meet legs

This is Legs, he arrived in the mail today with a note:

"Hi Nix and S, my name is 'Legs' and I need looking after. I have been traumatised by the journey and need a lot of love and attention".

This was sent to me by my lovely Aunt in England who just lost her Mum (Mrs S), this handsome teddy bear belonged to Mrs S and Mary-Ann told me she thought her Mum would have wanted me to have it. It's come a long way and I love it, particularly because it belonged to Mrs S. I am going to keep it and give it to our kids - if and when we can have them. I will be able to tell them all about where it came from and who it belonged too.

Thanks Mary-Ann. Legs is welcome to the family and will be very much looked after.

good-bye mrs s

Today was the funeral of the lovely Mrs S, so last night (which was Wednesday in Oz) SP and I went out for dinner then we took two white roses down to the beach, climbed up some rocks so we could spend some time saying good-bye. SP prayed then we threw the roses into the ocean and said good-bye. I cried a lot but it was a great thing to be able to do to say our own good-byes in our own way. It still saddens to me know that I will never she her again but I have many great memories to cherish. As I couldn't be there I wrote a little something - just and sweet, to be read out at the funeral. Here it is:

"I first of all want to say that words cannot describe how sad I am to not be there to say my good-byes to Mrs S today, I will in my own way be doing that all the way over in Australia.

When I think of Mrs S many things come to mind; Mary-Ann, Guinness, the never forgotten birthday card and Christmas card, generosity, Christmas dinners, mis-hearing things said at the table, stories of weekends away and my third ‘adopted’ Nan.

I am so thankful that I got to see Mrs S this Christmas when I was home, that she got to meet Scott and that she also got to join us on a family lunch. I will miss seeing her again, I will miss making more funny stories to tell and remember BUT, I have so many memories, memories that death cannot take away, memories that I can take with me wherever I go.

To Mary and Kevin, I adore you both so much and I am sorry I am not there with you at this time. Know that Scott and I have been thinking and praying for you. We wish we were not as far away. I know that Mrs S was so blessed to have a daughter and son-in-law just like you, I am sure she was so proud and honoured to have you in her life. We love you both and our thoughts are with you on this day".

The day went well from what I have heard, as well as funerals can go. I spoke to my family this morning to hear all about it. It's good to know that now they can move forward, especially my Aunt as it is so hard when you have a funeral looming.

Thanks for all your prayers, they were much appreciated.

strange weekend

This weekend has certainly been different to what I expected, it was fun hanging out with family and friends but the beginning and end was marred with tragedy and sadness. Firstly we found out that my sister-in-law's boss (1 of the 5 Australians) was killed in the recent plane crash in Indonesia, then when we arrived in Canberra we found out SP's Grandma has suffered a mild heart attack. We managed to continue having a good relaxing time - we spoke to SP's grandma in the hospital over the phone and she was doing well. We played tennis, ate exceedingly well and had a fun time.

We arrived home last night, had dinner with our friends who had come to Canberra with us and then as we got into the car to head home I received a phone call from my Mum. I was telling her about the weekend and then she said those words you dread to hear, especially when you live on the other side of the world, "I have some bad news". I immediately burst in to tears and knew that it was my Aunties Mum (who I had asked for prayers about last week), she was still in the hospital and her little body was not recovering very quickly. They put her on a breathing machine but turned it of, she passed away this weekend after developing a chest infection and then kidney failure - there was nothing they could do. It's been an interesting weekend, death so much at the front of my mind as I saw my sister-in-law grieve her boss and as I hear another friend talk how she also knows someone who lost a relative in the same plane crash this week. Then to arrive home to a phone call and to hear someone you loved is no longer here. I cried so hard and barely slept last night, the feeling of being so far away from family, from people who knew Mrs S is so so so hard and makes the grief even more intense.

Mrs S was like another Nan to me, she spent many Christmas' with us and had no other family but her daughter and son-in-law, so we chose her to be part of our family. She always remembered my birthday, sent me cards for Christmas, and always asked my Auntie about me - she really cared and took an interest in what I was doing. There are many fun memories we have of trips and Christmas lunches with Mrs S - she will be sadly missed but I will still giggle at seeing this little lady - with her little bottle of Guinness at the Christmas table, mis-hearing what everyone was saying - she didn't have the best hearing in the world, I will miss her calling me 'pet' and getting my birthday and Christmas cards in the mail.

I am so glad that I got to see her on a few occasions when I was home this Christmas, one last Christmas drink together, a Guinness of course and an opportunity for SP to meet her. Then a family lunch before I came back to Australia.

You will be missed Mrs S!