A new school year.

On Monday Sarra started high school at St Patrick's College. I remember starting there in grade 7... way back in 1986. My stepdad also went to St Pat's back in the 1960s so it is really nice for a 3rd generation to start there too.

Sarra was very excited, a little nervous but more excited than anything. She looked so smart in her uniform and all grown up all of a sudden.

I drove her to the bustop which is just outside Andy's bakery. It leaves at about 7.45 and it is only about a 7 minute walk from our house so she is going to walk to and from there after school.  I must have been a little embarrassing with my camera but what the heck, your kids only start high school once.

Jesse and Cooper who went to Westbury PS with Sarra.

The bus gets back to Westbury about 4.15 each day and there is a later one if they miss the first one. It is all a bit confusing as about 3 different buses stop and depending how many kids are already on the bus they either get on or have to wait for the next bus. Apparently around 70 St Pat's kids are country kids coming from the Meander Valley area.

I must admit I had a little cry as I was remembering feeling the same when Sarra started kinder and now all of a sudden here she was starting high school. So many mothers used to tell me not to wish away the days when they are small and it is so true - it all goes by so fast.

While we were sitting there waiting for the bus, I was trying to think up some great pearls of wisdom and all I came out with was, "don't let anybody be mean to you". lol. I told her that I loved her and was so proud of her and to remember who she was and how special she is and to find friends that had a kind heart just like hers.

When Sarra got home from school, I lhad eft a note and her favourite choccies on the bed for her to see. I got the idea from this inspired mother.

It's just something small but I think it really helps them to know they are loved at home which is so important as they spend so much time away from home surrounded by other influences and I would like them to feel that home was a sanctuary away from the pressures of the peer world. It is something I want to work on more this year and like everything in life - it's always a work in progress. :)

Yesterday these three returned to school and there was no nerves amongst Hallie and Ollie, just excitement to be seeing their friends again.

It was Jonty's first day of kinder and his blankie came along for a ride in the car, but thankfully there were no issues about leaving it in the car.

I wasn't as emotional as the day before with Sarra's first day but it seems just like yesterday when Jonty was born and I was bringing him home from the hospital.

And now he's all 'growed up".

He obviously listened a bit on his first day as after school he said, "Mrs Riley said we have walking feet at school".

I know the kids will have a wonderful year learning new things and growing in knowledge. height. and friendships.

Australia Day will never be the same

I have sat looking at this blank post page, waiting to write about this Australia Day, one year ago. But there are so many emotions threatening to overwhelm me and part of me wants to run away and hide from writing this post, still not wanting to believe that my close friend Lisa has been without her best friend, her funny loving Hawks mad husband Aaron, for precisely one whole year now. That her three beautiful sons on earth are without their Daddy.

I look out the window as I did last year. The window has changed, I have changed. Life has gone on as it can't help but do, but for my beautiful friend, the grief is still as strong as ever, even more so now than then.

The pain in her eyes is always there, the grief which none of us can truly comprehend, her unwelcome constant companion, every minute of every day. But alongside that is something else, something that truly makes Lisa the amazing brave person that she is and I suspect always has been.

Lisa is following in the footsteps of her Aaron and making each day count. She is not allowing a day to go by where not despite, but inspite of their heartbreak, she shows her boys love and hope and faith and grace and courage in the face of this unimaginable story which is now their life.

This recent photo Lisa took while away in Swansea is a testament to what I just said. Look at those four beautiful smiles. They each are going through so much but together, their love for each other and for Aaron and Noah transcends everything.

My favourite picture is still this one. It says so much about who this family is, what they mean to each other......without having to say anything at all!

Australia Day will never be the same again. As the majority celebrates with snags and shrimps and lamingtons and lots of beer no doubt (very Australian), those who had the privilege of knowing Aaron  will never know an Australia Day without smiling and crying and remembering one of the most amazing men they have ever met and wishing until it hurts so much.....and then some......that I could change things and make Australia Day 2012 never ever happen, for Lisa and her boys and the rest of her family that were there that day.

Lisa took this photo Australia Day 2010 with Aaron and Harri.

It look so much like this photo that Lisa took the day before Australia Day 2012 with Kobe(one of the last photos Lisa took of Aaron).

This is a photo of Jay fishing the day after Australia Day 2011.

I would like to think that the Australia Day 2013 photo is one of Aaron fishing again but this time he has his arms wrapped around Noah who is sitting in front of him and Aaron is now teaching Noah to fish. But you know what - I think Noah already knows and together they are catching a different kind of fish.

Malaysia - Welcome to Kuala Lumpar

Day 13 - Tuesday Sept 25.

When we woke up in the morning, this was the view from our hotel room at the airport that greeted us.

 It was so hot and muggy, about 32 degrees but we loved every minute of it and were looking forward to alot of sunshine after our Tassie winter.

We had a driver (Jake) for our apartment, pick us up from the airport and take us into KL. Our apartment wasn't ready yet so we dumped our stuff and headed off to Buta Caves, just four stops away from the train near our apartment.



We were warned (thanks TripAdvisor) that there are heaps of monkeys at the Buta Caves and that they are ruthless in being bold and stealing whatever you have in your hand and they also love bling so to be careful about dangly earrings.

Once we had passed through the gates into Buta Caves, we saw the very long stairs we would have to climb to get into the caves.

So up we climbed.....

and climbed.....

very warily past the monkeys, but some were more cute than others.

Once we got to the top, the view was worth the heat and sweat.

And it was also fun to look down on at the people still struggling up the stairs just like we had. ;)

In the caves were the usual trinkets that we were starting to see for sale wherever we went, cheap souvenirs like little Bhuddas and fridge magnets.

and a random rooster but it was cool and refreshing in the caves, so maybe he wasn't so silly after all.

There were just a few more steps inside the caves.

And right in the centre was a big natural hole to see the sky. It was really pretty.

Right in the middle too was a special Bhudda were you could place presents and light a candle.

walking back from the middle of the caves toward the entrance ready to start walking back down the stairs.

We met some scavangers on the way back down. They ran so fast and totally freaked us out because as soon as someone rustled a plastic or paper bag, they would all charge over looking for food.

Just near the caves was a few shops and places to eat. This one place that didn't look like much from the outside, served up the most authentic and delicious food I have ever tasted and in my opinion, was the best food we had on our whole trip. The people were so lovely and accommodating and serving our food on big banana leaves. I loved it all so much .

Hallie especially loved the food too. She relished trying all the foods from both Korea and Malaysia and was never afraid to try anything.

On the way back to the train, we saw some birds and were doing nothing wrong until we attracted the attention of the police.

Lucky it was only because they were fascinated by Flynn. :)

It was extra hot with Flynn in the pack and feeling the sweat run down our backs as walked around with an extra 10 kgs on us but that didn't stop me from enjoying the heat.

After we spent some time at the Buta Caves, we took the train back to our apartment. The train was only about 4 stops back and then a short 5-10 minute walk through a beautiful park, with some amazing old buildings.

Here is the view of our block of apartments through the trees in the park.

And so after a long day the kids were happy to get to the apartment and veg out in front of the TV, while I as usual kept taking happy snaps. (only about 2000 for the whole trip) :)

This was our view from our apartment at night, out on the balcony over the city of Kuala Lumpar (KL) with the Petronas twin towers (the tallest twin towers in the world) to the left of the photo.