SUNSETS

The girls flew into town today to attend the funeral of their beloved cousin. It's been a long, hard week but its a bit better knowing that we will all be together at tomorrow's service.

The strength and unity in this family has been amazing. There have been numerous opportunities to share not only tears but happy memories. Some gathered tonight to watch a spectacular sunset and remember the young woman who used to surf in the water below. It was a lovely idea except for the bit where I realised we were watching from the top of a sand dune with a sharp incline. I am so unfit! If you saw someone lying face down in the sand, half way up the sand dune, that may or may not have been me.

But I got there!

And when my heart rate calmed down and I had promised the husband to do something about my fitness, I was rewarded with the most amazing sunset. What better way to celebrate the life of a special young woman than with Mother Nature showing off her beauty in this manner.

And then all too soon it was time for another sunset of sorts and to remember a woman, who as the priest said "was smiling in every photo". In a supreme display of inner strength both parents and brother delivered the eulogy together. I had the privilege of reading the following beautiful words which will be familiar to many.

Death makes us so much aware of what we have and I am determined to enjoy every minute of having the girls home, except for maybe the inevitable mess that accompanies their every move. I have no idea why they store everything on the floor!

The wake yesterday was the first time many of the family had caught up with my girls in ages. My favourite eldest daughter (FED) and my favourite youngest daughter (FYD) were kept busy repeating stories about their health and studies. It made my heart so happy to see the FED especially looking so well,and having some special time with her cousins. I really missed my cousins when I came to Australia and I love seeing my girls surrounded by theirs.

Before the girls leave to go back to the city, we are starting the process to determine whether they have or do not have Cowden's syndrome. Its something we have thought about and talked about at length and as neither daughter seems fazed by a potentially positive result, we are going with it.

I have my suspicions and I hope I'm wrong. But as usual, it is what it is and we will deal with whatever comes our way.

Till next time...xxx

PS - Guess which blog turns 1 soon???