Today I am............

~ enjoying  the warm sun. Winter is on its way here. We've had some chilly nights and my house takes a bit of warming up in the mornings. However the sun is out and so I have found myself a warm, sunny spot that is out of the breeze.

~ reminiscening about our weekend. Our local country show has been on and we have been spending a fair bit of time there the past few days. We invited some city friends to join us which was nice for us all.

~ looking forward to June. Exams will be done, numerous birthdays to be celebrated, special local events to attend,  exploration of the scrapbook/papercraft expo with my daughter,  school holidays begin, a trip away and a new longed-for special gift will arrive. And of course winter officially begins. I LOVE June.

~ hearing a delightful song from the magpies. Brings memories of childhood and I like that very much.

~ grateful for my health, my husband's health and our children's health. So grateful.

~ happy that I have had a bit of creative time this past week. Making some simple cards has been therapeutic and soothing to my soul.

~ drinking a hot cup of tea. After not being able to drink hot liquids for a few months it is wonderful to enjoy a very hot cuppa without pain or discomfort. So good.

~ baking apple and cinnamon muffins to fill the tummy's of hungry children this afternoon.

~  writing a list of clothes my teenage sons are needing. Both are growing before our eyes. As the cooler weather has arrived the winter clothing comes out and alas we discover how much they have grown since our trip to Tasmania just 4 short months ago. A shopping trip is on the agenda this weekend.

~ dreaming about our next big trip. Despite being 2 1/2 years away I can't help but be excited about it. I want to start planning now. I must admit I do like to take the occasional break from study to do some research about the places we want to visit.

~  finding joy in the simple things. The flowers in my garden, the sounds of the birds enjoying this delightful Autumn morning, the beauty of the clouds in the sky, the anticipation of the six of us all being together again at the end of today.

Wishing you a beautiful day wherever you are.......

Joanne  xx

Fully Alive

I recently came across this poem and it spoke to me so powerfully that I wanted to share.   Love Jo xx.

Fully Alive

I will not die an unlived life

I will not live in fear

of falling or catching fire

I choose to inhabit my days

to allow my living to open me

to make me less afraid

more accessible

to loosen my heart

until it becomes a wing

a torch, a promise

I choose to risk my significance

to live so that which came

to me as a seed

goes to the next as blossom

and that which came

to me as blossom

goes on as fruit.

                                               ~ Dawna Markova.

                                                                          

Dreams

Can I just start by saying I can't do it all.

I know, shocking isn't it?

I am a woman after all.

Aren't we supposed to be able to do it all?

Well I don't know about anyone else but

I can't do it all.

I really can't.

Silly thing is

that even though I know this to be absolutely true

 I continue to try doing it all.

So silly.

So ridiculous.

Right now

I am in the mist of attaining a long held dream

of becoming a Registered Nurse.

I have been studying parttime  for several years

and very soon I will have finished my studies.

I will be absolutely thrilled to realise this dream.

However for the past 2 years an new dream has been emerging.

 A beautiful and cherished dream.

Unfortunately this has been a little distracting.

I endeavoured to try to fit them both in but guess what?

They don't both fit.

Who was I kidding??

Wife, mother of 4, uni student and

new emerging dream.

Hmm, not very realistic.

Not doable for me right now.

 And that is OK.

 I made the decision earlier this year to put the new dream on hold. 

Just for a little bit.

Not for long.

Not for forever.

This new dream is too special to put aside for long.

It is definitely a part of my future. 

So here I am

 on the cusp of one dream coming to fruition

 and another waiting in the wings ready to emerge.

Exciting really.

I feel blessed to have both.

So while I complete one dream I may not be here quite so much.

I want to spend my spare moments

with myself (and my family of course).

I want to create for no reason other than to create.

I want to write for me and no one else's eyes.

I want to continue to capture life and create art

with my photos and stories

 for our families eyes.

I may pop in from time to time but just not regularly.

After my time away

I want to return

 ready to share my new dream

 and ready to take you along with me for the ride.

                                                                                   Much love to you,

                                                                                                                   Joanne xx