Heather & Kevin...

Mum & Grandpa...

Mum on her wedding day of course, in a dress she designed herself. I wish I had more of her style!

Santa & Me in '74

This is posted especially for Kerrie...check out MY red shoes. It must have been a 60s/70s thing for little girls to have red shoes??

Another stroll down memory lane....

This is me getting my B.Mus.Ed - Bachelor of Music Education at New South Wales University. Cool hey! It was 1993 & boy I had a lot to learn! But I have to say I really loved teaching Music - LOVED IT. Once I'd found my feet a little more, knew what worked & what didn't, & knew myself a little better it was great.  I loved that "buzz" after a lesson went well & things flowed well. That awesome "together" feeling was just FANTASTIC. 

I enjoy teaching private piano students also, but there's nothing like being in a class where kids bounce ideas off each other. You can change a whole lesson & run with something from a student or follow a thought...it's really just incredible. I tried to be the sort of teacher that I respected in High School. I wasn't perfect but after a year or so I realised it was less about marks & administration, & all about relationships with students etc. Of course that sounds obvious, but I really grew to love so many of those kids & they were so supportive through all those hard times I went through with them. 

Anyway, I kind of like this shot. I feel grown up here. (These days I mostly wear tracky dacks & t-shirts so it's kinda cool to see me in 'professional' mode...) Hip Hip Hooray for teachers, they do an amazing job for not a huge amount of money & the hours...oh my GOODNESS, the hours I put in were mindblowing. The physical toll it took on my body was not always helpful. I worked for a short time in a state school & then worked in an independent Christian school for nearly 9 years. It was mostly a real joy. And to think I nearly didn't think about doing music. It was only that my piano teacher said "Have you thought about Music Education?" I didn't think I was good enough. She smiled & said "Of course you are, why don't you audition?" So I did...I actually had been planning to be a Librarian for the last 5 years when I did an about face & went into music...& if I hadn't I wouldn't have met David...sigh. It's almost one of those Sliding Doors situations, but of course I can't see what would have happened to me on "the other path". I can't imagine not marrying David. He has been such a rock for me through so much pain...I'm starting to ramble now aren't I? I should stop while this makes some sort of sense. mbf,dsgeotro;tuydgfjdsngkstuer;yuoy;s...zzzzz......

Pass It On...

Humbled Karin. Thank you...

I don't have time to explain the connection, or why I love them so much...so, without further ado, 

I am paying it forward - these are my four inspiring Blogs:

* Two Little Bird, Two Little Beasts

* Anna Maria Horner

* Notes From The Trenches

* sfgirlbybay

Sunday stroll down memory lane

My wonderful parents Heather & Kevin. This was them on a date. How stylish were they? (I have learnt to scan photos so now I'll be able to have some regular pics of things in here...soooo excited about that. I had to do some for the High School Reunion & it turned into a midnight scanning frenzy!!)

I have some great photos of mum & dad now ON THE COMPUTER. How I miss them. My SIL acknowledged the other day how hard it must be having kids without parents there...it made me teary that she 'understood' now that she has a daughter of her own. I love D's mum but I think as I grow older, towards my 40's & the age when Mum had me I really really miss them more, her especially. I think giving birth to children & not be able to tell your parents how much you appreciate all they did for you - because some things click into place when you have a child of your own - is so hard. (I realised how SELFISH I was, I realised how little I knew,I realised what an incredible journey having a child was & I wanted to ask more questions about my 'history' & me.) Dad died suddenly when I was 24, & Mum died in her sleep when I was 27. I'm so glad they were there to see me Graduate from Uni & Dad was able to walk me down the aisle, but there are so many little moments that I don't get to share. I don't want to sound like I'm whining...I am grateful I had them for so long. I hope David & I can be there for Bonnie & Eric for many years yet...because I know how sad it can be to go on your life journey & not get to share things with the people who raised you & love you unconditionally...

David & I were talking about backdating/starting another Blog with all the Leukaemia information & photos etc...that would be a mammoth job though. David thought that after his counselling session yesterday he would look on the internet for people that were also dealing with life after a BMT...he found Baldy's Blog (Adrian Sudbury) which we started looking at + the uTube video Blogs. Then we found this...

I was a bit of a teary mess after seeing some of that hospital footage - it brought back many memories of last year. But I was able to talk to D before we went to sleep last night about some hopes & even fears. I love that man...so desperately. Some people are so strong, so determined, so focused, endlessly positive & I reel off balance in the face of their strength sometimes. We live each day as well as we can, not knowing what is ahead, but trusting in Something & Someone bigger than ourselves...yet it's hard...it's so hard reading that cancer has claimed yet another life. Another one of our Quest for Life friends has died...you think I would not be shocked any more, but the reminder of the preciousness if life always makes me want to double my efforts to live well... 

Oh the 80's...

A friend (the one in blue) posted this photo today - she is organising our High School Reunion to be held next month...I am starting to get really excited about it all now...can't believe it was 20 years ago...check the PINK on my lips, eyes & around the front of my hairline. Not sure what I was thinking. My mum bought me the dress...& OH those LONG THICK TRESSES without any grey in there...well, I think I'm off to scan some pics so I can post some of HER on the school update area on Facebook so I get get my own back!!! So many memories...sigh...

Family Snap!

At the start of this year Eric's Preschool asked for a family photo to put on their "family wall"...this was the last snap of about 20 & this was the one that we decided was the best. There are lots of us wincing at the sun. How did we cope before digital cameras?  It was taken out the front of our house. It's always surreal in winter seeing us wearing summer things...I had to put it on the Blog of course!!! (It's also strange seeing Bonnie with her two front teeth still there...)

Friday Flu...

Eric home from Preschool today. We both have the flu so no gym today...

But I had to drag him into the freezing 11 degree outdoors to do some shopping. We bought some stickers & a "Mario Bag" which he loves. Got Bon a "Princess Peach" bag...(that's the Gameboy influence)

THIS is my new bag!! I've been enjoying Etsy & bought this lovely bag there...I feel very funky when I'm out shopping now! (Thanks Interrobang?!) Off to get some lunch for the snotty folk now...

Adding this little update at 4:41pm:

This morning a I was driving off for petrol with my son totally rugged up in his beanie & dressing gown, when I saw a lady trudging through the rain. Her car had run out of petrol. She was going to refuse a lift but I knew how awful it must be walking through that rain...she got teary & said she'd had a fight with her husband & eldest daughter that morning, rushed to take her son to school & then the car had run out of fuel...she went in to buy some petrol & I ran after her to give her a spare umbrella...she said thanks & I blew her a kiss. I wondered why I did that rather than say something like "I hope it works out" or "Pass it on" or something helpful...poor thing...now I've been wondering all day who she is, what her weekend will be like, if she got home OK...the people you run into are amazing. But that amazing desire to help another human being is so fascinating sometimes...something to ponder. 

Also today I watched a show about a family who gave birth to a small girl called "Hope" only to be told she would only live 6-12 months...I was so amazed by their clarity & wisdom & the beautiful way they spoke about how much she impacted their lives. Then - after taking measures not to - they fell pregnant again & this small boy (Gabriel) also had the same syndrome. I felt gutted to see their pain to think they went through it again...but their journey was absolutely amazing...I taped it I think so I must write down some of their comments...One of their close friends said how touched he was by Hope's life & death in particular, & that at the funeral he (or someone) spoke about how she had only lived 199 days, & their next words were about a Bible verse that asks God to help us number out days wisely...so he planted this beautiful tree in his backyard. He said every time he goes near it or mows around it he prays that he will live each day well & that his days would not be wasted, as he remembers how precious all of Hope's days were to her family. Oh I cried - this was just before picking Bon up from the bus stop - the big ugly cry that requires quite a clean-up...

D just sent an email about a Dutch guy that won Olympic Gold in a 10km race...a leukaemia survivor. **tears**

Friday Funday

Let me tell you what was GOING to happen today first. I was going to pop up to school to take pictures of Bonnie getting a merit award from the Principal :-) take Eric to Preschool, go to gym & then head off to see Mamma Mia!

...Bon went up to school with D early. Well, by the time we got in there she had already been given her award & shaken Dad's hand...so no wonderful photos that I so wanted last year. After the Assembly she rushed off to class with only a quick hug from us & D had to head off to work. Big sigh...so late for assembly which made us late for Preschool. I drove in the car yelling "Well WHAT was the point of THAT? WHAT a WASTE of PETROL!!!!" I was so disappointed & ashamed that I'd missed seeing my own daughter. We tried so hard to get there on time...I know she wouldn't care but I cared. I sat there with my camera totally BUMMED out. Then I had to turn around & be Mrs Smiley Principal's Wife when I just wanted to cry...

I got to Preschool late, BUT - & isn't life just wonderful sometimes when things like this line up - I bumped into the other mum whose husband has been battling cancer. It was so good to see her & talk statistics & hear that Charlie Teo was their specialist etc etc. Perhaps THAT was worth missing a photo this morning, to be able to love & encourage another person in their journey...

Then I headed off to gym & pounded that walk machine & all those other exercises...got rid of some frustrations...

We found out last night - this is a long story & one that I don't really want to Blog about at the moment - that we are in quite a bad place financially. Kevin would be shaking his head at me!! "Never a borrower or a lender be!" Well, I have my husband, I have two beautiful kids that I didn't think I would have, we own our house & we have lots of love. Sheesh, I'm typing on an old second hand computer but I have one...I am blessed beyond words. I tell that to myself when I feel overwhelmed about trying to psych up to work again...

Friday Funday...here's a room I like the look of from Apartment Therapy...

Chanting Boy

My son sat doing a very very hard puzzle this afternoon. I thought there was NO WAY he was going to complete it. Anyway, all of a sudden a little chant started up: "Don't give up Don't give up Keep trying Keep trying..." (I think it went something like that?) I realised that it was a song from a new show that he's been watching on ABC Kids. What a classic!! It's not the sort of show that would normally appeal to me so I normally wouldn't let him watch it...but it's quite quirky and...well...thumbs up from me that he remembered that song & was able to apply it to something hard that he was working on!

Now we're all frustrated because there were two pieces missing & there will be no rest until they are found!!

This sign appeals to me...

Found it on another great Blog...gotta love the USA!!

Prayer

Reading a profound book about prayer by an author called Philip Yancey. I borrowed it from a local library & am reading with a notebook nearby so I can write down quotes...

Friends

Found a pic of Bonnie with a little friend Jessamy in the year below her on the first day of school this year. So precious...

Aren't they beautiful!!!

As It Is In Heaven

Feeling quite emotional after seeing this movie. (Apart from the dreadful stereotype of the repressed depressed Minister...) 

There is something about singing in a choir - creating that wonderful sound together...

But what a heartbreaking movie...

I'm at home by myself today FULL OF THE FLU...AGAIN!!!! I wanted to get a haircut, go to the gym, shop - but here I am blowing my nose & drinking honey/lemon resting...not happy Jan...

Listening to the song that the soloist Gabriella sings - talk about gutwrenching, it's like she is singing her heart out, singing for her very life, singing with her broken soul. It's like a turning point in the film - to finally hear the choir sing. I can't listen to it without crying...