A Brand New Start

I am excited!!!! I have a new job!
I have been going for so many interviews which has been a great experience. A bit scary too!! I am actually amazed at how many places need staff and especially mature staff. I do come under that catergory.
The job that's been offered is at a Chiropractic Clinic at the front desk. Something I have wanted to do for a long time. Medical Receptionist. I was going to do a course at Frankston Hospital, but on the job training is much better.
So, today i work a couple of hours, next week about 15hrs and then it will increase.
I think I can cope with the more hours per week, because I don't have to worry about preparing classes or thinking about classes etc.
Although working in the Scrapbook industry has been an amazing experience. It has given me confidence dealing with people and lots of other skills. Now, I can really scrapbook just for myself and for gifts etc.
So, where the one door has closed there is definetly a new one opened. Again, I feel very blessed.

Lots of fun

What a great weekend. The weather has been really mild and encouraged lots of outdoor time. Saturday afternoon we spent with Andrea, Blake, Orson and Sahn coming over for a bike ride and a walk. It was so relaxing and fun to be with the kids and Andrea. Orson fell off his bike so many times, and I had to take a photo of his 'sore-sore' everytime he stopped. Sahnie isn't happy to sit in the pram and be pushed along. She has to walk and walk she did. We were out for over an hour and she walked the whole time.

Blake is very proud of himself because he can ride a two wheeler without training wheels. Except when he is going really slow and then he gets the wobbles.

We all had home made pizza for dinner and then Monty came over cuz he was sleeping the night so we thought we'd better have Blake sleep the night too. Now that's a challenge!!!

Some chemical reaction is set off when those two grandsons are together! They are sooooo naughty, and they know it!

It was with some relief when Sara picked up Monty this morning, and we had only Blakey to entertain.

We took him for a long walk to feed the ducks. He loved it. Chattering the whole way, asking lots of questions. He really loves some one on one time.

We went to Church together and he was the best behaved boy.

Tonight we dropped Blakey home and then went to Martin and Tambi's for dinner. Three more gorgeous grandchildren to spend time with. And they were all in the funniest moods, keeping us laughing all the time.

How blessed I am. I have such a wonderful and close family. Four great children and ten fantastic grandchildren.

Friday I went for a job interview. Yikes!!! Actually I wasn't nervous at all. That may be a bad sign! It would be nice to get the job, but if not, that's OK too.

I learned something over the past few days. There has been the biggest fuss made in the US about a very big disagreement between Stacey Julian and Heidi Swapp. Unfortunately, Stacey Julian made a big boo-boo by writing an email with some non nice comments, and mistakingly sending it to everyone in her address book. Which included a lot of people. So, it all blew up. the 2peas forum has quite a discussion on it. Everyone with their own judgments etc. So, I decided to go to Stacey's blog and check out a bit more.

She had written a big apology and expressed a lot of remorse at the situation she had created. I was really impressed with her humility. She then wrote about the fact that humility was something she had been trying to work on, and here she was in this horrible situation. And, for her all she could do was say what she was feeling. Regret and admitting her mistake.

I feel a lot like her too. I made some mistakes a few weeks ago, with emails. I regret them too. And I am trying really hard to make amends as much as I can. I can't be responsible for how other people respond to me. All I can do is be sincere. And try to do better.

So, this weekend I have had fun, and I have learned some good principles.

Can't get it much better than that!!!!

The Best News

Yesterday my little grandaughter Sahn had to go back to the ear specialist after having had surgery for grommets and having her adenoids out. Prior to this operation her hearing was less than 50%.

Now, she is within the normal range. How fantastic is that!!!! I am so excited for her. She has been so different since this operation. Much more confident and I believe that her speech will develop really fast now. She is such a sweet and cute and now very cheeky little one.

Here she is last easter - happy but not walking or talking. Now she runs! And now she can hear! What a blessing!

Monday, Monday

It's Monday!!! Colin has gone back to work!!! Yeah!!! We enjoyed a week together to just relax and not have any pressures - but it's nice to have a little time to myself now.
I have lots to do today. Phone calls, and appointments. I am excited.
When I woke up this morning I felt good, which is a wonderful feeling to have on a Monday!
Alison, thank you for your lovely comment. I will miss Scraptacular too. I don't think I miss actually working though!!! lol
I had a lovely weekend. Caught up with most of my family which I always love. Those little grandchildren help me realise what the priorities in life really are. And when I hear little Orson (3yrs) so excited that I have just knocked on the door and then later giving me a cuddle and telling me he loves me my heart just melts and I know what is important.
Went to Church at Cranbourne Ward yesterday, in their brand new Chapel. It is gorgeous. The style is called 'Legacy' which is what all Chapels around the world are now built in. Our Chapel didn't have any water due to massive renovations and extensions going on.
So it was a great opportunity to surprise Martin and his family and Andrea and her family by us coming to join in their meetings.
It's so nice that no matter where you go for Church meetings, it is exactly the same spirit, and lessons etc as when we are meeting in our own Chapel.
It was nice to catch up with some 'old' friends too.
Well, better get started with this busy Monday that I have planned.

Amazing Grace

Colin has had all of this week off, due to not really having any time after his Dad passed away. He was struggling at work last week, and the Doctor has given him this week off, to relax.
We have gone for long, long walks each day. And that's been good for both of us. The past month or two have been pretty bumpy and it's nice to slowly let go of it.
Today we went to see a great film- Amazing Grace about the abolition of slavery. What an inspirational movie that is. I had a few weepy moments as I saw the struggle and the lack of care that William Wilberforce endured year after year. Until eventually he did get the bill passed.
Just makes me think about the hic-cups in my life. I can choose to make them something I learn from and grow from, or something that will pull me down.
I tend to be an 'emotional thinker' at my worst times and that's not the time to make decisions and I've decided that is my 'challenge' to work on right now.
Had a lovely chat with former workmate Anita. She has all my belongings to return to me so we're getting together tomorrow.
It will be nice to have all my scrapbook albums at home for the first time ever.
And, now I'm tired to going to have dinner and relax.

It was the best of times it was the worst of times.

This past couple of months have been so difficult for me.

I think it started when we had to put our dog of 15yrs down. She wasn't in the best health anymore but because she was such a beautiful and faithful friend we kept putting of this horrible decision.

Needless to say, once the decision was made the emotions were more than I expected.

Then Colins' dad (who has been more of a dad to me, than my own dad), had a bad fall in the nursing home and was taken to hospital.

Whilst there he developed pneumonia and other conditions that he didn't have before this fall. It must have been his body just not coping with the stress and trauma of the fall he had.

We visited him every day/night. Most nights not eating dinner untill well after 9pm. As well as keeping up both of our work commitments.

After 3 weeks in the hospital they told us there wasn't anything more they could do for him, so he was sent back to the nursing home for palliative care.

Three days back there, and we got a middle of the night call to say he had passed away. How sad! We hoped in the car and went to see him in his room, for the last time.

So began the horrible things you have to deal with. Funeral arrangements, cleaning out his belongings from the nursing home. We then heard that because of his fall there would be a coroners report required to determine cause of death. Which meant having to go into the coroners office to identify him. Then we heard that an autopsy would be required. This poor man was 91yrs of age and we felt very sad that his body was being violated that way. But realised it was necessary.

We had his funeral, without him being there. His body was not yet released. However, we knew he was with us in spirit. Especially his humor.

The next day we went back to the cemetery, just Colin and I and said are last goodbye.

He has been a very funny, special and devoted gramps to all of our family. And we are surely gonna miss him.

Then, Colin who is struggling big time with a very bad case of psoriasis wasn't coping too well going back to work. So, he now has this week off. Resting and relaxing, and getting some new treatment for his condition. Hopefully it will work. It is a very debillitating thing to have. Especially when it's practically over all of your body.

As for me.....well.......I didn't handle things too well for a while there. Meaning that I quit my job over an issue that just seemed to consume me and became very emotional for me. Even knowing that the business was being sold in only a few weeks.

Niavely I felt confident that the new owner would have me as part of her team, but that wasn't to be.

Everything was just horrible, and overwhelming and I spat the dummy. If I could go back and undo some things, but I can't.

So, now it's time to move on. I have some new plans/ideas for my future. I am just taking my time getting my head around things.

I havn't been able to scrapbook since all this has happened. I am pretty lost at the moment but maybe that's because Colin is home and we have been going for lots of walks, and just getting some rest here and there.

We do get some laughs around here too. Our two kittens, Balou and Bizkit are so funny and so sweet.

I am in the process of applying for my passport. Anytime, if my aunt in Holland passes away then my sisters and I have five days to get there for her funeral. Which is something she really wants us to do. I hadn't given it a lot of thought, thinking this was just some illusive idea. But considering she is 89yrs old one of my sisters prompted me to at least get a passport ready, because I wouldn't be able to get one in just 5days.

That's it for me. Gonna work on my 'plans'.

ps: just an aside - if anyone reads this, and was the recipient of any emails I sent when I spat the dummy I apologise. I was hurting big time although that's probably not an excuse.