Busy,Busy Saturday

I started off Saturday very early, for me that is!
Daniel and his family and Colin & I were assigned to clean our chapel today. What? On Grand Final Day? Not only Grand Final day but also India's birthday party!
So, we were up and at the Chapel for 7:30am. We cleaned toilets, and vacuumed, washed windows and dusted. By 9am we were done! Everything smelt nice and clean and looked good. It was actually a priviledge to have helped to fulfill that assignment. It felt good!
Home for a quick shower etc., and off to McDonalds Karingal for India's party. Weren't we only there two weeks ago? Yep, but that was for Isaacs party.
India turned 5 and she had her friends from Kinder and her cousins of course. Took some cute photos. But not too many this time. Usually I take way too many and never print them all, or scrapbook them all.
After the party we went back to Mart and Tambi's for a little while to check out Indias presents. She got so many Bratz dolls and pretty girly stuff. I made her the Princess Castle book which is a kit class put out by Aussie Scrap Source. I made it out of Basic Grey Pheobe paper and looked just gorgeous. She loves it and it's already on display in her room.
Then it was off to Andrea's house to watch the footie game.
The game wasn't much - a bit blow-out. But the outcome was great. Not that I am a Geelong supporter, but you couldn't deny them the idea of winning a Grand Final after 44yrs.
Dan and Carolina came over as well, with the kids. Then Mart, Tambi and the kids came over and we had fish and chips and pizza for dinner.
Now after a day of Maccas, pizza and chips I feel disgusting!!!!!!!!!!!
Not the best thing for the waist line. Actually, what waist line?? I can't even find mine.
Work has been great this week. I worked about 25.5hrs. Still learning, but getting more confident. I worked by myself again on Wednesday night. And monday night is my first 'big night' on my own. I think I'll be OK. Maybe.
So, I went to get my UltraSound results from Dr.Nic. It turns out the big lump in my neck is a lymph node which sits right next to my thyroid. On my thyroid is a growth of some sort and the lymph node is not happy about it and is reacting to it.
Now I'm not getting jumpy just yet. Although I have been looking on the internet.........just to scare myself.
Nic tried to get me in to see one of his 'throat men' but both are on holidays. Of course! And he himself is on holidays this week!!!! Great medical care! Actually he is sending me off for a needle biopsy. Yikes!!!!! Just the thought of that is frightening enough let alone that the fact a biopsy is only done to check out if the 'thing' is cancer or not.
But, I'm trying not to think along those lines. Just taking one step at a time.
So, the next step is this needle biopsy which I get done on Tuesday morning. I hope it doesn't hurt...........!!!!
I have an appointment with Nic on Saturday morning to get those results. Not thinking that far ahead either.
Because, next Saturday is Sahns birthday party. She will be 2yrs old. I can't believe how fast time goes.
The following Saturday is Lamonts birthday and he will be 8.
The Saturday after that is pretty much my birthday.....but we wont' go there.
Gonna do some ironing and then watch The Bill. Love that show!

A Nervous Wait

Yesterday I discovered a very large lump on the side of my neck. Yikes! Was my first reaction and then got all nervous and worried. I hadn't had an accident or bumped my neck. I had been a bit sick with a cold, fever and sinus stuff - so maybe it's just nothing.
Of course all the crap I've had to deal with over the past couple of months would not help to have a non-stressed and healthy body. All that stress isn't good for anyone.
Went to my friend Dr.Nic and he didn't know what it is so sent me off for an ultrasound today. After having three people prod and push around my neck for 45mts I still don't know what it is.
The last person to play with the ultrasound was the Doctor and he thinks it's an enlarged gland. About 3.9cm which is huge!! But doesn't know why and what it's consisting of.
'Do I have to worry?' I asked him. 'Well maybe yes, or maybe no. I can't say without further tests.'he said.
So what further tests? Maybe a CT scan and/or a needle biopsy.
Now I'm really worried. And, why can't they do all that today so I don't have to wait and get all anxious in the meantime.
Don't they know I need answers today?????
OK, I have decided I am not going to get stressed and worried unless I have to. I don't believe it's anything sinister because it just appeared so quickly.
For now, that's my position. And if I start to think differently I will need to just get myself back on track.
Otherwise I could be using up so many emotions and that would be exhausting and it might all be for nothing.
So here's to a positive mind set while I wait, and wait, and wait.

Little Cats

this is Bizkit

And this is Balou.

Hey Ange - meet the cats!!!

Balou is a very quiet, loving and gentle kitten. Bizkit is crazy!!! She never sits still. In fact I've had to get the water spray out on her a couple of times. She is very funny. Last night she jumped into the bath - not realising that it had lots of water in it!!! She literally walked on water to get out it was the funniest thing to see. Shame I didn't have a movie camera on hand at the time.

Balou likes nothing better than to snuggle up and lick me on my face. Of course I don't want to be licked on my face so it's a constant battle to stop her. I move her away, I cover my face and she pushes her nose in trying to get to me. She is very persistent.

They both love the computer and like to help me type whatever I'm trying to do. They also love to try and catch the curser.

I love cats and have usually always had one. But after Dribble (yep! He was named after the basketball term, dribbling) was gone we never got another cat.

It's nice to have them around.

Pal Dog Food

Karen, I had to laugh at your memories of my 'dog food' blogs. Seems like an eternity away. I don't buy dog food anymore, cuz we had our old dog Mari euthenased about 10weeks ago. That was a pretty sad time because she was nearly 15yrs old!
However, now I look for Whiskars instead. Yep, I came home with not one but two kittens. They are sisters and I couldn't take one and leave the other one there by herself.
So, if you notice if Whiskars is on special anywhere let me know.
Yep, it is good that things are now going a lot better. No-one escapes the hard and difficult times that pop up here and there in our lives.
Just feels great when you come out the other side and you're still in one piece and can keep smiling.
Thanks for your comments - and I am much more diligent about keeping my blog up to date. So you don't have to tell me off anymore!

Everythings Good!

Had another great week. Didn't work as many hours, but the week flew by just as fast. Don't really know what I did with all that time!
I've decided I am going to sort all my scrapbooking albums. I really only have Heritage ,Puffing Billy and Christmas as individual ones at the moment. I think I might try to organise them chronologically. It's going to be a massive undertaking but I think it will be worth it. At the moment when I am trying to find a particular layout I have to look through 15 albums and try to guess where it might be.
Had lunch with two lovely friends, Rosemary and Robyn, today. Hayley also popped in and said 'Hi'. I am so happy that we stay in touch and keep our friendships alive and well. I don't see them as much as I used to because I don't work where I used to and that's where I used to catch up all the time. Now, we catch up about once a month and it means a lot to me that they like to stay in touch too.
Heading off to Daniel and Carolina's for dinner tonight. Get to sit on their new couches. Brown leather, is all I know about them. I offered to make dessert and Carolina asked me to make mini pavs. Which isn't really mini pavs because I break up the pavolova shells and it looks just like a big pav.
Can't wait to see Josh,Riley and Harrison as well.
Also can't wait for the weather to get a bit milder and then we can all hang out more at parks etc. Lots of photo ops!!!
I got quite sick this week. Think it started off as hayfever but quickly developed into a burning throat, and the next day my voice was gone and so were my sinus'. I had the aches and shivers etc. I still went to work yesterday, feeling like crap. And got some 'treatment' and some homeopathic drops and tablets and by today I am feeling a whole lot better. That was so lucky cuz I think I was going to be in for a big bout of flu.
It's great that I can use good stuff to get rid of the bad stuff, instead of anti-biotics. So far, so good!!!
Off to dinner!

Really Lovin' It

I have now worked two full weeks at my new job and am just 'lovin it. I'm working anywhere between 20-30hrs each week but I always get Fridays off. When I stop being trained my hours will be set which is good cuz then i can get into a routine and organise myself a bit better.
I'm finding it fun, challenging and meeting really nice people. Which is what I enjoy doing.
I'm also excited because the other day I came home and there were 3xpizza boxes waiting for me. No, not with pizza's - Scrapbook Stuff of course!
I had placed an order with Blue Bazaar, one with The Scrapheap and one with 2Peas and they all came on the same day!
I got the new, new Elsie Stuff - not much of the paper because they were out of stock, but the buttons etc are great. Love the colours.
Got some 'boy' papers from both the other stores.
It was fun. I sat on the bed and opened each one as if it was Christmas.
Now I just have to fit in Scrapbooking in my schedule. Which I am sure I can manage.
Although at the moment I am hooked on the old TV show 'Felicity'. My girls have bought the 4xseries on DVD and I've only just started on the first one. Sitting there watching 4 episodes at a time - is just the best way to relax. Only means I stay up way too late and I don't scrapbook.
Just got home from work and now I need to eat dinner. Thankfully I made enough last night to cover tonight.

All charged up

Had a great weekend. Went to Isaac's 7th birthday and had so much fun with all the littlies. He was very very spoiled with his presents. Lucky little boy!
Andrea and the kids and Dan & Carolina and the kids all came over and we went for a bike ride. I got my bike out too!!! That's a bit amazing in itself. Colin and I had been on a bike ride the day before, out for about 45mts and I was sore and stiff after that effort.
I thought riding along with the kids would be the best fun, which it was. For a little while, but then my handlebars worked themselves loose, and were going in all directions. So I got a bit scared to ride it. Darn!! It was so much easier riding than walking.
We were all out for about 2hrs and then came home, made dinner together and enjoyed some yummy pasta and salad.
I've had an amazing weekend really. I am feeling a peace I havn't felt in a long time and it's comforting and feels good.
I so love time with my family and friends and just relaxing and enjoying each moment.
Now I am ready to start another week at my new job.
It's an great place to work and the people there are all focused on such positive things.
Just love it!

Sweet Kristy

Today i went to the funeral of my dear, sweet friend Kristy.

There were so many people there and everyone wore something pink. Pink because it is her favourite colour and pink for breast cancer.

Even the men wore pink ties with their suits. It was such a special and beautiful touch, and united everyone in their purpose of being there for Kristy and for Luke. The spirit of love and kindness and peace was breathtaking.

Kristy's coffin was the softest, softest pink - almost white and the flowers were all shades of pink and white.

I feel so blessed to have been there, to have felt the spirit of her love and her testimony in every word that was said about her. Luke read out a letter, to Kristy. There wasn't a dry eye there it was so emotional and moving.

It is so special to know that she has only just moved on, that our time here on earth is so short compared to eternity. And how important it is to get priorities right and focus on those things that are eternal.

God bless you sweet girl.

Those 'Sometimes Moments'

I've had a few of those 'sometimes in life' moments over the past few days.
Good things, great things, sad things and unpleasant things. And each of them or their own become something to learn from but when they all come together it can be pretty overwhelming.
Loosing Kristy this week has been an enormous challenge. I'm so glad that her own faith has been such an example to those she has left behind. Giving everyone strength to understand that God Does Work in Mysterious Ways and that when we can't make sense of why things happen in it is our faith and the faith of others that helps so much.
I have really enjoyed starting my new job. I have worked 3 days now and will work again tomorrow. It's nice to be in an environment where you just quietly do your work and people come and go. The professionals there are just that - very professional. It's nice to work in a place where the management have things in control in a pleasant and kind way.
Unpleasant things have come my way too. It seems that sometimes in life you really get hit over the head with who your 'real' and genuine friends are.
That's a pretty overwhelming confrontation.
So, I must say that at the moment it has been quite hurtful but also I realise that being away from an environment that creates such vibes is the best thing that can happen to me.
Resigning from S has now become one of the best ideas I ever had. At the time I had a lot of remorse about my decision. But as things have unfolded over the past month and a bit there has been a huge revelation of where I need to focus now.
At first I really missed the contact with customers and friends, and of course buying scrapbooking products as soon as they arrived in the shop. I longed for being able to go to crops and classes.
Now, I realise that there are so many more important things to direct my energy. I will love scrapbooking for myself and record my own life and that of my family for my family and me to enjoy.
But now I realise that neglecting my family and good friends to work and associate with people at S, was not worth it. I found that there was a huge degree of selfishness amongst some of the scrapbookers - it's all about ME! And I got into that kind of thinking too. Now that I am away from it, I realise how wrong that is for trying to balance my life.
My life was totally out of balance, and fortunately I am now finding it again.
So it's been another week of learning and awareness and generally realising that I am no longer at a cross-road. I have taken a new path and it will lead to better and happier things for me and my family.

Farewell to a sweet Friend

This morning I heard that a lovely young friend of mine has passed away. Kristie battled breast cancer two years ago. She was cleared of cancer and began to resume her young life, marrying Luke 18months ago. She has always been the sweetest and loveliest girl. Easy to talk with and always caring about someone else.

The past few weeks she has become ill with something very painful. She was back seeing her oncologist. The story most of us were told was that she had some broken ribs after a car accident.

Through Church we started helping them with a meal for their dinner each night. When it was my turn we chatted for about 1/2hr and she told me what she was experiencing, but now in hindsight, I can see how much she left out. Some of what she said, didn't make sense either and of course now I realise why.

Last Sunday I briefly saw her at Church and she looked so frail and so frightened. My heart went out to her. She was gone before I got to give her a hug.

During the week she was put in to hospital and she developed blood clots in the lungs. This morning she passed away.

A tragic end to a beautiful young life.

Now is the time to remember my faith and my beliefs. I know that she has gone to a place of peace and a place of rest. I know that she is now free from pain and that she has further things to accomplish in her journey.

For Luke, it is so different. Poor boy! My heart goes out to him as do my prayers.

So, to you Kristie - until we meet again!!