Sydney a different view

Im here in Sydney the Harbour City and its hot not that I notice in my comfotable chair in my airconditioned room. Im not a luxury hotel but back in hospital at The Macquarie University Hospital to be exact. Its nice and quiet for me while I recover from my opperation. Finally after 12 months and doctors telling me its wasnt opperable, I found a doctor who;
1. Listened to his patient
2. Said that yes he could help.
I was stunned and yes I cried after he said he could help me, who wouldnt after all this year being in and out of hospital with doctors not knowing or understanding what I had or who to see or talk to , to get me treated. It was so nice to have a doctor who understood what I was saying and wasnt shaking his head at me when I mentioned my syptoms. It was even nicer when he said he could opperate right away.
So here I sit with a shaved back head and over a dozen staples in the back of my head, trying to get movement back into my neck after the muscles where stretched for surgery. Im feeling better each day and hope to be outof here in another day or so, then another few days before I can fly home (airline regulations due to cranial surgery).
Im looking even more now forward to Christmas with my family and glad that the worst seems to be behind me. Im still a bit dizzy and not great on my feet if I put my head down but Im getting back on track and with the blessing I received today I know that things are only going to get better! xxx

Our special tree

On thursday I spent the entire day at the hospital waiting in the specialist clinic to see one person about a surgery I am having done in the next few weeks. While Allen, Hezekiah and I were there waiting one of my specialists casually walks over and says "Ohh hi guys by the way I spoke to your Dr in Sydney he would like you to come up, is that ok with you?" I was overwhelmed, he then said after we answered YES! that he would get the paperwork done for us now. I was so emotional all of a sudden it wass like things were finally falling into place. When my doctor came back I jumped up and hugged him and said thankyou. I know thats probably very unprofessional but I dont care! We have a date for our trip to Sydney as soon as we got home we rang his office and spoke to his PA. We leave on the 6th of Dec and the appointment is the next day at 10am. Im so excited to finally have a chance to speak to someone who understands my condition, and I am keen to hear what he has to say.

On our way home we stopped to buy a special tree. After I lost our little girl Allen buried her in our garden and he wanted a tree that had pink flowers on it. I found one and he planted it that day. Now I can look out the window and see her tree. I am thinking about putting some other flowers around it too until I do that I wont post a picture. Sorry you will have to wait. 

Long time posting... reader discression advissed

Its been a while since I did a post, the main reason has been my stay in hospital. I went in on the 6th of October I was barely able to walk had been vomiting for several days and was stuttering again. All the signs that were there in January when I had my neurological attack. The Registra whos name was Phil (Dr Phil) was so nice and saw that I needed to be admitted right away. I was sent upstairs to bed 22 and that became my home for almost a month. I had test apon tast done and had a "team" of doctors looking over me trying to decide what was in my best interests. Allen was doing his best at home trying to keep the family together as well as being extreamly stressed with me being in the hospital. During my second week 2 of my doctors from my "team" One who was the head of surgery and another who was the main doctors decided that they would go on holidays for 2 weeks! This left me having more tests and daily bloods taken, and I hate needles! They also found that my potassium levels were dangerously low leaving me with the potential of having a heart attack so they started me on a drip of pure potassium, thats when I found that my viens dont like it very much and the needles tissued each time and the pain was like having liquid fire shoot through my arm. I still couldnt talk but the look on my face and tears streaming down my face was enough for the nurses to order another bag with a diluted form it took longer to get into my system but the pain was lessened. I also had a constant saline drip going through my other arm so I was attatched to plastic for long periods throughout the day and night.
When your in hospital and you cant speak it gives you alot of time to reflect and also to observe. I observed alot, I watched the way certain nurses treated certain patients or could hear them talk about them late at night. I watched and listened to the doctors closely watched the way they looked at me the way they moved around me, and how they felt in my pressence. I listened to the "young" doctors just learning and the way they joked about things I found offensive and wrong. I also know that while I was staying on my ward 2 people passed away. I watched the family of one come out of the "family room" tears still in their eyes and crying softly and thanking the doctors for all they had done. I said a silent prayer for them to give them strength in their time of need. It also made me wonder what would happen if something should happen to me? The surgery that we are looking at is complicated and is risky, it involves opening my skull and exposing my brain so that is always going to involve risk. What I didnt know was that something else was going to happen sooner that would bring me closer to deaths door.
When we arrived at the hospital that day by ambulance on the 6th I knew I was pregnant. Allen and I were in shock. We had a 1 in 200 chance of falling pregnant and I had managed it. After weeks of tests confirming the pregnancy and more tests to see how far along I was and yet another one to see that yes there is a baby in there. I asked for a night away to watch Xaviour recieve an award for his youth awards night. I had been looking forward to it all week. I didnt give a hoot that it was grandfinal day, I just wanted to be there for Xaviour. A few days before that Saturday I had started to have some "spotting" the doctors said to keep an eye on it but not to worry to much. I knew better, I told them I was going to misscarry I was cramping allthough not badly, but my back was aching a sure sign that things were on the way. At 5.00 Allen came into the bedroom where I was napping to let me know to get ready soon as we had to be there at 6.30. I knew that with my dizzyness it was going to take a while to get dressed and do my hair and put a little bit of makeup on so I got up. I had a sudden cramp, it hurt and sent me to the bathroom where I had our little girl. I sat and cried for a while but again didnt want to ruin the night for Xaviour, so quietly I told Allen and asked him to get a box so I could put her in. After I did that I spent a while in the bathroom crying and cleaning up myself. Trying to get ready to leave. Wave apon wave kept hitting me and I was forced back to the bathroom, I was loosing alot of blood. I was deturmined not to ruin this night for Xaviour so after changing yet again I made my way out of the house, this was no easy feat. A wave hit me before I reached the steps I didnt want to fall, I kept thinking it would be fine Id put extra sanitary products in my bag Id be fine. We were half way there when another wave hit me and they just wouldnt stop, I felt flooded, I had my knees together and I put my hand on them to balance myself thats when I noticed they were covered in blood. I showed Allen who isnt good with blood, he said "dont worry we'll stop and get you something" but I knew this was wrong. I was getting cold and starting to get the shakes. I remember a friend telling me when she hamoraged how she felt cold and had to fight to stay awake. Thats when I started to panic, we got to the chapel  and I was trying to tell Allen to get the kids out of the car and call an ambulance. The kids were sent inside while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. They got me in and started a drip then another then a third I couldnt stop shaking I was so cold and couldnt stop crying. Lights and sirens screaming all the way into the hospital and then I was surrounded peple pulling at me both top and bottom. More needles and more drips more chaos I was so scared. Allen came in and held my hand and tried to calm me while I cried and cried and tried to calm down. They sent me in to have emergency surgery 30 minuts later. I had lost over 2 litres of blood and had to have a transfusion and more saline. I went back to my little bed 22 that night vowing to never have this happen again to me. What happened was tragic, but it could have been alot worse, and I am still mourning the loss in my own way in my own time and Im not giving myself a limit on it, when Im done I'll know.
For me now.. Im focusing on getting to see this doctor in Sydney as soon as I can. He has been in touch with us here and we will be in touch with him again next week. Im hoping that this man can help me and aliviate some of my symptoms.   

Gabriel our angel in disguise.... :)

Sometimes you have just one of those days where as a parent you just want to put the headphones on and ignore the dobbing and just cook tea in peace. Gabriel has become the great "dibber dobber" of the house he has to tell me everything! Hexekiah has "this" or Niamh was touching "that" or "I didnt do" what ever it was that made a huge noise in the lougeroom...hmmmm? Its a mystery! Gabriel has been getting lots of extra attention in the evenings as we spend some time going through his flash cards with him and his readers for school, we have done this to get him up a few extra levels and to keep him focused on the benefits of learning.

Having said that Gabriel has also been pushing his luck when it comes to being respectful and we have talked about it a few times but n Saturday when Allen was at work and Xaviour was out orientiering, Gabiel got very vocal with me and I told him that I didnt like it, so after I put them down for a rest after lunch Xaviour came home and I asked him to meet me in Gabriels room in about an hour. We went in and I sat down and told Gabriel why I was upset with him and what being respectful meant. I told him that slaming his door wasnt respectful and that it could also damage the door, and so Xaviour removed it. I told Gabriel he could have it back when he can show me how good he can be. I understand its just frustration and that he thinks slaming the door is ok but its not in our home. There are other ways of getting rid of frustration and slamming doors isnt acceptable. He is only 6 and he has found it a challenge and thats ok too it gives him time to think his problem through and find a new solution. I think it will probably go back up tomorrow that means it will have been gone a full week. Im sure he'll think twice about slamming it again :)  

The Tooth Fairy

We have been waiting for a while for the Tooth Fairy to arrive at our house this year, Gabriel has had a number of friends who have lost teeth and have gaps in their mouth from missing baby teeth, but Gabriel's just didnt seem to want to budge. One days a few weeks ago he mentioned that he had a "wiggly" tooth. He was very excited about it and I had a feel myself but to be honest it wasnt very wiggly at all but it was them that I noticed that his adult teeth had actually allready come through and that the baby teeth were still hanging in there. hmm???? I rang the dentist and we saw here that day she has a look and feel around and told Gabriel that he had to wiggle it every day with clean hands or she would have to pull it out herself on the next visit and the end of August. So we got to wiggling, every day, we ate lots of apples and carrots raw and anything  else crunchy but it was stubburn!.



Last night Gabriel and I were going through his sight words together after tea (dinner), and he was wiggling his tooth which was distracting us from our task, so after I gave it a good push and he wiggled it a bit more it Finally came out! he was excited and Niamh and Hezekiah buzzed around him looking at it in his hand. I explained what the protocal was and that he had to wrap it in a tissue for to fairy to pick it up and put it in her special bag and that she would leave him some money for his tooth aand that his tooth wouold be a new star in the sky tomorrow night after she planted it there. He was very excited to go to bed and was impressed with his money this morning :) I did tell the tooth Fairy that maybe (he) over payed a little but we'll work that out later....

blog trolls

It has come to my attention that someone has been reading my blog and trying to use it against me and my family by saying I am incapable of doing "certain" things. So for the 2 people and You know who you are ;) here is my message to you trolls keep your mouse away from my business.. Thanks for visiting.

blog visiters

I've been interested in the past year at the amount of people who are reading my blog and where they are from. Some of them are friends who I know aand that just live far away and cant see me right now or family who live interstate and don't have time to ring me so they read my blog and thats ok too. For others Its interesting too see where you have been from, Ive been looking at my "stats", I do that from time to time to see where people are from mainly. Most are from the United States of America so Hi to all of you from the US :) I have been over to visit and have seen most of the west coast so feel free to leave comments Im happy to answer questions too.
Ive also noticed some are from the UK. So hello to all those from over there :) I have not been that far yet but would love to get there one day. I dream of visiting Ireland and Wales, and Scotland. I am a sucker for the accents and could very well run off with the nearest cute man so it might be safer for me to stay home for now ;) hehehe

Ive also noticed a few people from Egypt, Slovakia, Bulgaria,Spain,Germany,South Africa,Brazil, and of course Canada and a few from NZ :) It amazes me that you read what I write or post or that you come back. It facinates me and makes me wonder who you are too.....

Uni break

Since university has finished for a while for me I have been pondering what I can do and what I want to do in the next few months... Some of the things that I want to do will have to wait till the weather warms up a little bit more, such as doing some more planting and some more painting (well hiring someone to paint) and maybe digging some new garden beds :) I have alot of land to put lots of nice flowers and trees and plant some more fruit trees which Im hoping to do in a few weeks. I have a young boy Hezekiah who loves apples and would love nothing more than to eat them all day and night. I bought one apple tree last year and have decided that its just not going to be enough! I'll try and buy another one in the next week and plant it in the same garden bed with the other fruit trees. Im also very happy to note that my lemon tree has stayed alive over the winter and has got some new shoots on it allready! Im very excited!!! Im also going to get the deck restained so it looks great for spring :) And finally get the turn circle finished out the front I know its only taken 5 years we can't rush these things ;) after all thats done well I dont know?? maybe take some photos and show you what it looks like? At the moment its just grey and wet and dull.... but! the daffodills are starting to come through and soon the other bulbs will follow and then all the other flowers will come out :) I'll take some shots tomorrow after I try and do some pruning of the roses and other things ( I know a bit late!) then poff! everything will be in bloom again ;) so much to do... Oh and a court hearing in the states too cross your fingers and toes for us please! These kids need us here. Thankyou xx

surgery and such

Its not long now..... Till I see the Big Man Dr Bittar hes the surgeon about a possible date? To have my decomp surgery done. Ive been thinking about it alot as the time has been getting closer and about what questions I want to ask him.
Things like what kind of waiting list do you have?
How long will I be in hospital (about 2 weeks)
What kind of pain medication can you give me as Im alergic to opiates?
Then I have tricky question like
So how many patients have you lost?
How many have lost mobility?
We are talking about suregery invloving both my Brain and my Spine so its a delicate area I mean we dont want the man to have a cold, and sneeze.
Ive aslo done some thinking about the other alternative as well.. yep the big D I mean what would happen if I dont make it? Do I need to start thinking about what kind of funeral I want? What kind of hymns? Where I want my ashes scattered? Its been playing on my mind a bit...
I spoke to a dear old friend yesterday and told her I was scared I said what if?... She said No it wont happen you've been through enough. I dont want that either I dont want to be called up stairs by Heavenly Father saying "thats enough".
Still its something Ive been thinking about, but I dont have alot of time to dwell on it with Uni assignments coming thick and fast bring on the break only a few more weeks to go!

Pain and challenges

When I was given my diagnosis a few months ago I really didnt think much about it other than it being a major pain with not being able to walk properly and my new stutter. Since then things have changed as Ive gotten a clearer picture of what exactly this means for me and what it means to have this condition and how it will affect me on a daily basis. The weather is changing and that isnt helping me at all its hurting all the time and with the added benefit of me being highly alergic to any form of opiates I can't take most of the pain medications either over the counter or on prescription. Its been a hard few months. Im not looking forward to winter as the weather is setting in and the cold is just going to get worse from here. I finally get to see my surgeon on the 15th of next month and I will be bombarding him with questions. Its a challenge some days just to get up out of bed because my head hurts so much and my leg and hip hurts to walk. I'm hoping he can help that he has some answers, because I dont like being in pain like this and I dont want to have another attack, because who knows what the next one will throw at me.

Uni, Surgeon, prac placement

I had an interesting week last week. Its just ended week 4 of university for the year and Ive handed in a total of 2 pieces of work already and am working on another 2 that are due after Easter break. So Ive been busy downloading and listening to lectures, printing lecture slides and making notes, as well as the many many readings for each of the units that I am doing. Then on Friday I had a prac introduction lecture that freaked me out! I drove home wondering how the heck I was going to do a 16 week placement and have a family and do a unit at university at the same time! What!?
While all this is going on Im busy trying to organise a surgeons appointment. Thats right still trying to get an appointment! My specialist here who is one of the best is a very busy man ( he does kind of run the hospital as well as his private practice) forgot to sign the referal! Very hard to send it without the said signiture on the bottom of the page..... SO after 6 weeks of mucking around and me making countless phone calls some with me crying out of utter frustration I have finally got an appointment with Dr Bittar in Burnie on the 11th of May, Yippee!!
Im going in there with a stack of questions about everything this condition can do to me and what the surgery (if he thinks it is necessary) it will benefit me, what are the risks etc etc..
On top of all that I do actually have a family that I care for namely 4 kids and a husband. I run the house cook, clean, run kids around, do the grocery shopping. All that stuff that might not seem important untill your the one who doesnt have any clean undies!
Then there is prac which starts next semester... *crap* how Im going to do this I dont know.... I have an interview with Torna who is our placement officer tomorrow and Im a bit scared. The lecture scared me, trying to work out what the heck Im going to put on my resume and cover letter is scarying me! I hope It goes ok and I dont act like a total idiot, which I have the potential to do! I'll keep you all informed.

Neurologists and Neurosurgeons

It was a big week last week with my trip tio Melbourne to see my new doctor his name is dr Andrew Evans.

Thats him above Jasmine thinks he looks a bit like Jim Parsons (aka Sheldon from Big Bang theory). We were due to see him on Tuesday and dad being who he is made a practice run to see where the office was and where we could park on the day. Good thinking 99. So we got to the appointment on time and we had a great parking spot (go dad) and we went up to the floor that had his rooms.

Problem.... the door is locked.. hmm not a good sign. After a few phone calls and text messages we find out that yes I had the right day but the receptionist (that was a standin the week before) had mucked up by saying that yes my appointment was in Melbourne when it was in fact in Launceston! RAAAAA!!! The receptionist was rip snorting mad that

A; I had been told the wrong thing, about the appointment ( you have to ring and confirm at least a week before or you dont get the appointment and then you get charged for the consultation anyway!)

B; That I had to fly interstate when I didnt need to and that my appointment could have been given to someone else who might have needed it :(

As it turned out the receptionist was great (the regular girl) and she managed to fit me in on the Thursday morning which meant I had to stay 2 extra days :( This being the last week that Jasmine was home before moving to melbourne for uni didnt make me happy at all.

I also had to call Jetstar and try and change my booking, that was a drama too they made the whole thing very difficult and in the end told me they "might" refund my ticket. gee thanks alot! So after going back to dads and rebooking another flight home on the latest available in case the dr wanted to do some tests while I was there.

Roll around to Thursday and de~ja ~vu I think Ive been here before???? I sit in the waiting room and wait and silently panic about if I have all the questions I wanted to ask and how long will this take etc... I was told to leave 3 hours free! After 15 mins we are told that he is running late... ok... an hour later he comes in very rushed in a suit that looks 2 sizes too big for him ( I know weird thing to notice). After the intro's are made and he does a quick physical we get down to what happened and when. I try to talk as fast as I can but I dont do very well and dad and Robyn are trying to help out. The dr notices that I have a pappilladeoma behind my eyes and wants me to have another Lumbar punture that day, I freak out because Im not ready for that kind of test and because they hurt like heck! In the end he has to wait because they can't fit me in *phew* Its just putting it off I still have to have it done and soon *crap* He also wants me to see the surgeon ASAP. *double crap* I'm waiting to hear back from them and if I havent heard back from them by Thursday then I have to call the neuro guy and he will jump on them.

Ohh and uni starts on Wednesday, and Jasmine has her driving test Tuesday afternoon and flying out that night and dad flys in Wednesday night yep... its all happening now

1st day back at school-

Its been a busy day here today, With Gabrile starting prep so he is at school 5 days a week!! Then Niamh started kindagarden and she goes 3 days a week Tuesday through to Thursday. We got up on time and after we had a guest for dinner the kids didnt clean up their toys so first thing before breakfast at 6.45am they were up and cleaning their toys away. They did a good job and got it done quickly before sitting at the table for breakfast. They raced to their rooms to get dressed for school, I went out last month and got new school uniforms for them and new shoes, runners, bags and lunch boxes. We were very organised with me making their lunches the night before and they were in the fridge waiting for them. I had enough time to have my breakfast and a shower and watch the news and we were still early! The kids were on the couch waiting to go to school and asking Allen every 5 seconds "can we go yet?"
Gabriel was very excited to be in his new class room with his friends from school. He was very happy when we left and I couldnt wait to get home and get some stuff done without them and spend some time with just Hezekiah. Niamh was very happy to spend the whole day at school and bought home her first drawing and her first cut and paste picture (a fish) I'm looking for the blutack at the moment its grown legs I just have to work our who's legs they were????....
Niamh was sooooo tired by the end of dinner and was in tears because she couldnt get to pat the duck that daddy was holding, so off to bed she went ( with more tears) she went to sleep very fast. Xaviour being a prefect this year (who forgot his badge) had a good day and was organised and had left at 8.15! Unheard of in our house its usuallly running into the kitchen at 8am and trying to make lunch while having his breakfast. He came home happy and was very quiet and hungry ( being almost 16 he's constantly eating). I love that we can sit and talk when he's ready to. I know he is going to have a great year with his senior dance.
jasmine decided that today she was going to finally clean her room. She has been so excited about moving for university that she has packed everything into boxes and is literaly living out of her suitcases. Tomorrow we get to repack the stuff she actually needs right now and then store the rest. She is starting to get reality of moving and having to pay rent and buy food and make her dinner herself every night! My father is close by in case of emergency and my brother in case of "boy" trouble. Jasmine leaves on the 28th and dad arrives the same day and will take her car on the boat for her so that she has her car in Melbourne. I know she is going to have a great time and that Im going to cry at the airport when she leaves :(
University for me starts back next wednesday for a day then the follwing week its full steam ahead, with Hezekiah starting day care for the first time. I know he will be fine he fits in really well with others and plays nice with other kids.

Hospital stay

Ok so on the 30th of January I woke up and was having some trouble walking.. I didnt think much of it at the time as I'd just got up. ... Fast forward till dinner time 6.30pm that night and I was having alot of problems walking my body just wasnt doing what I wanted it to and I couldnt work out why. My husband being the ever pressent pain in the butt had been waatching me all day like a hawk ready to pounce on me, he rang a friend of ours "mother Jackie" who is a retired nurse and we ring her all the time for medical advice, little stuff like "whats this weird rash on ...kid?" that sort of thing. Anyway Jackie rang (no Allen rang) and she wanted to talk to me ( no bully me) into going to the hospital. I tried my best to fight her off by saying "I'll be fine, I'll see my G.P in the morning ..." nope she wasnt taking any of that! So as I said I got bullied into going so I went begrudgingly to the hospital where they poked me and proded me they took a Cat scan and then and X-Ray then drew more blood then they tried the "stroke test" I thought I did an awesome job, allthough after the 8th time of answering "who is the current prime minister" I was ready to say daffy duck just to muck with them. I was tired and getting cranky, the seniour doctor didnt like the look of me and wanted to admitt me, there was no way in hell I was staying so after signing the relevent "get me out of here now" forms I went home with a promise to go to my G.P the next day.
I went to see my G.P the next day and my walking was still a bit "off balance" I kept leaning to the left and my speech was starting to slur, so after a 5 minute chat my G.P sent me back to the dreaded hospital.... After some debating and some more tests and a fantastic nurse who decided that a canular was a great thing to put in my arm when she was annoyed with someone else :( I was admitted to the stroke unit. By the next day my speech was terrible it was all stuttering and no words, my mind was working fine but my body was going nuts! I wa given a pen and paper by one of those very smart nurses :) I was able to communicate again allthough a bit slower. I stayed for a week seeing the senior doctor for stroke patients, and another neurologist from Hobart. After some debate between the 2 they decided that it wasn't a stroke (yay!) What they kept refering to was something I hadn't heard of before it was an "Arnold Chiari"
The doctors were saying that this may be the cause of my "incident" after another visit to the GP for more medication, I wrote this thing down and came home and did some reading about it.
I won't go into details because I'd just be repeating what the website says, but if your curious then the site is www.chiariaustralia.com Its a great site and you can see some of the wacky syptoms that Ive been having and check out what the surgery looks like after. Yeah it freaked me out! Thats a massive scar.
So Ive been waiting for an appointment with a neurologist in Melbourne and a neursurgeon also from Melbourne. I got a letter confirming my neurologist appointment is on the 21st of Feb, so thats only next week. Im hoping that after he sees me and I tell him who my surgeon is he'll give him a ring and I can see him sooner. Wish me luck!

Things on my mind....

Ok so in the past 7 days Ive had Hezekiah turn 2 and have spent 4 days in the hospital, and a friends husband passed away. The one thing that has occupied most of my time has been my frineds husband sudden passing. You know when you met certain people its like you can feel their strength, feel their love for others? Thats what I get from Lisa King. We are not "best friends" but know each other and I know her parents well. I always was in awe of her and her family as they struggled at times with their son Noah who was born with hydrcephaly ( I hope I spelt that right) I remember her and her husband Aaron's testmony at church after they found out what was wrong with Noah and how even though they were upset and were grieving for what might have been for him they were both so strong and knew that it was going to be ok because they had each other. Noah passed away on the 8th of October last year 2011 and I was amazed to hear her talk about her little "cheeky monkey", Aaron spoke as well as 2 of their boys aged 12 and 7. Through my tears I kept thinking how amazing they were what an amazing family what courage, what spiritual strength they all have. I can't even begin to think what its like to loose a child, Ive had 7 ( yes 7) misscarriages and I grieved for each one its not the same as seeing holding, hearing, touching, loving, that child then loosing him/her.
The King family went to St Helens to spend some family time together, their first summer without Noah, their first Christmas without him. They were just starting to rebuild some new kind of "normal" with one person missing from their mix. Then at 9.50pm on Australia day Aaron had a massive heart attack, his brother in laws worked on him till the ambulance got there while Lisa and the boys watched on willing him to get up, to breath, to stay... It wasnt to be. My heart was so full of sorrow for them when I was told the next day, I sat and cried, in shock, that can't be? Not now? Thats not fair!
The funeral was on Tuesday, the church and every available seat and standing room was packed. well over 700 people attended. Lisa has an unbelievable strength, her love for our Father in Heaven and his plan for us all. I am again in awe of her, I can't begin to understand what she is feeling or what her boys are going through (the youngest is just 3) but if you read her story from her blog maybe you will feel the need to help like so many others have.
www.lisaking.blogspot.com
If you want to donate their is this set up for her and the boys.

www.mycause.com.au just type in Lisa king into the search it will come up then.

Updates..

So after 18 months or so Ive changed the picture on the blog, the picture is of James Bond Island off the coast of Phuket in Thailand. It really is a beautiful place and maybe when Im older I can convince Allen to retire there ;)
Its getting closer to "back to school time" here with school due back on Febuary14th for the young kids and University back on the 27th. Its going to be a big year for everyone. I am back full time this year which means alot more work for me Yikes! Allens job is progressing.... Jasmine is moving to Victoria for University so she'll be on her own for the first time, allthough we have lots of family in Melbourne Im still not wanting her to go :(
Xaviour has his last year of highschool and is a prefect this year so ON goes the blazer as he is a representative of the school and all its values. He also has his leavers dinner at the end of the year which is huge for the kids, its basically a senior high graduation dinner and dance, which I hope he finds a date to before the big night!
Gabriel is starting Prep this year so he will be at school 5 days a week so hes going to be very tired for a while when he gets back. Prep is the grade between kindergarden and grade 1. Everyone goes through it its alot of fun for them.
Niamh is starting kindergarden this year and will be at school 3 whole days a week! Im sure she is going to love being with Mrs Neal who is amazing :)
Hezekiah is going to be going to daycare this year for the first time, one day with Maranda and one at the uni daycare with me... Its going to be busy and Im sure we are all going to look forward to the Easter break as soon as we go back :)

Luke Rad

Last week Jasmine reminded me that her friend Luke was leaving for his mission. My reply was yes I know... Then she very casually informed me that he was leaving a day early (the 9th and not the 10th) and that I had to drive her to the airport at 5AM!!! Im sorry what? 5am as in before I have breakfast, and when its still dark outside? That 5am?
*long silence*...Umm yes says Jasmine.
*insert unhappy face*
Its always the way that when these young men leave that it has to be at some obscene hour of the morning. So I set my alarm got up and away we went.
Luke seemed pretty calm, relaxed, he even smiled a few times ;)
Jasmine and Luke have been friends for ages and she bought him an awesome pressie its a voice recorder that he can talk into then download it all onto a computer and send it through cyberspace. Jasmine had the idea that she wanted to type up their "mission letters" and experiences and then have them bound in a book for when they get home. Jasmine being who she is has even contacted a publisher about having them printed!
Jasmine has allready sent him a letter at the MTC via a group called DearElder.com.
Im sure he is going to have an amazing 2 years away in Serbia and when he gets back he'll have some great stories to share.







Lukes parents watching the plane take off

Luke going through to the plane

Luke and his mum

Jasmine and Luke... love the red tie

Luke and his step-father Matthew

72 hour emergency packs

Ok so we have been told to keep a 72 hour pack for each memebr of the family, there should be enough food and a change of clothes, as well as basic medical supplies plus some things such as reflector blankets, candles, matches. We aslo have a copy of our marriage cert, passports, credit cards, insurance details. Ive been updating ours again I do ours once a year. I found a whole heap of nappies that wont fit Hezekiah anymore plus clothes that none of the kids will fit in! Also the cereal that was in them is wayyyyy out of date so they went in the bin. So for the next few weeks I'll be doing more updating of our packs. We have them for emergencys such as flood, fire, earthquake. Its so that we can just grab our packs and go no time wasting trying to grab all the stuff we might need. Id love to get some freeze dried food because it lasts 2 years and I wont have to worry so much but the cost gets to me (ouch). Still it is on my "wish list" :)

Christmas at the Robins house

It just didnt feel like Christmas this year with Xaviour in Melbourne and knowing that Jasmine is leaving soon for uni. I just couldnt get into it, I still put the tree up decorated it in gold and blue this year ( yes I colour co ordinate each year). I bought new lights (that didnt get put up) and I made Christmas lunch. The kids had a ball with all their new things Niamh couldnt believe that she was getting pressents again! Her birthday being in the same week just makes for an extra fun day :) Hezekiah who is almost 2 had fun ripping the paper taht id been telling him for 2 weeks to leave alone.
Xaviour is due home tomorrow from Melbourne so he gets to open all his pressies when he gets back :) Next year ill be better with Papa, Nana coming down and my "0" birthday following that.

Gabriel enjoying his ramp
Niamh in love with her new doll
Jasmine and her GPS that she will need when she moves next month.
Yes we got her a TV Grundig so it will last and yes she was excited. We have had a rule which I have stuck by , that no tv's are to be in bedrooms. So now that Jasmine has hers set up I feel Ive caved but its only for a month.
After the unwrapping comes the cleaning up.....
Gabriel is our car fanatic he loves them so this ramp taht goes on the wall thereby aliviating the steping on cars all over the floor.
hmmm I wonder whats in this one?
Allens job is handing out the pressies
whats in this ?//
Jasmine looking more excited about the Duplo than Hezekiah
Jasmine helping Hezekiah open his pressents
Nimah and Hezekiah checking out the new car mat
Hezekiah being a bit chessey
Allen and the little kids
WOW! Niamh and her new doll and Gabriel with some new little people.

Garden update :)

When we begain building 5 years ago not only was it exciting it was very daunting to think I had to fill alot of space with plants, trees, flowers etc.. It was something that I hadnt done before we had renovated 2 houses but they had a garden to start with! So all I had to do was add, subtract some and then groom what was left. To start from nothig needed a plan. I know what I wanted to do and I knew that it was going to cost HEAPs! Not to mention that I was going to do most of it myself (Allen isnt a gardener). *SIGH*.

So I thought well I'd start out the front as I see it all the time when we drive in to the house, made sense. Im not patient when it comes to getting things like this done Id rather just get it all done in a week and then maintain it. Nope cost again...... grrr. Little by little Ive added and replaced cause things just die or are in the wrong spot.... less sun, more sun.... Still I keep going. I took some snaps today so have a look and tell me what you think. Maybe you have some ideas I havent thought of yet :)

View from the side of the bock before we started building barren.. nothing except from the blackwood trees (2) and the wattle trees(3).

What it looked like before we started...



some of my herbs, lots of different ones they are all growing really well :)
more herbs..and pansys. Ohh and thats the rock that Hezekiah hit on New Years sedning us into the hospital...
Some of the deck and more plats in hanging baskets
more herbs on the edge of the deck
what do you do with a borring spot? Find a pot (which has lavender in it) then plant another hedge.
some of the vegies growing I have 3 patches plus a garden bed full of fruit and nut trees.
some of the ducks and chooks in their pen, one of the ducks is nesting so maybe we'll have some ducklings! That will add to the 3 chicks we have had this year.
This is the nursary pen for the baby chicks and the mums, the net over the top is so they dont get hit by the plums from the tree above them.
3 native trees that I planted after we took the eucalypt out because it was dead from ants
The trampoline 16ft round and my awesome path under the trampoline and around it I have more sunflowers,pansys and some succulants. Im hoping they'll spread out under there.
some of the raspberries covered by the netting to keep the birds out
more raspberries
one of the eucalyptus trees and one of the wattle
see I have been gardening, wheelbarrow as my evidence :)
the kids sandpit with sunflowers grwing in front and some native daisys on the side ,Ive got some iris growing at the back of it as well.
some of my hedge that I planted about 6 months ago they have almost doubled in size.
some of the plants at the front door
one of the patches that I love with the pansys, iris lavender and roses and the solar light :)
a few of the silver birch I plated 6 moths ago they are doing great can't wait to see how big they'll be this time next year :)
don't laugh...this is my chestnut tree..yes that a brick next to it so it doesnt get mowed over.. it'll get bigger

My yummy blue pots by the shed (ignore the weed growing next to it)
Near the front door standard white roses and then there are some hydragers, and some lavender, iris, pansys, dahlias.
one of my roses
view from the very end of the driveway
more dahlias

Well alot has changed.. I still want to do alot more, my goal for the year is to add more to the garden.