Australian Time....Afghanistan Time

Afghanistan Time/Australian Time

This year I am relieved to say I can go back to just having ONE clock on my wall, 

instead of the two.

 and that SB is not in this place any more,

but in this place.

Caroline ......

PS- I would be lying to say (if I said)  I haven't found the landscape photos of Afghanistan  very beautiful in there own way.

 SB rolled his eyes when I said that....

I would like to share some more of them with you if I can : ) 

Dear Soldier Boy

Your faith warms this Mumma's heart

Afghanistan 2012

Welcome 2013

Happy New Year

Blessings of hope, health, laughter & happiness to you all this coming year.

I couldn't wait for 12oclock this morning to welcome in 2013, I was very happy to put the year 2012 away to bed. Hopefully not to be repeated anytime soon.

Without sounding TOO "dramatic" (cause I am so not a drama queen) it was one of the worse years of my life!!

EXCEPT.........

for one blessing that was sent to us 2 days after my Soldier Boy son arrived home safely from Afghanistan (Whoops, that was a blessing too! ) & the day after Mothers Day.

On May 14th 2012 my first beautiful Granddaughter was born.

"Emmalyn Jane Rose"

Squeamish people please avert your eyes

-proud Daddy cutting the cord.

Proud Daddy, Soldier Boy & Emmalyn.

So what did all of you do for your New Year celebrations??
(quiet & peaceful, loud & disorderly.....tell me all the goss!)

We usually just have a quiet night but to make sure we REALLY did put 2012 to bed we lived it up over at "The Sunshine Coast" it was a lovely night.

 I suppose the moral of the story could be, even in a bad year there are always blessings.

Welcome 2013, I am excitedly looking  forward to getting to know you better.

Cheers

Caroline xo

Soldier boy comes home

Told you all last week I'd have some very exciting news..........

Soldier Boy had a quick & unexpected return home from his overseas deployment, Dil had a few baby problems and the Army very compassionately made the decision for his deployment to be terminated.

 (as if any of us are complaining)

For a family that were all struggling with the fact that he wouldn't be here to see his first born arrive,

nor see her until she was a few months old we are absolutely thrilled to have him safe home to our own terra firma.

No one told the "little poppet" that S.B was coming back, only that we were going to the airport to welcome some other soldiers home. She couldn't believe her eyes when he walked through those airport doors. Neither could we AND we knew.

Greeting his little bubba,

 he never expected he would see his wifey (as he affectionately calls her)

still pregnant.

                                                           He said to me "she's huge MUM"

I could have slapped him around the ears, (jokes)  if I could have seen him through my tears.

Yep, definitely Bro's & definitely happy.

Mumma and Soldier Boy.

Unfortunately Darling daughter wasn't here to see his safe arrival home, this year has probably seen her not make the wises of life choices, but then sometimes being 18 (or any age) can be hard.

 As long as she realizes her family are all still here when she needs them and we all love her VERY much  :-)  ENOUGH SAID!!

and of course you can probably all guess what my next post is going to be about......

it's so exciting!!

Caroline xoxo

(A relieved MUM)

Soldier Boy's Birthday

As Soldier Boy isn't here to celebrate his Birthday we  thought we would all get together & celebrate it for him. For obvious reasons we thought we would do the "Aussie + Army theme. 

We all had a ton of fun with lotsa yummy food & cake. We even set a place for him with his photo so he could "join us". 

Everybody got groovy Aussie party favours.  D.I.L & I got super sexy make your ears sore Australian Flag earrings (courtesy of our local dollar store) While we all looked simply stunning  in our stylish Australian party hats.

A good night

Caroline

Happy Birthday Soldier Boy

How time flies son. It doesn't seem that long ago you were playing soldiers & digging trenches through the back yard (yep! he really did)

So much has happened in just the few short years since this picture was taken.
You've been married, had lots of good times & some bad, been on two deployments and now to top it all off you will become a daddy ANY day now!!

We had a little Birthday party for you tonight, darling wife & the "little poppet" came, it was kinda weird that you weren't  here but far far away in a place that seems so strange to us. We hope your day wasn't TOO bad, and the boys didn't give you to many belly slaps. Ha Ha!!

Loving you as always
Stay safe
Mumma xo

Another photo from the last post...

Now most people that know me realize that atm the sight of a photo of Soldier boy can reduce this Mumma very quickly to tears.

Well here it is, this is the one that really "gets" me going.

This is a photo of Soldier Boy just before he left with the Dil's little poppin. The heartwrench on his face of leaving a little girl he loves as his own.

That's how BIG this guys heart is.

I would like to be able to tell you all that he's going make an awesome Dad when his first born arrives in a few weeks but the fact is he already is.

AND that's all folks...

Caroline xoxo

*****I really wanted to put this photo in my post this morning but at the time I hadn't

asked Dil if I could add the little Poppin's photo in & I didn't want to publish it till I got the oky doky.

26days to go

till I get to meet my first grandbaby.

Little grandbaby will now be born on the 14th May.

Had a great dinner at Dil's last night there was 9 of us all up, all of us family along with Dil's Aunt & cousin from England.

Mmmm... maybe or maybe not my youngest son might have been a bit sweet on the 15yo cousin (he won't be :) at me when he sees this lol!)

And who do you think calls while we were all sitting around eating, talking & laughing?? Soldier Boy so of course the phone got passed around & around the table. Everyone got to have a good chat as he was able to stay on the line a fair while. Needless to say lots of love hugs & kisses were sent down the phone.

One last kiss for Soldier Boy's firstborn babe-he won't get to

see his babe till it's a couple of months old.

Last photo's of a BIG/little brother - 61/2yrs between them

you wouldn't thunk it!!

and of course the sad little sister

Goodbyes.......can't wait till the day I see my baby hold his baby.

It's a beautiful autumn day outside so I'm going out to enjoy it...

Caroline xoxo

Aussie Soldiers

Lane with "Stan the Ram" mascot for 8/9 RAR

Love these kind of photos- look at

the Soldiers right legs all perfectly sync'd.

As far as the eye can see......

We are so proud of each & everyone of you & the sacrifices you all have to make.

Merry Christmas From Afghanistan

A Neglectful Blogger, Sydney & a Grandbaby

Haven't I been a neglectful blogger of late. Thank you to the people that still follow, check in & send me an email to see I haven't dropped off the earth -I haven't lol!

but wow! where do I start...

First & foremost next year my first Grand-baby will be born. (I posted about my son's wedding back in July)

As you know my son is a soldier & therefore will not be here for most of the pregnancy nor the birth. Which is so sad & very hard on both of them, fortunately though DIL has been through it all before (DIL has a child to a previous relationship) & hopefully this will make it a little less stressful & scary for her. You can only wish, hope & pray for the very best as unfortunately we have been told that nobody will be holding the baby after it's born, and our friends have now said they will just wait till my son gets back to see the baby & Dil.

However my Granny-who will be the babes GREAT GREAT GRANNY is pretty upset cause as she says herself at 88 "I'm on borrowed time" Anyways I am sure it will all work out & they will both be the best of parents.

How big the contrast is to my friend that is due around the same time & has asked several of us to help her so she can at least have some time with her other kids and an undisturbed toilet or shower(I think we all remember what that's like)

We have had these little control issues come up in the past and we are hoping with maturity & a feeling of security for her & her daughter they will disperse. They really put a dampener on things. We have also been told we are to come & leave at a certain time on Christmas Day. To us this is not what Christmas Day is all about so we will probably stay at home where friends/family can come & go as & when they please -it's really not the day to rush! While we are all sympathetic to these issues our family has decided it is still best to stick to our principles & the interests of all family & not to the wishes of one.

A few weeks ago I went to Sydney to Equitana. (a national horse event) I took a friend that had never visited Sydney before so after Equitana we had a lovely few days doing the tourist thing.

Lane has now finished school for the year. (only two more years to go) & is getting some work with a Baker, we all have our fingers crossed that in time it may lead to an

apprenticeship as he would love to be a pastry chef. The school has given me a contact to an organisation that negotiates with employers about employing kids with disabilities so hopefully that will work in our favour as well.

Yesterday I spent the whole day 5am to 6.30pm at The Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane. My neighbours baby had an operation and she had no one to go with her to support her. How terrible it would be to have to sit there by yourself for hours while your little baby was in theatre, anyway the operation went well & I hope I was of a little assistance in taking her mind off things. Yesterday I felt so thankful for my children & was reminded of how impossibly hard it was after their father died doing it all myself. I am forever thankful for good friends & hope I am somehow returning the favour done for me.

Emerald started a new job and now within 3 wks she has been made a supervisor. This has given her a lovely self esteem boost as she wasn't being treated very well in her last job & ended up being hurt as they didn't provide the necessary protective equipment for her to use. The new boss seems to be so much more understanding of her Uni hours & that it must always be her first priority. Emerald has now finished the first year of her nursing degree and is very excited about becoming a second year student.

Anyway I must be off only 25dys till Christmas and this is the most disorganised I have been in as long as I can remember.

Take Care

Caroline xoxo

A Prayer for Soldiers

We Said A Little Prayer Today

We said a little prayer today

A Prayer for mates who died

And no one here's ashamed to say

There's been some tears we've cried

For good mates full of zest for life

Cut down while in their prime

Amid the war's furore and strife

Now gone before their time

We said a little prayer today

For all their families

And asking Lord for strength that they

Can bear their sadness please!

For parents who have lost a son

And kids who lost their Dad

And wives who've lost beloved ones

So tragic Lord, so sad.

We said a little prayer today

For strength and courage for

The mates And colleagues who must stay

Away to fight this war

We're sure they're sad to lose their friends

So help them bear the strain

That when one day this fighting ends

This cost won't be in vain

We said a little prayer today

For those who sacrifice

Their lives in service in the fray

To pay our freedom's price

O help us God to realise

As tears flow for the lost

Our peace and freedom is the prize

That's won at such a cost

- Padre Jim Cosgrove

We Remember....

before you complain.....

Don't just think of them on ANZAC Day their out there doing it tough 365, 24/7.

Caroline xoxo

ANZAC Day - Ragged Bloody Heroes

Today is Anzac Day where we as Australians come together to lay our respect for the men & women who fought for our country.

With my eldest son in the Army and my youngest son who will play the drums with the Army cadets at four different Anzac day marches, our day will start early, we have to leave here by 2.15am(So I'm praying blogger will publish this respectfully on time :-)

Please take the time to listen to this wonderful song- Ragged Bloody heroes by Luke O'Shea and his band Medicine Wheel. Some of the footage in the clip sends tingles down my spine as my skin goose-bumps.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn

At the going down of the sun and in the morning

We will remember them.

LEST WE FORGET

Arlington National Cemetery

Trace Adkins - Arlington

SOLDIER BOY IS HOME.....

And we are all VERY happy to have him home safe.

(Jumping over the moon in fact)

So now I hope I've finally got around to you all & everybody can stop texting, ringing

& emailing -asking when??

Don't get me wrong ...we love your care & concern.

We also love the fact he's always been every body's son

& always had so many "Mummy's looking out for him.

(Poor guy!! LOL)

I know alot of you are concerned for him at the moment,don't be he's a man now & can well, make his own choices-if you have any other views on that pleeesse take them up with him not me.....cause I get in trouble for it LOL!!

I've done my job, and I am so proud of him

WELCOME HOME SON!!

On the other hand though, spent a delightful (read NOT!!) night in the Hospital Emergency Dept. after youngest son went to an Army Cadet camp and was injured. He's on the mend now but geez...hope he doesn't make a habit of visiting this place like his big bro did during his teenage years.

Love to you all & have a good weekend

Carolinexoxo

PS- I am so behind with blogging. So many things to share before I go on hol's be back to show you Emerald's Formal photo's soon.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

My other Remembrance post is HERE

9-11 We Remember

We Have a Date!!

Can you see the smile on my face??

BECAUSE.......

We now have a time (next month) when Soldier Boy will return safely home to us from his overseas deployment.

The countdown begins.

The other kids are beginning to get excited, they have started to plan -and anything could happen when those two get their heads together!!

Today I got a nice little stack of letters from Soldier Boy & a USB with piccies of him AND some sketches he has done. Soldier Boy has always been a talented artist & after him not drawing much of late it's nice to see him back at it.

After carefully opening the envelopes and unfolding the letters trying real hard not to touch the paper to much, I let his Red Cattle Dog (Pictured above) smell them to see if he could pick up on his scent. Well now, I can't tell of course if he definitely did or not but he sure put on a show, ran around wildly & then started talking in his funny little dog way where his lips go up in a smile then the noise begins. Incidentally this is something he has only started doing seriously in the last 6mths & seeing as he is now 10years old-Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

Yeah I know -you probably think I'm mad. Ha!! Ha!! Mums missing Soldier Boys are bound to go off the deep end and do some pretty weird stuff, but then maybe I'm just joining in with the rest of the family.

Have a good one!!

Caroline xoxo

Caroline