My Blessed Son

Today is my 'baby's' birthday...he turns 20 and is technically not a baby anymore, but he will always be my baby. I love him dearly, even when he challenges me with some of his antics. As any mother of a boy knows...boys are full of antics and mischief.

He has a great heart and I know he is going to be an awesome man of God...I am believing for this.

We started the day's celebrations early with breakfast in bed accompanied by sparklers and a rendition of 'Happy Birthday to you...'

I am blessed with three beautiful children. Dylan has two older sisters. I had always wanted a baby son and was so happy and contented to be blessed by God. I felt very complete with my two gorgeous daughters and Dylan was the icing on the cake, when he came along. I am so glad that I had the two girls first, otherwise I may have missed out on my youngest daughter (if Dylan had beaten her in line). I can't begin to explain how content I am with my lot in life.

I love all my children in such different ways because they are so different from each other. It is awesome to see such individuality and variety of character. God is amazing and how true is the scripture...'I am fearfully and wonderfully made...'?

Dylan is a character - I cannot tell a lie and I love his spirit...and I know as he matures, he will only get better.

When Dylan decided to enter the world, he was in a bit of a hurry. He was born at 12:45am on 17 June, 1989 at the Mater Hospital in Rockhampton.

My husband Ian and I, with our two younger daughters and my parents, lived on a property (154 acres) out near the small settlement of Dululu, which is approximately an hours drive to Rocky. Things were tough for us at the time. We were experiencing a severe drought which meant Ian had to secure work elsewhere as we were unable to support ourselves on the property alone. I had recently given up work in order to have our third child and Ian managed to secure some contract work out at the mines. He was due back the day Dylan decided to make his entrance. His father missed him by several hours as his plane was not due to land until a more 'reasonable' time.

I had been for one of my regular doctor visits the week before and the doctor had told me that if my baby had not arrived by Tuesday of the following week, he would induce me. Soon as I heard the word 'induce', I mentally decided that that was not an option...and I began to 'will' myself to deliver this child soon. This situation needed lots of prayer. I did not want to be induced after my first experience of this method when Jossy made her entrance. I had experienced such a wonderful birth when Kimmy came and I was 'spoilt'. I knew in my heart that having my next baby naturally was what I desperately needed...however, who knows that when things are beyond our control they don't always work out the way we want them to? I am sure others have experienced this from time to time.

The day before Dylan arrived was a Friday and the Rocky Show was on. I promised the girls I would take them to the show. So we loaded up in the Ventura Station Wagon and trotted off to town. We started out early and by the time I got to Rocky I had developed the start of a migraine headache. I dropped by a pharmacy and bought some medication, which helped immensely and I was good as gold from then on.

I drove up to a friend's parents home. They lived close to the showgrounds and told me I could park the car at their place as anywhere near the showgrounds was so busy and I would have a hard time getting close enough to walk (and I was very pregnant). I was most thankful for the offer.

I spent a wonderful day with my gorgeous girls Kimmy and Jossy, walking around the show. It was a big and very long day. I was disappointed that the show people would not let me onto the dodgems cars with my girls...:o(, but it was understandable...they had a duty of care I guess...but I felt so good. The girls had a ride on a camel too. We had the best day...and we certainly covered many miles traipsing around the grounds. At day's end, I'd promised the girls Hungry Jacks (their favourite at the time) for supper before the drive back home to the property.

We were offered dinner by my friend's parents when we got back to pick the car up, but I explained that I'd promised the girls Hungry's and didn't want to disappoint them. I thanked the family and we set off for Hungry's. By this stage I was famished as well. I took the girls' order and went up to the counter to place it.

By the time our food arrived, I had lost my appetite...suddenly...which is highly unusual for me. While the girls ate their dinner (a real treat for them, because living out where we did, we never had access to take-away and we couldn't afford take-away back then anyway due to how tight everything was), I began to have the occasional little twinge, but I didn't really think too much about it.

It was about 8:30pm and I was not looking forward to the drive home (another hour), but we headed off. The girls were pleasantly tired and had enjoyed a really lovely day. I suddenly felt very 'bushed' and was looking forward to bed myself.

The twinges increased in size and frequency. It began to dawn on me that I might actually be in labour??? I watched the clock in the car and timed each of the pains that came in waves...they were now three minutes apart.

We made it home okay and I got the girls ready for bed. Joss was six years old and Kimmy was two and a half. I wanted to keep their routine in tact and after they had a quick tub, we snuggled up in mummy's big bed to read a story. They knew daddy was coming home the next day and were excited. As I read to the girls, I have to admit, I was a little distracted and kept thinking about getting out my copy of 'Every Woman' the other 'bible' to see if I was actually in early stages of labour, but I needed to wait till the girls were settled. They finally nodded off to sleep and I quickly scanned the pages of my 'bible' and decided that yes, I was in labour.

I phoned for mum and dad (who lived quite close) to come over and then phoned for an ambulance. By this stage it was about 10:30pm.

Steve, the local ambo arrived. I asked him not to make me get in the back as I did not want to get sick as I sometimes suffered from motion sickness. So, I got to ride up the front. As we drove into Dululu, Steve decided he needed to clean the front window of the ambulance and he pulled up just off from the local tennis courts...I had to laugh because on a Friday night a lot of our friends played tennis together, including Ian and I. This night was no different and by pulling up right where Steve did, I felt like he was giving everyone the 'heads up'. Seeing an ambulance always raised some interest, especially in country areas.

The contractions got quite close together on the return trip to Rocky and I was feeling really tired. This was not what I had in mind, but I was really glad I would not need to be induced. I was disappointed that Ian would not be there this time for the birth.

By the time we arrived at the hospital the pains were very strong and I had problems answering the questions the staff asked me...all the paperwork stuff. They did a check of me and whisked me straight into the labour ward. They tried for quite some time to break the waters, must have been a bit tough, but once that was successfully done, Dylan arrived swiftly at 12:45am. I was ecstactic that I had given birth safely to a gorgeous little boy. He was practically bald with just this very fine white fuzz and a little round face...he was absolutely beautiful. The texture of his skin was so different to the girls. I can't explain it...there is a real difference between girl's skin and boy's skin (as babies)...their skin is smooth but the look and feel is very different. Dylan weighed 7lb 14oz, my biggest baby.

Once I knew I'd given birth to my son, my inner soul felt complete. I knew I was holding my last baby and that I had just met my one and only son...and I now had my complete family. It is such an internal feeling...I don't know where it comes from or why it is there. I was 28 years of age and had all of the children I was going to have over before I turned 30. I was excited now. I was more than ready and contented to watch these beautiful little beings grow and develop into wonderful human beings...my only hope was that they become the very best that they could and that they lived their lives in honour of the One who created them.

Ian arrived up at the hospital later on during the day and met his new son for the first time. Finally we were altogether, even if it was for only a short time before Ian had to leave to go back to the mines where he worked in procurement.

Dylan, for a long time, often asked me why we never had another boy (especially when he was exasperated with his sisters) and nothing I said ever seemed to placate him. I guess he always longed for a brother...until one day I said to him..."well Dylan, if we had tried for another baby, there was always the 50/50 chance that you would get another sister"...he has remained quiet about this ever since...and I know, over the years, his sisters have grown on him and I don't think he minds too much, really...

Poly-fleecy Stirrups - A Girlz Best Friend?

I've been set a challenge by my daughter to write about stirrup pants...what can one say about stirrup pants? Does anyone wear them anymore? Apparently so, for when you jump on the internet, there are plenty out there looking for a home.

So, I wonder who has actually had a pair grace their wardrobe? It has been quite a number of years since I had a pair. Fashionably unflattering, they did serve a practical purpose??? Surely some would agree with me? Maybe not.

I owned a pair when my husband and I lived in New Zealand for a time. Over there, I also owned a pair of hiking boots, too. Yes, I really did...and the two really do go hand in hand, I'd say.

There were posititves of owning a pair of stirrup pants. Let me count the ways...well...oh, yes, they were easy to pull on...like an adult version of baby pull-up pants (the types the toddlers wear these days)...once they're up, you need strong elastic around the waist, otherwise you'd be forever hitching them up. Once on, you could pull on a pair of warm woolly socks over the top and then, slip your feet into the security of your hiking boots for those serious walking tasks. If you weren't planning to go out and wanted to lounge around the comfort of your home, you could replace the hiking boots with either a pair of d'woolly ugg boots, or even better still, a pair of multi-coloured/striped leg warmers, complemented by a pair of baby pink ballet slippers and then you could lose yourself in the moment of aerobic exercise. Who needs snuggly blankies? With wonderful stirrup pants you get the freedom to move. The stirrups were also wonderful for keeping the bottoms of the tights from riding up to meet your butt. They managed to allow all of your legs to remain warm and secure. I am sure there are lots of variations of fabrics, however, I always preferred the warm fleecy fabric.

For those romantic moments with the hubby...picture this...lying alongside the love of your life wrapped in your slinkiest stirrups on a long-haired woollen rug in front of a roaring fire, with nice little treats to indulge in...when the moment is just right...your love reaches his big toe over and ...twang...releases all that tension...makes me just want to race out now and grab a pair...

The only drawback I can see (other than the obvious), is the way the stirrup always pulled the fabric behind your knees and upper thighs. It kinda made you look like you owned a pair of planks rather than the shapely pins you most definitely had.

Birth Day Magic

Twenty-six years ago started out for me unlike any I had experienced before. I had spent the past nine days moping around a hospital ward, waiting...

I was twenty-two years old at the time; young, fit and excited. So what was I doing in the local hospital - moping around for nine days? I was waiting to give birth with my first child.

I was sent to hospital for rest as the doctors were concerned that there was a problem with the placenta and they wanted to monitor my situation. Hospitals make me anxious at the best of times and to have to stay in there for so long was for me, not very relaxing, but I knew it was for the best.

During the past nine days I watched women come into the ward after delivering their new born babies, while others left taking their new bundles homes. Meanwhile, I was left still empty-handed, waiting. Time seemed to go so slow...

Then on the 9th June 1983 the doctors had made the decision to induce me. I really had no idea what this actually meant (only that they were going to make the baby begin the birthing process)...I was a little scared - this was it...

I knew that after that day I would never be the same and my life as I knew it would never be the same.

Labour lasted all day and even though I thought I'd had a pretty good birth as I didn't have anything to compare it to, it was actually a very hard birth - long and difficult, however, at 5:35pm that evening I gave birth to a gorgeous baby girl. I must admit, in my naivety, I confused the placenta for something else and thought for an instant I had given birth to a boy...

The first time I laid eyes on my beautiful new little baby daughter I was hooked. I still remember peering down into her small white face and looking into the two dark pools of her eyes. I felt so blessed and unbelievably happy to be a mother (even though I was yet to learn what that all really meant). It was this moment, such a special moment, when I got to meet my daughter for the very first time and fell in love.

I named my baby Jocelyn Mae Alexandria...Jocelyn means to be merry and happy - and that is exactly what I wanted for my daughter. Mae is my mother's second name and Alexander was my father's second name...so I modified this name and gave it to my daughter. I did this to honour my parent's for the love and support they have showered me over the years. Joss (as we call her) does have a long name, but each of the names she was given are badges of honour and she should be proud of them.

There is no love like a mother's love...it runs deep and I have never looked back. I have enjoyed the years I have spent with Jocelyn (my eldest daughter and whose birthday it is we celebrate today).

I truly hope she has a wonderful day today. She is blessed to be able to share her birthday with her siblings Kimmy and Dylan, her dad, Ian and boyfriend Chris.

I discovered over the years that there are no boundaries to a mother's capability to love. When I looked into the new born eyes of my second daughter Kimberley Robyn and my much wanted son, Dylan Ross - I was hooked...and my children are the dearest treasures I hold so close to my heart.

Our life is not unlike others...we have good times and challenging times, but throughout the journey, I feel I have been blessed by God. He has entrusted me with wonderful gifts of children and He has blessed me with a wonderful husband to share my life with. I have always been conscious of making sure I do the absolute very best I can for my family to help bring out their gifts and help them to shine in His light.

Happy birthday my darling Jossy ... I pray God's richest blessings for your life today and forever more. Hope you have a blast and that dinner tonight is fun, fun, fun...

Secret Spaces

Isn't it always something when you discover a place that hasn't had too much promotion (yet), is relatively brand new and quiet...a place that allows you to breathe in the big city, even though it is in the big city...a special place you can tuck inside your heart and treasure and know that for, at least a little while, not too many know about it and so you can enjoy it even more. One day, you know for sure, more and more people will come (as it should be)...because this is a place to be shared...enjoyed by many...but, for now...I want to relish in my secret place

I went there today...to this special place and it was good.

To the ordinary, it may not have been the best day to venture to this hideaway. Threatening dark clouds continuously rolled across the blue hue of the sky and to the unadventurous, it could have put a spanner in the works, if it had been allowed...but not me, nor my companions. We tripped the light fandango with flowers in our hair and led a merry dance across the span. We arrived between showers and explored the new and tidy gardens, rockeries and sculptured environmental art works...a friendly space for all.

Thoughtful planning has seeded the beginnings of a sanctuary along Brisbane's old man river and made use of strong timbers once used in a yesteryear's wharf. The concrete is stamped with words from a bygone era...accident reports, wartime notes and interesting anecdotes. History is revived in this place of those who have gone before us. Those who have marked this place like initials scratched out in the trunk of an old eucalypt.

Preservation has such an important place in our society. We must do all we can to protect our culture and show the newer generations where we have come from. What is special about this place? The peacefulness and its links to our history and importantly, the story of one aspect of Brisbane.

This area of nostalgia is framed by a contemporary modern look and is topped off by a delightfully fresh cafe...where the food is decidedly delicious. My companions and I were delighted with our culinary choice and polished off our food - fully satisfied.

Do I want to share my secret with those who happen to stumble onto this site? Okay, I will as I think it is safe to say that this site is tucked away and hidden in cyberspace...and how can I not share this spot with my friends?

This new-found favourite place of mine, here in Brisbane, is Northshore Port Parklands Reserve (near Hamilton and the wharf where the cruise ships dock). I highly recommend it...great bbqs, shelters, play equipment, lushious lawns...it's got it all...and the cafe is fabulous and friendly.