So many blessings

Ok I think this blog post might need to come with a warning "navel gazing may have occurred prior to writing this post" *smile*

Maybe it is the time of the year, I don't know, when there is anticipation in the air and of course the question that always comes up "so what do you want for Christmas?". Hubby asked me this again the other day, and honestly I couldn't come up with anything.

Like I said to him, I'm not much of a material/things kind of girl. I mean gifts are lovely, but then you have to find somewhere to put it. In all seriousness I have so many gifts already in my life, I think my cup runneth over as they say in the classics.

I have a wonderful husband and 2 gorgeous sons. Yep we are not the pretend perfection of the Brady Bunch or anything like that, we have our sh*t to deal with like everyone else, but we work as a family unit, we have a home filled with love and support, a safe haven for all of us.

I have my extended family, especially my brother and my mum - the cool kind of family that if you don't happen to touch base for a bit because life gets in the way, there is no guilt or emotional blackmail, there is just sincere warmth when we do catch up - but again if any of us needs the other for any reason, we are all there in a shot!

There are the friends that have made it in to my life via karate - those that share a passion for this stuff. People who make me laugh with their blog posts, others who send me the most beautiful messages via facebook, messages that take my breath away and at the same time make me feel so incredibly humble. Even parents of the kids we teach at karate, who take the time to tell us how much they value what we do and the care we take of their kids in the dojo.

Then there are the friends met on my journey with A. What a mixed bag they are, from all walks of life, all over the world, and each with their own unique story but with that common bond we share.

There is Mr 21 who just graduated from a Bachelor of Economics, at the same age equivalent as his hearing peers. Incredible achievement from the guy who implanted at age 3 had about about 50 words!!! And he is the most gorgeous young man to boot. Oh his mum and dad are pretty awesome too for that matter.

Rachel and her family - the ones who walked that path before us, and her mom that continues to educate and advocate for those little ones and their parents who are just starting out on the journey.

Val and her family - talk about a woman who looks at a glass half full! She is going through some tough stuff with her family at the moment, but doesn't let that drag her down - oh no, she not only takes it in her stride, she uses it to build those amazing bonds with her children and to use those circumstances as life lessons for them that will only stand them in greater steed as they get older.

There is the incredible mom I have known for over 10 years who has very generously offered to try to get me to the USA next year for the Cochlear Celebration, so I can stay with her and finally meet her. Best of all if I actually get to go there, we can get to share a cup of tea in her garden that she has had re-done in the time that I have known her. I have heard so much about it, I look forward to the possibility of just sharing that cup of tea and quite conversation in the beauty of her garden.

In a nutshell, really what material gift could I possibly need? I am already incredibly blessed by the people who have entered and become part of my life during the years of my own journey here.

One week and counting

one week down, one more to go....

When you are in the rush, rush of here and there in life, it is amazing just how much your kids fill your thoughts and life isn't it? Master B has been gone a week, well actually not quite a week, just 5 days but it seems like so much longer....

I miss his crazy arguments and reasons why he can't start his homework until after he has chatted on msn with his school friends, whose company he left not half an hour before.

I miss his mop of blonde hair that all too frequently I have to address with "you need a hair cut!"

I miss the attempt at rational conversation around "school is gay, teachers are gay, what a waste of the last 10 years of my life".

I miss the fact that even though he is a know it all teen, he still likes the fact that his mum comes upstairs each night to kiss him good night and give him a cuddle (or her cold hands under quilt if the mischevious mood strikes).

I miss having to navigate the chicanes of the meals area in the morning, me with 2 dogs in hot pursuit waiting for breakfast, Jimmi Hendrix junior strumming away on his electric guitar, squeezing in 10 minutes of playing time before we leave for school - his 2 guitars sitting side by side unmoved for the last 5 days are such a reminder he isn't here right now.

Bella, my gorgeous mutt, is also at a loss. Sure I'm here, hubby is here and A is here too - but not her beloved B!! The one who on arriving home every afternoon without fail, drops to the floor to smother her with pats and kisses on the top of her head. She laying there tail beating out that steady drum of pure heaven as she gets that special moment of attention. Then when the cuddles are over, she starts annoying him with the ball at his feet, til he throws it for her - yeah in the house, we are a doggy household - no apologies.

Instead I now find my quiet TV time interrupted with the continual arrival of a slightly soggy, split tennis ball in my lap and a big pair of pathetic brown eyes willing me to just pick it up and throw it for her.

It is an ironic and yet beautifully moving thing - this dear sweet boy who has at times been in the shadow of his older brother's hearing loss, sure leaves a big old hole when he isn't here.

Nine more sleeps to go and counting......

Oh the pampering

Well there is much that I could be doing - karate stuff like writing the newsletter or typing the feedbacks from the recent grading - but I am finding it hard to settle this weekend.

My baby is off on the experience of a life time Quest Camp!

Quest is a 2 week program run by his school (his brother did it last year) where they are away interstate for 2 weeks, abseiling, mountain bike riding, canoeing, rock climbing and finish with a 4 day hike out of the area. The reason they go for 2 weeks is because the fundamental ideal of the camp is perseverance, resilience, community spirit etc. Time for them to be away from home long enough to realise they can be self-reliant and they can manage by themselves.

It is sooooo going to be the best thing for my baby - we all know how amazing he is and what he is capable of - but he hasn't "got it!" yet. This time away hopefully will help him see that.

He like his brother did last year has gone into that "hmmm I'm going to be away for 2 whole weeks" phase where spontaneous cuddles with mum are a frequent affair, suddenly the other chair in the lounge room isn't anywhere near as good as plopping down onto the chair that mum is on and squishing in next to her. Or if Dad is lying on the bed watching something on TV that is enough of an excuse to stretch out alongside him for awhile to see what he is watching. Dont' get me wrong - loving it! but it is kind of cute to see these big grown up teen boys go through that phase of wanting that bit of reassurance before they go.

And mum??? Well I am not worried about him going away, I know he will be well looked after and will have an awesome time - but well he is going to be away for 2 weeks!!! My baby, the youngest of the nest, gone for 2 weeks.

Sooo what is there to do but pamper him stupid before he goes. Making him yummy special home cooked meals this weekend, his choice of favourites of course. Off to do the food shopping and of course all his favourite snacks landed in the trolley so he may eat like a king before he goes off to rough it in the bush.

Get this I even bought him a Whizz Fizz Christmas stocking today. He looked at it smiled and headed off upstairs to do his thing. I didn't realise he thought he had to wait til Christmas for it lol!! I told him I bought it for him to eat over the weekend - hey is off to the lolly free zone for 2 weeks, he might as well gorge himself now right??? You should have seen his face when I said he could have it now - it was a classic.

Ah yup sometimes it is nice to have an excuse to pamper them and even pander to them a bit - most of the time we are stuck in the responsible grown up parent role where we have to be sensible and make sensible decisions. Not this weekend - we will be in pamper city so he heads off next week full of reassurance on how much we love, how much we will miss him (knowing he will have a great time) and what a special part of this family he is.