the world is still a good place, the 16/05/14 edition

I’m hesitant to write another The World is Still a Good Place post.  I wrote one on David’s birthday back in February.  While I was busy concentrating on being grateful, I denied myself the chance to be sad.  In the days after his birthday, my body struggled.  I tried to keep going, but I didn’t have the energy to get through the day.  At the gym, weights I normally lift with ease seemed impossible.  I was using a bit of silly machinery made to help people who can’t do actual chin ups, but I was still not going up.  I stopped, wiped my tears with my towel and tried again.  Still nothing.  Tears started to stream.  Fearful anyone would notice, I grabbed my keys and made a beeline for the car.  My body decided that I wouldn’t consciously take some time to be sad, it would make some for me.  I’m still floored by what a physical process grieving is; how exhausting it is, how much is hurts.  Still, here are five reasons why the world is still a good place this week.

1. The lunch

I learned an important lesson back in February, so as Mother’s Day approached I was ready to be gentle with myself.  I asked Bearhands if we might invite our mums to lunch on Uncle Davo’s Hill.  I told him my vision of cut glass and crystal and the Sunday afternoon sun.  He instantly agreed.  On Sunday morning, he loaded a table and chairs on a forklift and drove them to the top of the hill.  I set the table with all the trimmings, we shared lunch while the kids played and the sun shone on us all.  Later Bearhands mixed Mausie and I a cocktail and I woke Monday with a Mother’s Day hangover.

My favourite moment of Mother's Day - finding out the Big Sister thinks I'm speshil.

Cut glass, crystal and Sunday afternoon sun.

JC and the Little Sister

Bearhands and Mausie

Mother's Day blooms

Lunch lasted nto the late afternoon.

2. The Little Sister’s words

Our annual Fraser Island holiday always changes my kids.  Inevitably my girls come home more grown up, with new skills and new words.  I suspect it’s being surrounded by so many adults and older children who really talk with the girls instead of transacting with them, that makes them grow.  The Little Sister has come home a chatter box.  She’s singing the alphabet song.  It seems like only moments ago her older sister was singing "a b c d e f g h i j k elemenopeeeeeeeee".
The Little Sister is very different to the Big Sister.  My eldest has always been easy to get along with.  My youngest is  ...well... not.  Her wilfulness combined with her new found voice is making me laugh.  “Mummy, don’t count these steps! NOT one!  NOT two!  NOT three!  NOT four!”

3. The athlete

Last week the Big Sister competed in her very first cross country.  She's a competitive little possum by nature and I have absolutely no idea where she gets that from.*  She finished seventh; a fair result when you consider that her and her little mate chose to complete the optional obstacle course, stopping to straighten the hurdles before jumping over them.

4. The party

On Tuesday night, I lay in bed wondering if starting a Pinterest focussed link party was a good idea.  My inner teenage girl worried that I was about to throw a party to which no one would show up.  I needn’t have worried, my lovely friends helped me spread the word and lots of interesting bloggers (even some I hadn’t yet discovered) joined in.  I’m Pinning Around will return on Wednesday, I hope you enjoy discovering some new blogs too.

5. The little kidney that could

A couple of years ago, the Little Sister had a string of bad health that led to an investigation of her kidneys.  They discovered that one of her kidneys was markedly smaller than the other.  They both worked, but the size discrepancy worried the paediatrician.  We were to keep an eye on it.  The time came to have another ultrasound this week.  I told anyone who would listen that I wasn’t worried.  That she was a happy healthy kid.  Then, on Wednesday, we got the results: two perfectly pink kidneys of equal size!  The best possible news we could have hoped for.  Parked at the lights on the way home I started to cry.  I thanked David for watching over the baby he only held once.  Then, as we turned the corner of road to the farm, a massive rainbow appeared.  As I turned into the driveway, it disappeared over Uncle Davo’s hill.

So that's it.  Five reasons why this week was a good one.  How are things with you?

did you wake with a hangover on Monday or is it just me?
what’s making the world a good place for you this week?

* Actually, she gets it from me.  It speaks volumes that my kids have inherited their least admirable qualities from me!