Thankfully, by the grace of God, we are all very well and individually moving on in our lives in positive directions. Our three youngest are still living at home, with the younger two continuing well with their homeschool studies (and cricket as their chosen sport). We love our new home and location and I'm still enjoying sewing quilts (and my clothes), long walks, taking photos, loving my family and keeping an orderly, welcoming home.
July to September 2019 were a blur of smoke haze (from the beginning of a harrowing extended bushfire season) and wedding preparations. Mid September Grace and J were married in a beautiful country wedding at the back of J's father's farm. The reception was held on site, under the light of a stunning full moon.
Following the younger three girl's annual state Country Championships cricket carnival in October, we headed off on a three and half week road trip. Master T also accompanied us as he had just completed his first year of studies at Uni (Computer Science). The primary purpose of our long journey was the interment of my Mother-in Love's ashes at a family church in Victoria. After a small family ceremony at the historic church, we stayed in Ballarat, then had a week in Melbourne, before traveling to many other stunning places in Victoria including the Great Ocean Rd, Grampians and Mallacoota. We drove home along the NSW coast, catching up with some family and friends along the way. It was a wonderful holiday.
2020 began with lots of promise and the engagement of Miss E, our eldest child. Plans were soon curtailed greatly as the unpredictable impact of COVID increased. With the extra time at home I settled in to finish off some long term quilts - a positive focus, along with lots of neighbourhood walks. Miss E and fiancé R did an amazing job of working with ever changing restrictions in Sydney to eventually have a very small and beautiful wedding in their Latin Mass church in June 2020 (a very different experience for the rest of the family). So grateful our immediate families were able to attend (we met R's family the night before the wedding).
Christmas brought all the family together again, a gathering we were extra grateful for.
Early this month we had all the family home again, and many of the extended family, to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. Discretely arranged by my sister and held in our home, we managed to surprise Mum. Mum came to stay for the weekend, expecting to see our immediate family (which is quite a number anyway) but then my two siblings and families arrived from Queensland, one by one, as well as her two surviving brothers and their wives from Dubbo, and a close Aunt (who was married to my father's brother - how Mum and Dad met), who is well loved by all the family. It was a wonderful time of reconnection for most and a time of introductions for the newer family members.
A pleasant change from quilt details - although I do have some more of those to share shortly too 😊