D-day

Tonight=  takeaways for one, chocolate, DVDs...zone out!! Divorced today. I realised driving in that I was dressed in black. It is like a death though, sad. I felt quite emotional walking out of the room after it was all over so quickly.

In the end a decision needed to be made and this is the one that gave me the most peace Trusting.

Forgiveness

"If you choose not to forgive...what are you going to do with the resentment you carry and the grievances you have? What are your plans for them?

Harold Graham says, "You take these grievances and hug them to yourself as if they are your most prized possessions, when really they are the very thing that's taking the life out of you, taking your health, taking your fellowship with God, taking your ability to minister, and taking your ability to love."- D/care daily emails

One of my children was struggling to move past an offense and forgive a brother earlier on this year when , another burst into song:
"Let it go, let it roll right off your shoulders..."  (Sung on 'Meet the Robinson's') We all cracked up!!

Forgiveness frees you to be the person you really are!!

We all stuff-up and hurt others. I know I have.
"It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own.”(Matt 7v3) Whoah; that’s straight to the point!

Everyone is on a journey, tripping over our own humanity along the way . I mess up a LOT, say dumb stuff, get my nickers in a knot, and distance myself. Sorry for the pain I've caused.

OH what joy though (& a beaming smile) to be forgiven!! I've found the ultimate forgiveness in the kindness of a Saviour. Completely undeserved. He's taken what could have weighed me down and given LIFE!! And a second (3rd, 4th..100th) chance. I'm so thank-ful. Jesus.

"Freely you have recieved, freely give." Matt 10v8

Boys and Heroes

"Everyone with small boys knows of their deep fascination for superheroes, goodies, baddies, and the epic battles between them.
As they get older these themes might not be so obvious in their play, but be assured that boys are searching for someone or something to inspire and challenge them in what it means to be a hero.
Movies, stories, computer games and TV programmes are a part of boys’ lives and will have a huge impact on their growing ideas about what to value. As parents, listen, watch, read and play with him, and make sure that the stories he absorbs are the right ones." - Weekly Hot Tip

“You can’t do everything, but you must do something"

                                                                   Dad and kids in Burkina Faso

I can do something

Every little bit matters

It could be the difference between life of death to one

Feed a hungry tummy

Speak a comforting word

Support the weak

Pray like it's your child dying

Give generously

Each life valuable

Looking forward to seeing>>> The i heart film.

...missed the premiere last week. Screenings in Australia NZ, USA, Canada, South Africa and Asia.

The most common response I've heard from people who've already seen it the they were; "Speechless"

What's it about??!

"Hillsong United began in suburban Sydney, Australia, as a bunch of teenagers playing music in a local church youth band. Over a decade later they find themselves traveling the world playing to crowds numbering in the tens of thousands representing different nations, different cultures, and different challenges. As United crisscross the globe they are confronted and ultimately overwhelmed by the stories of remarkable individuals facing injustice and the uncomfortable paradox of being united in worship yet divided in circumstance. If their entire focus is directed only to what happens on stage, then maybe they have missed the point altogether.

Filmed over a period of 2 years, The I Heart Revolution: We’re all in this Together follows the worship band, Hillsong United, as they travel across 6 continents 42 nations and 93 cities in a cross-cultural journey of music, animation, interviews and live action documentary as they realise every story of hope, love, loss and sacrifice ultimately points to the one story."

'Someone famous' school mufti day:

Cristiano Ronaldo, Dan Carter and behind that foot (and then off draw on his mo) Martin Luther King!

All that black though, it's supposed to be 39 degrees today, and then 41 on Friday and Saturday...hot in the city!

I went treasure hunting this morning: 4 bags full for $28! I so enjoyed having a rummage through an op-shop, and we have drinking glasses now...I've been puzzled where all ours (Bar 1) have disappeared to?

We're hosting Miss E's connect group (Fuel RDG!) here tonight = giggling girls :)  :) Candles, flowers, just bought some pink bubbly and she wants me bake chocolate brownies. That's what I need to scout out next time: cake forks, pretty ones!

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Today would have been our 14th Wedding Anniversary if BP and I were still together. We've been separated for more than a year and and half now... and in a week and a half divorced.

My minds been a whirl in the last 24 hours pondering it all. Checking my heart to make sure I'm totally at peace.

BP and I have been able to meet for coffee over the months and reach an agreement on the custody of our children and a financal settlement. Yesterday, although a little reluctant, I accepted his invite to have lunch together. I was reluctant because previous 'us' talks have ended up with me crying in my lunch!

I'd love to be able to make it right for the kids, but there's so much water under the bridge and the reasons we broke up in the first place are all still there. It's hard, family means the world to me. Divorce isn't something I'm doing lightly. I grieve at the hurt it brings, and for what could have been.

I've reflected and gone over it all, asking myself if I've used differing weights; one heavy and one light when measuring all that's gone on. I'm so sorry to BP for judging his errors harder than my own, and representing him in the worst light. I will always care about him, we've spent a big chunk of our lives together..so much of it good.

I feel it's time to look straight ahead and move forward. I do so with no hard feelings, and hope in my heart. Thankful for the blessed memories and wonderful times held within the 14 years

"Sweetness Inside!"

It's arrived!!!!!!!!! I looked out the window and saw my mailbox bulging...enough to distract me from my list of errands I've been catching up on today...

..and off to discover a lil brown box from South Korea with "Sweetness Inside!" I ripped straight into it~ravenous. I've been planning on eating all morning but hadn't got around to it. What timing!

Yep I've gobbled down the 'Dr You Bar'..you're right Abigail, sooo yummy!
And opened the Pepero Chocolate sticks-imm-imm I love that they're both not too sweet.
And "Some hot choco for a comfy book to read!" Sounds perfect : )

Whoops and quick a pic before I demolish the lot (in my mucking around home best!) Not sure whats on TV in the background?

Thanks to sweet-hearts Abigail... & Gail for organising this totally sweet treat!

Sculptures by the sea

On Saturday a friend and I piled the kids into cars and went to Bondi to see 'Sculpture by the Sea';

100 sculptures along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk (Ahh I think I left my camera battery charger in NZ?! Some beautiful photos of the exhibits here though!)

Fortunately Miss E had her phone so we could snap a shot or 2 of 'Coco' the class bear who was hanging out with Choppy again this weekend. Coco's adventures get recorded in his special scrapbook..this weekend he even went for a swim at Bondi ~oopps!

Home: a good place to be!

A snippet I found from my old blog. Theres actually an old, older and oldest blog! I'm slowly transferring some of the good bits, and special memories over here (A re-read for a few of you!)

I could relate to this post; Karen Cheng talking about home:
“Our home doesn't boast of super trendy interiors, expensive furniture and the latest entertainment systems. It's got nice personal touches here and there, but most of it's quite modest and eclectic.
I'm not saying we're poor. I'm just not interested in creating a stylish designer house for my family and keeping up with the latest lifestyle magazines. All that lifestyle stuff just gets in the way of LIFE.
...my aunty… she lives in an old, teeny tiny house in a rougher part of town. Yet every time I step through her front door, I'm struck with the most amazing and astonishing sense of warmth, security, happiness and love. I can't put my finger on how she did it - but I'm inspired - I want my home to have that effect on people too”

Making room for Christmas!

Before I go mow the lawns (Hoping it'll cool down a little!) a p p a r e n t l y...

Elle 'The body' McPherson deliberately drops 2kgs each year in the lead up to Christmas. Her logic (So I've been told..) is that most people put on at least 2kgs during Christmas feast-tivities, and although have the best intentions (& resolutions) to shed the extra weight in the New Year, don't. Year by year, it adds up and piles on…

Nothing (Well nothing more than normal) to lose I guess when you've already lost it!

Okay its looking shady out the front now..or maybe I'll just sweat that 2 kgs off!  Did I tell you this is pretty much the first time ever I've mowed the lawns all by myself?! (Garden was included in the rent over the road.) Here goes..

Dribs and drabs :)

Hahaha just changed the 'drips and draps' in my last post to 'dribs and drabs!' Laughing out loud!! Thanks mum :) My interpretation and spelling of some words and sayings often cracks her up!
And while laughing...delighting in this photo of Choppy and our old neighbour Maddy!!

I love it when the kids laugh together. A much better sound than them squabbling! The other night my little 2 were outside having a bit of a brawl when a lady put her head over the back corner fence and yelled; "Woult (accent) you boys pleeese SHHU-T UUUP!" Ha in they ran. I'd been telling them all day to stop shouting at each other!

Another lady down the street growled..again at the little 2, when she spied them picking lemons from the tree at the house next her's. Imm wonder how we'll go at the street Christmas Party!

And fortunately they were at their dad's recently when one of our boys got out of bed half asleep at 10pm one night..walked to the linen cupboard, opened the door and pee-ed all over the sheets and towels!! Lucky I saw and steered him in the right direction last week when he rose from his bed and started walking towards the fridge!!

I did code!!

Amazed myself when I was able to change the layout of my blog from 2 to 3 columns. Okay it was actually very easy, fool-proof even  over at: 3 column blogger  ~ Yay for more space! Thanks for the heads up Simoney! Ha speaking of Simone...

A Blast from the past!!!  Me and Simoney in Fiji for my 21st! Check out that tan..no wonder I have billions of freckles now! I wasn't brought up in the sun-safe age; my childhood spent playing in the NZ sun with NO sunscreen.
Love you Simoney! And don't you all just so enjoy her blog! Talent+ that girl!

There's been more time for blogging lately..after a busy term teaching over winter, this terms much quieter~only dribs and drabs of work coming in so far. Plently to do though: I've written myself a list of things to put my hands to on days I'm not working. I want/need to get other sources of income up and running too. Gosh I've never been much of a money maker before, but its a case of having to these days! Time to action some of my many ideas!!

Hope you're all having a great day. Looking forward to receiving lollies/sweets from Korea in Gails 'Candy exchange' Yummy!

In through the sidedoor...

God is so good to us. Some of you may remember our struggle to get into a house when we moved back to Sydney?!

I lived out of my packed car for a couple of weeks; staying at a caravan park when I had the kids and at a friends when they were at their dad's.
An old neighbour heard of our situation and thank-fully allowed us to rent her furnished studio flat, which we were in for 3 months (Where we made microwave chocolate cake.. & even fitted my mum in when she came to stay!)

My parents recently watched a documentary in NZ on the rental crisis in Sydney. Boy don't I know it! With  a growing number of people going for each house we didn't stand a chance; umm single mum with 4 kids v's a profesional couple..who would you choose?  :)

Eventually though ~sigh of relief ,our application for a house was accepted-yayyy The house was only available for 6 months, and so no one else applied!

We had a great time there~that was our Masterchef house where the kids took over in the kitchen and cooked up a storm (literally!) Our agent noted we were good tennants and offered to help get us into another house when the lease ended. Come August however and there were nothing in her books under $500/week. Aw man!

While in that house though I became friends with the lady across the road, she's been through a similar stuff and would often knock on my door to go walk & talkn. One day while chatting she suggested we take over a few rooms in her house as she's hardly ever there. And so...we moved across the road, from 3 to 4!

It was amazing when we first moved in; the 3 boys shared a room, and while I was sorting through their toys, thought to myself woudn't it be great to have one of those units from ikea with all the tubs to store the lego, and bits and pieces in. My thoughts then continued nahh I'd prefer it was a homemade version as the ikea one could be flimsy. Well that afternoon on my travels what did i spy for sale on the side of the road>>A homemade solid toy unit with the ikea tubs!!! (Cheap!) Flip Gods amazing, my friend gobsmacked too when I returned home with the toy unit I'd just talked about~ in my boot!

I don't know if the reality of our presence scared her off (!!) but a month ago she shifted out as shes buying a house with her finance..and I took over the lease.

Now we're in and settled I see the the hand of God in ushering us into a cosy home..we've lived what it could have been! Its an older house, in fact the bathroom was last renovated in the 1960's, which is unbelievable as its in such good condition..but cosy and really nice to live in.

Again: God is so good!