PASSION!!

Yes, I can feel it in my waters...I am starting to feel like my old (well actually younger) self. I recall that I use to have lots of interests and goals and passions that I thought i would be ticking off a big huge list as I got older. Unfortunately life and responsibilities and other hidieous things got in the way. My next posts will be dedicated to the things which I LOVE (or have the potential to love if I had my way!!!) or feel strongly about. Watch this space!! :)

Bienvenido Mauricio!!

Now that I have introduced the members of our household, let me introduce the new addition. Mauricio is a student from a school in Mexico City who is involved in a homestay program with Luis' school. He will stay with us for six months and hopefully he will learn some English from us and we will learn some Spanish from him! He arrives at the end of this month and we are so excited about taking him around the local spots and of course to the beach. Benvenido Mauricio!!

Joss

Joss is my step daughter, a beautiful bohemian soul. We have become more closely aquainted while she has been staying with us a lot over the last 6 months. She brings lots of joy into the household. Luis loves having a sister around the place, Graham loves having his daughter back in his life and I don't mind a bit of female company! Joss is a musician, artist and altruist and will go far in whatever she chooses to do.

Polly the Pooch

Apollo. We call him Polly for short. He doesn't care that it's a girlie name, he just comes running and jumping and licking and smooching. He is a Lowchen (that's a pedigree dog, even though he looks like a bitzer!) He was bought for Riley as a companion dog and he is just that. He never leaves anybody's side and is quite neurotic. He jumps at the slightest sound (great guard dog if you want to keep out birds, falling leaves, helicopters, pedestrians etc) He has to take Doggie Valium to get through the day because he gets stressed out at the least hint of anyone leaving the house. Our friends call him Fang, as you can see, he has an awkward tooth that protudes and makes him look a bit silly.

Husband Material

Graham is my bestie. We have been through hell and back together many times, sometimes more successfully than others. He is funny, clever, a bit handsome, quite domestic, a great handyman and a very fine cook. Every women's dream. He does have the propensity to get his knickers in a twist on occasion, but we always manage to get them unravelled.
His work has taken us to foreign countries where we have had lots of adventures. For much of Riley's life Graham was his carer and did a magic job. He is a wonderful life partner and Dad. At the moment he is on his way to fulfilling a life dream...completing a PHD. I'm a bit proud of him!
I'll let you in on some of our new and old adventures in future posts!

Long Live The Luis!!!

The long haired lout himself. He is now a teenager. This boy has always been an absolute JOY with lots of capitals and boldness!!!! He is funny, smart, cheeky, a good conversationalist, has heaps of character and personality and is just lovable. He loves the theatre and being on stage. He doesn't mind being the centre of attention in any situation. He has moved countries and schools more times than I like to count and every time he rises to the occasion.
Now that he is a teenager he is also lazy, slothy, (a little bit) grunty, monosyllabic, disorganised and addicted to gaming. I love that he is a teenager and tease him non stop about his hormonal ways. I say LONG LIVE THE LUI!!!

The Life Of Riley

Riley Paul

13.3.00-25.12.04
A beautiful cherub of a child who dealt with more than his fair share of challenges. We miss him.
It has been four years since Riley passed away in his sleep on Chrismas Day. It has taken me this long to start to clear the fog of grief and loss and start to see that my life can have joyful meaning again.
I have started this blog as a record of how my life now unfolds. I am excited about my life for the first time in a long time.
In 2000, Riley was born, perfect, but with an imperfect brain. A neurological migration disorder had meant that his brain was too small and not formed properly. That was the beginning of my feelings of grief and loss, for us and for him. He had no significant milestones, although he smiled a lot, laughed a bit and gave big wet, sloppy kisses, which kept us going. He was totally dependent on us for everything, which only made us love him more. In retrospect, we wished we cuddled him more and just relished every hug smile, kiss and laugh, instead of consuming ourselves with worry about how we were going to look after him long term. There was no long term......
Which brings me back to the reason for my blog. I intend to live each day I am given now with gusto, joy, enthusiasm and with integrity. I am going to be the best person I can be (with the exeption of my pity party days which I will explain in more detail in future posts). The last eight years have been totally consumed with pain, anxiety, sadness, guilt, depression and anger. I really feel that I can say goodbye now to all of that hideousness and move on with living a peaceful and fun life.