Even mass forwarded emails are making me cry

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

Love the people who treat you right.

Forget about the ones who don't.

Believe everything happens for a reason.

If you get a second chance, grab it with both hands.

If it changes your life, let it.

Nobody said life would be easy.

They just promised it would be worth it.

Friends are like balloons. Once you let them go, you can't get them back.

Send these balloons to your friends.

My big Sis sent me this round robin email and it made me cry. Cos I'm a loser.

Also because last week I had a friendship die. Dramatic much?

David and I had some really good close friends (friends who we went away for a holiday with and still came back friends ) friends.

Then they moved to the coast moved in different circles and dropped us like we weren't hot at all.

I understand that sort of ... friendships do come and go. Last week I told David I was going to organise a lunch with my friend and see if I could be a better friend to her (or find out what her problem with me was).

I did organise the lunch for 1pm on Friday. At 1.11pm on Friday I realised the friendship was dead.

It wasn't that she invited all her others friends to the lunch (I really like them and they seem to like me) it wasn't that she kissed and acknowledged everyone but me, it wasn't that she made unkind comments about my kids, my husband and my (lack of) work prospects. No it was when I realised that having her as a friend made me feel pretty crappy about myself. I have same valid reasons to feel crappy... I don't need silly immature and unvalid ones... but thanks anyway.

So thanks Angie for the email. I loved it and I really needed the balloons today.

PS Lest you think that this blog is ALWAYS about me .... These balloon are for you too my reader friends and fam. I love each and everyone of youse and you all rock ;-)

So go on have a balloon.

Ex

The love of a Family

So much has been and will be written about Daniel Morcombe ... in an effort to stop it going around in my head (and heart) maybe I will add my bit.

I was sitting with Lucy yesterday afternoon as she was playing a game on the Internet and saw a news page as she closed out of the game. It said the remains that had been found did belong to Daniel. I started to cry which is a pretty normal reaction I think. David said he felt relief. I hope relief is one of the emotions the Morcombe family feel.

I only know the Morcombe Family from their very public battle to raise awareness of child safety and keep the search for their son front and centre in the minds of all Australians. I see Mrs Morcombe at the post office every now and then and her grief (and determination) is writ large on her face.


I think Daniel would be so proud and honoured to belong to his family. Not once over the past eight years have his brothers or parents ever given up the search for him. Where others would have been incapable of keeping up the good fight day after day after agonising day ... they never left him behind.


I have heard from their latest presser that the family doesn't want to hold a funeral until the search has been exhausted. Another decision they have had to make that no parent should have to contemplate.

I hope and wish and pray that when the time comes for the authorities to return Daniel to his parents... his family can both welcome him home and envelop him in their tight loving SAFE embrace and then lay him to rest in everlasting peace.

Daniel Morcombe Foundation

Post Holiday Blues

I have started to do a recap of our New Zealand trip about 4 times and then real life gets in the way.

I hate the post holiday blues that I always seem to get after a big trip.

Real life is killing me at the moment so I will come back when I have something interesting to say.

If I had the gumption (or energy) I'd post about:

What I Wore Wednesday

Gay Marriage

Craig Thomson

The Carbon Tax

Twitter

and

David Hicks and The Premier's Literary Award

Most of these posts would include the words....

Dear Politicians,

How about you start earning that shite load of cash you take home each payday and actually start LEADING this bloody country before we end up going to hell in a hand basket.

From Elizabeth

Happy Birthday Mrs J

Despite the blizzards, airport and road closures and general white out kraziness... we mamaged to get back from Kiwi Land. I will make your eyes bleed later with a full recap but I really wanted to give a shout out to my Step Mum Jan as she had a birthday this week.

Jan is mos def one of the good guys. My Dad is lucky.

For my Dad's 60th birthday she knew that what he wanted most was to have all his kids in the same place (for the first time). Through sneaky phone calls and fantastic subterfuge she made it happen ... and Dad had no idea!

The look on his face was indescribable as he realised that the six of us with our families had travelled from all corners of Oz and New Zealand to be with him for a very special weekend. And this was all organised by Jan.

The Olds, The Kids and most of their Kids.

When I turned up in Dad's life with my peeps about 9 years ago Jan was loving, welcoming and gracious and we love her for that.

So Happy Birthday Jan.

We hope you had a fantastic day and you got spoilt like you deserve (and Dad managed to take you out to tea).

Lots of Love

Lizzie David Riley and Lucy. xxx

Aetearoa

Hello from the land of the long white cloud.

Queenstown is fabulous and we are having the BEST skiing weather.

Hope all is very good in your world (my mob isn't working so this is the text I woulda sent ya Peeps).

Love Ex

First World Problems

According to Urban Dictionary First World Problems are:

Problems from living in a wealthy, industrialized nation that third worlders would probably roll their eyes at.

This week I feel like I have a lot of FWP.

FWP1. I paid $35 for a hair cut. For Riley.

I was sort of ambushed into it. Sort of. Riley likes to get his haircut at the same place his cousins and Cath do. Its always expensive but as he is so so so low maintenance I don't mind. He gets about 3 haircuts a year and I feel a bit sorry for him because he is starting to get David's coarse curly hair (hair changes when you go thru puberty just so you know) so a decent haircut is the least I can do for him.

Anyhoo last night AFTER Bear is in the chair and gowned up and the perky blond is running her fingers thru his hair... she turns to me and says "Our price for Boys High School cuts has gone up to $35 OK?"

What was I going to do at that point? Even though I have no desire to be a cool Mum I also have no desire to embarrass my kids unnecessarily so even if I saved $10 bucks by changing hairdressers dragging my teenager out of there didn't really cross my mind. Still I feel ill at paying that amount for a kids haircut.

FWP2. George Clooney called and he wants his coffee machine back.

Oh look at his happy face.

We bought a Nespresso coffee machine. Although its swanky (with a silent s) it does make great coffee just like the real cafe deal. Slight problem caffeine makes me anxious. After two days of nausea and full on anxiety I remembered why I gave it up. Dave is still enjoying it.

FWP3. I bought some new summery shoes and I want to wear them.Now.

Its 11 degrees today.

FWP4. We are going on holidays. Soon.

I haven't packed. I feel I am not ready to go. I also am feeling stressed about going (where will we eat, what if the kids snow gear doesn't fit, what if they freeze on the slopes, will the hotel have quick internet and excellent cable TV, and again where will we eat?).

When will I have my shite together enough NOT to freak out over going on holidays?

FWP5. I miss Daisy.

Because of FWP4. I dropped Daisy off to our friends who are baby sitting her whilst we are away.

I got a bit teary leaving her. I wish they let me take her on the plane it would make for a much calmer flight.

Okay do YOU have first world problems? Please feel free to share so I dont feel like the massive loser that I am.

Ex

Angie comes to visit

My big sister Angela came to the Sunny Coast for the weekend. The weather was good and a fun time was had by all.


We went and got lunch provisions on Saturday just like we use to do when we all lived in Darwin. The menu was chicken, rolls and salad of course.

After lunch we went over to the strawberry patch to do abit of PYO.

Lucy driving the hay train :-)

Nutty was staying at Cath's too.

Yeah you are not suppose to eat them in the patch!

To celebrate the kids birthdays Dana Jo made a red velvet cake for them. It was as yummy as it looks.

Lucy discovered that fruit is best eaten covered with a lot of sugar and chocolate.

After tea we played Sing Star karaoke and Ang whipped all our butts. As a high flying exec Angie makes a really good lounge singer.

Look at these Duds!!!

Sunday was more eating and visiting and playing Rummykub games and discovering the world of Cath's reality TV shows (Pregnant in Heels!!!) until it was time to take Ang to the Airport bus.

Thanks for coming and visiting Aunty Ang... we all had a ball. Ex