It was long ago and far away, until today.....

Today I was returning to my car after placing some books on lay by for Santa ( he appreciates the help. Oh ;and by the by, Dymocks don't do layby but will "hold" books for you, BIG HELP)
Anywho, I was returning to my car when some one called my name, my full name......with my maiden name not married name, them they called me by my nickname from school. I looked about and saw a woman waving crazily at me from a car I'd just passed. I vaguely knew the face but the name escaped me for a second...then it dawned on me. It was L, a girl I'd gone to school with and studied drama and dance with. She was ecstatic to see me and I wondered if a) she were on drugs or b) she had my name mixed up with some one else. But no, it was me she remembered, which was strange I recall her as one of those girls who wore make up, smoked, swore and went out weeknights; not in my group, nor me of her clique. We were only ever together during dance or drama and I think she was in an English and Legal class as I recall her and her friend ridiculing people at times. I played sport, she smoked behind the convent; I read a lot and I dunno what she did. Turns out ,she admired me and would've like have been better friends but stuck with the group she was with because I was a "goody". ( IF only they knew, I was just good enough never to get caught!!!LMAO).Turns out, she always thought I was smarter than some of the teachers and she recalled a time I challenged a teacher to prove the existence of God; this was a Catholic school and the teacher was a nun. Turns out she and I attended uni at the some of the same places and she bypassed teaching to after qualifying. Funny how life comes about...
Oh, and how did she recognise me..apparently I "still look like I did when I was 17". Hey, compliments I'll take them as I get them.

What do our kids teach us?

We are supposed to be the teachers of our children, their mentors, their life guides but it bodes well if we can sit back and look at what they can teach us. Like how to laugh at ourselves, children do it so well or laugh at an embarrassing/bad situation. For example, last night at dinner Mr 7 was getting by Dad about something or other( he was in trouble and I can't even recall what for). Mid lambasting Mr 7 states;in a matter of fact tone.. " I farted" and well, no one could have kept a straight face after that. 2IC was hiding behind his hands and I was choking on my drink. What can you do? Laughing in the face of being told off for a misdeed..what an ace.
It made me wonder if I'd have the patience and knowledge I do ( in fact the whole family do) if Mr 7 did not had additional needs. Sure, there are drawbacks and I would love for him not to have to struggle but for what we have gained from it as a family I could not begin to list.


AS for Miss10, well "out of the mouths of babes" they say. She has one of the wickedest senses of humour I have seen in a child her age. Together with her "whatever Major loser" completed with hand signs..it takes a lot to try and be serious. Her little ad lib impersonations of teachers,friends, personalities in her own scenarios. Well, they are imaginative.


Then there's my baby, Mr 4 who's "cutie boy face" could make you forgive him
anything and whose idea of non physical retaliation is to tell his brother or sister that they are not his brother or sister anymore. If only disowning ones family members was so simple, I'd have undertaken this mantra several times over.
What your children teach you takes time and reflection to realise, I think. It's something you need to look for ,like a child who is read to a lot does not realise they are formulating their sight vocabulary for later education. I enjoy learning what they teach me.