Mature Age

Okay so most you will know what a “mature age” student is, and for those of you that don’t know, a mature age student is someone that goes to uni not straight out of school, they may have waited 3 years, or 5 years, or 10 years or 20 years, or whatever, but they are normally just beyond that typical student age.

Typically they ask a lot of questions and don’t quite just go with the flow like everyone else. They normally do really well in the classes too, which makes people like me mad.

Anyway, in one of my classes (diet and disease) this year I have a lady that brings a whole new meaning to the words “mature age student”! I think she must be at least in her 70ies if not older. So a little while ago in my class I tried to sneak a photo of her, so sorry its not very clear. But I thought I would just post this blog to say… Good on ya old lady in the front row! You know what though, this week she was even cracking joke with the lecturer...werid!



The world is such a funny place

RAWcamp

I love camps seriously, and it’s weird because between camps I always manage to convince myself that they are bad and that the next one will be rubbish. Its weird, and I don’t know why I do it, but not last weekend but the weekend before (labour day weekend) I was on a Camp and I kinda had this “uh oh” feeling about it and I had convinced myself that is wasn’t going to be good. But I tell you what it was awesome!

I really like camps it turns out (which doesn’t actually surprise me).

I like being a bum and not getting dressed up, I like being silly and staying up late and I LOVE camp food! I love having nothing else to do but hang out with my friends and play stupid games! And I love learning stuff from new people! Sometimes I wish I could just live like I am at camp forever. But I guess that’s what makes camps so good, its such a relatively short time, but it soooo different from reality and its refreshing!

Anyway here are some photos from camp….enjoy
Kirsten and Philps...

Davo and IKirsten and Pheebs Amanda and I

And maybe before I go on my next camp I should re-read this blog

The world is such a funny place.

Birthdays

Wow so its birthday time again, and The first person I need to wish a happy birthday to (even though its late....sorry!) is a person that I love more than I could ever write down, or show. Someone who looks after me, always does whats best for me, even when I don't like it and someone who loves me. Someone who is very wise, but also fun and funny...I feel like I am playing a quiz show....anyway. Its some one that I couldn't live without...

My Mum!

It was her birthday last Wednesday and I was so busy making cakes and buying presents that I forgot to tell the world about it through this blog! So Mum... Happy Birthday for last Wednesday, I hope that you had a great day, and that you aren't too offended that I didn't post this earlier. I love you lots and I couldn't get far with out you!


The second person is some one I have know for a fairly long time, even had a little crush on him when I was younger. But someone who is a gem, and is great to be around....you guessed it...Brad!

Happy 21st Birthday Mate, Hope that they made a big fuss over you at the office today (ha ha ha that sounds so old!) cause you deserve it! Thanks for being my mate!


The world is such a funny place!

Happy Birthday

Just a quick post to say Happy 21st Kat!

Hope you had a great day yesterday, and also on Saturday Night!

You are an absolute gem and I love ya lots!

Happy Birthday!

Old Friends

Have you ever noticed that there are some people that know you inside out regardless of when you saw them or when you hung out with them last? Seriously, have you?

Well a few weeks ago, back when it was summer, for those of you that aren’t lucky enough to live in Australia, the weather was really really hot, and beautifully sunny! And because I was on holidays, I went to the beach! But I didn’t go by myself, I went with two girls I have known as long as I can remember, Kirsten and Phoebe. And even though we haven’t really had all that much to do with each other over the last 3 years, it was such a good time, it was unreal.

Seriously, it was so comfortable and familiar, despite the fact that we hadn’t spent that much time together in I don’t know how long! But I guess that’s the beauty of old friends, because no matter how much of your life changes from the outside, who you are on the inside is pretty much the same. I found this quote the other day and it says…

It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with
them. Ralph Waldo Emerson

...and that’s what it was like, of course I am stupid all the time, but I am really stupid with them and its great.

The other great thing is it’s a bit like a bad TV soap, you how you don’t have to watch it for weeks, maybe even months at a time, but it take about 5 minutes and the story is clear… Well that’s what I reckon an old friend is like.

Anyway we went to the beach and had breakfast in downtown Inverloch (Which I don’t think that pheebs was very sure about), ate ice cream and pretty much did what ever we want. And I tell you what, that’s the life!

Sorry this blog has taken soooooo long to get up, but its here now!

The World is Such a Funny Place.

100

Okay so this isn't my 100th blog, its close I think this is blog 80 or something, but thats not the 100 I am talking about. Today I attended a 100th Brithday Party, my Great Grandma's 100th Brirthday party. Thats pretty cool ey? She doesn't actually turn 100 until Monday, but today was her party. She has got letters from the Queen, the Governer, the Premier, the Prime Minister and a few others but I can't remember them all and Kirsty Marshell was there too. I was a really fun day, I thought it might be a bit boring, but it turns out 100th birthday parties are actually pretty cool. I also got to sing and do a duet with my Pa (also known as "special K") which was awesome, its something that I have never done before but I am so glad that I have now!

Anyway I wrote a blog about her a little while ago and the stuff that she would have gone through in 100 years and it is pretty amazing, so have a read. And if you remember have a look in the Herald Sun on Monday coz I think that there should be some pictures of her in there. Happy Birthday Grandma! 100 years and still well and truely kickin!

The world is such a funny place.

Gone too soon...

As a fairly young person, still in my teenage years it is quite easy for me to look at my life and hope for what tomorrow will bring, what things I will try and what things I will accomplish, and its fair to say that most people my age, like me, think that the are invincible! We have our whole lives ahead of us and we normally assume that we will live to get married, have a good job, finish uni and get old (probably not in the that order though!). But sometimes that doesn't always happen and last Saturday morning, Rebecca Kate Philp (more fondly known as Bec) passed away at just 17 years of age, after hitting her head during an epileptic seizure.

Bec was a young girl in my youth group at Box Hill Salvos, a girl which I had a fair bit to do with. I was her cell leader when she first came to Box Hill when she was in year 8 and then again when she was in year 10. She also dated my brother and practically lived at my house for a year, we did a lot of things together, not all the time, but over a long time, and her passing has left a hole in my life.

Bec was absolutely stunning, but she could eat whatever she wanted, probably the best combination I could ever imagine, her only flaw was her love for pickled onions (However this particular trait did win my Dad over, so maybe it was all worth it!). She loved life and lived it to the full, always testing the boundaries but always coming back to where it was safe again, She also loved the people in her life so much more then they ever expected she would, and she always wanted to know more about life, about love, about God.

Yesterday, at church, we had her funeral, a celebration of the beautiful girl that she was, and still is, just up in heaven now instead. The Church was packed full of people that Bec had made am impact on, I don't think that she would have believed it when she looked down to see. She was sooooo amazing and touched so many lives. I tell you what though, I never want to say goodbye to another of my cell girls again. It just doesn't seem right and it doesn't seem fair, things were finally working out for her and her future looked sooooo bright. And while because of what I believe I know that she is in heaven and that she is probably having a lot more fun, finally driving and shopping and eating chocolate as much as she wants to, I still don't understand why God would take her now. But I guess that's where faith comes in, I have to believe that there was a purpose and a plan for her going now, even though I can't see what it is. I know that God is looking at the bigger picture and that this fits, I just have to chose to trust and not get mad that I can't see the answers as well.

Anyway, I guess what I want to say is that I will miss you bec, more than you will ever know, I am soooo blessed to have had you in my life at all and I thank God that he shared me with you even if it was only for a little while. And I want you to know that I will try and take care of your family and Dave, so you don't need to worry.

I also just want to say too that... Janette and Jeff, Aaron, Glenn and Ashley, and Dave too, I can't even begin to imagine what you are going through right now, but I want you to know that I love you, and that I loved your daughter/sister/girlfriend, and that I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for letting me share her with you. She was an amazing girl and I will miss her stacks.

Rest in Peace Bec, we love you.