Monday 26 January 2015

Family History

Last night I watched a chilling documentry about the first Australians and was completely and utterly heartbroken. The documentry was called Lousy Little Sixpence and went into detail about colonisation and the impact it had on Indigenous people. 
As an indigenous person myself I was mortified. I remember touching on the subject at School but never in this much detail and while growing up with the white side of my family and then getting shuffled around foster homes throughout my adolscents I had no real idea about my culture or what they went through all those years ago.
My Grandfather was a full blood Torres Strait Islander and my Nana was Pom. My Nana moved onto Thursday Island as a way to get away from a sexually abusive father and family who turned a blind eye to the abuse. He was already married and Nana was his second wife. This was not unusual on the island. My Grandfather had a daughter to his first wife before Nana fell pregnant with my Mother. Mum was born a half-caste. Making me quadroon and my children octoroon. Nana spoke of a lot of traditions on the island before she passed away in 2009. She spoke of how her husband was a fishermen, how he loved to sing, loved to drink, loved his wives and loved to work. She told me how her and his other two wives shared the cooking and cleaning duties and how they made things work in order to keep him happy.
Nana thought of leaving my Grandfather as he had became an abusive alcoholic when she was 19yo. Just before my Mum was born my Nana heard of a tradition they had on the island. How the first born in every family was to be given as a gift to an elder of the family and before that elder was decided they had to bury the baby up to the neck in the sand, on the beach of the island it was born onto and leave them there overnight. In the morning, if they were still alive and had survived the baby would be accepted into the tribe/family. If they passed away in the night, then it was told that they weren't strong enough for their tribe. After hearing this, Nana made plans to leave the island while she was still pregnant. 
A telegram was delivered one day for Nana, it was from her family in Victoria. It stated that her mother was sick in hospital and that she wanted to see her before she passed away. Nana left the island and while on her way down to see her mother gave birth to my Mother in Mareeba. By leaving, our culture and heritage were also left behind and Mum was raised being the only indigenous one in my Nanas family. Nana went on to have another child who was blonde and blue eyed. She was married three times. Mum never got to meet her real father or any of her family from the island.
Although our skin is dark and our indigenous features stand out we have no idea about who we are, what tribe we're from, who our family are, what language we spoke or even what my Grandfather looked like.
I researched a little right after my Nana passed away and found an announcement of my grandparents marriage. It was listed under the heading "Mixed Marriages" and was almost invisible at the bottom left hand corner of the newspaper. 
I contacted a man whom remembers a telegram being sent from the mainland to the island but then returned. That telegram contained information about my grandfathers death at age 42 and was never recieved by his family. I also now know where he is buried through research of plot names in the place he passed away. 
I never thought I'd be writing about all of this but it's amazing how just a small componant of my study into indigenous culture and hearing stories about the stolen generation can impact my life and make me want to appreciate who I am and where I came from more. 
I am Australian, I am Indigenous and I am Proud of my culture & history!
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Thursday 22 January 2015

MY HAPPY ~ JANUARY

Linking up with Tabitha's new blog meme..

a hundred tiny wishes

I've divided my little moments of happy's into two sections..

My life is so so full of happy moments all the time!
Join Tabitha's new blog hop here..
and share your happy moments this month..
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Tuesday 20 January 2015

Meeting Sadie Michelle..


A few days ago Jie and I got home from spending a few days/nights at Aunty Zoe's and finally got to meet 4 week old Sadie Michelle.. 

Gorgeous isn't she.. 
It was weird seeing my besty without her big belly but in exchange I got to snuggle up to her new beautiful baby girl only moments after meeting her..  

The following night (and every day after) I also got to hang out with Saige and Sanjay, her not-so-older.. older two and got to see and say hi to an old high school friend that night who hosted a candle party we attended.

As I write this I still cant believe that Zo has three kids. THREE! I remember our talks on the phone and how she was worried about how she was going to cope but she is such a natural. Saige and Sanjay are so well cared for and Sadie is so so loved.

Here are some happy snaps I shared on my social media sites while we were away and left our blog neglected..
And here are some videos too..



And I totally love this one I got of Sanjay too..
"It's Ninja Time!"



Thank-you all for having us!
We miss you guys already..
And dont doubt yourself Zo..
Your doing a wonderful job xx
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Sunday 11 January 2015

A Dedication

I'm dedicating this brand new year to my Nana Jeanette Standing (Hester) and I am not taking it lightly. She would have wanted to see us live well, achieve well and to be happy and healthy. Our Nana-Nette would want us to raise our children (her great grandchildren) with love and selflessness and to love each other immensely. This year I feel sorry for my sister and brother. Because as much as they would love to have me take a back seat in their lives I'm going to be involved like a full force gail. Each of them have never had the luxury of parents to keep them accountable, praise them when they're doing well or to help them when we're mucking up or going off the rails. But that changes now!! That may have been the way of life for the past 10 plus years but not this year! I'm not only making this year about me and my goals.. I'm going to do my complete and utter best to ensure that when 2016 hits us, we're all thriving towards being better individuals and encouraging one another to succeed! This is what Nana would have wanted!




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Monday 5 January 2015

Summer Reading with the Kids!

Last summer the kids and I read "The Twits" by Roald Dahl. Every night before bed we sat together on my bed during the hot and humid nights and read a chapter or two together.

The kids must have loved it because while at Collins Bookshop here in Bacchus Marsh today (looking for more Cathy Glass books) they begged for a new book for us all to read at bedtime.

We all settled for "The 13 Story Treehouse".

Tonight we opened up and read the first SEVEN chapters. After every chapter they begged for one more.. one more.. just one more I promise! before I realized that we were up to chapter eight. The kids wanted me to continue but I concluded that we wouldn't have any book left if I read anymore.

We laughed and giggled together, smiled and were all eager to skip to the pages ahead. I did different voices which made the kids seem to giggle more and their eyes were glued to the pictures and comic captions.

This family reading is fast becoming a Summer tradition. I read to Nevaeh every night and as Jie has gotten older he now prefers to use the extra 20 minutes or so before bed to play Minecraft or Plants vs Zombies on the tablet he got for his birthday in November last year.

But tonight as we sat there all consumed in the pages of the book, Nevaeh and I laying on our bellies and Jie on my back it was nice and I could see why they loved it so much.

We were all together, so close and having fun..

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Sunday 4 January 2015

Summer's Here!

In our sweet little town of Bacchus Marsh and all over Victoria we have endured two 40+ degree days in a row. For the lucky ones (like our next door neighbors) the heat stays outside and they stay in their beautifully air conditioned homes, but for us.. we brave the elements for our first summer splash at the local pool.
Today I took a pillow with me and relaxed in the shade with a good book and cold water. Jie hung out with a group of friends throwing a tennis ball back and forth and playing Marko-Polo down the shallow end of the big pool. Nevaeh who was finally able to enjoy the pool with us today hung out for an hour in the toddlers pool where she enjoyed some time to herself before making friends with another little boy. Together they played until it was time to go.

Swimming Milestones
- Jie is getting better at treading water and is eager to try.
- Nevaeh took her floaties off in the big pool.
- Jie swimming to the bottom of the pool.
- Jie learning to cannon ball.
- Nevaeh swimming in her floaty.
- Jie can now do front flips underwater.
- Nevaeh braving the deep end.
-Nevaeh jumping into the deep end.
- Jie can dive in rather well now from a crouching position.

Checkout the list of  last years Swimming Milestones here..
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Friday 2 January 2015

Budgeting for 2015


My life is pretty amazing! There is nothing I really desperately want this year (except to lose a few kilos) but as for everything else I am pretty content. But there are things on my bucket list for 2015 in which I need, the kids need, we need as a family. Things like getting my learners, travelling interstate for my high school reunion and of course buying my first car all of which are going to cost me big bucks. So tonight I am sitting here working out a way to have everything I need to make the most out of this year. Please pray for our finances and wisdom through making all of this happen. I'm feeling a little frazzled with all these digits in front of me.
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Thursday 1 January 2015

ASPIRATIONS 2015

As I look at where I am right now in my life. The beautiful home I live in, the amazing children I live with. The support of friends I have and the love of my Dad I sometimes need it's not a bad life at all.

2014 was an amazing year for us but as I read through some posts of facebook this morning it looks as though it wasn't a pleasant year for everyone. I guess I too used to be like that too. Focussing on the bad rather than the good God has given me. On any given day there are blessings given to us and I am just realizing how amazing I have it nowadays. 

This year is going to be a big year for us all. Jie is learning the fine art of responsibility this year at school and will also have a grade prep buddy to mentor for next year. Nevaeh will be starting school for the first time and although she is very excited I know this will be a very big step for her. And I will have so much time to get things I've always wanted to do (hopefully) done! 

Here are a few of my goals for 2015

  1. Get My License 
  2. Finish my Cert IV in Youth Work
  3. Possibly buy a Car
  4. Lose 10kg
  5. Go to my High School Reunion

Preferably in that order! 

Here on my blog it looks easy enough but I really want to check these things off this year and possibly even get a part time job for a little extra cash. I know these things are not out of reach for me and that if I put my mind to it I could have all of these things so I'm excited about 2015!

Direct me to your 2015 goals..
I'd love to see what you have in store for you this year..
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