Nurture

Yesterday, my sweet friend Mychel came over for a cup of tea and a chat.  Her little boy Ben and Elijah (and also Declan, who was visiting!) had a great play together!  Mychel also brought me these beautiful flowers- sweet little roses- which absolutely made my week!  It's so nice to feel cared for!  :)

 

Aside from the pleasure of spending a couple of hours together, the reason for her visit was to deliver me these....

The ladies in our church family are starting a new bible study, starting this week.  We are reading and working through Lisa Bevere's book "Nurture", which looks like a great read.  All about how to find that balance between giving and getting, nurturing ourselves and nurturing others.  I love the look of this beautiful pack and feel so excited to start meeting together.  Sadly, Stuart has Wizard of Oz rehearsals on Tuesday nights for the next 5 weeks or so, so I'll be doing the study by "correspondence"!  ie. doing my own reading/ listening to the audio cd/ working through the workbook at home ...... / chatting about it in the school carpark in the mornings!!!

A Quiz

Okay, um..... this is frighteningly accurate!!

Your type is: INFJ  —The “Know Thyself” Mother

* Sensitive and family-focused, the INFJ mother looks for and encourages the unique potential of each child. Self-knowledge may be her byword. Her aim is to help each child develop a sense of identity and cultivate personal growth. In fact, she may value the mothering experience as a catalyst to her own personal growth and self-knowledge.

*  The INFJ mother spends time observing and understanding each child. She is drawn to intimate conversations and seeks a free exchange of feelings and thoughts.

• Sympathetic and accommodating, the INFJ mother strives to meet the important yet sometimes conflicting needs of each family member in harmonious and creative ways
• She is conscientious and intense as well. Probably no one takes life and child-raising more seriously than the INFJ. She approaches mothering as a profession requiring her best self.

Take the quiz here!

One proud Mamma!

1 Corinthians 1:30-31  "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord".

Well, today I'm boasting in the Lord.  I'm feeling ever so thankful for the beautiful girl that is Saraya!!

Here is some photos I took on Tuesday, her first day of Year 2.  Isn't she gorgeous?  (oh, and Elijah too :))  I did a little photo shoot in front of our lavender bushes, which is the same spot we used last year on the first day of school- and I may just make a tradition of it!  Saraya is settling in really well this week.  She is loving Mr Bentley as a teacher and comes home each day with something new to rave about.........  "Mr Bentley says we can take a toy to school the whole first week!" (hence Kahn is in these pictures, yes he went along too ;)), "Mr Bentley keeps music playing in the classroom- it's lovely",  "Mr Bentley says we can take off our shoes and just wear our socks while we do our work!",  and "We don't have any homework this whole week!".   So it goes on.  I'm just happy she's so happy!   She's seated right near two of her good friends, and aside from wanting me to walk her in each morning and stay for a few minutes, she's settling in so well.

Then there's Wizard of Oz.  She's had two rehearsals so far, and is LOVING it!!!!!  Some nights she cries (real tears) because it's "so long" until the next rehearsal!  Oh, dear- I remember doing the same as a little girl. :)  Yes, she does take after me in that regard.  Yesterday I sat in the audience of the theatre with Elijah and Will, and watched this cute little girl with curly blonde hair flying, thinking "I can't believe that's really MY girl!!!"  I am so proud of her!  She is overcoming the obstacle of shyness in a way I admire and respect.  She is now not only thinking "I really want to give that a try", but she's thinking it then going for it.  Ahhhh.  Then comes the sweet bliss of realising that truly, "I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!"  Saraya is loving this verse this week, as am I.

Go Saraya!!!  I love watching you grow, and I'm so glad to be your Mamma!

Happy Australia day!!!

"Australians, all let us rejoice,

for we are young and free;

We've golden soil and wealth for toil,

our home is girt by sea;

Our land abounds in nature's gifts

of beauty rich and rare;

In history's page let every stage

Advance Australia fair!

In joyful strains then let us sing,

Advance Australia fair."

A beautiful Sunday

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"  Philippians 4:13

Our pastor preached on this powerful verse this morning.  Hallelujah!!  Say it to yourself: it is powerful!!!  This is going to be my verse for the week ahead.

Singing with James in church this morning was a great time.  I felt God's presence touching each one of us in His house.

Stuart blessed me with a couple of child-free hours this afternoon, and I feel SO refreshed!  I went to McCafe (it was open, and more importantly air-conditioned) for an iced mocha, and poured over my diary planning things for the weeks ahead of us.  I also thought.  And dreamed.

When I got home, I made this:  A raspberry malteser ice-cream cake!  It's for our Australia Day bbq tomorrow; it was REALLY easy and seems to have turned out well.  Let me know if you'd like the recipe!

Sundays are eggs on toast night, so it was an easy tea.  I *embellished* it with a few strips of free range bacon, tiny tomatoes from the garden, and snippets of chives.  The children had passionfruit and chopped apple for dessert.  Ah, the sweetness of a simple summer meal!

Bless you in the week ahead.  May you know the peace that comes from leaning on Christ, who loves us!

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A Blue Day

Today I've had a blue day.  Actually, yesterday was too.

I'm not entirely sure what to put it down to.  The temperature is hot, and the humidity is really high- it's driving everyone a little mad.  The children are sleeping poorly (what else is new?), and so am I.  So I'm tired and hot and bothered even at the start of each day.

Stuart and I have had a few "words" the last few days too.  It's unusual for us to be at odds, but it does tend to happen in transitions and this week he's been back at work.  We're all re-adjusting to a new routine, including me!  I'm finding the care of the house and children to be tedious lately, particularly in this heat.  Stuart had rehearsal this morning, and another thing on out at school this afternoon and I guess I'm just feeling lonely too.  Sometimes I long for company, and for the freedom to just GO, like he does.  He says I can, but it's much harder for me to do that, what with the children and all the responsibilities of being a Mum etc.  You know what I'm talking about...........

Anyway, this morning I thought "I am NOT going to mope around, I'm going to make a short list of goals to aim for, and make myself feel better!!!"  As Heather said once in regard to homekeeping, it's not the things we do that make us tired, it's the things we don't do.  This is true for me, so getting into some household stuff generally works, as long as I achieve some or most of my goals.  :)  Today, Praise God, I did!

I started off by tidying and cleaning the parts of the house that needed it.  Thought I'd include some photos as I rarely do, and maybe you'd like to see what my home looks like? (for those who've never visited!)....

Kitchen, dishes all done!

Our living room.  I cleaned and wiped with a little lavender all the typically dusty and cobwebby spots too, and it smells and looks fresh.

Our dining room / front room, and the view from the windows.

It's been raining on and off all day (still muggy though, it hasn't brought the humidity or temps down!), and the garden is really really green which is nice.

Our tidy playroom and a little elf playing inside one of our borrowed 

toy library toys!  He's teething his two middle top teeth and is pretty fractious, but did have some happy moments today!

The boys room.

Our bedroom.  I did a bit of work in here yesterday too, just clearing away some bits of clutter, and neatening things up.  It looks better!

Hmmm, well all I'm going to say about Saraya's room is that we're halfway through covering her schoolbooks.  I'm battling the contact and getting through it- what a job!!

I sweeped the patio and tended the chicks.

The day was looking up and I began to see some positives.  I'd had a nice phonecall with Mum too, which always cheers me up.  Boy I miss her.  :(

William and I took a long bath, and I even shaved which I hadn't done in ages, yay!

After a bit of a rest time this afternoon, the chidlren and I baked this muesli slice with chocolate on top.  It went down pretty well.

All in all, the day's been pretty good considering my blue-ness.  I have everything to be thankful for, and am really enjoying the praying over the children.  Something to get into the habit of, it's wonderful.

And blogging all this has helped, as usual, too.  :)

Singing at church tomorrow, and having a bit of "me time" tomorrow afternoon (this is going to become a Sunday afternoon ritual, hooray) which I am so looking forward to.  Only 2 days left of the holidays.  I need to make sure I give Saraya loads of cuddles in the meantime!  
Thanks for reading.

7x7 Prayers for our children

I came across this amazing blog today, during our very restful rest time!  Angie has 4 sweet girls, and I was so moved and convicted by this post that I wanted to share it. (I'm obviously not the only one who was touched- there are over 400 comments! Phew!) What a wonderful reminder to pray over our children, each and every day, many times a day!  I hope this blesses you as it has me.  I intend on printing this all out so I can use these thoughtful verses as a guide for my own prayers.  Anyway, over to Angie.......

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I don't really care that much about whether or not my kids are book smart.

Let me explain.

I do care, I just don't care as much as I care about other things.  I don't sit around and pray that my girls will learn to read today, or that they will understand a foreign language by the time they are 6, or that they will know their times table by next week.  I do spend a lot of time asking God to give them "undivided hearts (Psalm 86:11), " and praying "that they will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel when they open their mouths (Ephesians 6:19)." I pray that God will help them to be good stewards of their time, their money, their words.  I pray for their character, their faith, their decisions, their husbands.  I want them to be wise, Godly women who chase after the Lord.  

I'm thinking that instead of getting a "My kid is on the honor roll" bumper sticker, I may create a "My kid has an undivided heart" one.  And then people will make ones that say "My kid kicked your 'undivided heart' kid's butt" stickers.

Maybe not.

But, the point is that one of the most important things I am privileged to do as a mother is to pray for my children every day.  

The other day I came across a verse that God used to prompt me to write this post.  If you are a mom (or have someone else you want to pray for specifically), I hope you will join me as I do this for the next 7 days.  It struck me that I need reminders during the day to be praying over my girls, and I decided to choose 7 events in a day that would remind me to do so.  Then, I chose verses that had to do with that time of the day (for example: as my kids are getting dressed in the morning) and then I put them on notecards.  

Here are the events and verses I chose:

1.  When they wake up: "Let the morning bring (child's name) word of your unfailing love, for she has put her trust in You.  Show (her/him) the way (she/he) should go, for to you (he/she) lifts up her soul." (Adapted from Psalm 143:8)

2. When they are getting dressed: "Therefore, as God's chosen child, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Lord, help (him/her) bear with others and forgive whatever grievances (he/she) has against others.  Help (him/her) forgive as the Lord forgave (him/her).  And over all these virtues, help (him/her) put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Adapted from Colossians 3:12-14)

3. While they are eating: "Teach (child's name) the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  Teach (him/her) that (he/she) can do everything through him who gives (him/her) strength." (Adapted from Philippians 4:12-13)

4.  When they go out of the house: "(Name of child), do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Adapted from Romans 12:2)

5.  While they are taking a bath: Lord, give (name of child)  clean hands and a pure heart, and let (him/her) not lift (his/her) soul to an idol or swear by what is false. Let (him/her) receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God (his/her) Savior.  Let (him/her) be part of the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. (Adapted from Psalm 24:4-6)

6.  When they are going to bed:  "The Lord Your God is with you; he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, be will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

7.  While they are sleeping:  "I pray that (name of child) will do everything without complaining or arguing, so that he/she may become blameless and pure, a child of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which he/sheshines like a star in the universe as he/she holds out the word of life-in order that he/she may boast on the day of Christ that he/she did not run or labor for nothing." (Adapted from Philippians 2:14-16)

I feel like God has been reminding me more and more lately that I need to live my life in prayer. For my children, husband, family, friends, country, those in need, etc., etc.  As a mother, it has been so pivotal for my children to hear me praying out loud over them, and I want to commit to do this every day (seven times a day!) for the next week.  If you care to join me, just copy these verses onto index cards (or, if you came here from Jessica's blog, feel free to print them on pretty  scrapbook paper and embellish your little heart out....:))

Let me know if you decide to join me, and please keep me posted (either by comments or emails) if  God reveals anything to you/your children this week. 

Have a great (and prayer-filled!) week. And may God bless you and your babies richly.

Angie

Thursday ramblings

The most amazing thing just happened.  William was tired and ready for a nap.  I took him into his room, put him in his cot, left the room, and ........ he went to sleep.  !!!!!!!!  No crying, no whimpering, not a single solitary peep.

This may not sound like huge news, but it is for us!  With the first two children, I was happy to breastfeed them to sleep.  With Will, it has been harder- mostly because of the needs of the other children, and my health needs too.  Part of our goals to help me sleep better have been to slowly cut back William's feeds (he's still a big feeder!), and gradually teach him to self-settle and sleep through the night (or at least, mostly).  I've been giving him his milk during his awake time, when he asks for it.  Trying him on more solids too.  Then, I wait until I KNOW he is really sleepy (not just when I want him to take a nap!  feeding babies to sleep always works like a sedative but they're not necessarily really tired, and tend to wake more quickly) and we head into his bedroom.  We close the door, turn on the fan, and close the curtains.  I talk softly to him about how tired he is, and how it is time to go to sleep now.  We have a cuddle, then I give him one of his soft little teddies to cuddle, and lay him down in his cot.  Until today, he has always cried a little - either as soon as I put him down, or after a few minutes of playing.  I would then go in after 3 or 4 minutes, pick him up for a quick cuddle, and put him down again.  He would cry again, I would go, wait, come back, cuddle, put him down etc.  The number of times I've had to go in have become fewer.  He has basically always fallen asleep in my arms though, during that quick cuddle as he is so tired!  But today- he fell asleep on his mattress!!!!!  I'm amazed and thrilled.  Not just because of the load it takes off me, but for the contentment and understanding he must have to do that with no tears.  Praise God. :) 

Other bits of news.....

Stuart has been back at work this week, so it's just been the children and I again.  We've been busy playing with the chicks, doing the household stuff, preparing for Chloe's birthday party yesterday, gardening, buying Saraya's schoolbooks and stationary, etc . etc.   I miss Stu so much, it's strange not having him here during the day with me now.  Night times are great though! And he's getting home earlier than during term.  We've watched a few movies together lately.  On to covering & labelling schoolbooks tonight........

In the last week or so, Saraya has started latch-hooking.  She got a little kit from Aunty Chrissy for her birthday, and after working out how to do it she's right into it!  I used to do cross-stitching when I was little, and it's nice to see her learning a craft too.

Last night after the party Saraya slept over at Chloe's house.  This was her first sleepover at a friend's place, so very exciting!  It's been strange not having her home today (they've been playing all day); it's been just the boys and I.  Elijah and I have had fun playing Little People after I did the housework, washing, chicks, etc.  He's watching Spot at the moment while Will naps.

It's funny, I already miss Saraya.  It's always so strange after holidays, having her go back to school.  She's nervous and excited about starting year 2.  Amazing that Gary (Chloe's father, husband of my friend Cathy) will be her teacher- I'm so happy about that!  Nice to know she'll have such an experienced and kind Christian teacher, not to mention family friend.  :)

We're having an Australia day BBQ here on Monday afternoon, complete with Aussie games courtesy of Stuart!  Should be fun.  I need to be really organised, as that's the day before school goes back.  Thursday afternoon Saraya starts swimming lessons, and Wednesday after school will be her 2nd rehearsal for Wizard of Oz.  Have I mentioned that Saraya has joined the cast of munchkins?  The director Tracy asked her if she would like to, as she's often along to rehersals with Stuart and was learning all the songs and choreo anyway!!  She has been tremendously excited about it, measured up for costuming, and had her first rehearsal yesterday.  It's going to do such wonderful things for her shyness; I'm actually amazed to see her out there on the stage with all the children.  It's funny - I've become the stage Mum now!  How strange.  It was always me on the stage, and now it's my little girl.  And my husband.  It really is a dream come true!  Stu said recently that this is our thing, the thing our family will do together.  Thankyou God for bringing us together, and that we can share the same passions and interests as a family!

Photos of the big stars to come, I promise.......

Elijah has just come out, so I'm off to make afternoon tea.  Happy Thursday everyone.  :)

Our chicks arrive!

With names such as "Alicia" and "Sally", these chicks are bound to be girly girls!  They are soft and fluffy, and oh SO cute.

Someone said recently, "They'll be tame so long as they get plenty of handling in the early weeks."   Hmmmm.  If that's true, these will be the tamest chickens in town.  :)

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Editor's update..............  We had a big naming discussion at the breakfast table this morning, and we all decided to name the chicks after flowers.  "Alicia" and "Sally" have been replaced by "Rose" (Elijah's) and "Tulip" (Saraya's); Stuart decided on "Iris" and mine is "Jasmine".  We cast a vote for Will's and came up with "Lavender".   So, we don't really know which is which as they're all very similar, but at least they are named. :)  Doing well; survived the first night!!

Growing food closer to home.....

2 posts in one day!  That's got to be a first.....

Well, this is just a quick one.  You'll notice this icon has appeared along the left-hand side of my blog.  Click on it to visit these guys and be inspired.  They live on a smallish block in the middle of the city in California, and are virtually self-sufficient.  Their gardens are amazing.  I've just spent an hour or so exploring their website and feel ready to go plough up some more soil!!  Oh, and we're getting some new chicks tomorrow so will no doubt have some photos to post tomorrow night.........  I'm amazed Saraya got to sleep, she is SO excited!

Renovation Rescue!

First up............. our flowering and fruiting lemon tree!  There must be 100 lemons on it at various stages of development, and more flowers yet!  

The basket of tomatoes I picked the night I returned from Brisbane last week.

I got Elijah to stand by the corn so you could see how tall it is! 2 or 3 cobs on each plant.

I also said that today I would show photos of our other grass-growing vegie patch (having a new baby makes me very talented at growing grass...... yes, I know he is nearly 8 months old but I'm only just starting to catch up again! Plus it's been hot.).  

So....... the vegie patch is no longer.  This little garden gnome demolished it.  Hooray!!!  It was very old and the wood was all rotting; the patch itself had been built too high and large to properly access the middle of it; and it was just time for a little re-landscaping.  Just look at all that grass! :(

Before and after

The new garden will grow our transplanted rosemary bush (still praying it survives!- we could be bottling up a lot of dried rosemary!), some Buddleias (known as "butterfly bush" for the lovely fragrant butterfly-attracting flowers), some edging rockery type plants, and a hedge of "mock orange" plants (Murrayas) running right along our side fence line all the way to the chicken coup.

Stuart worked so hard removing all the straggly stuff, some dying roses, and an arbour, and built a whole new garden.  He is wonderful!

Before and after (the birdbath is now in our front garden and the ladder in with the chickens)

I'm amazed at the improvement all this has already made.  So happy. :)

I've got the mock oranges sitting ready to put in, maybe this afternoon.  I was up planting Buddleias at 6am this morning, in the cool of the dawn.  ;)  The garden is almost all mulched (we ran out of straw), and Stuart is bringing home some rocks for edging after work today.

It's nice to sit and dream of how it will all look one day, when everything grows.  I love gardening!

A vegetable feast!

Quite awhile ago now, my friend Andrew challenged me to a gardening post - which in turn challenged me to do a spot of gardening in spite of our hot summer weather!  We had a particular vegie patch which was basically only growing grass (there's another one of those, but more on that one tomorrow!!).  

Anyway, I got in there and weeded and mulched and composted etc, and planted it out with a variety of different seeds I had stored in the laudry room.  Funny, a few of those seeds developed, but mostly what we ended up with was a garden of tomato plants which all sprang out of the compost!  5 VARIETIES of them!!  They have had fun climbing up the sweetcorn plants which I planted along the back of the bed, and have been so delicious.  I pick about a punnet a day.

We've had a pumpkin vine start growing in this garden too.

There are cherry tomatoes mingled in with grape.  Also "tom thumbs" which the children LOVE!

The corn plants are now a few feet higher than in these photos, and will be ready to harvest in a week or two.  Yum!!

Some good news and some bad news - by William.

Well, finally Mamma agreed to let me have a go typing on the keyboard.  She thinks I'm just bashing around, hitting random keys and enjoying the clinking sounds I'm making.  Ha!  Adults always underestimate what babies can do.........

So, it's William here.  I thought I'd tell you all about our night last night; since Mamma seems to enjoy writing about my sleep patterns so much, I thought I'd do the same.  

Well to start with, things are changing around here.  I used to be offered the breast pretty much whenever I was feeling fussy, which can be a lot of the time.  You know, it's hard being a baby!  If I was hungry, I'd have a long feed, if I was thirsty or just mucking around, I'd suck for a bit until I felt better.  But do you know, Mamma isn't offering me the breast as much this week?  I think yesterday I only had it every 4 or 5 hours!!  Maybe even less!  That's a long wait in between. :( She's tried to give me this funny-tasting milk in a bottle, but I postively refuse to drink that - what a humiliation!!  I'm doing all right though, I do get fed plenty of other foods, plus water from a cup (though I really prefer a glass- I like the way my teeth sound when I

 bite on the edge of it)...... and I've just learned how to crawl around the room a bit, so I keep pretty busy trying to get to objects people put a few feet away from me.  Why is it they always do that?

Mamma seems to be getting a bit desperate lately.  I've heard her talking to Papa, and boy she can get emotional.  What's the big deal about being woken up every hour or two?  The night just seems to go on for so long.......... a boy just needs some attention, some cuddles, some breastmilk - you know what I'm saying?  Anyway, I thought I'd TRY to put more effort in, just to keep the peace.  And Mamma is pretty good to me, so it's the least I can do to try to make things a little easier for her.  Last night I did really well.  I'd take all the credit, but I have the feeling some people might have been praying for me to sleep better too.  Oh, and then there's the fact that I was exhausted.  Mamma thinks she's tired?  Well, maybe she was getting her 

revenge on me or something because she kept me up SO LATE last night!  She and Papa just couldn't get enough of playing with me, jiggling me around playing baby games, singing, rolling me around on the rug, holding me upright (did you know I can stand up?- with a teensy bit of help) for seemingly hours on end.  Phew!  By the time I actually got into my cot, I was had it.  So, I slept for more than 3 hours without waking anyone up.  Mamma seemed pretty happy about this when she came in at 12:30am.  She even gave me a kiss, and  a breastfeed.  Ah, that sweet milk!  So good.

I was so relaxed that I slept again, sprawled out next to my Mamma - until 5am!  Am I good or what?  I had a bit more milk then, and slept until just before 6 when all the birds were making such a racket I just had to get up.  So Mamma did too.

That there was all the good news.  I gave Mamma the best night's sleep she's had in ages.

But um, here's the not so good news.  It's kind-of funny, if you keep a sense of humour about it....

At 4am Mamma woke up.  I know because I opened one eye and could hear her whispering to Papa.  Do you know what?  There was a mouse inside the wall.  It was nibbling on some wood or something, sharpening it's teeth and making more noise than you could imagine!  Mamma didn't sound impressed, and next thing Papa was up fiddling around, tapping on the wall trying to make it be quiet.  Ha!  At least it wasn't ME waking them up!  I might get extra cuddles today (if Mamma's not too cranky about the mouse...)

Everyone seemed settled again, back in bed, until a funny beeping noise started in the living room.  They were up AGAIN (can't a boy get any sleep around here?), and I think Papa took the battery out of the smoke detector because it was going flat and beeping.  Beeping loudly, at 4 in the morning!!  So, the one night I'm not waking them, a mouse and a smoke detector conspire together to prevent my Mamma from sleeping.  Oh dear.  I heard her tell Papa this morning that she never went back to sleep after that mouse started nibbling.  First the mouse, then the beeping, then Elijah came in for a cuddle at around 5am, then I woke up.......... kind-of makes you feel sorry for her, doesn't it? 

Anyway, this has been fun.  I'd like to include a photo of me, just for your enjoyment.  What do you think of my two little teeth?  Pretty cute hey!  Thanks for reading, folks!  

Until next time,  

William.

xo

I'm back........

Just a quick note to say I am back.

I am so so so tired; the train trips were long and exhausting!  William did pretty well though, considering the tiny seat space we had and the length of the trip.

Just wanted to let you know that I went fine through the MRI (sang Les Mis in my head, actually!), and that the results showed I am OK.  No infarction or vascular disease, no tumour; nothing major going on, which is really wonderful news.  I feel relieved!

SO..... the neurologist has put the symptoms down to my migraines.  In some very rare people, an "aura" like the one I have can continue on for a long time.  I still continue to get a migraine headache a few times a month.  Because I am breastfeeding, and because I prefer not to take medications if I can avoid it, he hasn't prescribed anything as yet.  I need to keep a journal of sorts, and go back to see him mid-year.  In the meantime, I'm to try Riboflavin (vitamin B2) as it apparently works as a migraine prevention in some people.  Here's hoping I'm one of them!  Also, according to the neurologist I need to try to get as much sleep as possible.  Sleep-deprivation is a migraine trigger.  This is funny- as you know, I do kind-of need a decent night's sleep  (refer to All I want for Christmas is...........)  So I have some strategies to try, to improve the sleep I am getting.  Or rather, not getting.  More on that in the coming weeks.

Nice times with my Mum.  We managed a cup of tea and a coffee in between appointments and train departure times!  I miss you already Mum. :(  

Thanks for your prayers everyone, I hope you're having a great week thus far.

An MRI

Well, today William and I are off on an adventure.  We are catching the Tilt Train to Brisbane, and late this afternoon I am having an MRI scan to see if we can get to the bottom of my migraines and prolonged "flashing lights".  Tomorrow morning I'm back at the neurologist to get the results, after staying with Mum tonight.

I'm looking forward to getting the all-clear (unless of course I don't, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it), and to having an evening with Mum and Ray.

But I'm really going to miss Stu and the children, even if it is only for 1 night.  And a 3 1/2 hour train-ride with a baby who I know is only going to want to get down and crawl around, and wriggle and grab everything within reach...... well, I hope we have someone understanding in the seat next to us!

And as for the MRI, well - I just wish they wouldn't keep running through the safety questions and asking "Now, are you sure you aren't claustrophobic at all?  Because we do offer a slight sedative; it can be very confronting to some people."  I've assured them I'll be fine, but now I'm wondering if I should have gone for the sedative!  40 minutes in a tunnel with a contraption attached to my head "which makes a noise like a jackhammer, but don't worry, we'll give you earplugs to wear"..... it doesn't sound like fun and games to me.   :(  I would really appreciate your prayers today, for the train journey there and home again tomorrow, and for my time in "the tunnel".  Thanks.  :)

Thankyou my friends for leaving me some kind words at my "Please leave a comment" post!!  If you haven't done so, and would like to, please click here.

See you all in a couple of days.

Mary Poppins claim-to-fame

Laura mentioned on her blog today that she has just got a new job as a nanny.  She will be cleaning house and caring for 3 children, perhaps even accompanying the family on a holiday to Hawaii.  Sounds exotic, doesn't it?  I suggested she get herself a carpet bag.

Maybe that's because around here we all think of Mary Poppins when we think of nannies.  P.L. Travers, the author of Mary Poppins, was born here in Maryborough.  A year or so ago, a statue (life size apparently, so boy she must have been little!) was erected outside the heritage-listed building in which she lived.  Last weekend while my family were visiting we took a walk past the statue and snapped a few photos.  It was actually raining on and off; so Saraya's umbrella wasn't just there as a prop I assure you!  Mum suggested the pose.  ;)

We also took my parents to "Mary Delicious" for afternoon tea (yes, another name coined by the

 Mary in Maryborough), an old-fashioned lolly shop / ice-cream parlour / milk bar / coffee shop, complete with home-made fudge.  Of course with free fudge tastings, so we always eat too much!  It's delightful, and one of the many quirks of our little town.