#31 Patience

At least the pager waited until 9.30 last night to go off!, but I didn't get home until 3.30am so today I needed patience and plenty of it.

I had 2 appointments and 1 catch up with friends, but I seriously needed to pack for heading to Beechworth tomorrow.

There were times when I felt soooo exhausted - but patience won - even when I didn't think I had any in reserve!  

Won't get to sleep until tonight...but I kept my sanity.

#30 Time at home

I'm so grateful that I had some quiet time at home with my little girl today.  I am on call, but thankfully so far, the pager has been good to me.

I'm packing...but I'm also playing.  We've had fun together.  Time together is wonderful...especially with first day of school looming.....

#29 Gateway Life Church

After our night in Beechworth, we headed into Lavington to Church.

We have a wonderful, alive, active, serving Church.  The message is usually on point and I come away feeling challenged in a very good way.

Ebony loves their Children's Church which, to me, is the very best part.  I've seen so many children unhappy with going to Church.  Not this kid!  She loves it and it's a credit to the kids Church leader.

Very grateful for our home Church.

#28 Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is an event that never meant anything to me before Ebony.

We headed to Beechworth today and went to what will become our 'local' Chinese Restaurant once we move there.  The food was lovely - and it was so nice to be out as a family together.  We don't get to do that often because we've been too busy.

Grateful we had a very good reason to celebrate together!

#27 Stories

Today has been a big, emotional day.

I decided to take Ebony to see 'Lion'.  A movie about a small boy who became lost in India (his home country), then he was adopted by an Australian couple. He managed to find his mother through Google Earth.  A true and amazing story.  I cried lots.  I cried because the story is amazing and I cried because there were some parts that took me back to parts of our journey.    

This will not be Ebony's story.  The chances of her finding her birth parents is a million to one.  She knows that.  We've talked lots about in over the years and some more before seeing the movie....and more again after.

Did it give her some extra insight into what adoption means - definitely.
Did it give her some thoughts about being able to find her parents - I doubt it.
Did it give her some thought processes to help her through some of the tough times - I'm sure.

Did I do the right thing?  I believe so.

#26 The river

We've lived here for 10 years now and we don't head down to the river nearly often enough.

Tonight we did and we had such a lovely evening enjoying the warmth and time with friends.  We took a picnic, we sat, we watched the sun go down and we chatted and chatted.

A lovely evening - a beautiful river.

#25 My big brother

I have a wonderful big brother called Terry.  Today he turned 59.  He is the most amazing man I know.  He has always wanted to be married and have a partner for life...but sadly that has never happened for him.

Many take the blessing of marriage for granted, and there's times when I'm one of those people.  Marriage, if worked at, is a partnership for life and a truly wonderful thing.  I know there is a part of my brother that is empty because of that missing part in his life and he suffers from loneliness as a result.

But you would never know.  He never complains about it.  He spends most of his life helping others and using the pain of loneliness to reach out to others.

I'm grateful for him today.  Very grateful for the times we spend together. 

#24 Frith

Friendships are fascinating things.  It's an area I have honestly struggled in and for all the searching in the world, I can't work out why.  Maybe I ask too much, maybe I talk too much, maybe it's just a refining process.

Right at the moment I'm blessed to have been given Frith.  Frith is from Beechworth and she has looked after Ebony twice now.  This time Ebony had a sleepover with her and her daughter Halle while I did my first shift at Beechworth.

We talk...and we talk.  For some reason I feel blessed to have found this beautiful soul.  We may not have the same spiritual beliefs but we have the same hearts.

Frith I am so grateful for the opportunity of getting to know you and for the journey that lay ahead for this ...and every friendship we are blessed with.

#23 An old new

Funny thing to say really but today I did my very first shift with the Ambulance at Beechworth.  Within an hour the pager went off and I've now had my first job with the Team Manager at Beechworth.  We got on fine.

It can be difficult to walk into a situation like this, in a town where we know no-one.  I'm so very grateful that everything went so well.  I'm grateful for the new people and new opportunities I'm finding.  I feel very encouraged by the wonderful people I'm meeting and the future we have here in Beechworth.

#22 Friendships that last

I am so grateful for good friends.  Friends that stand the test of time.  Friends that you don't need to see for weeks/months/years and yet nothing changes when you're back together.

Today I got to spend time with a few of them and I feel grateful and contented.

#21 Friendship through Adoption

We had an early start this morning.  We drove to Bright to meet one of our batch buddies from China.  We had such a lovely day.  The Mum and I and our two beautiful little blessings from China.

They had the best time!  We watched 'Trolls' then had some lunch then a bit of shopping, then back to our place.

Friendships are so important in this life (well they sure are to me).  This friendship is a little different to others because our connection is adoption.  I'm so grateful I have people that I honestly like to share that part of my life with.

#20 Our families safety

It is only a matter of a small week or so that I was in the Bourke St Mall with my little girl admiring the busyness and the decorations around us that showed it was still holidays.

Today I feel very grateful that our little family is safe in our home in a beautiful part of our country, safe from the tragedy that unfolded at the Bourke St Mall today.  A tragedy where at least 3 lives have been taken - one of a small 10 year old person.  That could have been us.

My heart hurts for the people who have lost loved ones today.  For the emergency services who yet again have to witness tragedy and work under circumstances that we should never have to work under.

#19 Dinner with new friends

Today is a day I find it hard to find what I'm grateful for.

Today has been such a big day.  I left Mt Beauty at 8.30am, drove to Beechworth then to Wodonga, then Albury, then Wodonga, then Beechworth and then home.  From there we got home, unpacked in 5 mins and headed out to dinner with a beautiful couple.  A couple I don't feel I gave my best to.  I was exhausted.

But.  But.  But.  I'm so grateful for people that barely know us and yet invite us to dinner at their place.  If I'd had to cook - it would have been really hard.

Thank you to Quentin and Shelley (and Ryan and Jamie) you made my night because you are the beautiful couple you are. I'm very grateful for YOU.

#18 Time with my girl

I am so grateful for a day with my girl today.

I made a decision yesterday to give this day to her.....totally.

Although it is holidays for her - it isn't for me. But I've felt her need to have time for just the 2 of us and I don't want regrets....I waited way too long for her.

Today I turned my back on 'me' and faced her need full on.

Today, I'm grateful for my years on this earth and the understanding they bring with them...... and, as a result, my ability to be truly with her and have no regrets. We've had such a beautiful day.

#17 Peace in stressful circumstances

Peace - that's todays gratitude.

Today we packed up after a fairly hot night...in very hot conditions.  We had 2 tents to pack up, let alone the bedding and air mattresses - all in very hot conditions....and not.one.single.bad.word between the 3 of us.

That makes me feel very grateful for the other 2 members of our precious family unit.

#16 Cooling water

Today has been incredibly hot.  Today we are camping.

The two don't go hand in hand in many ways, but I'm very grateful that there was a hose and sprinkler head close by.  The pool was in its final stages of construction....due to open on Thursday!, so we were a couple of days early.....but did it really matter? no - because there was a sprinkler!

#15 Holidays

Holiday time - I'm so grateful that we have a big holiday time.  A time when we can spend time together as a family.  Today we head to Yarrawonga for a few days and although the whole getting ready is a bit stressful because we're camping - I'm still so glad that we can do this in a country as beautiful as we live.

#14 Opportunity to go away

I'm packing to go to Yarrawonga for 2 nights.

I struggle with packing - and that's an understatement.

...and then I think of those who never get to go away or have a break....and I feel very grateful that I do.

#13 My little girls cuddles when she's sad and struggling

Today I'm so grateful that my little girl will still come to me when she's tired and sad.

We spoke to the surgeons at the RCH and they have decided when she needs surgery.

I think it's hurting her to know what lay ahead and I understand and hope I can be the mum she needs to help her through this journey.

I'm just glad that she can express those feelings to me.....

#12 New friendships

New opportunities - new beginnings - new friends.

Today we spent the day in Beechworth.  Eb enjoyed a day with a friend she made at her transition days.

I super enjoyed a day with a mum that I feel will be a friend forever.  Such a special person - we spoke about things you would normally speak about after a few meetings - but I think that is just the way we will roll - and I'm absolutely delighted!

#11 A word from my daughter

Today I am very grateful for a little girl who brought calm to my life today.  I've been so technically challenged with things not going well at all and at one point I was close to loosing 'it' completely.  She came along and said - Mum, you need to walk away and take a break.  Oh what wise words!

#10 Views

Views - views that take my breathe away - views I've enjoyed in one way or another for almost 10 years.

Oh how I will miss looking out over the hills - sometimes topped with white snow - but always giving such a feeling of beauty and calm.

We live in a beautiful area and I don't think I will ever forget these years.  Grateful indeed.

#9

Home - that's what I love and what I'm grateful for.  I've been away from home since the 29th Dec other than 1 night.  Eb and I have had some great fun times in those days - but I can't even begin to express how lovely it is to be 'home'. Where my family is all together!

#8

Todays grateful post is actually about computers.

I've done countless hours of research for our trip to China in May.

I couldn't have done what I have done without a computer.

There are times when I really don't like them....and there are times when I love them.  Today I'm just plain grateful for mine.

#7

It was exactly a year ago today that our beautiful home in Tawonga South sold. 

I was sad at the time, yet I look back on our last year and feel so blessed to have had the year we have had in a beautiful place where the views are so amazing.  It could have been so different.

I'm grateful for a friend that saw our need and stepped in in a way that not many would.

#6

Today, as is the case often, I have much to be grateful.

Today we leave our Hotel room in downtown Melbourne where we've enjoyed tw


o great nights as mother and daughter.  We've shopped, we've done the RCH bit, we've eaten, we've laughed, we've hugged, we've eaten cupcakes and of course, we went for a visit to Swarovski.  So, so much.

I'm grateful that we could stay in a Hotel right in the heart of the city.  Right beside David Jones and Myer.  So close to so many wonderful sights.  Such a blessing right there.

#5

Today Eb and I went to the Royal Childrens Hospital to see the outcome of the last 9+ years of observation of the growth of her legs.

Finally we have some answers - although not for the cause of her over/under growth.

We know now that surgery is a definite.  

I'm grateful for the Doctors who give their time to make sure the best possible decision has been made for our girl.  People who work tirelessly to ensure the timing is exactly right to do the surgery as timing is critical with what she has to have done.

If we lived in a third-world country - this may not even have been assessed. Very grateful for where we live - in a country that gives us those choices yet again.

#4

Today we have travelled from Mt Beauty to Melbourne.  

Today we walked through the streets of Melbourne and I took the time to notice how much this city has changed.  One of the biggest changes is seeing so many homeless people sleeping on the streets.  That was never the case when I worked here all those years ago.

This leaves me grateful that I have a roof over my head, surrounded by people I love.  I will never take for granted the blessing it is to own a home, have a clean dry bed and food to choose.

So many have a very different story.

#3

Last night we had a horrible experience with the owner of the camping reserve we are staying at.

I was even awake during the night thinking about it and how unreasonable, rude and unfair the owner was.

Today I wake and feel grateful that my life hasn't turned into a life like that mans.  That I have made choices to be respectful and kind to others and to have empathy for the lives that others have led.  During my life I have had things happen that could certainly have made me a different person to what I am today.  Super grateful for God's leading in my life.

#2

Today, I woke up in a beautiful place here in Australia - Gentle Annie in Whitfield, and I look around me at the beauty of Gods creation.  The gorgeous blue skies, the trees that surround me, the sun on my back.  A borrowed camper trailer that has made our little holiday possible, friends who have made this break so much fun.  Life is amazing and I'm very, very lucky.

#1 (1/1)

Today I begin a new journey.  Every year is a new journey, but this one is going to start and end with me looking for something to be grateful for every.single.day.

Welcome to 2017 me.

I know I have so much to be grateful for, but writing about it each and every day will be a challenge.  

Some days I won't want to do it - but I will.

The year ahead is like a blank canvas - what will I choose to write on that canvas?....only time will tell.

Today I am grateful that I live a life where I have choices.  A life that has shown me that there are literally millions of people who have NO choices.

I'm truly blessed.