My Happy Home

Thanks to Wendy for making me aware of 1000 Homes of Happiness - a lovely site dedicated to spreading words of significance that touch our lives and make our homes all the more happier.

I decided to share my happy home with someone, and I chose the word ENRICH. 

I left my happy home with Philomena's prep teacher, Ms Fillery (it was tricky trying to leave the home on her desk and take the photo without being caught in the act).    Her presence in Philomena's life has been significant.  With the assistance of her teacher aide, Mrs Brown they've definitely enriched the lives of the children of Prep B at Mt Warren Park State School. 

As you can see by the photos above and below, there are lots of activities that the children enjoy.  Lots of vibrant colours, letters, words, numbers and things to stimulate curious little minds. 

Credit must go to Philomena for taking the next few shots.

And below I've just included some photos of Philomena from this year.  She's a lovely little girl.  She can be very trying some times, but I suppose having a child so bright and social, it's hard to keep their enthusiasm and determination from bubbling over.  Philomena has definitely enriched our lives and made us better people.

Above pic - Philomena enjoying ricotta cheese pikelets with blueberries and whipped cream.

Philomena with her 'Uncle Daz', who is great with kids and is so patient with her.

Our little princess.  She really is a princess/diva most of the time when she is with us at home.  Funnily enough though, everyone else tells us how independent, strong and helpful she is.  And I ask myself..."is that my child?". 

Philomena with 'Elsie' the Elephant.  Ms Fillery thinks it may be the first ever sports day at Mt Warren Park State School, where an elephant ran in the races.  Elsie has been with Philomena since the day she was born.  Mena has a strong attachment to her little friends as she calls her stuffed animals.  Every one of them has a name, so it makes it very hard to 'cull' any of her furry friends.  So the menagerie keeps growing at an alarming rate, and we're running out of room to house them all.  But, being an only child, we understand her attachment and the need to have her little friends, where she would normally have brothers and/or sisters.

Whatever Happens I Will Be Grateful...

"He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has."

- Epictetus

I am grateful for the blessings of my daughter Philomena, and my husband, Anthony.

Today I've had the most touching opportunity to be grateful. I awoke to sunshine this morning, but it soon turned grey, and we've had some drops of rain. I rejoiced when I awoke to rain, and I rejoiced when it clouded over. It matched my mood, and I was thankful to have the opportunity to come home after mass, and after helping Philomena clean her room, sit down to enjoy a Wild Bean coffee, and read.

We've all had a nice morning doing our own little things and going into our own little worlds. This afternoon we'll come together as a family again, go out to celebrate Phil's birthday with our good friends Matt and Chelsea and their boys, Ashton and Declan.

But meanwhile, this is what we've been doing... Philomena is watching a DVD...G-Force (guinea pigs who are spies); Anthony has been reading the paper, snoozing and playing with his lego; and I've been sitting in Phil's room looking out the window watching the trees and plants sway, reading the paper, listening to Tony McManus, contemplating and being grateful for small things today. It's what I would call a perfect Sunday.

Today's title is taken from today's Qweekend article, 'From Little Things Big Things Grow'. It's a great article by Frances Whiting, and this is the sub-heading..."In the hustle and bustle of daily life, how often do we stop to appreciate the small stuff? Hailey Bartholomew did, and she started a revolution."

Her website '365 Grateful' is about Hailey's story which includes a project which is being turned into a documentary. The Qweekend article also includes other people's stories where they were touched by Hailey's quest...to be grateful for something every day, and how it changed their lives and their outlook. If you haven't got today's Sunday Mail with Qweekend, then I recommend you get it (the article isn't online yet).

Of course, there are so many things I am grateful for. But today, being at home as a little family and enjoying relative peace and quiet, and being able to read and contemplate the blessing of my little family and all the 'small things'...sipping coffee...watching the trees and plants sway, and the leaves whirl...reading the paper...reading a good book...listening to soothing music...and generally contemplating the richness of my life...

I couldn't find 'The Lea Rig' on youtube, so I'll leave you with Tony's rendition of Wonderful World...a great tune to help you feel gratitude...

Philomena's First Week of School

Philomena & her little (not in stature) friend Destiny

Prep B's classroom mascot, Spot

Monday was Philomena's first day of Prep.

Like all others who experienced what it is to have their child go to school for the first time, I felt a tugging of the heart strings of what is the start of a new phase in Philomena's life and our lives. Even now as I write this I get all teary, thinking about how quickly our children grow and how they change.

The first day was a great day, and AW, myself and Philomena's grandmother (AW's mum) came along for the big occasion. There were no tears from us or her. We knew that Philomena would be fine, and was looking forward to school. I think I was more emotional in the days preceding, thinking about the moment.

And on the day when we were told it was time to leave, Philomena gave us a big hug, kiss and 'I love you', waved goodbye and then was off to play. Everybody was happy.

So the first week went fairly well, and we seem to now have a bit of a routine. My plan this year was to let go of some roles and responsibilities, so I could focus on my fitness and my family. It's starting to be realised, and it's nice to be able to go and collect Philomena from school (we only have to walk across the road, and through the grounds to her classroom), and be able to have a lovely conversation on our walk home. When we get home, Philomena puts her things away, gets changed and then it's just me and her time to play or do whatever. And no rushing! That's a nice place to be.

We have had one little concern, but I envisaged that this might happen. On Tuesday afternoon Philomena was upset when I picked her up because she said she had no friends. When I queried her, it seems she had asked a few little girls if they would be her friend, but they either ignored her or said they already had a friend. On Thursday, the problem sought of grew and she was upset and teary, so I thought we'd have a chat to her teacher (who is just lovely).

Philomena has no problems socialising, but the thing is, she's more comfortable with older children and adults. Being an only child, she's very conversant with adults. So having to then socialise with children the same age is a bit more of a challenge, as verbally and socially she's ahead of most children her age. Basically, other kids just don't 'get her'. She often gets blank stares from little children because they have no idea what she's saying, conceptually. Philomena is also very confident, so she will just walk up to anyone, introduce herself and start talking. It's even off-putting to some adults, so imagine how much of a shock it is for children.

But I'm glad we spoke to Ms Fillery (nicknamed Miss Honey from the movie, Matilda). She suggested that Philomena's maturity is more the issue, and she had noticed how there were children who were a little lost (understandable given it's only the first week of school), and that they were working on strategies to help the children interact and connect more.

I wasn't too concerned. I know that things will work out, and that being the first week, it's all a bit confusing for all the children. We've just tried to explain to Philomena this, and to be patient, because we're sure she will have lots of friends very soon. And as Ms Fillery said, Philomena is just too beautiful not to have friends.

So Friday came, and when I went to collect Philomena, she was happy. I didn't mention anything about friends.

I did find out that the reason she was so happy was because she was chosen as the first child to take home Prep B's classroom mascot, Spot. Every Friday, someone is chosen to take home Spot the dog, and to bring him back on Monday. He comes with a scrap book and we are given one page to paste photos or whatever of how Spot spent the weekend with Philomena.

Well since Friday, Philomena and Spot have been inseparable! She told me this morning that apparently Spot didn't want to go back to school on Monday. Hmmm...I think there will be a different kind of separation anxiety, come Monday.