My daughter

We didn't plan on three children. Our two boys were all we wanted and we had no desire to procreate again. I have to admit though, that when our second son was born I did feel (for just the smallest moment) a little disappointed that he wasn't a girl. I got over those feelings pretty quickly though when I gazed into his deep, dark eyes. They told many a tale, and he completed our family perfectly. So, that was it,no more babies for us.

The universe, being what it is, had other plans for us and it seems that I was much more fertile than I had thought. It took a few weeks for my third pregnancy to sink in, and there were many days when I wondered how on earth I was going to cope with three small children. I wondered what it was going to be like having another little boy in our home - because that is what I was convinced this little one would be! Of course she wasn't, and we were so very happy to welcome her little spirit earthside.

I am convinced that becoming the mother of a girl child has been one of the catalysts to my own new journey. Learning about the divine and sacred feminine has opened me up to the incredible beauty and power we as women hold within us. The power to transform, to create, to nurture, to heal, and to love. I want my daughter to grow up understanding these qualities. I want to make sure she understands that she has the power to make a difference - to her life and to the life of those around her. I want her to understand that her body is a temple that needs to be honoured. I want her to make the right choices - choices of the heart and not the head. I want her to be a strong young woman, and devoted mother and a loving wife. I want her to know herself.

It has only been in the last six months or so, that I have really understood the enormity of having a daughter. I have so much to prepare her for, and I have so much to teach her. Luckily time, and the biggest support system I have ever encountered, is on my side.

Kookaburra Dreaming

Flying in on the breath of dawn
The chatter of my children pricks his ears
He sits and he watches
Intently, directly
His proud dark eyes bringing wisdom, strength
Healing and laughter
His sacred sound echos and delves
Deep into my heart and my home
His message delivered
He turns to look at the sun
And he has gone.

Thank you, dear friend.

Music...

....seems to be the topic today, so I thought it was appropriate to share one of my favourite songs with you.

Rhiannon - Fleetwood Mac

Rhiannon rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn't you love to love her?
Takes to the sky like a bird in flight
And who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen
A woman, taken by the wind
Where you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever win

She is like a cat in the dark
And then she is the darkness
She rules her life like a fine skylark
And when the sky is starless

All your life you've never seen
A woman taken by the wind
Would you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever win
Will you ever win

Rhiannon, Rhiannon
Rhiannon, Rhiannon

She rings like a bell through the night
And wouldn't you love to love her?
She moves alive like a butterfly
And who will be her lover

All your life you've never seen
A woman, taken by the wind
Will you stay if she promised you heaven
Will you ever win
Will you ever win

Rhiannon, Rhiannon
Rhiannon, Rhiannon

Taken by, taken by the sky
Taken by, taken by the sky
Taken by, taken by the sky

Dreams unwind, love's a state of mind
Dreams unwind, love's a state of mind

Reverence

According to the online dictionary, the definition of reverence is -

1. a feeling or attitude of profound respect, usually reserved for the sacred or divine.

I used to believe that reverence was something that was confined to church meetings and the teachings of Jesus. Or that it was a word used to describe our feelings toward our elders. While both of these are certainly true, lately I've been discovering the word's meaning at a more grass roots level. I've been bringing it into my day to day life and making it my mantra.

To treat everything with reverence is to turn mundane tasks into tasks full of love and beauty. Washing dishes, hanging out clothes, bathing the children, cooking dinner, gardening, mopping, cleaning the bathroom, buying groceries, decorating our home, helping with homework... The list is endless. If we think about what we are trying to achieve with each task - usually organisation, domestic harmony, cleanliness and beauty etc - we can see that the outcome should be positive. By thinking reverently and putting love into our actions, our happy outcomes are certainly guaranteed.

In our little home, we show reverence at dinner time by lighting a candle and giving thanks for our food. We end our meal by blowing out the candle and giving thanks for our fire light. Just a small gesture, but it is teaching the children that dinner time is not just another hour of the day, but a time to reflect and to honour the food we have been graciously given.

On a larger scale, we honour and revere our bodies by being thoughtful of what we consume. I make clear and conscious choices about what food I purchase for my family - where it is from, how it was made, how close to nature it is etc. In a similar way, we show reverence to Mother Earth by keeping our carbon footprint as small as possible. These two examples show reverence in it's most raw form - respecting the sacred and divine. And what could be more sacred or divine than our bodies and Mother Earth?

It takes a small change of thought, and a desire to want to live a life of beauty before true reverence takes hold. For many, this kind of thinking might be akin to looking at the world through rose coloured glasses. For me, it is my way of creating the harmony, the balance, the love and the respect I need to make my life, one of complete beauty.

Surrender

The weight has lifted from my shoulders
And from my heart
Clarity and beauty have found their place
Calmness, as a veil, encases me
I surrender

The peace has replaced the questioning
My mind is still
I accept her wonderous gifts and love
I humbly serve
And I surrender

- Rebecca 2009


Picture originally uploaded by www.evbeat.com.

Family days

We've been lucky enough to have had quite a lot of family days lately, given our home situation! Today was a bit of a spur of the moment decision, but aren't they always the best? We had planned to go down to the Crystal Castle in Mullumbimby - one of my favourite places - but decided to spend loads of money we don't have, and go to Seaworld instead! We bought one of the Q150 passes which gives us access to Seaworld, Movieworld and Wet n Wild until the end of June next year. Cool! Well, that's what the kids reckon...

We only stayed for a couple of hours as that is all little Miss can handle before she needs her nap. That said, we still managed to go on most of the rides at Sesame Street Beach, watched the Big Bird and Elmo live show, patted some sting rays, starfish and sea cucumbers, watched the sharks and attempted some of the scarier rides (well, one or two of us did!). A great start to the next 8 months of theme parking and I do feel, a worthy investment for the up and coming Christmas holidays!

Tonight we are off to a Chinese feast to celebrate Yeh Yeh's 72nd birthday. More precious family time, and time for me to get back to gym. My zippers are groaning just thinking about the food tonight....

The lilac giants

Oh, how I love the sight of a jacaranda in full bloom. Their lilac flowers are as beautiful carpeted on the ground as they are when still hanging from their branches. The majesty of a mature tree in all it's glory is just one more reason to be thankful for the seasons. We may not see all of the seasons all the time, but I like to think that the jacaranda is Mother Nature's little reminder of spring. A splash of vibrant purple to our dreary brown landscape!

I'd love to capture that colour and use it somewhere in my daughter's room, but somehow I just don't think I'd be able to do it justice.

My new favourite

I discovered this blessing poem today. I've read it several times since finding it, and each time has been just as special as the first time. I find it extremely comforting and incredibly beautiful. Something that I would like to be able to say to someone one day, have them really understand it.

The poet is John O'Donohue. I wasn't familiar with him before today, and it turns out that he was incredibly well known is his homeland of Ireland. He sadly passed away early last year aged only 52.

So here it is. Isn't it just lovely?

BEANNACHT (Blessing)

On the day when
the weight deadens
on your shoulders
and you stumble,
may the clay dance
to balance you.

And when your eyes
freeze behind
the gray window
and the ghost of loss
gets in to you,
may a flock of colors,
indigo, red, green
and azure blue
come to awaken in you,
a meadow of delight.

When the canvas frays
in the curach of thought
and a stain of ocean
blackens beneath you,
may there come across the waters
a path of yellow moonlight
to bring you safely home.

May the nourishment of the earth be yours,
may the clarity of light be yours,
may the fluency of the ocean be yours,
may the protection of the ancestors be yours.

And so may a slow
wind work these words
of love around you,
an invisible cloak
to mind your life.

- John O'Donohue

Fish for dinner...

Cover via Amazon

Moving is always such a thankless task. However, I love the excitement that comes with opening boxes that have been closed for a long period of time. I've been missing my recipe books, but this week we were re-acquainted. Recipe books and I have a wonderful relationship. I especially love the big hard cover books that are almost a novel and often a work of art. I love to look at the pictures, read the recipes and dream of creating a gastronomical feast for my family. Of course, more reading and less cooking is often the case. Today however, I am attempting a recipe from my all time favourite recipe book, Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros. Even the name conjures up delicious thoughts, don't you think?

Tonight's meal is Oven Baked Fish with Tomato and Parsley.

1kg firm white fish fillets (any kind - I'm using flake as it was the freshest and cheapest. Please don't use basa - but that's another post...) cut into 6cm pieces
400g tin tomatoes with juice (or very ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
2 celery stalks, chopped with some leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Put the fish in an oven dish where they will fit in a single layer. Mix together the tomatoes, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, celery, sugar and olive oil and taste for seasoning. Pour over the fish to cover all the pieces, shaking the dish from side to side. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Remove the aluminium foil, increase the heat to 200 degrees and bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened and the top of the fish is golden in a couple of places. Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices, and with either a salad or steamed vegies.

I'm on fire!

... well, not literally! But I do feel the spark of my smouldering creative flame. It's getting warmer and warmer, and will soon be ready to burst into a raging inferno! Hee, hee....

Tonight, thanks to my friend Amber (aka Mama Moontime), I started on another journey - a creative one this time. Tonight was the first night of the Mama Moontime Craft club and I loved it! I'm so looking forward to next week when we will felt the cover of our journal. Felting is one of my favourite things to do. It's so easy, and the end result is always so beautiful.

If anyone else is interested in exploring their creative abilities (and yes, you DO have them - we all do...), check out Amber's blog. There are still places available in the Mama Moontime Club too, so come along and join us.

www.mamamoontime.com

The Sabbath of Women

I've just discovered a beautiful story written by a very wise woman, Lara Owen. It took me a while to get through it, but in between finding snacks for my children, breaking up fights, and attending to tradesman, I managed to finish it and I am so thankful that I did. I want to share it with you, because it is empowering and inspiring, and I will be interested to hear your thoughts.

http://laraowen.com/articles/the-sabbath-of-women/

What weekend's are made of...

The long awaited Wizard's Express has come and gone - right along with a little of my sanity! I don't do long road trips particularly well. Especially not with three kidlets sitting behind me. To give them credit though, they were very well behaved. There is however, only so much time you can expect them to sit quietly and enjoy the scenery!

We stopped off at the Ettamoggah Pub for a leg stretch and some home-made sandwiches on the way up. The kids spent ages trying to work out how they got the pub into the shape it's in. We couldn't resist the temptation of the Fudge Shop (well, maybe I couldn't resist it) so we bought some for the road.



The Wizard's Express was great, although possibly a little too long for youngsters like mine. They loved the hype of the dress-up, and enjoyed having to 'jump' through the wall onto Platform 9 and 3/4.



The Sorting Hat placed us in the Moaning Myrtle carriage with our friends, Lena, Peter, Lily and Emily, and while the train was in motion we enjoyed visits from Hagrid (who plied the kids with lollies), Professor Grumblebum, a face-painter who stamped us with spiders, and a rat not unlike Ron Weasley's pet, Scabbers. Jai was lucky enough to win first prize for the best dressed boy. He was the only Ron Weasley amongst countless Harry Potters. Something to be said there for individuality! A magic show in the Great Hall was waiting for us back at the station, and the evening ended with supper on the platform. Lots and lots of fun!





We stopped off in Noosa on the way home on Sunday, and enjoyed a yummy breakfast at a cafe on the river in Noosaville. Boy, has that place changed since we were last there! So many cute little boutiques (yes, I got myself a bargain!) and heaps of groovy cafes.





We are home now, tired and a little grumpy, but all with hearts and minds full of memories that will last us a lifetime. Enjoy the pictures!