A Special time for me and my care package Boys.

Something very special happened in Aberdeen today.What an honour for Aberdeen but especially for these boys and we will never forget the Anzac Day that Moses came to town.Never before and probably never again will the flag bearer share his or her honourable time.Moses we say thank you, 4 young boys are still smiling and many Mums and Dads proud but no one more proud than me.

 

 

 

 

I have felt the need today to say just a couple of words then I won't post anymore about Anzac Day w
I was asked why I did not march with the boys and Moses and why I did not lay the wreath with the boys. It is simple I am most comfortable just being their guidance, in the background,I was with them  all day and spiritually I was marching and laying the wreath I wanted them to have this moment to remember for always,they smiled my way and that was enough.My heart was swollen with pride.
This pic is as they finished marching waiting for the service.From left to right..
Nathan,a young man that I am proud to know,he is the most caring little soul,he has done several packages all on his own,but I have to say his caring heart shows in them and he explains to me why each item was chosen,Nathan is going to be a young man that looks after his fellow man.
Brayden,he is the Care Package Captain for so many reasons,he has done so many packages with me,he shows such care when placing each item in the boxes he always shows such enthusiasm and keeps my spirits up,he is humble and does not take credit when it is not his,this is a rare thing,some kids play sport,Brayden does packages.
Moses the boys new friend,I have been lucky enough to have known him just a little longer.When we do the Care packages we discuss what the person might be like etc when we did Moses's package we were in awe of his name we discussed what we thought he would be like,his package was done with love and blessings as we do them all but this time we all felt this was different, we all layed our hands on Moses's box as if guiding him to us on his return,how strange as this is how it turned out to be.Thank you Moses for coming I know we have thanked you before,told you copious times how wonderful it was for you to come,J-M and I thought the kids would love you,it is a sad day for Batman,Spiderman and Superman,the kids have a new hero.
Johnah, has done some packages with us,he has also done some with his family.He also did some with Scouts,they received back a package with a signed flag now in his care,a precious item. He is good caring boy as well.He like the other boys takes pride in the packages,I am proud to know this young man.
Riley has done 2 lots of packages with us,he also enjoys doing them,always with a light heart and he is full of energy and enthusiasm,he is full of curiosity,asking questions the whole time,I love it.
I feel my job is to guide the boys in Community,giving time and caring for others.We talk of how hard it must be for the troops,how little treats will make them smile.I also tell them about Faith and how in every box we need to show that our community may be small but our hearts are filled with limitless generosity.The boys know my faith is very important to me and that is some small way I am serving God and my country,whatever faith the boys may be or me..we are one and my main aim is to teach them one person can make a difference.
Thank you to the parents that entrust your children to me for a few hours each time we get together.

 

 

As we are about to do another 50 Care packages,Moses has taught us how important it is to the troops to receive them and this has made us even more excited and committed.

Our generous community has given me some money and lots of food and hygiene goodies,so off we go.This year we have done 42 last year we reached a massive 232...not bad for an old girl and her young men!They are wonderful and the time I spend with them is just simply the best.

 

                                                                         Children grow way too fast.

 

 

Many of the blogs I follow have the same situation as we do, the children have married and moved away, when they first left the nest It was very hard, then it just became the way it is.

It actually got much harder again when they had their babies, I got to go to them when the babies were born etc and of course the usual visits each couple of months,but when they all started school it was harder for them to visit with sports on the weekends and activities.

Then Mum came to live with us and we can't get away like we could before,so we have all had to adjust to the new way,3 years on we are still in the same position,it is not a complaint just the way it is and I would not have it any other way.

The point of this blog is what a little thing can happen to make our lives joyous!

 

Three weeks ago I was working at our little op shop, we had just had refurbishment and all us girls were putting it back together,Bob too and we took Mum up so she could have a chat and see the shop looking all fresh.My phone rang and it was young William our daughters youngest."what are you doing Grammy ?'..."just up at Treasures I replied"..."o'h ok I might pop up and have lunch with you" and he hung up.......I said to Bob William is playing a trick like Lilli does...

20 minutes later my phone rang again..'Hi Mum we are at Rutherford we will be there in about an hour, Will wanted to go fishing and only George's worms are good enough (our next door neighbour) can Pa Pa take him down the river for an hour?"...What a wonderful surprise, wwe had not told Mum so she was just so thrilled.

So we ended up down the river fishing and having a lovely 2 hours,lunch,then they left ,just like it had been a dream.

 

                                                    Pa Pa showing Will how to do his rod.

 Will thinking this looks too hard lol but it only took him abput 3 casts to get the idea.

Will took his shoes off to have a paddle and with lots of prickles on the ground there is only one way back up to the car...on Pa Pas back ...a lovely day..Will has ordered fishing rod and tackle box for his birthday.Alex was on camp and livvy was at a birthday party so we will see them soon.

 

Then the following weekend another surprise our son rang and said his family was coming up for an overnight stay..blessings in abundance 2 weeks in a row....

 

 

 Lilli,Elijah and Eden helping Pop do his pamphlets for Monday mail delivery,great helpers,we had a very wet visit to the park  as we had had the rain.

Kirsty and Michael looking at  Mums favourite rose with her.I still wash and set Mums hair each week.

 

Just seeing them all was wonderful,we will all meet up at easter and go to the Royal Easter Show together,so that will be fun.

 

Small blessings are the beast, I have always said one hour together is better than no time at all and that is so true.

                                                             Long time between posts

Our first change of news is that instead of retiring in  about 8 weeks we will be working another year, we are used to the idea now and it gives us more preparation time, to be honest, I was struggling with letting go of my office .Those that have followed me know that I work in Gods own office in the countryside on my mail run. Our contract actually  finished in 2015 so it is no surprise that things would not work out the way we thought. Now we have a better chance of being better off financially as well as still having Mum full time we can't go anywhere yet so may as well be at work( well that's my reckoning lol).
 Our area has been in drought for a long time now, and just the last couple of weeks we were blessed with rain, so now the creeks are slowly starting to trickle again, although so much more is needed.

                                                              Refreshing waters are back......

 The little waterfall without all its splendor,it has looked this way for months.

Usually I have to carefully drive through water here but sadly it is very slowly coming back to life,we need much more rain yet.

With the gentleness of the rain comes the dusty paddocks slowly coming to life with the rebirth of weeds and wildflowers,enjoy some I took pics of last week,they were wonderful to see once more,they have been sadly missed.

Looking out from our front verandah the promise of more...I am thinking we are blessed.

                                                             The week that was......



Some visitors to our garden, Bob puts Georgies left over food in a feeder attached to our large Gum tree and we get so many visitors, these couple are so quiet we can go almost right up to them, they bring their babies to show us each season,sometimes there is up to 8 visiting, this day just the two came and it was great as Lilli was here to see them too.

 

And here are some pedestrians that I met this week,funny things cows they just stare at you and move when they are good and ready,we wasted a whole 5 minutes this day and we did not care they are just lovely,isn't it wonderful how long cows eye lashes grow.

  
One farmer has Alpacas to mind his sheep a white one and a black one, I just love them, they also have amazing eyes.

 

Thursday they were on the roadside feeding,we are so desperate for rain, food is not plentiful again and so they feed on the 'long yard" as we call it over here, you need a permit and have to pay to do this,hand feeding takes it toll on the farmers,hopefully rain will come soon.

Not a drop of water left in the many creeks I cross,I can't wait until the rains come and the wood hens come back and the lizards are there  having a drink,poor things wonder where they found a waterhole.

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Have a wonderful week everyone and may the sun shine on your lives and in your hearts,may your plates and tummies be full,while our lives just go on a flow others are so hungry and homeless, we are truly blessed to be where we are,God is good to our family I pray that he will find a solution for all those struggling,in our own little way we all need to do a little no matter how small,one person does make a difference.

                                    Photos you are just so glad you took.

A few years ago we took Mum to visit her sister Pat in Kiola so they could spend a couple of days together.They talked on the phone every day for many years.It is one year today since Mums very close sister passed.Mum misses her soooo much....Aunty Pat is on the right.Mum turned 93 in December and her dear brother John passed away the year prior so his anniversary is on the 22nd of this month and her sweet twin Thelma passed away 8years ago.It maks Mum very sad some days,but the lovely thing is she reminisces a lot and tells of the many happy times mostly of when they were all young,so she has more joyful memories than sad ones.
I think this picture tells it all Aunty Pat and her big sister Bid.

 

                                                  New Year brings many Changes


Well Christmas has come and gone and a great time was had by all, New year arrived and went also a nice time but everyone I see is soooo tired out by it all...I know we are.Mum had a lovely time and was spoilt as she should have been.

The countdown is on for us ,6 months to go in our working lives, I am terrified, I wonder how we will manage etc,but I guess everyone wonders that,all our working life has been as lower wage earners and just the last 6 months things have looked up but now we will have to give that up.
I am looking forwad to being available to seeing the childrens school events, travelling on the train to visit etc, time for the things I used to love to do,I just hope we can do at least one of our dream trips..we will see...

I am going to try to take a picture each day of my work day.
The first to share is of the pupils of the little school I have told you of, 6 pupils and the school is named Rouchel Public School  pronounced Roo-kell.

Bob had the chance to come with me just before Christmas and he got to feel the joy and love the children give to me, when they hear my car coming they squeal with joy and run to collect the mail.Can you imagine the noise when they saw Bob in the car...then Georgie...(they are famous you know lol the kids told me!)..
Anyway they all had a hold and each had their pic taken with Georgie,and Bob was in his glory.Just one of the many things I will miss!

Aren't they all gorgeous! the tallest boy nelson is off to High School this year and that will leave 5 children, the government has given permission for the school to stay open for another year they pray for another family to move to the area.
Have a great day.

                                                                     2 More Sleeps !
Ready for the onslaought of visitors, what fun!!! They will all arrive tomorrow night Christmas Eve,there will be 6 kids,7 adults and 6 dogs in the house, the walls will stretch,cuddles all round noise and laughter galore!
We are ready all the meats are cooked ready,puddings and cakes on the defrost and 2 more hectic days of mail delivery,then a little break.

 Here are the stockings ready for the dogs, Molly is the only girls so she had to have a princess sparkly one, the boys have sparkles too of course because they are special as well.

 Lilli came on the train for a few days early to help Nana and we took some Chrissy pics of our pets;Molly is clearly not impressed!

 Poor Billy, he was not impressed,he says "they adopted me and they do this"!

 Georgie is ever the poser so he just took it all lol.

Molly had to have a drink!  lol I think it was stronger than water....

Have a lovely Christmas everyone, I do hope all the dogs get on together,should be hysterical, I imagine Mum will want ear plugs! but I am feeling there is much fun ahead.