Things on Thursday

I found this link at appartment therapy of a family that takes a pic of each member on the same day each year - how amazing to see the growth of each person over time...that is just too cool!

And something about this lounge room makes me smile too. I don't think I've ever seen such HUGE lamps? That lounge just makes me want to climb on it & finish one of those glasses of wine & strum a few chords...

I just spent a while talking to a wonderful friend whose dear husband has been battling cancer & other health issues since 1995. I can be so honest with her & she is so amazing. Her love, her courage, her determination, her honesty & her faith in a good God is just wonderful. I always end our phone conversations feeling so very blessed!!! We spoke about the people who are OVERLY positive about everything, the people who are OVERLY negative, we spoke about the miraculous times when things go so well, the trudging along because you have to times, the insensitivity of some medical staff, the joy of a good diagnosis, keeping in touch with all the family...

Woke up this morning feeling like I have the flu again. Uggg. Better get some lunch & head up to school for Bon's p/t afternoon. Wonder what I'll find out?? I'll take some drugs first I think so I don't dribble snot all over the staff. 

D is having a checkup at hospital today. Busy busy busy...

Mr Happy

Today we had a little bit of an Eric & Mummy day. We went to the bookshop after gym (to buy a pressie for Poppy) & found a happy little book for Eric...we bought a chocolate milkshake & egg/bacon sandwich...YUMMY!!

Off to give my Mr Happy a bath...

Tomorrow is parent teacher night at school...hmmmm. 

The Rainbow Connection...

Last week the kid's "colour" table was orange, & today it was changed to a R A I N B O W theme...I didn't think I'd be able to find much around the house but there are quite a few colourful things. Like my rainbow beanie & a scarf & Bonnie's Carebear & a book by Petrea King etc...

I'm cleaning out Eric's room as he is moving from baby to BIG BOY. I'm cleaning out a nappy storage box & his desk & all his odds & ends...sigh. Sooner or later I will have to think about reorganising his room to make the space work a little better. I think I'll need to work out what furniture he needs in there...

Off for a Tuesday morning cuppa & cuddle with my boy now. 

(Finally finished that great book by Ruth Grahame...so grateful that some people who put out books are so open & heartbreakingly honest...I felt grateful for that in her, & felt very moved.)

"A Mummy and Bonnie Day"

It's Bonnie's last day of the school holidays so while Eric is at Preschool we are having a mum/daughter day. Somewhere in there I have a gym appointment - blauch - so she has wonderfully included a rest time in the afternoon. I will post more later on...(this pic was from Mothers Day at school earlier in the year). 

More: well, we bought yummy things, books (Little Miss), she did some art-work, had lunch out together, then we came home for a rest - I was too tired after gym to make chocolate cake...SO YOU KNOW I WAS REALLY TIRED...& then we had to pick up Eric who had a beautiful Aboriginal lady come in to visit their Preschool today & tell stories/play games/dance with the kids. She could only make one day - luckily it was on Eric's Preschool Day! So we heard all about his day, ate more yummy food, watched some TV, & then I've just finished the bath - tea - bed shuffle. A lovely day. Tomorrow I think we might just have to try to make that chocolate cake? And despite gym today, I can move/walk tonight without being too sore :-)  Yippee!! One day closer to becoming fitter, stronger, more flexible & repairing some of the damage that has been done I hope. (There's some "Deep Heat" next to the bed for later...just in case...)

Eat your heart out Arnie...

Well, I'm back from the gym & have a specialised exercise program tailored for me with all the osteo/blood pressure/Lupus considerations. I'll be going twice a week & then in 5 weeks I get checked out again!! I even have a funky photo id card - LOL!!!

We're about to go outside with some chalk & sit in the sun & create some masterpieces...

In 5 weeks I'll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger?? Hee hee...hopefully not too much like this lady...ahem?

Things from today...

sun, children, lack of sleep, washing, laundry, laundry, laundry, folding, (I should be ironing), shopping & doing the never ending MILK run, toilet paper run, lunch for husband who can't get off his chair to get himself a sandwich for lunch, phone calls, building Geomag with son, reading, bathing, showering, talking, reading, praying, sun, hanging wet washing, watching TV, getting money out of ATM, buying food, cooking, feeding, changing linen on every bed in the house, writing, hunting for a friend in WA who I lost touch with, sulking, nagging, eating, coffee, coffee, coffee...sighing...wishing...

A poster I would love to have on my kitchen wall...

...so I could see it all day. So cool! Apparently it was propaganda in England in WW2. I need a bit of positive writing on my walls too to spur me on...ahhhh, what has happened to my post? 

Something very strange just happened to my page - it's blue writing & underlined...what the?? But on the actual page it isn't underlined...strange...

"I like to sing..."

Bonnie, Eric & I went to a FABBO concert this morning at Sutherland...Justine Clarke did an awesome job singing to the kids. I can't believe she is the same age as me because boy oh boy I felt old after watching her jump around the stage for a whole concert!! The kids sat with their jaws hanging open for a while, trying to take it all in. My loud noisy kids sort of retreat into themselves at concerts. 

Eric (or should I call him MR SNOT?) is about to have a bath tonight & I can hear him in his room singing "Pineapple, pineapple, I love you love Pineapple..." He's so unwell tonight. Perhaps he was quiet at the concert because he's coming down with something? He snuggled so close & at one stage grabbed my face with both hands & said "Don't sing or dance Mummy!" Ahem...

We're all pretty burnt out at the moment - emotionally, physically, spiritually & every other "ally". We've made it to a year post BMT but this flu season is really wearing us all down & D was hoping to head back into the school term rested, but instead is even more weary...D & I tossed & turned in bed for hours last night. I couldn't sleep & I know he is anxious about not being able to do his job - he really wants & needs to be there full-time, but although his MIND is so awesome, his body is so stuffed...everything just sucks at the moment & all those pat happy answers are so not helpful! 

I read this quote somewhere the other week: It's "being in the trenches for so long that causes battle fatigue, no matter how much you believe in what you're doing. It is healthy to share the down times. I have gotten more encouragement by being honest about the hard times & realising that I'm not alone." I'm not even sure where it comes from, but I remember writing it down so I wouldn't forget it. It is healthy to be honest with people but I have gotten so used to wearing my "I'm fine" mask that I think my heart has turned to stone about everything & I am not grabing opportunities to be honest. (So I hide here in the world of cyberspace - cybersafe - & vent here!) I'm so worn out I can't even cry...

How is THAT for a post. Started out happy & grew sad by the end. 

Anyway, I'm glad I dragged myself out to the concert for the kids sake. I know things like that are so good for THEM. So glad I was well enough to go...

Big sleepy sigh here in FREEZING Southern Sydney. How much longer can we keep up this journey...how much more? I know the answer is "as long as it takes" but in my body tonight I want to crawl into bed & not get up for about a MONTH!!!!! Cancer sure does suck...it sucks that we all are weary & it sucks because of the huge toll it's taken on us all. My health is just cactus & I'm the CARER!!!! Despite peoples' lovely emails in response to the latest David update I certainly do not feel strong, or inspiring, or wonderful etc etc. I feel like I've just about had enough...AHHHHHHHHH. 

Better go bath the kids. We might have cereal for tea cause I'm too stuffed to cook...zzzzzzzzzz!!!!!!!!!!