Grateful

I have absolutely no good reason to worry. I am very, very blessed.

This morning, we took Maisie to have her 12 month immunisations. We saw a gorgeous nurse, who was kind, funny and gentle. She gave Jack and Phoebe bubbles to blow to entertain Mais and distract her from the pain. My lovely hubby was with me, ready to keep the big kids in hand and comfort our littlest one. Although vaccinations are painful, they are one of the ways I am able to ensure my sweethearts grow up happy, healthy and strong.

Somewhere in the world today, there is a mother with a sick child, ill with a completely preventable disease. She does not have the access to free and wonderful medical support that I do. And for that, I am incredibly sad for her, and extremely grateful for myself. I have absolutely no good reason to worry. I am very, very blessed.

After Maisie's appointment, we took Jack and Phoebe to the pool for the first of their week-long intensive swimming lessons. This is just one of the opportunities I hoped for my children when I was planning a family. As a small child I was given swimming lessons, and these continued until I was a competent swimmer who could relax and enjoy the water. Living in a coastal area, I feel it is my responsibility to teach my children water safety. It is also a great pleasure to provide swimming lessons for our kids so that they will grow healthy, strong, and be adept at both the beach and the pool. I am so lucky to sit each week and watch my children enjoy every minute of their swimming lessons - just another element of their childhood that I would not miss for quids.

In Melbourne this morning, a mother and her three children were found after a house fire. This mother was unable to save herself, or her babies, and now their childhoods are gone. I have absolutely no good reason to worry. I am very, very blessed.

After swimming lessons, lunchtime and a tiny (and not-so-quiet) quiet time, I took the kidlets off to visit Aunty Megan, Joshua and Aislinn. Josh and Jack, and Phoebe and Aislinn are as thick as thieves - they have all been great mates since they were very tiny. It was lovely to sit with Meegs and chat, while the big kids played and Maisie crawled all over the house finding things to put in her mouth. The big kids actually enjoyed an afternoon reminiscent of my own childhood (and I'm sure those of you who grew up in the 70's and 80's would remember times when the rules were a lot more relaxed than they are now...). Josh, Jack, Aislinn and Phoebe ran barefoot, in the rain, on the grass in the backyard, splashing in puddles, riding bikes, throwing balls, and basically having a squealingly-good time, for about two hours. When they arrived inside, dripping all over the floor, we put them into a warm bath, dressed them in dry clothes, and restrained them from going back out into the wet. Now that's what I call a good afternoon!

While our kids were running rampant, Megan and I kept an eye on the increasingly disturbing news from Queensland. All over Queensland today, mothers were desperately trying to keep their children alive and safe. Houses were being washed away, cars were smashing into each other unchecked, and people were being evacuated from the third largest city in Australia. What's worse, is that this scenario is worsening, and by tomorrow, thousands upon thousands of people will be homeless. Every time I see news of the floods up north, I start to weep - for the families who are stranded, for those who are missing, for those who are already lost...and I know that I have absolutely no good reason to worry. I am very, very blessed.

As completely useless as I feel right now, I am sending all the love and hugs and thoughts out to those suffering in Queensland. It almost feels treacherous, sitting in my safe, dry house, my children fast asleep, my clothes clean, my stomach full. With so much going on in the world that is tragic and awful and sad, it is hard to imagine where to start helping people. So I will bolster myself, think hard about loved ones I already have in Queensland (and several about to make the journey), and find a way to make a tiny difference. Tomorrow, I am going to pull all of the kids' outgrown clothes from the wardrobe and sort them to send to the relief effort. I will find whatever baby items Maisie has outgrown, remember her in them one last time, and send them too. I will sort through bed linen, baby blankets, and kitchen items, and give whatever I can. Because although we lost our jobs last year, and have ourselves been relying on the charity and kindness of our families and friends, Christian and I have much to be thankful for. I am so very, very grateful for the safety and well-being of my loved ones right now. I have absolutely no good reason to worry. I am very, very blessed, and will never take it for granted.