Friday, February 13, 2009

It's all around

This week has left me feeling a little hollow, low, deflated, certainly not on an up.

A mother has lost her child is such tragic circumstances. She is grieving the most unimaginable grief only to be contacted by someone claiming the child is "still alive". Why? What is the benefit?

Some sick, twisted individuals have been lighting fires that have claimed lives and homes in the hundreds. The cost of life is unmeasureable. But this alone isn't enough, the looters and profiteers and scammers and scum start to prey on the goodwill of others. Is there no goodness left out there at all?

My Grace, who is a kind gentle soul, had a free dress day at school today. For a gold coin donation she could wear anything she wanted to school with the money raised going to the Victorian people affected by bushfire. She asks "Mummy, what good will my $1 do, that's not enough", so I try to explain to her that it's not just her $1, but its everybody's $1 that will make a difference to all the little boys and girls who have no toys or clothes or house or food. She asks "but what difference will all the dollars make if they don't have a Daddy anymore?" :(

Friday, February 6, 2009

Sign for Britt

I'd like to ask all my friends to go to http://stevefielding.com.au/ and sign the petition for Britt Lapthorne and her family. I don't want to go into it, but Britt's death personally affected someone I love and I'd like to help in anyway I can. So please sign so that other families will never have to go through what Dale, Elke and Darren have!

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

My Sparkling Student

Paul rang me in a flurry this afternoon - he forgot to tell me that Grace was receiving a Sparkling Student award at school and that I should attend assembly at 2pm. I worked the late last night and he collected the children from school and forgot to pass on this vital info. I guess this really wasn't a problem, in fact, I didn't want to miss it at all, although it did peeve me because it was late notice and my day had already consisted of next to no study.

I got the children ready, jumped in the car, put it into gear and nothing, not a thing, the car lurched forward and stopped, then in reverse it lurched back and stopped! I started having horror visions of very expensive gearbox type shenanigans for my 2005 Black Kia Carnival (Mindy Black).

In a flap I ran over to my very lovely and accommodating neighbour and spoke to her to which she offered me her car and to look after Eva, Joseph and Elizabeth in return for picking up her 3 children Jack, Ally and Finn (who also attend SCCS).

I raced over to school, just in time for assembly to start and see my bubba Gig get her Sparkling Student award (awwwww). I could see her looking around and then I pushed on through to get a pic, she was super excited to have me there.

Then the text came, Elizabeth had poo'ed everywhere and poor Sharon had the thankless task of cleaning it all up. Bless her and all that her cotton sox hold is all I can say (bottle of wine en-route)!

On the way home Jack treated me to his rendition of TNT (an 8 year old who loves a bit of ACCA!) and got me to swing past the dip which is currently 2.4m under water.

As it turned out, in all this rain and poor road conditions over the last few days, Mindy Black's handbreak had seized and my strapping handsome husband fixed it all for me.

So, here she is, Southern Cross Catholic School's Prep 2 Sparkling Student for Working Independently - Grace Regina Wilton.

Monday, February 2, 2009

It's official

So here it is, a badge that says it all...

The MIDDLE Wife

A very funny email sent to me from my Mummy...

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe. They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along....

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Cyclone Ellie and the week that was

I had the most awesome week! My Mum was here, my beautiful Miss 5, Grace, started school and shines so bright every day, parenting has seemingly got so much easier with only 3 babes at home during the day. My marriage is healthy and I love my man to bits and I'm about to embark on some of the most AMAZING birthing experiences at the invitation of some beautiful expectant Mum's.

The weather at the moment is rainy to say the least. Today we took a walk up to the Ross River Dam as they currently have the spillway open. On the landing of the spillway Elizabeth did the most entertaining Marilyn Monroe impersonation that had us in stitches.

Cyclone Ellie is bearing down on the FNQ coast, it was all a bit surreal heading to the supermarket today. Not for anything in particular, but felt like a bit of a mosey on out of the house. Annandale Central was MANIC with people stocking up on water and torches and candles and, and, and....I had to quietly giggle at the chaos. Although I must say, Miss Ellie, nothing can dampen my spirits and should you happen upon us, you'll find us quietly bunkered down in the loungeroom watching Beauty and the Beast on the portable DVD, and me most likely reading my Pharmacology text by torchlight!