Happy Birthday Bonnie

My little one turned 8 last Friday. 

It is very surreal that the little baby who rested in her Dad's arms as the sun came up after her birth is now 8 years old. When people used to say "time flies" I'd roll my eyes, but it really feels like it does... especially when birthdays come around. It seems like the time is slipping through my fingers...

We spent Sat with friends in the lower blue mountains & we did lovely marbling & sketching (while the guys worked on fixing up our camping trailer outside in the cold), then yesterday Nan & Pop came for a visit & Bon was given some beautiful sketch pads & pencils so she spent the whole afternoon drawing & copying images from a Faber Castel DVD teaching kids how to cartoon...this is her picture called "Crazy Cows". She is getting into art so much. (I've been doing big pictures & posters to try to help one of the Librarians at school that I'm friends with too - it's fun!) I know that she is very much her own person, yet I see so much of myself in her. Her gentle ways, her love of music & art, her clumsiness at times, her compassion for others, & her caution at trying new things...I can't believe I have a living daughter who is so wonderful. I stare at her sometimes & get a glimpse of that baby I nursed so many years ago...

I worked 2 casual days last week & I still feel exhausted. Some aspects are like riding a bike. Some things are all so new. It's a different school since I was there...some lovely kids, some disrespectful kids, staff that need lots of love & encouragement....you'll laugh when you hear what I've taught. Food tech, Yrs 1, 3, 6, Yr 7, 8, 9, 11,  Geography, Computers, Special English, GERMAN (lol) & Music...& good old playground duty...a bit of everything. Although I haven't had to teach Yr 10 year - those boys just look so huge...& look like they're ready for a fight at any time...

Well...back to the daily chores. With so much rain I'm STILL trying to catch up on all the laundry. 

Crossing my fingers & hoping that in a week or so I'll get to visit Queensland...not holding my breath though as we always have to expect the unexpected...

Goodbye Michael...

I was teaching a casual day up at school Friday when the news came through - I thought the kids were joking when they said he died...although he hadn't looked well...

Ah, how we all loved his stuff in the 80s. Poor mixed up guy that you feel pity for...but what amazing talent!!!!!!! 

Drs appointments...

I've been battling vertigo - which isn't pleasant! Hopefully it will start to clear up with some special exercises...

D has had this weird rash on his chest...I described it to our Dr telling him that I have been telling D to come in...

SHINGLES!?? D's on his way right now to squeeze in for a visit!!!

Poor guy has been battling this hacking cough, plus trying to write reports & help others using the new computer system at school. He's going to have to take time off work now. Oh well. He can stay warm & snug at home tomorrow. It's more important that his body recovers. 

We were talking last night. People often ask how D is going after the leukaemia. In case of life or death - he's obviously alive - so in that sense he is going well & has beaten the cancer, but in the sense that the body is dealing with lots of niggly things, it's a really hard road to climb. Last week foot cramps, this week coughing more & this rash, perhaps in the future it will be something else...the GVHD is really running around his body getting up to mischief. Just when you think you can take a breath something else happens...BUT, we trudge on. Because there's no alternative! Praying that God will let some of the days ahead go a little easier for us. 

In spite of all of this - there is lots of love & laughter & Miss Bonnie turns EIGHT next week. Don't know where that time has gone!!!!!!

Joy & tears - all jumbled up together. This is life. It wasn't meant to be this way, but it's the way it is. I wouldn't swap my life with anyone though.

What Rachel Barkey knows...

Just listened to the most amazing talk by this lovely eloquent lady - Rachel Barkey. She was invited to speak at a ladies night for about 40+ people, but it turned into 600+. I sat listening in tears as she spoke about her journey with cancer, & her great love & hope in a good God. She is a wife & mother of two & is not expected to live much longer - short of a miracle?! She called her talk "Death is Not Dying: A Faith that Saves". Just about broke my heart, yet also made me puff out my chest & cheer her on...you can get more details here if you're so inclined. 

Exhausted...

I did a days casual work this week - on Wednesday. The blisters on my toes are still recovering!!!!

Some things never change, yet everything changes in a school community...

CRAZY WEEK

We've had Kindy testing, D's been away on a work conference, Eric's gotten into my make-up at 5:30AM & coated his lips in brown lipstick, I spoke at a Cancer Council morning tea, Bonnie gave herself a cracking big egg a few days before school photos (rolling eyes), & TODAY I put a deposit down on a little second hand HONDA JAZZ (not the exact one in this pic, but it looks like this). I feel very grown up trading in an old car & getting a "newer" one. Just in the nic of time - the petrol I was pouring into the other tank was going to send me broke!!!!! 

Now I'm exhausted...ready to flop into bed...zzzzzzz.

Internet down...

TOTAL internet withdrawals! People have had babies, gotten seriously ill & all sorts has been going on - to which I've been oblivious!!!!

I've been to a delightful mothers day with the Preppies. I've been reading great books - with the internet down...not a bad thing at all. I've been getting used to driving an automatic car again as a friend gave us his old Lexus. ('Lemon Lexus' we call it as it's not in very good nick. Just spent a bomb just getting it drivable...perhaps we can trade it in?) I have my casual teaching number now so am gearing up to head back into the world of education as a teacher (rather than "just" a parent) & I switch between enthusiasm & terror at the thought of getting up in front of 6 foot teenage boys again...I've been learning about the money making jewellery rage that is Pandora - my niece turned 21 & I bought her ONE PIECE of Pandora which cost a bomb for something so small...surreal!

David is going well. His Drs are all really happy with his progress! Gaining strength at Pilates & enjoying work. Fighting off the flu at the moment though...

We are all just back from a late lunch out at the local cafe. Beautiful to relax as a family again. There were days when I didn't know if that would ever happen again...

I'm madly writing lists of things to do, setting goals & praying, learning more about myself & trying to soak up things that resonate with me to prepare for the months ahead. I am going to beat this osteoporosis & work on getting fit. Back to the gym! I am going to do some new things in my life instead of always hiding behind my health & my children. I am going to join the prayer group at church. I'm going to get stuck into some casual. I am going to achieve some personal goals & work on some relationships with friends.....I feel like it's New Years without the start of the year!!

Mothers Day...

Mum & Nan - don't know where they are, don't know what year...but I loved them both dearly & miss them both so very much. 

Especially Mum. I so wish she could have been here through some of the tough things we've been through over the last 10 years...

How I'd love to hold her one more time, & introduce her to my beautiful children.

Missing you today Mum!