Happy 50th Wedding Anniversary

We are celebrating Byron's parents 50th Wedding Anniversary this morning.

The card in the foreground shows a picture of Byron's mum Myan and her father as she prepared to enter the church and marry Den. You can see the modern version of Myan and Den fuzzy in the background as the talked on the phone to their daughter Julie and grandson Kerry.

Who would have thought that 50 years later they would be visiting their son and three Grandkids on the other side of the world!

What are Grandparents good for?

...buying ice-creams of course!

A child's faith.

A week ago Gareth made his first Communion. He was told during his preparations that he could use the special occasion as a chance to say a prayer for anything he wanted. Someone in our family was waiting for test results that had the chance of being quite devastating. We were all on edge waiting for news of the results and Gareth told me that was what his special prayer was for.

Tonight he lit another candle and this time he whispered a little prayer of thanks. The results were back and the news was good. He is totally convinced that his prayer last week helped.

How lovely to have such faith and trust. I hope he never loses it.

Welcome Nanny and Grandad!

Our visitors have arrived from Wales!

Byron's parents are here to celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.

There have been a few changes around here since their last visit 4 years ago. The most hilarious being Betty and Wilma!

How to give your husband indigestion...

Gareth's First Communion.

Yesterday Gareth was fully initiated into our Church. He made his First Holy Communion along with a group of his classmates. He wanted to dress up so badly so he could look "Like a man"

Even though the dress code was flexible and not necessarily formal he was adamant that he wanted a tie. It was the day before the event and I had run out of time to travel to one of the larger department stores to look. I finished work and tried a local formal wear shop which had none available to sell but had a perfect silver one to hire. He was so excited when he came home to find it on the hall table!

Here is a photo of him just before we headed out to church.



























There are more taken later as we stood in the church grounds but the one with me in it is when I lost my balance and fell backwards into the crunchy gum leaves on the ground. Thanks Byron for managing to catch the photo but not your wife! It was a great day with great memories and one we will remember very proudly!

School Fair!

Roll Up, Roll Up!

Everything's a bargain. Just name your price!

Rugby World Cup 2011...

Say No More...

Happiness is...

...a day spent with cousins!

Cinnamon Swirls.

I got a craving for something sweet today and started to Google recipes for cinnamon swirls. I can't find the link now for the recipe I used but they tasted very good and went down a storm.

The dough was a little dense and didn't rise as much as the recipe suggested so I am happy to try another random recipe next weekend. If anyone has any to share I'd be happy to hear from you. I don't think the kids or Byron would object either!!!

Laundry maid.

I never turn down an offer of help with my laundry. What I didn't expect as I hung my washing out this week was help from Betty. She had a good look through the basket of wet clothes and then tuned her attention to my bare feet.

I learned two things today, chickens are no good at hanging shirts on the line and my toes are not worms....

Never leave your kids home alone...

I dropped Gareth at swimming lessons down the road this afternoon while Sian and Rhiannon stayed behind doing homework.

When I came home this poster was stuck inside the front door...

Fathers Day Hug.

One step at a time...

Life here in the Baynham family is getting back to normal one step at a time.

I booked in to the counsellor that work provided and I must say that I felt like a fraud walking in to the building. Thoughts like "I'm not crazy" or "I must be really weak to need professional help" swam through my head. Along with "Please God don't let me see anyone I know here" I had a lot of preconceived ideas about needing therapy. The session was really good. It felt safe opening up to someone who had no connection to my family or circle of friends. Once I had  got past trying to persuade her/myself I wasn't nuts and I actually opened up about the last week and how it had affected me I found it very helpful. The bottom line was that all my reactions/thoughts/feelings were fairly normal and I was already doing the suggested coping strategies they would advise.

Do you hear that my friends I'M NORMAL! I wish I'd asked her to put it in writing!

I am fitting easily back into the role of normal Gina, mum, wife, nurse, friend, sister, daughter and mad Auntie to my two gorgeous nephews.

Thank you to all who have sent me messages of reassurance over the last week. You never really know how lucky you are to have great friends until you need them. I hope I will get to repay you in due course.

So for now, one step at a time as demonstrated by our feathered friends Wilma and Betty!