Here you’ll find stories of my remote for-purpose business founder, family-loving, grant-seeking, adversity-facing life.
‘Tis the good, the bad and not too much ugly.

Hey, you awesome go-getter!


Health Health

2020. Changing the fundamentals of the way we do life.

This virus has made me sad to the core, because it’s changing some of the fundamentals of the way we do life. And while we’re locking down to try and prevent the spread of a deadly disease, lockdown is also increasing the frequency and impact of other social issues, like domestic violence, relationship breakdown and social isolation.

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Faith, Family Faith, Family

A collective sense of expectation

There is something about a new year. I know it’s just another day, which technically doesn’t change anything from yesterday, yet there is still something undeniably different about the first day of a new year. I’m wondering whether it’s because there is an underlying sense of expectation. That something will be different. That things will change.

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Family Family

Breathe

As we keep racing around, we’re actually missing all those little moments that make up the beautiful bits of life. We need to stop. And breathe. We need to slow down.

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Family Family

When your community helps you survive

The importance of community helping people survive tough situations has been reiterated in a huge way at my local level this past week. When tragedy strikes, it’s quite powerful seeing people band together - to support each other, to pray together, to cry together, to sit and chat. The importance of the time we have right now becomes so real.

Both short term and long term support is needed when crisis hits. Because crisis doesn’t last forever, but the ramifications and flow on effects often do.

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Health Health

Why do we feel the need to speak?

What is it about our Australian culture that make us feel the need to speak? What is wrong with silence? Or just a hug? Or an ‘I’m so sorry’? Why do we feel the need to make people feel better, when there is nothing that can actually make them feel better at that particular moment?

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Family Family

Meals to survive a busy season

It’s a busy month in our house. Lots of extra work hours, medical appointments for various family members, volunteering, plus just the usual busyness of a family of five. Nothing extraordinary, just lots on.

Usually, these busy periods mean we buy extra takeaway and don’t eat particularly well. Shopping and meal planning just seems to fall by the wayside. Then we feel worse ourselves, which doesn’t help us cope with the extra busyness. I’m sure you’re familiar with the cycle?

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Health Health

Managing unhealthy stress

I thought ‘that’s it, that’s exactly how I can manage unhealthy stress better’. So many things can push in on us and wear us down. Serious health issues are a big one which can just be so relentless. But there are many, many other causes of stress too. If you’re looking for ways to manage unhealthy stress, then check this out.

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Health Health

Unexpected flash backs & long term coping

I find myself sitting in the same surgical waiting room at The Royal Children’s Hospital where we sat waiting to take our son into his second Open Heart Surgery. Today it’s just a meeting with an anaesthetist for some dental work, but walking in did make me take a short breath and catch myself. I wasn’t expecting today to be a day of flash backs.

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Health Health

Small things can be powerful things

Today is R U OK? day. It’s such a great initiative which encourages people to stay connected and have meaningful conversations. I don’t think you should ever underestimate the power of doing something small for someone who is struggling. Small things can be powerful things.

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Family Family

Time out

Time out is good for the soul. I’m in Noosa with 3 friends for a ‘utero retirement’ trip 😂 So good to get some sunshine and take a break.

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Family Family

The day I bought a scooter

One of the absolute best things that has come out of our family living with Congenital Heart Disease, is the fact that we tend to live with a mentality of 'why not?' rather than think of all the reasons why we shouldn't do something. It's like since we came so close to losing our HeartKid, my husband and I have subconsciously decided to make the most of life while we've got it.

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Family, Health Family, Health

Why I’ve learnt to run at an 8 instead of a 10

Not knowing what is around the corner with our HeartKid has taught me that I can't run at 110% all the time. It's not wise for me to run at full capacity with no space left. If I'm already running at a 10, where do I go if tomorrow our son’s heart starts playing up again and I end up in the Emergency Department?

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Family Family

Bake a cake...just because

Cooking for me is one of my ultimate escapes. I love the creativity of it. I love the aroma that fills our house when I sauté onions, fry off spices, melt chocolate, stew apples or bake pastry. It makes our house feel like a home.

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Faith, Family, Health Faith, Family, Health

Why a blog?

For 5 years, I’ve been struggling to cope with our 5-year-old son’s heart condition. Yet now it feels like I’m moving into a new stage. A stage filled more with hope, story sharing and helping others, rather than the all-consuming internally focussed survival mode that I was thrown into 5 years ago. My hope, really, is that by sharing this part of my story, other families facing chronic critical illness may realise they’re not alone.

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