Friends ...

We all remember our first childhood friend. The one we woke up excited to see inside the school gates. Play dates filled with adventure, confidences and laughter. 

Even now, as adults, our friends remain a hugely important part of our lives, from sharing problems, asking for advice, uncontrollable laughter and good times, sharing our life events and proudest moments, our friends help each of us define who we are.

Friends are better for us than all the self help books and protein shakes we could consume

If we want a rich, healthy, nourishing life ...

We need to go out of our way to be with our friends

That's it

That's where life happens

We've been having a lot of talks in our house recently with our children about friends and about values. 

Values and skills like respect, caring, kindness and justice. 

Recently whilst searching for something totally unrelated I came across this blog post On Friendship which was written about me ... I was humbled to read how Deb saw me as a friend and re assured as I navigate my way through parenting my children and the importance of their friendships and how to manage conflict within their friendships I was hopefully teaching through example ...

A friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be xxx

Happy Anniversary

Today I've been married to Mark for 18 years. 

It's not the marriage I like to celebrate but the togetherness we have had in those 18 years. It's the growth we have done and continue to do as a couple. 

Marriage is merely a relationship which comes with a piece of paper that says .... Married

It doesn't change anything about us, it changes nothing about our relationship, and it changes nothing about our love or the way we treat each other. 

Marriage or not he is and will always be my friend, my lover, my sanity, my not so sane sanity, and the best father to our miracle children ... 

It seems crazy to me knowing, not everyone can marry the person/people they love - crazy - 

However, I am happy I get to spend the next 40+++ years being in a relationship with this man, loving him, annoying him, finishing his sentences and knowing things about him before he knows them ... 

Happy Anniversary Mark (I'm sad we aren't together today) - I love you to infinity and beyond xxx 

Thank you for loving and accepting me just as I am xxx

I Feel Loved .. .. .. So So Loved .. .. ..

It's been an amazing birthday week ...

Surprised (to the best of their ability) with not one but two 'not' surprise surprise parties ... 

My friends and family made me feel so loved and appreciated.

Surround yourself with people who make you hungry for life, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.

Good times, crazy friends (or is it them that has the crazy friend?) and amazing memories of an incredible birthday week ...

Thank You 

And the very next day I achieved the challenge I had set myself ... 

Leg Press 200kg on my birthday week ...

I am thankful for my struggle (injury) because without it I wouldn't have stumbled across my strength - Physically and Mentally - 

I am strong

IF YOU DON’T LAUGH…

It’s so important to be able to laugh ... 

Thought I’d share a few moments lately where if I didn’t laugh I’d probably cry … (and thats not going to help anyone!)

Miss P getting a double fracture in her arm & elbow a week before we were to go camping ... to the beach 

Nana being in hospital since January ... Going from bad to worse 

Helping Nana to walk again after a fall in hospital broke her hip 

Convincing Nana that eating soup that you can stand a spoon up in is good for her

Cat ... laugh, it’s really not that bad - reminding myself to find the good in every situation!

Taking Stock - December

Snuggling: Babies are just delicious

Celebrating: Surprise birthday celebrations for my Mr B

Loving: Friday Funday has become a bit of a theme around here

Friendships: Celebrating year end #friendswhotraintogether with my Boxing friends

Drinking: copious amounts 

Realising: just how much this group of humans has loved me supported me and pushed me this year

  

Cycling: Everywhere ...

Achieving: Another goal - lifting my body weight - gosh I'm 'heavy' 

Laughing: At Buddy The Elfs antics

Marvelling: We have another year of our 10 year olds belief

Giggling: at the 'naughty' antics and the innocence of children

Pondering: Am I your Aunty or your cousin or both .. .. .. 

Loving: this beautiful niece/cousin of mine

Deciding: you are never too old for face paint

 

Merry Christmas

Loving: Family

Feeling: The heat

Visiting: Swing Bridges 

Playing: water bombs

Watching: Grandparents and Grandchildren make memories

Buying: Icecream in the heat

Adventuring: In a microlight - my fearless girl

Feeling: apprehensive _but_ 

Loving: her smile

Enjoying:  My first ever 'big girl' live band concert

Listening: To Six 60 at the Riwaka Hotel

Smelling: 'Devils Lettuce' thick in the air 

Always Be Kind

I don’t think there is a single person who is living a perfect life. 

I mean, we all have problems, challenges, issues, trials, tribulations. 

Whatever you want to call them. 

There are a lot of us walking through this life hiding the bad stuff ... I know I do 

While whatever we are facing often seems tough, sometimes even impossible, like it will never pass, It's good to remember ... everybody has something hard they are facing. 

And there’s a good chance somebody else is in a worse place than we are.

So let’s be grateful for what we DO have.

Let’s be grateful for the storms we have already made it through – that they have passed, that they have shaped our character, taught us lessons and made us who we are today.

Let’s also be grateful for our current storms, knowing that this too shall pass, and out the other side, we will be stronger and wiser.

Knitted Woollen Baby Singlet - Using a 'family' pattern . . .

For a baby due in April 2016

She Let Go

She let go.

She let go. Without a thought or a word, she let go.

She let go of the fear.

She let go of the judgments.

She let go of the confluence of opinions swarming around her head.

She let go of the committee of indecision within her.

She let go of all the ‘right’ reasons.

Wholly and completely, without hesitation or worry, she just let go.

She didn’t ask anyone for advice.

She didn’t read a book on how to let go.

She didn’t search the scriptures.

She just let go.

She let go of all of the memories that held her back.

She let go of all of the anxiety that kept her from moving forward.

She let go of the planning and all of the calculations about how to do it just right.

She didn’t promise to let go.

She didn’t journal about it.

She didn’t write the projected date in her Day-Timer.

She made no public announcement and put no ad in the paper.

She didn’t check the weather report or read her daily horoscope.

She just let go.

She didn’t analyze whether she should let go.

She didn’t call her friends to discuss the matter.

She didn’t do a five-step Spiritual Mind Treatment.

She didn’t call the prayer line.

She didn’t utter one word.

She just let go.

No one was around when it happened.

There was no applause or congratulations.

No one thanked her or praised her.

No one noticed a thing.

Like a leaf falling from a tree, she just let go.

There was no effort.

There was no struggle.

It wasn’t good and it wasn’t bad.

It was what it was, and it is just that.

In the space of letting go, she let it all be.

A small smile came over her face.

A light breeze blew through her. And the sun and the moon shone forevermore…

Tis the season .. .. ..

There was so much crammed into the first two weeks of December - School trip to the Art Gallery, Christmas cards, Christmas tree and house decorated, annual Santa Grotto visit with friends, non school uniform days, Secret Santa gifts, school reports, my busiest time of the year work wise and all done whilst Daddy made endless trips away for work.

Life is hectic, as any Mum of school age children knows only too well.  My organisational skills have been tested to the max this term, however, with learning to say no to the endless 'end of year' social events we were invited to, we survived intact and here we are at the welcome start of an eight week respite from school routine. 

Hallelujah, we are all so, so ready for it.

Now summer and the school holidays are finally here and the children have flown down to my Mothers, I have fallen into a more relaxed morning routine. There is no school lunches to make, no rush, no deadlines and no stress .. .. .. A cuppa tea or coffee in bed and a spot of knitting. 

 

There is calm, there is peace, the house is tidy!  _and_ during the day in-between clients there is time to catch up with a friend over coffee or tea, whilst in the evening my Mr B and I can train at the gym together, take in some theatre or a movie, the world really is our child free oyster.  

We are truly blessed my Mama seamlessly and effortlessly takes over the parenting reigns for a week (or longer) every school holidays and the children get magical memory making time with their Grandma and Grandpop.  Win/Win .. .. .. it takes a village!

I hope you are all doing good in the run up to Christmas .. .. .. I hope you are happy and all is calm and bright in your days.