Run, Baby, Run

Hello!!! Haven't updated for a while coz we lost our camera (which a kind gentleman found and returned a few days later) and have had problems with our internet connection and and and...just been kid/business busy - choir competition, friends, parties, throwing frisbees on the beach, trip to Noosa (for Tone), move to new office blah blah blah.

Anyway - very exciting - tomorrow morning is Anna Bligh Day! As in - she'll be at school to present the honorary ambassadorship for the Gold Coast Marathon to Tara! Aaaaah!!! Tara's been soooo cute practising her little thank you speech all week - sitting in the shower, holding a shampoo bottle like it's a microphone; or delivering it to anyone who wanders in to our living room - like Bill who stayed over last week; Gela, and Linda (beautiful old school friend over from Canada) and her daughter Michelle.

And it's so typical - as the day's drawn near - we've all fallen apart - Tone and Cas woke up with sore throats, I've got a spot on my nose and Tara's licked her lips so much she looks like Homer Simpson. Plus she's developed a sore on Stumpie Star - so today she went to school on crutches without LouLou. Argh! Only Jadie's ok (altho' she's got a sore chest at night). Jadie's actually doing so well in terms of handling all the attention on Tara. We've made a special effort this term - signed her up for tennis on her own and changed our evening prayer from "please heal Tara's leggie for me" to "please help Jadie be more confident" - and the result is amazing - actually visible, and she says she can feel she's got more confidence now.

Coincidentally she won an invitation to a modelling course at one of the birthday parties she went to. She's so not into modelling BUT we saw how incredible the course was for Cas's confidence - so Jadie (who used to FREEZE if anyone looked at her) says she now does wanna do the course.

A huge hello and thank you to Jessica and Lucy - gorgeous twins we shared a garden with in Sydney - who've been SO divine in their support of Tara with cards and letters...and who did the Sydney City2Surf last weekend with their parents, and dedicated it to Tara!

Sian's also been amazing - her mega-support (along with Terry) has enabled us to set up a tax-deductible trust fund for Tara - AND she's gonna be running in the Sunday Mail Suncorp Bridge to Brisbane fun run on 7 Sep. She's raising funds for the hospital that looked after Tara so beautifully - the Royal Brisbane Children's Hospital - click here for more info.

Last night Tara played tennis for the first time since her op - just divine! She didn't wanna get off the court she was loving it so much. The sun was gone, it was dark - and still she insisted on playing, saying "I'm having SO much fun". Sooooooo much more freedom than when she wore her brace. And she was so sweet - when I kept hitting the ball into the net - she said "it's okay Mum, as long as you're doing your best, I'm still proud of you". And she meant it.

Heaps of other news but don't wanna bore you. Very proud of Cas - she's gonna be competing in a French-speaking competition against girls two forms above her this weekend. Go Cas Go! (Allez, Cas, Allez! - oops, don't think that really translates!)

Pics today are from the Gold Coast Arts Centre - they've got this fab outdoor circuit with gym equipment & special places to meditate - so you get to exercise the body and soul.

Tara had a blast - wearing TWO crocs for the first time in her life! Tone tried to teach the girls to skip stones across the water (I thought of you Cam) & Tara ran her heart out - see video below.

Lots of love to everyone! Wish you could all be here tomorrow! And please hold thumbs/cross fingers that Tara remembers to say "Premier Anna Bligh" and not just "Anna Bligh" when she addresses her! (We only found out the protocol today - so we've been bribing Tara with marshmellows to help her to learn it!)