the war. He was in the Lighthorse - William Percy Strike. It's amazing any of those men survived. He was in the charge at Beersheba. I remember mum told us he said that as soon as the horses smelt the water they didn't need to urge them on. She said that he said his best mate was killed beside him in that charge...there's so much you don't think to ask your family as a child because you presume they will live forever...I miss my grandparents AND my parents so soooo much. My father was given white feathers (cowardice) but although he tried several times he couldn't go & fight in WW2 - medical reasons? I don't know much about that. I found out from my sister after he died. It makes me angry to think that people judge others & PRESUME to know what they think. Anyway, I'm reminiscing today. I'm always teary to hear about people who sacrifice their lives for others...

One of our friends goes to the Dawn Service in his area now. He said after watching the movie "Saving Private Ryan" he always goes now to remember & pay homage. 

I went to catch up with an old friend this morning for a coffee. She has been on my heart & mind for so long. It was lovely...

Post Bone Marrow Transplant Thoughts 8+ months on...

D has nearly reached Day +290. I remember when each day would pass slowly, we would watch blood counts like a hawk & get excited at every single day - praying praying praying & being as positive as humanly possible... I'm so grateful for these days - even though I know I take them for granted too. I'm human. I still get annoyed with him some days, yet here he is...ALIVE & in my arms. Some days the horror of last year seems like some horrific nightmare. (This nose tube still makes me feel nauseous to just see the picture of it. Poor Eric used to burst into tears when we tried a computer image link up between the hospital & home. This sums up the horror of those post transplant days for me - fed through a tube with beeps & buttons & tubes & hospital things everywhere on his body...) When a hospital visit comes along I wait for the results - with that 'holding my breath' feeling. When I hear him coughing - like he is at the moment as we're all fighting the flu - a teensy bit of fear creeps in & I wonder if his body will fight it off as well as I hope it will. I guess there are little things around me each day that remind me that we are all very fragile. To put our hope in our own body or our own strength is pretty futile...that sounds very negative. I only mean to say that we don't know what is around the corner. I really believe that there are eternal unchanging things that are much more secure than a weakened body. 

Sun peeped out today...HOORAY!!!!!!!

The sun appeared today for longer than 10 minutes - & isn't it exciting. How do people live in cold European countries? It was so thrilling for us...well, especially for ME! The kids went on the trampoline for a while (hooray hooray), I hung out about 3 loads of washing to get some wonderful germ-killing sun on them,  & the breeze just seemed to blow away all those gloomy "cobwebs" in my mind. How I love the sun. I can wait until all the colds & snot goes away...just in time for Term 2 I guess.

D & I watched an episode of Enough Rope last night which was revisiting an older episode. There were some very poignant moments for me & D  as we heard about another couples' journey with cancer & what they thought/experienced. See the transcript with Glenn & Jane McGrath. We just happened across it by "chance" & it led to a good discussion afterwards.

We went to the Library yesterday & borrowed some great books....how I love to read. In fact that is what I am going to do now with some caffine :-) Hooray for light & a little warmth & the ability to be able to catch up on some chores...

FlyLady

I'm trying to get organised. I have the flu so it's kind of hard, but I really love the FlyLady site - it's free & it's so helpful! (We've all got the Autumn flu here. School holiday flu - ugg. D's first flu since his BMT too...) 

http://www.flylady.net/

a stone street

walking along a...

9 months since David's BMT

I forgot to post something on the 13th April...D sent me an SMS from the Quest Center. "9 MONTHS". It's been 9 months since his bone marrow tranplant. The same amount of time that a child can be grown. And he has 'regrown' his bone marrow with the help of so many Drs, nurses, his brother Peter, & so many many people who have loved & prayed for him for the months & months leading up to & after the transplant. 9 months seems like only a few days, yet it feels like such a very long time also. 

I wish the graft-versus-host would stop in his mouth. I wish his strength would return...but I guess I don't wish for the old D to return, because he has learnt so many hard things that have made/will make him a stronger person. The depth of his suffering at times has been so hard to watch, yet his new vision to "live well" for as long as possible is inspiring...

There are no words to describe what we have been through. At times we felt like we had been rubbed raw, living each day walking on eggshells & wanting to scream...yet here we are. Hope is so very important...there is always hope. Faith, hope & love are so important. That is what I wrote on the prayer flag that was hung up at Quest. 

Mr Men & Little Miss

We're back from our strawberry milkshakes & visit with pocket money to the bookshop. Eric bought Mr Tall & Bonnie bought Little Miss Sunshine & Little Miss Somersault. The poor man at the bookshop had to deal with LOTS of 5c pieces, but we enjoyed our trip out into the cold...

Bonnie & I just looked at a weather report which said RAIN ALL WEEK...big big sigh...

Back to helping Bonnie make a basket with cardboard & tape. 

Blogdom

Well, after my initial posting frenzy I haven't been back here...but once people know I have a blog I guess I should put news here?  So much to do, so little time...

D back from Quest for Life at Bundanoon. Had another great weekend of good organic food, helpful information about life after cancer & meeting other people who are all on their own journey. The kids & I stayed home & had a great weekend. It's freezing here in Sydney at the moment (the dryer is on overdrive as the sun is hiding) so the kids are fighting off the snuffles. Not fun to be fluey in the holidays. However we made some "puff paint" yesterday. The kids painted while I got tea ready & it turned out really well. 

Well, today we are going to rug up & head off to the local shops. The kids have been saving & are going to buy some Mr Men/Little Miss books from the local bookshop. We have been talking about it for over a month now, so it should be fun. 

We're making a list of things we want to do these holidays but I wish the sun would come back. I don't know if I could live somewhere that was rainy all the time. Summer was pretty mellow & now it seems to be heading into winter...come back Mr Sun. 

One of my heros...

Corrie Ten Boom. What an amazing lady...

I bought a DVD on special with little short films about her life & her thoughts about God. I told Bonnie that she is one of my heros. 

I spent the day in bed with a migraine, but was able to get up this afternoon when Bon arrived home & I watched a little bit more of the DVD. 

My heart overflows...

Just trying to attach another picture. (While D is out with our kiddies.)

Quote from "Hood"

"I am bending my knee

In the eye of the Father who created me

In the eye of the Son who befriended me

In the eye of the Spirit who walks with me

In companionship and affection.

Through thine own Anointed One, O God

Bestow upon us fullness in our need..."

~ Freol's prayer,  Hood, by Stephen Lawhead, p.93

I need to learn how to attach a picture...hmmmm...

D has just taken the kids out for a bike ride in the trailer...

Going to try to attach an old photo of him & Bon.

Staring Today

Ta da....

OH my goodness. I am entering the wonderful world of BLOGS. 

Who'd have thunk it?

I have lots to learn so this is my first experiment...sigh.