So for all of you out there who have actually missed my blog, its not that I've stopped it, it's just that life has been sooo busy. So I will try and remember the events of the last 2 months and include as much as I can, which will then bore you that you'll stop reading and wonder why you missed it at all. :)
So if I start with the kids....youngest first for a change (I often get told she always gets left to the end....as if!!!) Well Rebecca has had a number of important school events, mid August she had the Performing arts showcase, which being in senior concert band, clarinet quartet, Bella cantabile and Chorale kept her well occupied during the evening. She then had the Yr 10 camp which although is fun and great team building, is also where the staff start looking at students leadership skills in preparation for prefects in yr 12. She was nominated as leader of the day for 2 out of the 3 days and did achieve it one of those days, so was very pleased. They had to do all sorts of activities most of which involved either water or mud (the photos not of her... but she was in the same state!!). However she had a great time. She then went to Townsville for the state finals of the Science and Engineering competition where the school did really well coming 3rd, a great achievement.
Theatrix was the last week of term which is where all the kids do their drama assignment performances. Her group had a great performance which included a stunt fight, however despite all the pain free rehearsals she managed to get dropped in the show and really hurt her back, ended up needing 3 days off school and an xray as so painful. However as in all good performances nobody knew she'd hurt herself until afterwards. She had a fantastic report at the end of term, has chosen all her subjects for next year although is having to do Modern history via Brisbane college of distance education as it clashes with Drama which she really wants to do. She's also doing Music and Legal Studies along with the compulsory Maths and English. She passed her singing exam and is now practising scales for her upcoming clarinet exam.
Well I guess Josh's highlights have had to be his 18th birthday, exams and his end of school Formal.
So he turned 18 on the 4th sept.....where did the years go :( His birthday was spent doing his QCS exam (the biggest exam of the year here) at the start of exam block. However he didn't have an exam the day after so we just went out for a meal in the evening and had a lovely time with all the kids 'plus ones'. After exams he then had a party here, with DJ, lots of food, no alcohol and about 65 kids which he and everyone else seemed to enjoy. So he is now itching to go car hunting as his savings were topped up a bit so he can now afford one. He also finally finished his 100 hours of learner driving 2 weeks ago and now has his test booked for a few weeks time. Am not sure if I'm pleased as I won't have to play taxi or nervous about him being out on his own driving?
His exams went really well and he ended the term with 3 A's and 2 B's so is really happy, he now has 4 weeks to try and get the 2 B's up to A's to affect his overall score, which is used for uni entry. So we've been to some uni open days looking at justice, law and psychology, and a police recruitment seminar, all to no avail as he has changed his focus completely since then and has put a course called 'creative industries' as his first choice at a uni we didn't go to... hey ho, its his choice and we'll see what happens. He then had his formal last week and had a great time, he scrubbed up really well and looked so handsome with Kat who is just gorgeous. They had it at one of the large city centre hotels and then the after party at another students house. So to add to that was the schools performing arts showcase for him as well, a trip to see Grease with school ( was very jealous), a separate stage band concert, his final driving lessons and a night out watching the Wallabies play South Africa at Suncorp.
Finally Ceri and Matt have completed on their house and Matt moved in 2 weeks ago with another friend until next July when they will then start getting it ready for Ceri to move in. So the last few weeks they have been getting bits and pieces that they need now and feeling quite stressed with it at times. However I'm sure it will start to settle down for them now.
Wedding plans are coming on steadily and Ceri now has her dress, yippee.... its absolutely gorgeous and was bought, together with bridesmaids dresses on our first trip out looking, and here was I looking forward to seeing her in lots !! hey ho, at least its done and she's got one she loves...
She is still trying to get through her course so she can then start looking for a job nearer home, the college are being really slow in getting work marked for her, it appears they aren't used to people doing the work quite so quickly. Anyway I just hope she gets another one quickly as I so hate taking her to work for 7am!
Well looking at my calendar it looks kinda empty... however we have had 2 lots of visitors which has been great fun. I started a new job, well at least the orientation and its certainly has promise. It is in addition to my current job and its official title is 'Respiratory Clinical Lead for Greater Metro South Brisbane Medicare Local', and if nothing else it looks good on a CV. Its going to be about 12-14 hours a month looking a different projects they want to run with a clinical perspective, helping with education, looking at respiratory papers and anything else that might evolve. So I'm quite looking forward to it. Other than that I think I've just been organising parties, birthdays, cycling, shopping with kids, visitors and usual stuff, nothing of the exciting variety. Oh yes.. and planning our trip back to the UK in December.
Well Mark has both started and finished with the probation service in the last 2 months. It was only ever a temporary contract, however he has been unable to get his degree recognised here either and so they said that because he didn't meet the educational requirements for the job they could not extend the contract. However despite looking forward to it and hoping it would work, it didn't :( He found that it was not what he was expecting and 90% of the job was computer work and because it was really busy the combination meant he couldn't fit in his usual physio and the pain in his hand has vastly increased. So from a CRPS perspective its good that he's finished it, however from his perspective he is now left wondering what he can do, full time is too much, as is computer work and lots of standing. I always knew work and finding the right type would be a challenge but he's not accepting it that easily, and is now worried that doing his degree in ministry might not be sensible if he can't work full time afterwards. However my view is that we trust God with that one as we were convinced he should start it and see where it leads.
So in between all that we had my cousin, Nigel & Kate to stay with their 3 grown up kids in August and had a great time, it was so lovely to have them here and we went out and did lots of fun things, then this last week we had our friends David and Mary to stay which was an equally fun time. Then Friday we went to Dreamworld and Rebecca took me on as many upside down and scary rides as she could.. I really think I'm getting too old for that but she wouldn't let me believe that.
So Josh and Rebecca are now in their second week of holidays and are having a relaxing albeit sociable time, then Josh is only back to school for 5 weeks till he finishes.
Other things that have happened including getting most of the back garden tiled... the tiler then went to Czechoslovakia for 6 weeks, so hopefully will be back this week to finish it. We've had Metricon repairing the snags in the house, had friends round for meals and been out, spent time fixing the damage the dog's caused (bless him), rearranged furniture in some rooms, been in the spa lots (which is fantastic and worth all the hassle), and booked tickets for some shows to look forward too.
So hopefully that's caught you up with our happenings.... when the next one will be I'm not promising... just keep looking.. it will come.
