precious birthday surprises

I've just had my 52nd birthday last Thursday. I so appreciated the time I've spent with my family who made the effort to travel here from Adelaide (2 hours each way) over the last few days. My 3 youngest kids arrived at my place of work (school) at the end of the teaching day to surprise me. They took me out for coffee, then to a meal at a restaurant overlooking Moonta Bay. They then drove the 2 hours back home so Bryan could get to work by 7:30 the next morning.

My parents drove here Saturday and took me out for lunch at a cafe overlooking the sea, then on to a different cafe in Moonta for afternoon coffee and ice cream (even though it's still really cold here). We had Cornish Pasties for tea... Cornish pasties are a part of the heritage of this area. They are not getting any younger and have their share of health issues and I so appreciated them making such an effort to visit and spend time here with me.

My oldest son and his partner visited here today. They 'shouted' me to a wonderful meal at an Italian restaurant. We spent time chatting and relaxing within busy life schedules.

On each occasion we spent time relaxing here at my home looking at family photos I have been scrapbooking during the past 3 weeks.

I've been involved in a wonderful blogging site belonging to 2 wonderful people who lost their son to Hypoplastic left heart syndrome last year. He was just 4 years old. They enveloped him with such love and gave him such an incredible life during the short time they were privaledged to know him. They appreciated him and continue remembering him via their site. They have sooo many photos and videos that they share with us and they write in such a poignant way about the love in their hearts for their precious son who suffered so much. He was always smiling. This is in part due to his own nature but a huge part of this is due to their strength in giving him such security in their love, showing him values of respect, love, honour, peace, commitment, faith and honesty. They showed such appreciation of him as a person while supporting him through chronic health crises.

I have the DeMellos to thank the new outlook I have on life. I can't say they have renewed my enthusiasm for life because I don't think I ever had enthusiasm for life. I never found living life easy. I didn't really know why when I was a kid, or even until the last year or so really, but I understand the reasons now. Suffice to say that I have an appreciation for the time I have to spend with my family and friends. I appreciate that I have them around me, I mean I REALLY appreciate this. I always said I appreciated them and I did, but now I feel so glad to be alive and living. I've been living in an emotional fog all these years. Please don't think I didn't love my family before... I did... but now I have the emotional energy to really let go of the negative emotions and to rest in the peace and tranquility of love. I value life and just want to spend as much time with the people I love while I can.

Thanks doesn't seem enough in this situation, but I'd like to express it anyway. Thankyou for providing me with the opportunity to gain life enthusiasm, appreciation and love.

Thankyou to my family who made such an effort to simply spend some time with me here. It is a birthday time to remember in years to come.

It's been difficult to put this into words because words don't really 'cut-it' (or at least my words!)but I've done my best.

bye for now
Julie