Flooded once again

Beleive it or not after 17 years of not having a flood in Rockhampton, we have now been flooded three times in as many weeks. Last week it was more localised flooding, but this week the river is now a little above what it was a couple of weeks ago, with the river not expecting to peak until sometime tomorrow so it will go even higher still. Interestingly enough, there has been no where near the sightseers this time, even though the flood is worse than it was three weeks ago. Even we have not been around to check out the waters the same . Now that may have something to do with the fact that both Steve and I have been very sick this week. I feel like I am finely on the road to recovery, although I am still feeling incredibly tired if I try to do too much. Steve on the other hand is still really sick and is pretty much still in bed. I know that he is sick cause he hates taking time off from work and has great difficulty sitting still and doing very little which is precisely what he has done all week. He has QSA Monitoring for the district on Monday and as the is the Chairperson for the region he has a lot of responsibilty but he has already rung the Regional Office and told them he will be too sick to attend. This is unheard of from Steve. He still has the fevers today so even if they are gone by tomorrow, I know from my experience he will be too weak to do too much on Monday or Tuesday.





















These last couple of photos were taken at the Botanical Gardnes just arround the corner from our place. it is so nice to see the lagoons full of water again and the prolific birdlife that is there presently. It was amazing to just sit and watch and listen to them today - they have been absent for way too many years.

Unfortunately because we have been so sick we have had little opportunity to play with the new camera either, so other than taking photos of a few flowers in the garden, and a few of the floods on the way home from the doctors this morning, we are still eagerly waiting to have a good play with it.











It has been over three weeks since we have had any sun out here, so on Wednesday morning when we finally got to see the sun and blue skies I went out onto the footpath and took a photo looking down our street. Wanted to get a photo with blue skies and shadows and this photo managed to get both of those. I really love this photo too - this plan in our garden is such a weedy looking plant and yet when you get up close it has the most beautiful flowers. I need to appreciate my garden more - out taking photos in it this week, has mad me realise how much I miss because of the hurriedness of life - always hurry here and there and never taking time to stop and appreciate the beauty all around.
Yesterday I was feeling well enough to do a bit of scrapbooking and I managed to do three layouts that I can share with you. Unfortunately they haven't photographed real well, as it was overcast again this morning early when I photographed them.



















This last layout didn't photograph true to colour at all. This colour paper never seems to - I don;t know why.

Other than that there isn't a whole lot to share this week, we have both been housebound. Being sick though has given me time to ponder this

Seeing Life

Life is full and life is busy, it just is.
That will not change
I can't imagine that it would all of a sudden slow down just for me.

I think that "slow down" is a choice,
I think it is a part of how we each choose to take it all in ,
how we choose to see our life.

What kind of eyes do you want to see your life through?Rushing by
with eyes too focused on wherever it is that you are going
and a mind full of what is on your list of "to do"?,
or
do you choose to be present NOW, in this very moment right where you are?
seeing clearly the gift of it all;
each breath,
each shared day with little people,
or big people,
or just the peace of sunshine and wonderful fresh air.
Life is full and busy,
it just is
but we always have a choice.

Finally I have been tagged by Carol

This tag is a little different to others I have done previously, this is how it goes:

The idea behind this tag game is different from other tag games. Rather than look inwardly, we look outside ourselves and bless, praise and pray for 3 blog friends. By participating in this endeavour we not only make the recipient of the blessing feel valued and appreciated, but we are having some fun too. We're going to see how far the bloggin' blessings can travel around the world and how many people can be blessed! Be sure to go to the blog of those you are blessing and leave a comment on their blog to be sure they check yours!

The first person I want to tag is Sal. I met Sal online through Scrapbooking forums, but in the last 18 months I have got to know her personally and I love her committment not only to her family but also to God and I am so thankful that she was faithful in doing what God asked her to do in setting up Scrap of Faith. Not only has it been a huge encouragement to me, but also to a heap of lovely girls that I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know.

The second person I would like to tag is Lusi. Lusi is not only an awesome person but a very talented scrapbooker who is so down to earth and genuine. She is also has a wonderful love for God and this just radiates from Lusi and I just love her. You have an awesome future ahead of you Lusi. God is going to do amazing things with you. Lusi is such a positive person and is so thankful - she has been a huge encouragement to me.

The third person is Gayle. Gayle lives right on the other side of the country, but always has time for a chat and to help me in my time of need. I know that I am not the only person she freely gives of her time. Gayle has a servant heart and delights in helping others. She is also an awesome Scrapbooker, and also has a real love for God and her family. We are hoping to meet in real life later this year and I can't wait.

Just a thought in closing

“The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.” Frank Lloyd Wright

Its Arrived.

Guess what arrived at our house today???????
I got a wonderful surprise this afternoon when the delivery man came knocking on my door. Steve led me to beleive that my camera hadn't arrived in the shop yet, never lone having arrived and been forwarded out to us, so it definately was a surprise when the delivery man knocked at the door with a parcel from Camera's Direct. Must say there service has been fantasic. Would definately recommend going through them if you were ever looking for a new camera.

Steve came home this afternoon in one of his spares to check on me too - the sweetheart, he knows how sick I have been and just wanted to make sure I was OK. He popped home this morning for 20 minutes also. This afternoon though I think he was secretly hoping the delivery guy would arrive whilst he was home but no, 5 minutes after he went back to work, I got a knock at the door. I had to ring him straight away and let him know, and he did say I could open it then and there but I decided to wait until he got home after school (about 4pm) to open the box, (It was real hard to wait too), but this is as much his new toy as it is mine, so I didn't want him to miss the excitement. Anyway thought you would like to see a few photos of my new toy.

Looking forward to the weekend when hopefully we will be able to have a bit more of a play with it.

Thought this was an interesting quote.

We try to grab pieces of our lives as they speed past us. Photographs freeze those pieces and help us remember how we were. We don’t always know these lost people but chances are if you look around, you’ll find someone just like them. Gene McSweeney

I'm sick

I just HATE getting the flu in Summer - there should be a law that says you cannot get sick in summer. Boy have I a got a dousy dose of the flu this time - Last night was the worse, up most of the night cause I couldn't sleep, everytime I lay down I would cough cough cough - my eyes were watery, ears blocked, nose blocked, constant case of the shivers. I mean, Steve was hot and wanted the fan on and here I was in winter nightie and doona on and still shivering. Then this morning I was burning up. Today I am just feeling plain miserable, can't breathe, coughing, no smell, popping ears and watering eyes - just miserable,and just feeling incredibly lethargic, no energy to do anything and I still can't seem to find my mojo for scrapbooking. That is catching up on all the family photos I have sitting here on my scrapbooking desk.

We had our first monthly scrapbooking get together yesterday, and I missed most of it. I went over for a little over an hour (didn't have the energy to stay longer) as I had to deliver the retreat forms for our scrapbooking retreat this year, thought I would make a couple of cards, as I just didn't have it in me to think about doing a layout or packing to take the gear to do one.

Also made Steve a card for Valentine's Day this year - pretty low key one as we have just spent a heap on the new camera. Must admit though that my card wasn't an original, found the design on someone's blog and thought it would be easy to do.

Earlier this week, I did manage to do a few more of my layouts for my JOY journal, which has just about caught me up now. I have a few more photos in the camera to have printed and then I will be caught up.

News on the Camera - still patiently waiting, it has not arrived in stock yet, hopefully tomorrow, and then it will take a few days to have it posted out, so hopefully by next weekend or early the week after I might have it. Katrina (Millie) had her new camera at scrapbooking yesterday, taking some photos for us. She is keen for some decent weather here so that she can get in and take some photos too. The weather has been crazy - we have not even seen sight of the sun in over two weeks, earlier this week, we had over 15 inches of rain in about 36 hours, (not as bad as Mackay that had over 25 inches in just under 8 hours.) but it has still left everything wet and soggy here. I think I have done more wet weather duty at school this year than I did in the whole of last year and we have only been back at school three weeks.

Not a lot else happening here at this stage - just gearing up for the busy time with work for Uni - Orientations in the next month, so that leaves me with a heap of students I need to contact in the next couple of weeks, so I really do need to get well rather quickly.

Thought I would leave you with a few more of the layouts I have done for my JOY Journal.

I just thought I would leave you with a couple of thoughts for the week.

No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves. Amelia Earheart

and

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galations 5:22-23

The order has gone in.

The news of the week is that I'm feeling quite excited today as we have finally decided on which camera we want and the order has been placed. After spending the last three weeks researching cameras and lenses we have finally decided on getting the Nikon D40X body with the Nikor 18-200mm VR Lense. Hopefully this camera will be here within a fortnight. Initially I had my heart set on a Canon but after doing all the research I really am happy that we have done the right thing getting the Nikon. Now the fun will be in learning how to use it. I am seriously thinking of doing a Photography course in the next few months.
Scrapbooking wise I still haven't done too much. I have done a couple of layouts which I will share for my "Joy Album", and I have another couple on the go. I got a bit behind with this over Christmas so now I have to catch up on it. Also got Nat's gorgeous CJ yesterday, so I will be working on it this week, as we are now a couple of months behind. I need to organise myself as the group of girls I crop with monthly have their first crop next Saturay. Looking forward to catching up with them all again as most of them I have not seen since November (which was possibly the last time I did any serious scrapbooking)

Life has been pretty hectic this week, what with my new job at work which I have to say I am loving at the moment. This coming week there are some manjor changes to my timetable, I will be spending, all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and half of Thursday in the Library, and the rest of Thursday and all day Friday I will be spend working in a Prep/Year 1 classroom with a teacher I worked with in Special Ed so I am quite looking forward to this as Emma is a wonderful teacher and great to work with.

Have lots of things that I have been both thankful and grateful for this week.

Giggles
Sweet kisses
Friendships
Girls nights out
Birthday teas
Brilliant sunsets
Rainbows in the sky
Challenges of a new job
The love of God
The flowers in my Garden
Wisdom
Compassionate concern
God’s provision
Tender Love
Cuddles in Bed
Ear tickling
The Colours of the rainbow
The ironing all hanging up
Friends dropping in
Squeals of delight
Playing in the rain

but most of all
I am thankful for those I love the Most.

Finally just a couple of photos I took this week. This first one we thought was quite funny. When we were driving around looking at the flood waters we came across "The Soul Tree". This tree had hundreds of different shoes hanging out of it. We just had to stop and take a picture. Also I wanted to capture this beautiful sunset. We have had some magnificant sunsets these past couple of weeks. In fact Steve actually rang me on his way back to work one night this week and told me to grab the camera and go take a photo of the sun as it set over the lagoons. That save afternoon I got to photograph a magnificant rainbow as well. Will leave that to share another time. This second photo of the sunset is not real good as it was taken by Steve on his mobile phone but I just love it and wished that I could have got there to take the photo with the good camera. Our son Pete was only saying in this last week or so, that the one thing he misses about living in Rocky, that he doesn't get to see in Brisbane is the beautiful sunsets.