Congratulations Son!

This son of mine has just graduated his university studies and now has a degree in Bio Medical Science. Proud is an understatement! After three years of slogging it out, he has now decided to further his studies by going in to the teaching profession. Following in his Mama's footsteps, cheers to a lifetime of making a difference in the lives of our young people. Could not be more proud of the young man he is becoming!

Mother's Day Poem

A Love Second to One

You loved me before I was born,
Wove my body inside your own,
Mended my buttons when they were torn.
I never had known
A humanly love so overflown.

Comfort in your voice,
In your scent and your warmth
’Tis not a moment or day,
But a lifetime of joy.

You gave of yourself
What no one could ask,
Your time and self-interest
For my blessing and best.
This was, no doubt, your never-ending quest.

I remember dearly our endless days
When you baked peanut butter cookies
And I watched, amazed.

There is but one love, which outstrips yours -
A love more perfect than a human can show.
It is the one everlasting, older than dinosaurs,
The one I know, in part because of you.
His love is greater, I delight in it with you!

Happy Mother’s day, you loving cuckoo!
I am lucky to say it and I bid you, adieu.

Jaidyn-Tyler (Thanks my darling boy xx)

Happy Birthday son!

Happy Birthday son!

So proud of who you are and who your are becoming. Eighteen years went way too fast. Not sure how we got here, to this moment, but inevitably we did. You really do have to seize each moment and live it fully. You are good at that. You have faced life with fierce determination and every storm with quiet assurance. You measure every moment to the tiniest detail and the intricacies of life with thoughtful precision. There will be times when throwing caution to the wind will be expedient so you can fly by the seat of your pants. Just do it! The world is waiting for you to make your mark. Your future is bright. I love you to the moon and back.

So, get to it!
xx

Well done son!

Logic will take you from A to B but imagination will take you everywhere. ~ Albert Einsteen

Congratulations to this boy who graduates year 12 in the next few weeks. You have excelled in all that you have put your hand to and I couldn't be prouder! You have persevered with dedication, discipline and determination. The world awaits ... and the sky is the limit, anything is possible with you at the helm! 

May all your dreams come true!

Here are a few messages from your Primary school teachers.

Year One

Year Two and Three

Year Four

Year Five

Year Six

Year Seven

Love you to the moon and back!

And so the year of lasts comes to an end!

A year of lasts

This week has been a mixed bag of emotions. We started another school year, which as a teacher of young children is always an exciting event. A lot of firsts ahead for all the little people starting their schooling journey this year. As a mother, I am entering a year of 'LASTS' and have found myself pausing longer than usual to take that little bit longer to connect with my last born who has entered the final year of his school journey. I think he thought I was crazy when I squished his seventeen year old cheeks with a lot of love on his first day back at school. Why do they think this expression of mother love is 'so embarrassing!'

It has crept up on me faster than I would have liked, I wish time would slow down! 

This year is the last year of formal schooling for my boy, my last year having a child around the home, my last year to squeeze in all of the things a busy school mum does. And, it is easy in the craziness of weekly life to miss the moments that truly matter. The matters of the heart and soul continue to need shaping, and the shaping of a teenage character still requires a-lot-of-work! True, it looks quite different ... a lot less chiselling and a whole lot of polishing ... and there are days where a bit of chipping might even occur (you know, that exasperation point when they think they know everything and your ideas are sooo antiquated!)

As we smooth out the rough edges of a teenager crossing over into manhood (with all of the antiquated foresight of someone who has been around longer than the dinosaurs), I must confess that I don't always get it right! Trying to find the balance between how I was raised and the times my teenager is living in are indeed a world apart, and I truly get that. I accept that I am old fashioned (who would have thought being born at the tail end of last century would come to this!) and am okay with it, well sometimes!

Yes, I still expect respect, chores and manners (especially at the dinner table and yes, I know that other families don't mind how their children eat ... and that slouching, chomping and grunting are all accepted forms of behaviour and that I am all alone on these issues, yadda yadda!!) 

I have to remind myself that there are bigger fish to fry and have to choose my battles wisely. I'm learning to stay firm on the critical issues and flexible on the minor issues. So there are times when I try to ignore the slouching and chomping and the monosyllabic responses (apparently it is actually a REAL phase, all this grunting is actually rather common so I'm led to believe ... poor boys, first their voices squeak when their manly voices begin to develop only to be taken over by guttural one word statements on the verge of manhood) all in the hope of connecting on a deeper level. I have been known to throw up my hands in desperation with the lack of articulate language coming forth, which I know lurks somewhere deep within my son. The monosyllabic replies of 'yep', 'ok', 'no', 'aha' can be irritating. If I'm to wade through the first load of grating grunting, I can be rewarded by occasional moments of brilliant sunshine! When that happens, I have to be careful to say little and really truly listen so that I don't miss the glorious glimpse of the the person he is becoming.

So, in this year of lasts, (who knows this might be my last year of butting heads, wouldn't that be nice!) I purpose to embrace my sons last year of being a teenage-boy-man-child with all the last-loving-of-boyhood 'mother love' that I can muster. See you on the other side.

Sony A5000

Happy Birthday Son

 ~ Happy Birthday my darling boy ~

Seventeen years have flown by!

For as long as I can remember you have had a sincerity about you.

You have never had to say much, your eyes said it all.

No one ever told you how to be polite or kind or thoughtful, it came to you easily.

I can't take credit for that, it's just the way you are.

You were born with kindness in your soul.

You are tenacious, hardworking and dog-eared determined.

You set your mind to something and find a way to achieve it.

Quitting has never been an option.

You dare to believe in possibilities and challenge the status quo. 

That can be frustrating but you are sure of the path you must follow.

Keep your course my son, you see problems as opportunities.

I have watched you grow each and every year 

and couldn't be more proud of the man you are becoming. 

You are good and kind, through and through. 

I have watched the little boy within trying to find his way. 

The hurdles seemed larger than expected but you have navigated them well.

My son, live each day with purpose.

Let integrity be your standard.

Fight the good fight. Smile at the storm.

Remain calm under pressure.

Expand your heart, be generous whenever you can.

Pursue passion. Love deeply.

Say sorry, often.

Find a reason to laugh every day.

Follow your dreams. Overcome adversity.

See the silver lining on the darkest of days.

Take out the garbage.

Look out for your sister.

Have faith in your own ideas.

Listen with an open heart, filter truth carefully.

This life will require faith, love and courage, I know you have what it takes.

I look forward to seeing your future unfold.

Happy Birthday son!

Why I took my sixteen year old son to India

The teenage years are tumultuous (and that is an understatement). The pull of the world is intoxicating, a fast paced, smarter, brighter, richer world demands that our teenagers pay attention, and they do! Everything is at their finger tips. Life happens at the press of a button, it is instant and self focused. Instagram and Facebook ensure a false sense of identity develops deep in the teenage psyche. The lens of the technological age distorts what is truly important. When the eyes of the heart are filtered through a false reality, dissatisfaction sets up house in the soul. I want my son to see life differently, to live life through a different lens.

I sense the pull of adventure, know that it is this spirit that pulls him now into manhood. I watch my son pull away from all that he has known to stand purposefully on his own, in his own way. I feel his bid for freedom in the little things, in the challenge of an opinion or the questioning of beliefs. My mother heart slides between chastisement and encouragement, pushing him to see his own capabilities and the potential that is waiting out there for him. I want him to see a reality beyond iPhones and iPads, to see the real world, both it's beauty and it's pain. It is difficult to grasp when it has become all that you know. Face to screen time has consumed the life of our teenage children. I want my son to breach the borders of an ordinary life. 

Experience is the greatest teacher. 

I decided that experience should get to work!

Treasures of the soul

Treasures of the soul - Precious memories

          Memories are treasures of the soul kept safe in the depths of our heart. - k.weight

These photos brings back such sweet memories because my little munchkins are not so little any more. It just feels just like yesterday and if I shut my eyes I can still picture them. Laughter and giggles ... sweet sloppy kisses, grubby little hands and tiny wee bodies that fit snuggly into my lap ... ahhh, how I miss these days.

"Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” 
- Kevin Arnold.

Message in the sand

This month was my daughters 17th birthday. To celebrate we took a trip out to Green Island and the Great Barrier Reef. My son wrote a message in the sand ... to his sister!

Sometimes it is easier to say what is in our hearts by scribing it out ...  and allowing those we love, to read the message deep layered within our heart, to take in the full impact of the words ... truly heartfelt words, by seeing them for ourselves. 

Happy Birthday darling girl. xx

Can

image source

Growing up can't was a dirty word in our household.

I was always pulled up on it and made to change my statement.

My Dad would remonstrate ' There is no such thing as can't!'

I begged to differ!!

As a child this was frustrating. I checked the dictionary

and .... it was in there, a contraction of I CAN NOT!

However

As an adult (and parent myself), 

I am so very grateful that this way of seeing things 

was so firmly entrenched in my thinking.

Because, eventually the message sank in and established a way of living that has forged and fashioned who I am today.

It helped me to overcome great odds, to persevere when the going got tough. 

I learnt to live over, not under
above, not beneath

higher, not lower

grounded and not airy fairy!!

So

I am currently finding myself journeying 

down the same path with my children and turning their cant's into cans.

They are not very impressed!

(I understand their pain.)

But 

 with the benefit of hindsight, I will continue to lead them

(and if necessary push them)

to believe in their dreams and that anything truly is possible!

Just because I can!

The power of forgiveness

Image Source

Recently I had the  privilege of talking with my daughter about the  power of forgiveness. The teenage years are tumultuous and our teens feel things very deeply. They are still learning how to work things through and negotiate how to handle what life throws at them. It is never easy (as we all know).  

Teaching our teens to extend grace and mercy through painful situations, means they in turn receive grace and mercy that actually allows them to live life boundless and free. 

Holding onto hurt only keeps us tight in the grasp of pain. Learning to let go and extend forgiveness means we not only release those who have hurt us, but we release ourselves from the prison of pain that keeps us locked up tight. When we deny unforgiveness its power or hold over our lives it can not establish a stronghold over us!  So thankful to have been handed the key to unlocking resentment or bitterness that attempts to settle in.   (Matthew 6:14)

Honest, open, heartfelt forgiveness is incredibly powerful ~ It has the power to heal.

'Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting.' - William Arthur Ward

'Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.' - Suzanne Sommers

Heart and Soul Pursuits

More gratitude here

Learning to listen

With the start of the school year we have reinstated routine once again. It is amazing how quickly the family lapses into lax rules and attitudes when just a few rules shift sideways! So once again we are back to eating sensibly around the dinner table (and not the t.v)  ... yes, during the holidays we camped out in the lounge room and ate dinner with our meals perched carefully across our laps. Let me tell you trying to get back to the dinner table was a bit of a chore at the beginning of the week! 


But I hit the jackpot last night with the best dinner conversation I have had in weeks. We sat there for an hour chatting! Yes, you heard right ... chatting with my teenagers for more than a few minutes ... and I loved every minute of it as I heard what is going on in their world. I must admit I said a whole lot less than I usually do. I listened with open ears and an open heart. I am learning to listen more these days and say so much less. My days of parental hovering are indeed numbered. Letting go is never easy. Not that I am letting go in the full sense of the word because there is still so much to do (and say) ... but, there is a definite shift occurring as my kids embark on their own journeys and begin to find their own way in the world. So, I held my words of wisdom, insightful admonitions, clever advice and the other motherly thoughts to myself and did not give them voice last night. Instead I listened ... I listened to the emerging voices of hope, distant dreams and future longings. Hopes to go to university, to explore their faith, to find a profession, leave home (tears!!), get married (sigh) and have kids (aaahhh!!). But, in all honesty, I was proud to hear how grown up my children sounded (and maybe a little in awe of how amazing they really are, despite the ups and downs of everyday life and a few rule violations!!).

I am learning it is less about what I need to say or what I think they need to hear and sometimes, more about what I don't say!

Graduation 2011

Last night my son graduated from Year Seven 

.... goodbye to the primary school years. 

He has done me proud.

Today is his thirteenth birthday. 

The years truly have flown by!!

Not sure I'm ready for this next phase :0

I can't believe 

that I am now the mother 

of two amazing teenagers. 

I am so very blessed.

Unexpected

On Fridays around these parts we stop, drop, and write.

For fun, for love of the sound of words, for play, for delight, for joy and celebration at the art of communication.

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Won’t you join us?

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Most importantly: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!

This weeks word is - 'Unexpected'.

Life can be unexpected 

with all the twists and turns. 

Parenting is this way, really really unexpected. 

I wasn't quite prepared for the way my heart enlarged 

when I brought my baby home from hospital.

Or the way my heart ached when their heart ached. 

The awe of being a mother was previously unimaginable,

hard to comprehend

and NOW hard to imagine any other way. 

The teenage years are so very unexpected. 

BUT it's not like you think. 

Things happen, wheels spin, the world turns on its axis 

and everything changes, 

in ways that you never dreamed of. 

It's all a bit of a surprise ... 

the gaining of independence, the pulling away, 

the learning to drive, of getting a job, 

of securing their own future.

It's all kind of bitter sweet.  

Unexpected joy, unexpected loss!

A mother's love

A mothers love is gracious, kind, overflowing and limitless.

It knows no bounds, even amidst the angst and trial of everyday schedules, boundary setting and life's highs and lows it looks for the good in those impish grins and mischievous souls.

We find untapped potential in the barest of landscapes.

We can see the end before it has even begun.

Suddenly the horizon is clearer than once thought possible.

The stars not so hard to reach for

and dreams within our grasp.

We pick up those small bundles when they stumble and fall.

Their pain is our pain, we feel it to the core.

It is carried like a badge across our hearts.

We who offer an uncompromising love like a high flying kite,

are the bridge of hope across a gorge of doubt 

and endless insecurities.

We long to see our children reach their full potential 

and see the best in them, even when others don't.

We nurture fledgling self esteems ... 

we cultivate, encourage and protect always.

Every day we begin anew 
and pull out new reserves, new strength and new grace.

We can't help it ... we didn't know its pull before, 
before the days of a babe in arms. 
But we know it now,

this great big life force pulsing through our veins.

This wondrous and sacred thing!

Life like we once knew it has ceased to exist. 

Our hearts melt in ways never before conceived.

We have been changed forever ...

in unimaginable ways.

It is who we are now 

and what we will always be!

Growing

Five minute Friday with the Gypsy Mama 

.... todays theme - 'Growing'.

Yesterday we planted some vegetable seeds and come Summer time we hope to have grown a few vegetables. My son decided that caring for a garden would be a great spring holiday idea. His enthusiasm is infectious. We don't have much space for doing this so it will be an interesting little adventure. He has been carefully extracting the seeds from various fruits and vegetables over the last week. It all started with an experiment he did with some grape seeds a few months ago. He had the grape seeds lying dormant in the fridge for ages and recently took them out to awaken them from their chilly slumber. 

I have to say I am most impressed ... he was over the moon when they finally sprouted at the beginning of the holidays. This week he has dissected and examined capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes, peas and strawberry seeds. Today he was even harvesting kiwifruit seeds ... hmmm, I wont tell him just yet that it will take years for any fruit to materialise! It will be interesting watching my son develop patience as he lovingly tends his latest garden experiment. I love that he will learn how to carefully nurture hidden potential. 

Just a moment please

I love watching my son clambering the rock pools, searching for marine life, exploring, investigating and unearthing the abundance of marine creatures and sea life within these shallow pools. I have watched with fascination his exploration of simple pleasures....his zeal for slimy creatures, hidden treasures and each new discovery. I have reveled in the pure delight that lights up his sweet face with each new creature. When I took this photo I sat there quietly on the rocks soaking it all in, the seagulls overhead, the surf pounding and this boy of mine scurrying all over the place ... never still for long...looking, always looking for something new and interesting.

I watched and wondered, how many more days like this were still ahead? .... Would he be too old for these furtive rock expeditions next summer?

Watching your children growing up is bitter sweet, such a poignant experience. This letting go of childhood is never really very easy. (Don't get me wrong, I'm really okay with the teenage years ahead... its just that having been down this road before I know what I'm in for and I know I WILL embrace it all willingly... someday.... soon. But not right now! I'm not ready yet.) I think a few more visits to these rock pools need to be taken first, just so I can catch a few more memories to bury deep within my heart. So I can soak it all up and remember, truly remember these last moments of childhood. Then in the years to come I can sit on these rocks and remember this boy of mine just as he was, pure delight.

linking up with

What's on your heart? .. with Casey

Simple Pleasure Guidelines

Aahhh!!!

I am currently experiencing a disappointing experience.... 

my children are growing up!

How is it that the years just fly by? I remember thinking as a child how crazy adults were to use this expression, yet I now find myself marvelling at how true this saying really is!

ten years

Today I am linking up with Casey for 'on your heart'. With Mother's day just around the corner, our kids are definitely on our hearts and minds this weekend! .....so now a tribute to a few favourite things....the joy of Motherhood in all seasons.

From the time my son could crawl, life has been about taking things apart. It never ceases to amaze me how creative and inventive one can be when given the opportunity to pull something apart. 

Twelve years

I have learnt to appreciate, value and even anticipate the unusual inventions, crazy creations and interesting designs because more than anything I love my sons zest for discovery and learning.

These days instead of brushing teeth and braiding hair I am trying to locate my missing hair straightner and misplaced makeup. The transition to teenager seems to come with a mandatory messy room procedure, how is this possible from a previously meticulous child? 

Fifteen years

I am also amazed that the perpetual cry of every woman " I have nothing to wear" (which by the way is so not true in light of the fact that piles of clothing lay haphazardly on the bedroom floor) begins soooo young. Ahhh the joys of parenting a teenage daughter!

....and don't forget to come back and check out 'Inspire me' this week. We are launching with fabulous and inspiring stories from ordinary girls living extra ordinary lives. The lovely Casey Wiegand will be sharing straight from the heart. See you then.