I probably shouldn't post today. Too first-day-back-at-school maudlin. Too post book-covering and pencil labelling to be really lucid. But I wanted to mark the beginning of another year of learning and a newish year for me of getting a career happening and other things you do when all your littles are at school full time. Well, I know they were technically all full time last year but I always kept the Preschoolers home for a day a week. So this is the really-oh truly-oh full time year. We had such good holidays: sun, beach, sleeping in, dresses, nectarines, card games,... Continue reading

It's like a new day to the power of 365. A fresh start, new opportunities, endless open-endedness, and the delightful knowledge that things will happen this year that I can not possibly foresee. Good things. God things. On the last day of 2012 Killer and I listened to Unleashed by Erwin McManus as we drove to the south-west for a beach holiday. I can't think of a more perfect launch pad for a new year: How is it possible that, for many of us, being a good Christian is really nothing more than being a good person?" The entire focus... Continue reading

I'm challenged these days about how much I rely on others to lift me up. It's right, of course, to encourage each other, and no one is an island. But there's lots of space for me to grow into as a self-encourager. Wiiiide open space. What would it look like? Some out loud statements of truth and hope. Some reminding myself of the good and the already done. More bible. Less vacuous magazine/tv consumption. Breathing deeply, smiling and ignoring the destuctive chatter that can edge its way into my consciousness: "things will never change", "I can't cope", "I shouldn't stick... Continue reading

Maybe you're like me and you're not, perish the thought, 'ready' for Christmas. Ready seems to mean: gifts wrapped and placed under the immaculately decorated tree, home baked goods set out ready for unexpected guests, cards sent, Christmas lunch preparation completed, and all the important Christmas-related activities attended to (advent calendar, Jesse tree, tour of local Christmas light displays, carols by candlelight, nativity play etc. etc. etc.). That's the definition I'm labouring under, anyways. It seems every checkout operator, acquaintance I run into at the shop, magazine article author, and facebook friend is rating their readiness. And to be perfectly... Continue reading

I found this draft post from a year ago and I'm beyond relieved that it's no longer relevant. I'll share it anyway because it's about something we all go through at times and it was certainly a mountain range on the landscape of my life for several years. Now it's just an occasional steep climb. I'm racking up frequent driver miles ferrying children to appointments and have clocked up many hours in waiting rooms over the last six months. On the plus side, it feels like we are making progress for each child and I am well caught up on... Continue reading

I've been waiting until I had something to say. It took a while. The alternative was a loop of praise for blue Castello cheese and the Book Depository. I've spoken before about liberation from fear and the buzz-kill, life-kill that lurks in it's shadows. I had a stark reminder on the weekend of the perils of giving it time. We were at the little vonerables' tennis lessons when Geronimo disappeared, a long way from sight, to sulk on the footpath. Of course, we found him quickly. Of course, he was absolutely fine. But it terrified me that he would think... Continue reading

Hello :) Continue reading

Pretty much everywhere I look in my house, I see incompletion: books half-read, half finished projects, items on their way to being put away when I became distracted, cupboards half-tidy, and half-organised rooms. If I'm not careful, it sends me into a panic. Well worn path. What do you do to stay in the 'now' and deal with the 'not done'? Sometimes I manage quite well through healthy self-talk and other times there's avoidance involved. Probably the most helpful thing has been to gradually let go of the ideal house and perfect mother that I will never have or be.... Continue reading

You should align yourself with people who will, lovingly, tell you the truth about yourself. You really should. You should also ask for feedback after presentations and failed job interviews. And you should take the fish oil that contains no heavy metals. The one you have to drink from a spoon. It irks me that some of my most important growth and health comes from things that are distasteful. Like asking for feedback. Which I've been encouraged to do, again, and I know I need to and it's a really good idea and, yes, I will, but I'm grumpy and... Continue reading

My head is full after two days of PD. I spent a whole car trip in silence out of sheer mental overload. I don't even remember the last time I had no radio or iPod playing in the car...possibly never! But I love the fullness too. I love using my brain for things outside my domestic sphere and I adore presenters who go a million miles an hour while I madly scribble notes. Happy place :) My stomach is also uncomfortably full because I persist in drinking a cup of tea after my dinner. I'm on a 'listen to the... Continue reading

Hard to put into words. I'll try this: The only thing scary about teaching something based on research or established wisdom is the talking part. The part where you wonder if you sound okay, have parsley in your teeth, have enough biscuits for morning tea, etc. When you're talking about something you assembled, partly out of the thin air between your ears, there's a whole lot more to be nervous about. Like, "What if this is the dumbest thing ever?", "What if no one gets me or agrees with me?", and "What if I'm actually wrong?". Un.Comfortable. And another thing... Continue reading

Grateful: for the ceasefire with Sparkly's virus Listening: to Killer tapping away on his lap top in the kitchen. He badly needs a study. Remembering: Superboy as he was nearly seven years ago Eating: Angas Park dried fruit. Do they put a special chemical in to make it all taste so beautifully tart? Hoping: the little vonerables cope okay without me at their athletics carnival tomorrow. I've been so lucky not to have missed any so far. Anticipating: PD next week Feeling: weary Enjoying: the idea of Geronimo digging to China again today to find his lost sneaker in the... Continue reading

Continuing to write during this period of "31 Days", despite having bombed out of the 'post every day' part, is a good thing. You've heard, "done is better than perfect"? Well, these sporadic posts are 'done'. I'm so much better at offering my best efforts these days, when even a year ago nothing other than the whole shebang would suffice. I love this freedom. Love it. Today's discomfort has been sponsored by gastroenteritis (Sparkly, not me) and disrupted sleep. It felt like she was vomiting every half an hour but apparently I slept through some, despite being right next to... Continue reading

It's a good thing to become less concerned with the opinion of strangers. On the other hand, pausing to consider their opinion has been in the best interest of my little vonerables at times. I was letting Geronimo have it today at the shops because he had the temerity to spill his sticky drink all over my foot. I sort of knew it was going to happen from the moment I weakened and bought fizzy drink rather than water. I had asked him specifically not to spill it, eyeball to eyeball. And we all know how effective that sort of... Continue reading

What do you do when you're meh? You google images of garlands. What else do you do when you're tired and uninspired: you quote. Another book I'm loving is Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong by Troy DuFrene and Kelly Wilson. They take and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach to anxiety by encouraging readers to embrace the discomfort and the potential for pain. What we do mean is that, in the middle of this ocean of suffering, there’s a means available to us all to let go of our struggles and choose to move our lives in the direction of... Continue reading

I like: Our soul fluctuates between thoughts and feelings we don't like and thoughts and feelings we do like, and we don't like those fluctuations...we try to stop that swing, because our soul's fluctuations are unpleasant to us and it seems as if God wants us to stop them. We think that Christian maturity is getting that swing under control... (Emily P. Freeman, Grace for the Good Girl) Even keel = good. Swings = bad. That's how I often evaluate my feelings. You too? Certainly, wild swings that make life unmanageable are not good, but I like this idea of... Continue reading

Introducing Picframe for iPad, and my old pals Photogene and Blogsy. My other favorites apps: Birzzle, Conundra, Boggle, Glo Bible, Dropbox and Pinterest. My kids are loving Car Toons, Agent Dash, BMX, Burger Queen and Number Line. I'd love to know yours. Speaking of leaving comments, I need to tell you, Prune, Simone, Jo, and Ali, I so loved reading your comments recently even though I haven't replied. I love that you took time to say Hi and I treasure your words. Which would be weird if you just said, "Hey Von, I like the Pinterest app", in which case... Continue reading

It wouldn't be spring if I didn't post pictures of the everlastings in Kings Park. But not until you see these. We have the most gorgeous wildflowers in WA, right? It's their fault, and the ice rink, the board games, the dvds, the skate park, and my post-sermon-and-now-my-friend-has-linked-to-my-blog-and-more-of-my-friends-will-find-me-here-oh-heck-I-feel-so-exposed freak out, that my 31 Days challenge fell in a big, fat crater. My man, Killer, ensured I dealt directly with the nakedness feelings. He's good like that. Never lets a good berserk-o-rama go unchecked. The 'discomfort' highlight for the week would be the 10 minutes during which I thought I had... Continue reading