August was a month of a lot of changes..
My yarning circle has had nothing but good reviews from community and is providing a place for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community members to meet, to yarn, to eat and to get creative because lifes too short to be be at home all sad and lonely..
I absolutely love this asspect of my job. This month I've also started the Community Swim & Gym program for the wider community to come together once a week to be around mob. I have loved watching the community engage with this new program. There are too many elders in our community without family and too many children and youth without old people. Our people were never meant to thrive alone.. we have always been better together - one mob!
Speaking of one mob, Hiram has returned to live with us this month as well. Finding out that his recent placement was ending I called an emergency meeting with the Department, the school, the local KESO and the well-being team at his school. With hiram making some pretty risky choices and the recent bad influence of his older sister Janai, this day was crutial in setting my nephew life up for the rest of his life. You see when I go all in, I'm all in. I dont care how much noise I have to make to see that these kids have every opportunity I never had as a child/teen and I don’t care who I lose. My goal has always been to set these kids up to win just as I promised my Dad and theirs. The department are helping us in getting Hiram a caravan so he can have his own space, he is promised an apprenticeship through school to persue his want to be an electrician, David and I will also be looking at getting him a part time job and putting him back into Rep Basketball which he is very excited about. We are prepared to do whatever it takes to see Hiram be all that he can be and we are all really excited for him.
Another exciting part of August was a Charity event for Keeleys Cause in which we were invited to attend. Jie, David and I became team "thrasher" for the night and placed third for our first Trivia Night event. We are looking forward to the next one in October.
An update on my Niecey Noo for August is this. She is loving having her siblings in her world again. Her oldest sister Jeanette and brother Hiram are both staying in her room with her at the moment and she is not complaining one little bit. Also, now having Instagram, Justine has contact with her other sibling Janai at the touch of a button. This girl gets lots of love from all of her family daily. It's beautiful to see.
An August update for my sonzie Jiedyn is that he has been acing learning guitar. I absolute love that he comes into my room after a long day at work to show me more songs he has learned and how much he has been practicing. Here he is with a a filter i chucked on the other night.
So I got the kids out of the house last Sunday for a bit of arcade fun..
Girls night couldn't come round fast enough with us girls starting at Flannies and ending up tearing up the dance floor at Infinite in Melton. Dont ask me how I got home.. I don't remember haha..
After a seedy Sunday hangover it's not so bad now that I am only working 4 days a week and have Mondays off. I signed my new contract this month for another three years in my role, plus becoming the Aboriginal Outreach Worker and Aboriginal Social and Emotional Wellbeing Worker in the area. My Dad would be so proud of me, not only for all the hard work I do at work, but for prioritizing my family by only working part time so that I can still be there for the kids and family when they need me. Doing what I do I need that work-life balance.
I do love my job though..
After what seems like forever and a day, I made time this week to see my beautiful besty Nat and shared love and hugs with her youngest bubba for the first time. It's crazy how life gets in the way when you work and raise kids and how little time you have to see your friends. But I will not be leaving it this long between visits again. I wanna watch these babies grow up xx
Our fam just cannot stay away from the arcade and with Jie and I finding a quick way to make tickets.. we walked out with over 5000 tickets!! Justine also hit the jackpot scoring 100 tickets on the Big Bass machine!..
On Wednesday, before Jie's guitar lesson, I introduced him to a local Aboriginal man Edward Story.
Ed does three programs a week at Apple FM and Jie and Ed got along well sharing their passion for music.
The weekend of our 2 year anniversary was beautiful.
A night away out at the beautiful Macedon rangers.
Unforgettable..
The latest on Hiram this month is that he is settling well here at home. I made time between clients the other day to go and watch him play the sport he loves. I have always loved supporting him in his craft. I am really looking forward to watching him to Squad/Rep Basketball again. I also got him his first job! He is very excited! Soon he’ll be making his own money for kicks!! Proud of my big neph..
Friday, while Justine and Hiram were at school, Nevaeh, Jie and I went to the KIRRIP and VACCA Family day for a community BBQ.
It was nice to share this time with just my kiddos.
After that David and I ventured into the city once more to watch our beloved Melbourne Storm play.
It was the biggest crowd and it was members night.
To finish off the month, I captured this beautiful photo of my co worker Gillian and someone I have got to know and love, Sharon. These girls have been in my corner from the start. I’ll always be grateful for their genuine relationship and respect.
