Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Muddy puddles
... an afternoon of mud! In the shower afterwards, I was told that it was the best fun they have ever had. The simple pleasures are always the best.
Friday, April 16, 2010
A birthday blessing
My baby girl is three today. It's hard for me to remember where those last three years have gone, but I know they have been filled with complete joy and satisfaction. After my second son was born, I never imagined I would be the mother of a daughter. We only wanted two children, and I always maintained that I would only have a third child if the universe would grant me a little girl. I guess she must have been listening!
We've been blessed with a true Arian (both her sun and moon are in Aries), and her fiestiness and determination will take have her taking the bull (or should that be ram?) by the horns in this life. She's full of zest and spirit, and is the most affectionate of us all, with cuddles and kisses bestowed upon us regularly! Her brothers are doting, and she has them well and truly wrapped around her little finger. They will do anything for her, including taking the blame for many of her 'toddler' moments! They are her teachers, her playmates, her friends. And as for Daddy, well, he just melts in her presence. She is Daddy's fairy princess.
Having a daughter has meant so much more to me than just being able to buy pretty clothes. It means that I now have someone with whom I can truly share this journey of womanhood. Someone who will one day be a mother herself. Her birth and the months after it, taught me so much about my body and its ability to heal and nurture, and without wishing away the years, I am so looking forward to sharing her life with her. A friend of mine wrote in her blog recently that when we give birth to daughters, we are in effect giving birth to our grandchildren as well. Little girls are born with all of their eggs, and therefore half the genes of our future grandchildren. Incredible thought, isn't it? Quite mind boggling, but so beautiful at the same time.
I wish her the happiest of birthdays today, and I love her with all my heart. I love her little pixie face and her deep dark eyes, and I could kiss her little ears until the end of days. She has brought us so much happiness, so much love, so many blessings, and we couldn't imagine even a day without her.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Sharing the love...
This is a picture of my boys taken yesterday at the local pool. The same pool I used to swim in during the hot summer days of my childhood. How could I not buy them a chocolate paddle-pop after hours of play in the water? They deserved it.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Loosening the apron strings
I like to think of myself as a 'trainee free range parent' . I believe whole heartedly in the concept, but my kids are still too young to be given total free range. Except for my oldest son. He is just beginning his journey of independence.
Tonight he has his first slumber birthday party at a friend's house. It is at the home of his joey scout leader, so we are confident he is in responsible hands. However, this afternoon as I was driving him to the party, we saw all his fellow party goers riding down the street on their bikes (sans helmets) and nowhere near home. Alarm bells shrilled in my head! Would he be joining them after I'd left!? How did I feel about this? Living on a fairly busy and narrow road, he isn't used to being allowed to ride unaccompanied by one of us, and bike rides are usually in the park near home, not on the road. He is afterall, only seven years old.
While my brain was in its familiar 'divert panic' mode, I quickly used the opportunity to remind my son about making safe choices. Thankfully, he is switched on and mature enough to understand what I was suggesting. I reminded him that he wasn't allowed on his bike without his helmet (this is afterall, a legal requirement), and that he needed to make sure that he was comfortable with what was happening around him. If he wasn't, then he needed to tell someone, and to stop whatever the activity might be. I trust him, and I know that he has a good head on his shoulders.
Thankfully when we arrived at the party house, the boys had all returned from their jaunt, and were happy just to be together to play. I'm not sure what will happen this afternoon, and I was in two minds on the way home. Worried that he would be doing something I might not necessarily have let him done, and if that was the case, would he be ok? But also satisfied that I have raised a boy who is smart enough to know right from wrong.
There comes a time in a child's life when it is necessary to let them choose their destiny. I know that I am definitely not a 'helicopter parent' , but am I as free range as I want to be? This afternoon is a test for both of us. Can I loosen those apron strings enough to allow him the opportunity to put those safe choices into action? Can I be comfortable with my choice to let him go to this party? And will he rise to the challenge of being the responsible and smart little boy I have raised? My gut feeling is, yes.
Tonight he has his first slumber birthday party at a friend's house. It is at the home of his joey scout leader, so we are confident he is in responsible hands. However, this afternoon as I was driving him to the party, we saw all his fellow party goers riding down the street on their bikes (sans helmets) and nowhere near home. Alarm bells shrilled in my head! Would he be joining them after I'd left!? How did I feel about this? Living on a fairly busy and narrow road, he isn't used to being allowed to ride unaccompanied by one of us, and bike rides are usually in the park near home, not on the road. He is afterall, only seven years old.
While my brain was in its familiar 'divert panic' mode, I quickly used the opportunity to remind my son about making safe choices. Thankfully, he is switched on and mature enough to understand what I was suggesting. I reminded him that he wasn't allowed on his bike without his helmet (this is afterall, a legal requirement), and that he needed to make sure that he was comfortable with what was happening around him. If he wasn't, then he needed to tell someone, and to stop whatever the activity might be. I trust him, and I know that he has a good head on his shoulders.
Thankfully when we arrived at the party house, the boys had all returned from their jaunt, and were happy just to be together to play. I'm not sure what will happen this afternoon, and I was in two minds on the way home. Worried that he would be doing something I might not necessarily have let him done, and if that was the case, would he be ok? But also satisfied that I have raised a boy who is smart enough to know right from wrong.
There comes a time in a child's life when it is necessary to let them choose their destiny. I know that I am definitely not a 'helicopter parent' , but am I as free range as I want to be? This afternoon is a test for both of us. Can I loosen those apron strings enough to allow him the opportunity to put those safe choices into action? Can I be comfortable with my choice to let him go to this party? And will he rise to the challenge of being the responsible and smart little boy I have raised? My gut feeling is, yes.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Amma, the 'hugging saint'
If someone told me I'd be spending the night of the resurrection being blessed by a living saint, I'd have been hard pressed to believe them. But that is exactly what happened.
Easter Sunday started as any other. Awoken at 5am by the children's discoveries, and pulled out of bed with the promise of an Easter egg! We spent the early morning at home, and then packed our picnic things for a lunch with our extended family. It was here that Mum handed my cousin's wife a piece of paper that would change the course of my day.
Lana had lent Mum and I a book to read last year. It was called Ammachi. It is the biography of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. We all read the book, loved it and marvelled at this incredible woman. A woman who defies all human logic, and who permeates unconditional and extreme love from every cell in her body. She is known simply as Amma, and she is considered a living saint - the Mother of All. She is revered throughout the world as one of the most outstanding humanitarian and spiritual leaders of our time. Amma subscribes to no formal religion, but rather says that her religion is love. A love that shows no limitation of caste, religion, race or nationality.
The piece of paper that Mum handed to Lana was cut from the weekend's newspaper, and it was an invitation to be a part of an evening with Amma. Unbeknownst to us, Amma is on her Australian tour and this weekend she held a retreat on the Gold Coast. Sunday evening was a free event open to the public. A chance for everyone to hear her speak and to receive darshan. Darshan is quite literally a 'vision' or 'to see'.
Amma's darshan is unique. Most guru's or masters are traditionally only to be seen and not touched. Amma does quite the opposite. She embraces you. Not just a quick hug, but a loving, motherly embrace. She has been known to bless as many as 50,000 people in one sitting, and on one occasion in Spain, she hugged continually for three days. Without once taking a break for food or sleep. We had to line up for a token in order to receive darshan. Thankfully we had called earlier to find out what the evening entailed, so we knew to arrive early. Aside from the retreat participants, we were almost first in line to receive our tokens. There would have been close to two thousand arriving later in the night, and we were told that darshan would continue until everyone had received theirs - most likely until dawn.
The evening was called Devi Bhava, which is translated as 'the mood of the Divine Mother'. It is an incredibly special even that celebrates the feminine aspect of God, and God's unconditional love and compassion for all humanity. We were first handed some holy water that had been blessed in front of us by Amma, and told to take it home to share with our loved ones. Amma then spoke for an hour or so (translated by one of her followers) about the beauty of dispassion. There was music, singing, meditation and the chanting of the names of the Divine Mother. After this, darshan began.
Lana and I waited for about an hour to receive our hugs, Mum even longer. It went very quickly though as the whole place was a feast for the eyes. So many different people, from all walks of life! We had to approach Amma on our knees, and we were guided to her lap by her helpers. I didn't realise that we weren't meant to hug her back (I found out later from Mum, that she had been told to place her hands on either side of Amma's chair), and I wrapped my arms around her. She pulled me in tight, with my head on her bosom, and whispered into my ear, 'my daughter...my daughter...my daughter'. I felt safe and incredibly emotional. Her body was pulsating. Not like she was moving, and not like the vibrations some of us may feel when we touch crystals etc, but a deep, heart-beat like pulsation coming from her core. It was probably the most amazing thing (aside from having my children) that I have ever felt in my life. The darshan lasted maybe 5 seconds, but felt like minutes. Amma handed me a sweet and a rose petal, and I left the stage. Almost in a daze.
I can only imagine a world where love is given as freely as it is from Amma. To experience it like we did last night, was truly a gift. Amma tours Australia every two years, and I know I will be first in line to receive her again.
"Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with bearing a child, but with love, compassion and selflessness. It lies in totally giving to others." - Amma
Easter Sunday started as any other. Awoken at 5am by the children's discoveries, and pulled out of bed with the promise of an Easter egg! We spent the early morning at home, and then packed our picnic things for a lunch with our extended family. It was here that Mum handed my cousin's wife a piece of paper that would change the course of my day.
Lana had lent Mum and I a book to read last year. It was called Ammachi. It is the biography of Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi. We all read the book, loved it and marvelled at this incredible woman. A woman who defies all human logic, and who permeates unconditional and extreme love from every cell in her body. She is known simply as Amma, and she is considered a living saint - the Mother of All. She is revered throughout the world as one of the most outstanding humanitarian and spiritual leaders of our time. Amma subscribes to no formal religion, but rather says that her religion is love. A love that shows no limitation of caste, religion, race or nationality.
The piece of paper that Mum handed to Lana was cut from the weekend's newspaper, and it was an invitation to be a part of an evening with Amma. Unbeknownst to us, Amma is on her Australian tour and this weekend she held a retreat on the Gold Coast. Sunday evening was a free event open to the public. A chance for everyone to hear her speak and to receive darshan. Darshan is quite literally a 'vision' or 'to see'.
Amma's darshan is unique. Most guru's or masters are traditionally only to be seen and not touched. Amma does quite the opposite. She embraces you. Not just a quick hug, but a loving, motherly embrace. She has been known to bless as many as 50,000 people in one sitting, and on one occasion in Spain, she hugged continually for three days. Without once taking a break for food or sleep. We had to line up for a token in order to receive darshan. Thankfully we had called earlier to find out what the evening entailed, so we knew to arrive early. Aside from the retreat participants, we were almost first in line to receive our tokens. There would have been close to two thousand arriving later in the night, and we were told that darshan would continue until everyone had received theirs - most likely until dawn.
The evening was called Devi Bhava, which is translated as 'the mood of the Divine Mother'. It is an incredibly special even that celebrates the feminine aspect of God, and God's unconditional love and compassion for all humanity. We were first handed some holy water that had been blessed in front of us by Amma, and told to take it home to share with our loved ones. Amma then spoke for an hour or so (translated by one of her followers) about the beauty of dispassion. There was music, singing, meditation and the chanting of the names of the Divine Mother. After this, darshan began.
Lana and I waited for about an hour to receive our hugs, Mum even longer. It went very quickly though as the whole place was a feast for the eyes. So many different people, from all walks of life! We had to approach Amma on our knees, and we were guided to her lap by her helpers. I didn't realise that we weren't meant to hug her back (I found out later from Mum, that she had been told to place her hands on either side of Amma's chair), and I wrapped my arms around her. She pulled me in tight, with my head on her bosom, and whispered into my ear, 'my daughter...my daughter...my daughter'. I felt safe and incredibly emotional. Her body was pulsating. Not like she was moving, and not like the vibrations some of us may feel when we touch crystals etc, but a deep, heart-beat like pulsation coming from her core. It was probably the most amazing thing (aside from having my children) that I have ever felt in my life. The darshan lasted maybe 5 seconds, but felt like minutes. Amma handed me a sweet and a rose petal, and I left the stage. Almost in a daze.
I can only imagine a world where love is given as freely as it is from Amma. To experience it like we did last night, was truly a gift. Amma tours Australia every two years, and I know I will be first in line to receive her again.
"Motherhood, in its ultimate sense, has nothing to do with bearing a child, but with love, compassion and selflessness. It lies in totally giving to others." - Amma
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Indigo Children
I've got one, and chances are, you may have one too.
A lot has been written about Indigo children, and many believe they have been coming since the dawning of time. Most agree though, that Indigos have been arriving in massively increasing numbers since the 1980's. It is also thought that many older Indigos (those in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even their 50s) are now awakening to their purpose as the Indigo message becomes clearer and more compelling. The state of our world and its population needs to alter, and those that study the Indigo phenomenon believe that these people are the change agents it needs.
I found a wonderful list of the attributes of Indigo Children here. The suspicions I had about my oldest son were certainly confirmed after reading through it.
Meg Blackburn describes the Indigo Children in her book, The Children of Now, this way, "The Children of Now bring possibilities of remarkable evolutionary change to our world. They have a mission and an immense purpose, and they need our help. Their giftedness brings enlightenment to us, and their wisdom offers reminders of times and worlds we have forgotten. They are not only on a mission to teach us about greater reality from within their innocence and their clarity of truth; they are also the future of our world. In fact, if we pay attention to the Children of Now, the future of humanity can change direction from the destructive way it is currently in to a much enhanced, much more positive reality - one that is more globally oriented and offers the highest benefit for everyone."
Other well known Indigo writers, Chapman and Flynn (their book is The Complete Idiots Guide to Indigo Children), state that, "Indigos are going to change the world, and they already have. They will challenge us with out-of-the-box thinking. They will inspire us because of their wise souls. Indigos will create a world in which everybody wins."
I find this incredibly exciting! I think it's time I invested in some of these books and learnt some more!
A lot has been written about Indigo children, and many believe they have been coming since the dawning of time. Most agree though, that Indigos have been arriving in massively increasing numbers since the 1980's. It is also thought that many older Indigos (those in their 20s, 30s, 40s and even their 50s) are now awakening to their purpose as the Indigo message becomes clearer and more compelling. The state of our world and its population needs to alter, and those that study the Indigo phenomenon believe that these people are the change agents it needs.
I found a wonderful list of the attributes of Indigo Children here. The suspicions I had about my oldest son were certainly confirmed after reading through it.
Meg Blackburn describes the Indigo Children in her book, The Children of Now, this way, "The Children of Now bring possibilities of remarkable evolutionary change to our world. They have a mission and an immense purpose, and they need our help. Their giftedness brings enlightenment to us, and their wisdom offers reminders of times and worlds we have forgotten. They are not only on a mission to teach us about greater reality from within their innocence and their clarity of truth; they are also the future of our world. In fact, if we pay attention to the Children of Now, the future of humanity can change direction from the destructive way it is currently in to a much enhanced, much more positive reality - one that is more globally oriented and offers the highest benefit for everyone."
Other well known Indigo writers, Chapman and Flynn (their book is The Complete Idiots Guide to Indigo Children), state that, "Indigos are going to change the world, and they already have. They will challenge us with out-of-the-box thinking. They will inspire us because of their wise souls. Indigos will create a world in which everybody wins."
I find this incredibly exciting! I think it's time I invested in some of these books and learnt some more!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
It's all about the water...
Well, it is at my place anyway.
Last week, higher than acceptable levels of E Coli were found in my suburb's water supply. They discovered them on Wednesday. The media were notified on Friday. We received a letter from a council worker - hand delivered - on Sunday. Something just doesn't add up, does it? Why weren't we advised on Wednesday? Two and a half thousand people's homes were affected. Not too many to warrant a phone call or sms advising us to boil our water until further notice. Sure, they put it on the news and over the radio, but what about those that don't listen or watch? E Coli infections cause severe cramping, fevers, painful bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. It can have serious complications in children and older people, or those with compromised immune systems. Surely, the council has a duty of care to uphold? We should have been advised earlier.
Also on the topic of water, my husband and I have been educating ourselves on the cons (there are no pros!) of water fluoridation. Those of us in Queensland had our freedom of choice taken away last year, when the Queensland government decided it was in every ones best interests for them to pump fluoride into our water systems. To save our teeth, they told us. Pfft...what a load of poppy cock! The mass fluoridation of water is the most expensive way to provide fluoride to the population, and also takes away our most precious of liberties - freedom of choice. Surely, a better idea would be to provide free fluoride tablets to those individuals who felt they required them?
Fluoride is a hazardous waste by-product of aluminium manufacturing. It is a common ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military nerve gas. Independent scientific evidence over the past 50 years reveals that this nasty substance allegedly shortens our life span, promotes cancer and various mental disturbances, and accelerates osteoporosis and broken hips in the elderly. Mass water fluoridation was also used as a tool by Hitler during the second world war, to control the masses, cause sterility in women and to keep the people docile. Nasty, nasty stuff!
Einstein's nephew, Dr E H Bronner who was a prominent chemist and prisoner of war, has been noted as saying, "Even in small quantities, sodium fluoride is a deadly poison to which no effective antidote has been found. Every exterminator knows that it is the most efficient rat-killer. ... Sodium fluoride is entirely different from organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate needed by our bodies and provided by nature, in God's great providence and love, to build and strengthen our bones and our teeth. This organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate, derived from proper foods, is an edible organic salt, insoluble in water and assimilable by the human body, whereas the non-organic sodium fluoride used in fluoridating water is instant poison to the body and fully water soluble. The body refuses to assimilate it."
There is no concrete proof that sodium fluoride reduces tooth decay. In fact, it is so toxic that it can actual cause it. The first sign of fluoride poisoning, or fluorosis, is the chalky white mottling of teeth. They can also fracture or become dark brown. This is irreversible damage, and will happen to 10% of our children. Dentists should be happy about this though as it costs, on average, $900 per tooth to hide this mottling!
So, on reflection of all this (and so much more - too much to blog about this time) we have decided to purchase a water purifier. The $350 outlay is piffle when we are talking about the health of our family. We were already considering it after our exploration into fluoride (the purifier we are looking at will remove 48% of fluoride), but the recent E Coli scare has nailed it for us. You can't put a price on health, can you?
Last week, higher than acceptable levels of E Coli were found in my suburb's water supply. They discovered them on Wednesday. The media were notified on Friday. We received a letter from a council worker - hand delivered - on Sunday. Something just doesn't add up, does it? Why weren't we advised on Wednesday? Two and a half thousand people's homes were affected. Not too many to warrant a phone call or sms advising us to boil our water until further notice. Sure, they put it on the news and over the radio, but what about those that don't listen or watch? E Coli infections cause severe cramping, fevers, painful bloody diarrhoea and vomiting. It can have serious complications in children and older people, or those with compromised immune systems. Surely, the council has a duty of care to uphold? We should have been advised earlier.
Also on the topic of water, my husband and I have been educating ourselves on the cons (there are no pros!) of water fluoridation. Those of us in Queensland had our freedom of choice taken away last year, when the Queensland government decided it was in every ones best interests for them to pump fluoride into our water systems. To save our teeth, they told us. Pfft...what a load of poppy cock! The mass fluoridation of water is the most expensive way to provide fluoride to the population, and also takes away our most precious of liberties - freedom of choice. Surely, a better idea would be to provide free fluoride tablets to those individuals who felt they required them?
Fluoride is a hazardous waste by-product of aluminium manufacturing. It is a common ingredient in rat and cockroach poisons, anesthetics, hypnotics, psychiatric drugs, and military nerve gas. Independent scientific evidence over the past 50 years reveals that this nasty substance allegedly shortens our life span, promotes cancer and various mental disturbances, and accelerates osteoporosis and broken hips in the elderly. Mass water fluoridation was also used as a tool by Hitler during the second world war, to control the masses, cause sterility in women and to keep the people docile. Nasty, nasty stuff!
Einstein's nephew, Dr E H Bronner who was a prominent chemist and prisoner of war, has been noted as saying, "Even in small quantities, sodium fluoride is a deadly poison to which no effective antidote has been found. Every exterminator knows that it is the most efficient rat-killer. ... Sodium fluoride is entirely different from organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate needed by our bodies and provided by nature, in God's great providence and love, to build and strengthen our bones and our teeth. This organic calcium-fluoro-phosphate, derived from proper foods, is an edible organic salt, insoluble in water and assimilable by the human body, whereas the non-organic sodium fluoride used in fluoridating water is instant poison to the body and fully water soluble. The body refuses to assimilate it."
There is no concrete proof that sodium fluoride reduces tooth decay. In fact, it is so toxic that it can actual cause it. The first sign of fluoride poisoning, or fluorosis, is the chalky white mottling of teeth. They can also fracture or become dark brown. This is irreversible damage, and will happen to 10% of our children. Dentists should be happy about this though as it costs, on average, $900 per tooth to hide this mottling!
So, on reflection of all this (and so much more - too much to blog about this time) we have decided to purchase a water purifier. The $350 outlay is piffle when we are talking about the health of our family. We were already considering it after our exploration into fluoride (the purifier we are looking at will remove 48% of fluoride), but the recent E Coli scare has nailed it for us. You can't put a price on health, can you?
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