Introducing Jake Harb....

Who is this person you may ask? Why does her deserve a mention, and a photo, in the Lizards Playground? He is Abbey's boyfriend! After Matt's extreme nervousness about meeting Jake and his parents last night - and taking him to one of our traditional gatherings, he was desperately hoping to find something 'wrong' about this mild mannered young boy....

The findings so far- he's 5ft 11, is extremely well mannered (and a little shy) plays football, oz tag, does athletics, studies hard (apparently) at a private catholic college, works out, shows respect for all elders, did I mentioned extremely well mannered? He (so far) treats Abbey beautifully (even after his introduction to the 'tribe' and the children of the tribe did their best to test the poor boy) AND he can play guitar!!! His folks even drove from Bankstown to Glossodia at 1am to pick him up, stayed for an hour chatting and getting to know Matt (I've met them a couple of times now, and spoken a couple of times on the phone to Mum Kerrie) as he'd never been here before to sleep over (in Tulley's bed mind you). Am I sounding a little too impressed for my first real boyfriend experience as a parent????? It all seems to smooth flowing and good to be true.... she is so happy!

Watching Matt not knowing how to react, or where to look when they were on the lounge together - Abbey with legs across his lap (her lying down, him sitting at her feet end of the lounge just so you get the picture) or when they were holding hands at the party, were a couple of the precious & priceless moments for me.

So for the Novacastrian side of the family.... have a look :)

Today

I have just wasted an entire day. Well, I wrote, I blogged, I uploaded pics, watched a Dvd, had a nap. So why do I feel like I've wasted a day??? That's wrong, where does this guilt birth itself...

Putty Beach Killcare Jan 2010

How photogenic is this child? For a baby who used to keep the most serious face no matter how much Matt and I tried to make her laugh, she's turned out pretty smiley and full of laughs. Love her so much!

Jackson turns 9

Mum, Jackson and Nan

Min Mia 2010

Being part of the wani ceremony... an uplifting experience

Min Mia 2010

Aboriginal symbol/prayer (?) type flags...

Min Mia 2010

I love this space at Hallow Wood. Sharing in Min Mia's womens workshop, being enlightened to Aboriginal elder womens lore and looking after our land was unique and amazing. How beautiful to have these dreamtime stories and ways of our land shared.

How did that become my fault?

Feeling you move inside of me; lying on your bedroom floor when it was empty contemplating how to decorate for your entry into the world in some form of neutral gender display only seems like yesterday. The beauty of learning to be a Mum and nurturing your world, taking what I needed from my own childhood and combining what I've grown into. My morals, my love, my ideals, my views, my learnings... It is all amazing, heart wrenching, beautiful. Yet no-one warns you of how everything somehow becomes your fault when teenage years arrive. Your best friend is fighting with you? Well yes that's my fault... I was not only miles away at the time this all took place & I'd left school in 1981 however that doesn't seem to matter. Your injury on the netball court? Yes, that ones my fault too even though I don't play netball & was just watching you play and supporting your team! The fight you had with your father last night? You guessed it, my fault but I was at my exercise class when that one happened. The list seems to be endless. Yet how, when you've done all that wonderous work in your childs formative years, as a Mother, does everything become your fault??? Yet I love you just the same.