"Storytelling Mum with music" By my sister Kirsty Piper

My sister Kirsty Piper, recently had to do an assignment for her uni course. She decided to do it on our mum...

Much love,

AJ Xx

This week....

My dad has gone away with my sister to Brisbane... it's the longest time I have been away from him since my mum died...

Just wanted you to know.

Much love,

AJ Xx

.dad.&.me.

It was 4 months on Monday....

I hadn't seen the headstone, so Monday afternoon dad & I went for a drive to Lismore to see her. It was so, very sad.
We arrived, and BAM, there's mum... pink headstone, surrounded by beautiful flowers, she'd love it - everyone else's headstone around her is the normal brown & gold... but hers, hot fuschia! She'll stand out for years to come!!

My mum hole is still very present, raw and very real... it's not something that I'll just 'get over', or be healed from instantly within a few months. I lost my mum very suddenly and it hurts. I have good days, I have bad days. But the best thing is I have Jesus & the holy spirit who are the ultimate comforters on those bad, sad days.

Much love,

AJ Xx

I've had a really bad couple of weeks...

My dad moved back into the house the other week, it's not because he's bad to live with, no - it's because, mum, dad & I used to live in the house, and dad being here... without mum just highlights the fact that she is gone, and will never walk in the front door ever again, ever....

It's hard readjusting to life without her

I miss her today.

Big love to you all

AJ Xx

I wish my mum was here....

Not only so I could see my dad laugh & smile & be happy again, but for me too. I've had some pretty important occassions over the last few weeks, that I would have talked with my mum about... Having my annual work fundraiser, my Frocktober event, going out for dinner with a lovely gentleman, losing weight & just chatting to her about the stuff that goes on everyday... She was always interested in the things that happened, no matter how big OR small they were, if they were important to me - they were so precious to her. Noone seems to be as interested about my normal everyday details of life that my mum did, but that's a mum for you - I'm so glad my mum, was my mum - what a great example she was - I'll strive to be the mum that she was for me, for my kidlets! Life is so very different without her here.

FROCKTOBER!

About two weeks ago, I held my Frocktober event, & raised about $450 - if anyone would like to make it $500 that'd be great (http://www.frocktober.org/) Next year will be bigger & better, & will raise more awareness & money for ovarian cancer research. Here are some pics from this fun evening! My mum's sister Helen came on the night, that was very special. These photo's are by my friend Casey Nipperess.

.me.jess.janine.claire.

.some.of.the.girls.

.the.family.

.me.aunty.helen.adele.bethany.

.annelyse.kc.georgia.me.

Thanks for stopping by!

Big love to you all!!!

AJ Xx

Hello faithful blog followers!

I've snuck the laptop into my room finally to debrief about a few areas of my life to you...

I sit here on a Wednesday, 10:30 at night - finally having a moment to type. Tomorrow night I am holding my Frocktober event (7-9pm at The Point, Ballina, $10) You should totally come!!!

I woke up at 6am to go for a walk with Molly and pray. As I was praying this morning, I had a slight inclination that there was going to be some good surprises today, and there was!!! Let me tell you...

I went and caught up with our Operations Pastor, but also my friend Annaliese, while chatting with her my friend Taryn was trying to call, but, my phone was on silent so I missed her. As soon as I left Annaliese I called Taryn back.
Taryn works for the guy that runs Bluesfest & she phoned to tell me, that her boss wanted to donate 2 tickets to my frocktober event. A 5 day Bluesfest pass, valued at $410 and a 3 day pass valued at $305! I was blown away...like, seriously!!! I thanked Taryn, a plethora of times, and all she said was, that she wanted to help me out somehow, and she definitely has... what an amazing friend!!

I then met my friend Aliska for our irregular, regular catch up - whilst walking down the main street, shopping and sipping our diet cokes we went into one of my favourite shops... not because of the clothes, but beccause of the owner, Nel. Nel is one of the kindest human beings on the planet, and I was chatting to her about this event and she went away for a few minutes, came back with a hug, and placed in my hand quite a large donation to support what I was doing... what a great egg she is!

God has been so faithful to me the last few months (not that he hasn't been previously!) but the sense of peace and favour I have felt from him over this journey has been beautiful. I love God so much. When you take a step out and want to see justice in an area... he will come running to help you in your time of need.

Frocktober is all about raising awarness of Ovarian Cancer, the money raised from tomorrow nights event will go towards research into an early detection for this cancer. As I am well aware, ovarian cancer is a silent killer, every 10 hours, one precious mum, wife, daughter, sister or grandma, is taken from somebodies life. Now that it has effected me, I want to do something about it.

It's A Frockin' Good Cause!

.mum.&.me.in.our.frocks.

On Saturday, dad and I were at the local IGA in Mundubbera looking at the notice board where we saw a flyer for 'Frocktober' - I read on because it had cool graphics... The only cafe in Mundubbera (La famille) was holding a fundraiser every Friday in October where you get your girlfriends together, wear a frock and have a coffee/tea together - the cafe then donate a percentage of the days takings to support Frocktober. I liked the sound of that!! Nothing better then getting together with my girlfriends, chucking on a frock and eating and drinking together... and helping a great cause!

.girlfriends.&.frocks.=.good.times.

I wanted to find out more, as I had never heard of Frocktober before (am I the only one?!) So, I got home and googled it straight away!!!! Frocktober aims to raise funds for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) One woman dies every 10 hours from ovarian cancer... for many women with ovarian cancer, the disease is already well advanced when they are diagnosed. Unfortunately, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer. Frocktober aims to help improve the outlook for women with the disease by supporting the quest for a suitable, early detection test through fundraising for the OCRF. For more info on this initiative please visit http://www.frocktober.org/

I haven't told you this yet.

Dad recently went to our family doctor for a check up, about 8 weeks after mum died. During his consultation they talked about mum and her very, very, extremly short fight with cancer (19 days). We never really got any answers off the doctors after mums death as to what cancer mum had as her primary, and not knowing has been really difficult. I know naming the cancer won't make anything better or whatever - but what I do know is that if I know, then I can keep an eye on my health, to make sure me and my future family is looked after.

Our doctor, had looked over mum's tests and blood work from those few weeks and he told dad at this consultation that the test and markers show that it was probably ovarian cancer. Blah. Which is the cancer she had been originally diagnosed with. The doctor told dad what Kirsty, Clare and I can do to make sure we don't have to fight the same battle my beautiful mummy did.

I want to help bring awareness to this horible, aggressive disease and help other women and their families, not have to endure the pain of losing someone so quickly through ovarian cancer.

Sooooooooooo....after speaking with my friends, and having their support - Ballina will be having a Frocktober event!! Date is to be confirmed tomorrow, so locals, clear your diaries in late October, because ladies, it's a frockin good cause!

.frocks.

EXCITING NEWS!!!

Yes! Us Tyson's had some great news the Monday after mum's funeral. On the Sunday night, all 13 of us were having dinner at Kim & Bethy's. Daniel for some reason was having egg's on toast, Adele (my sister in law) has never been an egg fan and got one whiff of Daniel's eggs and had to leave the room...ha!

The next day Danny and Adele found out they were expecting baby No.1! Mum and dad's 4th grand baby! We were/are just alllllll soooooooo ecstatic.

.the.lovers.

Going through mum's stuff we found one of her most recent prayer journals, with many prayers written in it, but most predominantly the prayer for Danny and Adele to have a baby. We also found a little "my first Christmas" size 0000 that mum had purchased last Christmas, ready for this baby (Faith without works is dead! Go mum!!)
Baby Tyson IS a gift from God, so wanted and is already so loved and blessed. We are all so excited for this baby and it's future. We are also very sad that this baby, along with my other future neices and nephews and my babies to come that they will never get to meet their Ginny...

.baby.tyson.=.bt.

BT is due late March 2011... so excited!!!!

Until next time!

Big love & hugs,

AJ Xx

I'm sitting in my sister's lounge room on her brown leather recliner in Mundubbera, QLD as I type this next blog out. I'm on holidays with my dad...


The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, which is why you have hardly heard from me. I've been working 4 days a week and absolutely love being back at school, it's been incredible, getting into some sort of routine, seeing young teenagers chase me in the playground and say 'AJ, I want to be a christian' (yes, seriously!) and being able to tell of young people of the reality of life and death and tell my students of the peace that my mum had when facing death. What a testimony. BUT, oh... my... goodness it has been exhausting, grief is exhausting...


When I'm not at school, I'm with this guy...

.my.dad.

We hang out quite a bit, I see him every day. I have all the time on the planet for him. We go out for coffee, have daddy daughter dates, we take Molly for walks, I make him dinner at Kim and Beth's, he comes over to my house for dessert, we travel and we cry together - just to name a few things!

This guy is amazing and so precious. He must be going through the most horrible thing on the planet at the moment and he has every reason to not get up in the morning, but he does! Go him! What a great man of God ... he just keeps on going!


I'm not going to say this road I'm traveling is easy, it's hard, very hard and people seem to treat me now like everything is back to normal. It's not. I snap easily, I cry when I feel anything more then everyday pressures, random things upset me, I find it hard to make decisions... that wasn't AJ before my mum got sick and passed away. Things have changed. But, that's grief. But, I also know who I am still. I'm still God's precious daughter and want to serve him wholly and completely. God gives me grace each second of every minute of every hour of every day, I need it, now...more then ever.

Each Thursday since my mums funeral I have continued to go to our youth and young adults prayer meeting from 6:30-7:30am at our church. this is where we pray for our town and the incredible people in it, followed by coffee at the Coffee Club, where beautiful Helen the proprietor serves and makes us the best coffee on the planet! Ever since the funeral I have made this prayer meeting a priority, because in this storm of emotions that I am facing, I know prayer will sustain me, heal me and give me break through as I pour out my requests to God in this season. Yes, you can pray on your own and in isolation, and God will hear you, but I love the discipline of this prayer hour, praying with people I am doing life with is the most powerful thing you can do to encourage a community of believers.

.for.where.two.or.three.are.gathered.together.in.my.name.there.am.I.in.the.midst.of.them.
.mathew.18:20.

Don't you worry! I've had some fun and exciting things happen as well in the last few weeks ;) will fill you in on those things in future blogs!


Just to let you know, I'm not ready to write about July 29th 2010 yet... I've tried to write it on several occasions, but nothing I write seems the right way of writing it and no words express the broad spectrum of emotions that were felt that day. So watch this space, one day it will be on this blog, but for now...bear with me...

Big love to you all

AJ Xx

P.s It's 9 weeks today since my beautiful mum passed away....

I haven't forgotten about this upcoming blog. It's in my head and mind 24/7. It IS coming.

How am I going lately? Life continues. It's hard. So hard. I wake up every morning knowing that I won't hear from my beautiful, precious mum today. I go to work, I go to church, I go shopping, I hang out with friends, I go out for dinner and I feel like something is missing, it's my mum.

I had a good weekend though...

My sister came down to Ballina and spent the time with dad and I, yesterday we saw my Aunty Helen (mum's sister) and Uncle Gary for lunch. I never realised that my mum and Helen had such similar eyes... I kept looking at them and tear-ing up. So nice to see mum's sister, mum loved Helen so much, they used to work together, they had a special sisterly relationship. It was so lovely to see her. So lovely.

.clare.helen.me.

Big love to you all!

AJ Xx

I was having a good day today...

Then all of a sudden I wasn't.

Grief is hard. You NEVER know when it's going to hit you, and then all of a sudden it does. Bam.

I miss my mum heaps today. Her smile. Her laugh. Her soft hands. Her Facebook instant messages. Her tweets. Her blog. Her random texts. Her wise words.

.mum.i.miss.you.today.

That morning, Wednesday 28th July, as I waited in the waiting room, with Daniel, Adele, Kim & Beth, mum summoned each of us individually to her room to have a chat with us. First cab of the rank was little Kimmy. Then me.

When I went in, she was so tired and weak, so very weak. I was probably in her room for about 20 minutes, just me and her. How lovely. She was so exhausted. So sick. Sooooo sick. I cried and sat with her and prayed while she rested. Nothing major was said, we knew we loved each other and she said she was at peace. More was said, but it will remain with me forever.

My most precious time with my mum other then that 20 minutes with her that morning, was the previous Saturday when I was with dad. Shes spoke some things that I will never forget. She was so proud of her AJ.

Two weeks previous whilst in Charters Towers I had a conversation with mum and she said the two things that she was so gutted about if she was to die were, one, not seeing her grankids growing up and two, not being at my wedding. Yep, the first night I found out about mum's cancer, that was exactly what I was so devastated about. Mum and dad have prayed so very faithfully for this Man of God to come into my world, and the thought of her missing out on not only my wedding day but my whole love story, THAT crushes me, so much.

I left the room, so sad but hoping things were going to be ok with mum.

Mum rested most of the day as we knew Kirsty, Michael, Natalie, Sam and Charlotte were arriving later that afternoon.

Check out the waiting room views! You may be able to see the GABBA?!

.samuel.natalie.charlotte.

Kirsty and all the kids had time with mum. She was exhausted.

That evening we waited, waited, and waited....

Late that evening the head of renal department came in to explain mum's cancer to us 'kids.' It went something along the lines of this....

"A spaghetti plate cancer on top of her oven bag"

Ha!

No, it was a rogue cell cancer. A very common cancer in transplant people 5-10 years after their transplant. He explained that if mum tried chemo that she would be able to have much better anti-nausea medication. We honestly knew mum wasn't going to try the chemo, but dad had spoken to mum and said that she sleep on it over night.

On the way home that night, Kim got Subway for dinner, Kirsty and I had the worst Nando's on the planet. We got back to my sister Clare's house. This was so not fun, this was actually really crap, really crap this whole situation. We all went to bed relatively early as we wanted to be at the hospital early the next morning.

Stay tuned...

Big Love

AJ Xx

Happy Fathers Day Dad!!

I've been telling you my story about my mum lately, but I would like to introduce to you today, my dad. He has loved me so much for 27 years...

.my.dad.&.me.

.four.weeks.ago.

I love my dad so much. Today is really all about him. I made him bacon and eggs for breakfast, went to church, had indian for lunch and my lovely sister Clare is cooking him a lamb roast for dinner... I'm feeling full.

All the nice things I say about my dad, just don't really make the cut. I do love him. Thanks for being my dad, dad. I'm so glad I got you!

I arrived at the hospital that Wednesday morning to a very sick mum, my mum..........

.my.sick.mum.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” – Matthew 11:28-30 {message}

Sunday after church I go to Bangalow Markets with Shaz and Ruth, I bought the most perfect Oriental lillies, my favourite flower on the planet!! That evening I had dinner with my friends, Annelyse, Aliska and Lizzy.

The next morning, I go to work. The last working day I'd have in awhile, as Tuesday I had the day off to be there when the furniture arrived.

Tuesday arrives, I go for a walk with Molly that morning on the beach, and send these photo's to mum and dad...

.molly.loves.the.beach.

.mollys.first.beach.visit.back.in.ballina.

That morning I have morning tea with my friends Amie and Amalie. We talk girl stuff... I had fun, lots of fun. I then arrive home to meet the removalists at home.

.we.heart.ballina.removalists.

.the.carnage.in.the.garage.

It takes a few hours to unpack all the stuff... so much stuff is left in the garage (it has to go in the garage because my house is full of my furniture!) I do take a few items of funiture inside though :)

I then go meet Lizzy, Annelyse, Ev, Beau and my brother Kim for lunch/coffee. Tht takes a few hours!!

I also pick up a cake on the way home, as I find out that it's Molly's birthday that day.

.happy.birthday.molly.

.4.today.

That evening, I go to our church prayer meeting. I absolutely love going to our prayer meetings. It's not often that I miss one. It's my favourite service of the month, I'm not even joking. Prayer is so powerful, it changes things that seem impossible to change. We pray for all different types of things that night, but specifically they pray for my mum, I stand in proxy for her - our church members pray for strength, healing and wellness over her body. At the end of the meeting, we get together in groups of three's to pray. I pray with my friends, Annaliese and Jess - they pray for me and my mum.

I get home, my housemate Janine and I start to watch 'Packed to the Rafters' - one of our favourite TV shows!! In the middle of the show, at about 9pm I get a phone call, again, a call I thought I would never have to answer or hear the words I was about to hear. It's my dad. The doctors had just spoken to him, I don't remember a whole lot of the conversation, all I remember is him saying, that the doctors have given mum a few days or a even a few weeks to live. I cry. I go into shock. That's bad. Very bad. Very, very, very bad. I tell him I will be up in Brisbane tomorrow. Dad finishes the conversation, saying that, Kim is on his way to come get me for the night, as he doesn't want me to be alone (my dad is pretty amazing organising that! No wonder I'm not marrried!) Kim arrives, it's raining, pouring actually... he hugs me in the front porch. He tell me to go pack, I pack very poorly. I leave, Molly comes too. I am just devastated....

More to come,

Big love,

AJ Xx

After leaving Mundubberra, I actually have no idea what time I arrived in Brisbane. Perhaps 2 o'clock?

I had Molly, so I dropped her at my sister's house, then headed for the Mater hospital in South Bank. My iPhone and google maps did me no good that afternoon, I wasn't supposed to go into the city, but I ended up in there some how?! I must have been a little stressed... I somehow got out of the city, and arrived at the Hospital, my dad was waiting out the front for me.

It was so nice to see him, soooo nice. He took me straight up to mum, 10th floor, room 1016, a private room with ensuite. She was lying there, I was so glad to see her again, she had her pink blanket that some of the ladies from our church had prayed over and sent up. She loved it, it was hot pink. I spent all the evening with her, nothing uber exciting happened, the doctor and nurses walked in and out checking on her. Clare arrived after work (every morning Clare would drop dad at the hospital before work, then on her way home - spend time with mum and take dad back to her house.) Dad was spending all day with mum at the hospital, just sitting there and being with her. What a man!

.the.blanket.mum.loved.

Daniel and Adele arrived at the hospital that afternoon. I think on that Friday evening, Dan, Adele and Clare went and got dinner - dad and I stayed and waited for her kidney specialist to come check on her with not the best news. We left about 9 o'clock that night, went to Clare's debriefed with dad and went to bed. Just FYI, dad did NOT notice Molly limping...

The next morning, dad and I went to the hospital quite early. I needed to get back to Ballina to get back to work Monday, also to be there when the removalists arrived with all the furniture on Tuesday and most importantly go to church. Man, I had missed being in the House, MY church through this tough time. Daniel, Adele and Clare went to the gym that morning, as I wanted to leave from the hospital, so we planned that they would come in around mid day with Molly and I'd leave for Ballina.

That morning, I am so glad I had with my mum. I sat there chatting with her - when she wasn't resting, getting her water, playing Plane Control on my iPhone, reading magazines, texting, and just being there. I knew life was going to be changing dramatically for me the next few weeks and coming months. Later that morning, around 11 o'clock, one of the doctors came in and spoke to us about mum's creatinine levels, what was supposed to be in it's early 100's was now at 372. I knew that was really bad. REALLY bad. Mum said I needed to contact the prayer chain from church straight away. I did. We needed prayer for that creatinine level to go down... there's nothing like being in a praying church. The doctor left. Dad, mum and I sobbed, we then prayed together. For peace, for healing, for strength to come over mum. Mum said she felt like this was the end, that at her funeral she wanted lots of people, tears, laughter and lots of flowers.

I got a call off Daniel, Adele or Clare ( I can't remember!?!) saying that they were downstairs with Molly, I said goodbye to mum hugged her, kissed her and stroked her beautiful soft hands, hugged my dad as I was still crying, walked down the corridor, into the elevator, went down to street level where my sister Clare, (whoever had rung noticed that I was upset) so she met me in the hospital lobby, hugged me and walked me outside. I was devastated. Daniel, Adele and Clare hugged me and talked me through it all. I then left with Molly, sobbing most of the 2 hour trip home. I arrive home, and decide to go out to dinner with my friends Ruth and Shaz, I tell them about the shocking last 3 weeks. It was so good to talk through it with people who just love you and are genuinely care for you and how you are.

The next morning, before church I go to breakfast with my lovely friend Amy - again, I talk through the last few weeks, as I wanted my close friends to know how bad it had been and how it's going to be many tough weeks to come. I text Kim asking him to save a seat for me at church, I arrived just as church was starting. I see my friends. It was so good to see my brother and sister in law after an unexpected 3 weeks away. I loved being in church that day, so much. People were aware that mum was very sick, but at this church service they made an official announcement, (with our permission) Jeff our Senior Pastor made a very respectful announcement about mum's health. Jeff preached that morning and before the service finished he gets his wife Carolyn up as people are worshiping, he asks people around us to lay hands on us and pray. What a powerful prayer it was. I had walked into church that morning, scared, worried, frightened, intimidated, worried, broken and very traumatised from the last few weeks. I remember Jeff praying, putting his hand on my head and all of that stuff, that fear, going. Something broke off me - I left church that morning, feeling very different to how I had entered....

Big love!

AJ Xx

Thanks for stopping by! See you soon...
P.s more pics next post!

How do I feel, you ask?

It's hard to write, and put into words really it is. Like, really. The last few days since I have begun unwrapping to you lovely blog followers has been really difficult, like really painful. I am still in so much shock, sadness, despair and grief. I will never get over losing my mum, and I know it will be a daily process, because she was apart of my everyday life.

I never thought I would ever lose my mum... ever. It never entered my mind that she would never meet my husband (or who knows!?! Maybe she did?!) that she would not be at my engagement party, or my 30th, or not be there on my wedding day. That she would not be there as I dedicate my babies to God or even that she would never meet my kids, or tell me that what I was wearing looks terrible. It NEVER entered my mind, and the thought that she won't be here for those times and the ins and outs of life crushes me.

.the.silly.things.

I have recieved some lovely emails, walls posts and twitter messages since my mum passed away. But there was this one that I recieved only days ago that is precious and it explained exactly of this emptiness that I've been feeling. This is what it said 'I don't believe anyone can fill the void, not even God himself, as there is a big piece of who you are that only your Mum was meant to fill.' Ahhhhhh someone gets me! There is this mum space in my heart that only my mum, Mary Patricia Tyson was ever supposed to be fill....controversial I know, but very true.

.reliable.always.there.mum.

Mum and dad left Sunday afternoon...

We went to dinner at mum and dad's next door neighbours that night , Anne and Doug - what genuinely lovely people (the baptist church ministers too!) we go home, Kirsty and I then decide to take Molly in the car to go get Maccas desserts, Malteser Sundaes! Molly is on my lap with the window down, Kirsty does a sharp turn....then, there is no more Molly on my lap. I look at Kirsty....she stops... I get out of the car Molly is in the middle of the road siting there... poor thing! she limps over to me slowly but I run and pick her up....oh dear! Mum had entrusted me to look after Molly while she is in hospital, and I break her the first night...!!!!! It's ok. We take her home, give her ice cream (just as mum gave it to her occasionally - in a ice cream cone of course!) and for the next couple of days she limps... or maybe even a week! Whoops!

.molly.froths.over.ice.cream.

We spent the next few days packing up the house - by we I mean, Kirsty and I crumbled after the parents left, Adele my sister-in-law took over a lot of the organising, we did what we could - but I went into shock. The removalists arrived Wednesday morning, Daniel and Adele stay to help them, Kirsty and I leave early. Kirsty drove her car back to Mundubberra I drove the parentals car back with Molly... Molly loves a good car trip!

.molly.ready.for.road.trip.

.toilet.break.after.four.hour.no.mobile.reception.part.of.the.journey.

.ok.not.the.best.travel.companion.

The journey back was long! Last year Pastor Chris Pringle visited C3 Ballina, my home church and she gave me a copy of one of her resources 'O Sacred Kiss,O Sacred Call' I listened to this message a couple of times where she speaks of her journey with her friend Helly who battled with ovarian cancer. I was undone. i prayed I worshiped! So thankful she spoke so openly and honestly about her journey through this. God was preparing my heart...

We arrive in Mundubberra aka Fundubberra that night. Danny and Adele arrive a little later. I love Mundubberra and visiting my sister, so to break up the trip I decide to stay another night. The next day I go see Natalie at district Athletic's (go Natty!) and have an aunty date with my very handsome nephew Sammy.

.i.love.this.girl.so.much.

.my.hot.date.sammy.

I stay Thursday night, and leave Friday morning with Molly for Brisbane to finally see my mum and dad...

More to come. See you soon!!

P.S Thank you so much for visiting!!My counter has gone crazy!! I love comments so, feel free to comment!!

Friends ...

I just wanted to give some kudos out to some of my lovely friends today... Some days I get so overwhelmed by what has unfolded the past few weeks, and not a day goes by that I don't get a text/call/coffee date from one or all of these people below. These friends have just been incredible. When I was away for 3 weeks, doing the stuff you've been reading about, I was getting texts/calls daily from some of these beautiful people. They have meant so much to me. Today I just wanted to introduce you to my crew...my wolfpack...

.mrs.amie.

.miss.shaz.&.miss.ruth

.mrs.amalie.

.miss.claire.

.mr.beau.

.miss.annelyse.

.miss.aliska.

This is just some of my peeps. There have been many more people who have texted, fed, flowered and been so kind... too many to put photo's to! So if you're one of those who don't have a pic up here... sorry but thank you for being you! I still love you and think you're amazing! Just ask me out for a coffee and I'll be there!

Thanks for stopping by, see you tomorrow.

The next 7 days in Charters Towers are a bit of a blurrr...

I remember caffeine every day!

.love.

Flowers arrived!

.heart.

I went for walks in the afternoon, and listened to worship music and prayed, prayed, prayed...

.i.loved.these.pink.trees.ask.my.sisters.

.molly.walks.

Daniel and Adele arrived! They drove (yes, drove!) up from Canberra to Charters Towers in two days (about 2500 kms) This was serious...

.daniel.and.adele.brother.and.his.wife.

Kim and Beth organised the removalists and, all of a sudden we were having to pack up the house (the house I had watched mum pack up just 2 months previously) and move everything back to Ballina.

.fragile.iron.toaster.kettle.knives.penguins.ha.

Mum was very sick, all she could do was rest. Mum put her iphone on her ipod dock and listened to the new C3 album 'Send Down Your Love' she worshiped, often. She loved the song 'Here and Now' - you should totally listen to it! I'd hear that song coming out of her room, often. Wow. In the midst of everything, her pain, her sickness, her discomfort, her vomiting she worshiped (I think we can all learn something from this) Through all of her resting she had her faithful bodyguard with her the whole time, what a good dog!

.molly.the.dog.and.the.mum.

Over the next few days, we had two trips to Townsville! Us girls took Clare to the airport to FLY back to Brisbane (a nice 2.5 hour flight) Kirsty, Daniel and I had a 12 hour car trip back to Mundunbberra.

.roadtrip.to.Townsville.with.sisters.

That Sunday mum and dad flew down to Brisbane...

.dad.and.mum.lovers.for.life.

I'm doing a two day working week at the moment. Please be praying as I return to work. Thanks for popping by, I'll update when I can. Big love to you all, return soon for more of my story!