Hi there!

It feels like such a long time since my last post. My life has felt like it has been crazy busy!

Here is a little sneak peek at what I’ve been up to……………

So, my middle son Thomas, who is 14 turning 15 in February has represented QLD in soccer at the Sydney Institute of Sport at Narrabeen N.S.W, where he vice-captained his team (U14 QLD boys) to the Grand Final against Victoria. Unfortunately they lost, although Thomas was successful in being named in the U14 Australian All Stars team! What an experience it was for him; playing the sport he loves at such a high and professional level, making new and lasting friendships, all the while having the time of his life. Craig and I were lucky enough to both have time away from work to be able to go down to Sydney and be actively involved in this awesome and exciting time in Thomas’s life. I certainly experienced plenty of “proud mummy” moments within the week we were there!

I look at Thomas and I see determination. I truly believe that he will succeed in anything he chooses to do in life, once he decides that he is going to do something, he doesn’t stop until it is accomplished, he has always been this way. He has learnt (although I’m sure he is very unaware) early on in life that you get back what you put in; a life lesson that most adults I speak with are still working out. A lot of the time, Thomas’s motivation motivates me. He inspires me, and continues to motivate me to be the best version of me that I can be, and for that not only am proud to call Thomas my son, but also grateful and blessed.

          

We have also had an extremely busy time with our eldest son Jack. On the 21st NovemberJack graduated high school. OMG, where did that time go? I still can’t believe that he has finished his primary and now secondary education. Even with Jack having two younger brothers, it still only feels like yesterday that he started school!

As much as I feel sad that this chapter of Jack’s and our lives are closed, I am excited for the next chapter to begin. Another “proud mummy” moment occurred watching Jack, along with the other graduating year 12 students at his school assemble for the final time for the whole school end of year assembly. Everyone who knows me well, knows I pretty much show all emotion as I’m feeling it, but for Jack I was brave, I didn’t cry. I didn’t cry at the closing school mass, or at the end of year whole school assembly, or even at his graduation. The moment though he drove out the drive way with his lovely girl friend, who I have grown to love (she drove by the way as he had a broken ankle so still no licence) and head off on what was their “schoolies” was when I cried. There was proud as punch tears, happy tears, sad tears, fearful tears and just plain tears of pure love rolling down my cheeks. It was like someone had opened the flood gates and I couldn’t stop! The emotion that I felt was overwhelming.

Thinking back to when Jack started school, a small somewhat shy, yet cute five year old boy who started his school life in a small country town in N.S.W, and to watch him grow into a strong, handsome confidant young man of 17 graduating year 12 is right up there as one of my greatest achievements. I remember as he was growing and steadily progressing through school life, other parents asking what it was that I wanted for Jack or what we wanted Jack to be when he grew up or when he left school; I answered them the same way that I have always answered Jack (and the other two boys)……..happy, I want him to be happy! I can honestly say that there are times in my day to day life where I’m not even sure what it is that I want to do or be, but I do know that happy is a certainty. When I look at Jack and reflect on the past few months and the significant events that have just occurred in his life, I can confidently say that he is happy, and without him even knowing it, he is reminding me everyday the importance of happiness, just being and feeling and embracing each moment.

                   

              

Now to my youngest, Harry.

Harry tends to keep me on my toes just as much as Jack and Tom, but differently. Harry is 10 and obviously isn’t quite as independent as his older brothers, so he still can be a little demanding of my time ( I mean that in a positive way). He has been busy wrapping up his year in year 5 with swimming lessons and carnivals, end of year break up parties and he too has decided to trial in representative soccer, which I can claim another “proud mummy” moment; he has been selected in the U11 rep squad (he now believes it pays off to be dragged all over the country side watching Thomas play and train)! As I sit and write this tonight, Harry is curled up sound asleep beside me in bed. He makes me and my family complete, like the final piece to a jigsaw puzzle. Everyday he unknowingly reminds me to stop, slow down and breathe. Harry is a “home body”, he loves to just be at home either in the pool, outside kicking a soccer ball, playing board games with myself, Craig and his brothers or just having a cuddle on the lounge in front of the T.V or reading a book together. When life seems like it’s all too hard, and I get caught up in work, Harry is my reminder to slow and chill, the final piece in putting “it all” into perspective.

                                   

                      

I give thanks everyday to the gifts that are my boys, as they each grow, develop and learn new skills, they remind me of what I need to do and the person I need to be. Not a day goes by that I’m not learning from one, if not all three of them, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Until next time, remember to be the best version of you that you can be, and take care of you!

Trene x