The off shoot of American Indians

Brid has had a lot of fun exploring the American Indians and as lots of children do she has created her owm teepee and camp space.
But I had an idea. I will get my hiking tent out and see what happens. Firstly to find it. Search party.!!
Ok found, Well it is a hiking tent and wind resistant and it was the top of the line when I was a Caving and hiking, and I haven't been able to give it away. And thank goodness for that...
Otherwise we wouldn't be having a sleep out in it tonight. Brid is all ready and has claimed her land and is enjoying the freedom to play in it.
So Here are a few of the preparations. Wonder if we/ she  will manage to sleep in it all night!!!!!

..............she did stay in the tent for a short time the first night...It was raining, The next day was a beautiful day and Brid was keen to sleep in the tent overnight again. So again, we said yes, and well she lasted an hour. Her excuse was it was noisy and the wind was howling. Bless her, she came in and slept soundly in her own warm bed.

Life in Our busy home

Just a quick post
We have been enjoying friends from UKs' company over the last couple of weeks and fly to Northen Territory this week. We are all very excited. Today I am resting I have an awful Head cold.
We have just come back from Fitzroy falls camp and had a very peaceful and special Homeschool camp. I found it very strange that Dermot didn't send me my morning txt, and I was feeling a little low about this. BUT on Thursday lunch time Dermot surprised both Brid and myself by driving to camp to join us, just for one day and night. I saw him walking toward me, and just cried tears of joy and exitement. I held him very tight and was just feeling very loved and special, that he had made the effort to come to be with us. Brid was delighted and had a huge smile on her face.
So why did he not txt, he was busy working and finishing off different jobs, so he was free to join us. He is so caring.

We are Back

Hi everyone, We are back after a very beautiful peacefilled 8 days emersed in Gods 'Love.
Summer School of Evangelisation (SSE10), Run by the Disciples Of Jesus Covenant Community, was very local for us. It really is on our backdoor.
We arrived last Sunday and re emerged back into the 'world', this Sunday just gone.
It was the largest Summer School that they had run at Tocal.
We were fed well with Gods' great love and peace.
Lectures and Seminars daily during the week, childrens 'ministry for all the kids, Sessions specific to youth. A lovely married couple gave a very special witness about Being Men of God , and Women of God. They touched on areas which are hard to talk about issues and also issues our mainstream youth, don't hear about. Modesty was a big one. Understanding the male psyche was another. Very exciting to see it discussed and people flocked to this series of talks.
One of the priests was blessed enough to go with Harvest tours to Jerusaleum, and he shared his experience as well as he discussed the Man of the Shroud. Very inspiring.
The evening sessions were filled with witness talks, praise & worship, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament every night, reconcilation opportunities, prayer team for individual prayer and at the end of every night was the Divine office. Morning prayer began at 7 after an hours' adoration.
The Rosary is prayed daily and is of course well supported.
It was an extremely hot week, and it was hard to keep cool, but the pool in the afternoon was a great relief. The lecture rooms were air conditioned for the first time.
This community has several ministries underpinning it., including Missionaries of Gods' Love - for Brothers, Sisters- about 11 in total, ( they have 2 houses, 1 in Canberra and 1 in Melbourne)and Priests. They all undertake studies in Melbourne. The Priest presiding of our SSE10 has his community base in Darwin.
The Brothers come from all over Asia Pacific area. At least 8 come to Tocal. They are all in the process of Studying for Priesthood.
There is a Youth Mission Team-YMT, that ministers to the youth in the schools and as well runs youth groups and weekend retreats for youth. They also keep in contact with the youth they meet, and great friendships are made, which are life changing.
There is also support for the singles and young adults as well as everyone, who becomes a covenant member.
Mass is of course Daily, and as it is a charasmatic community, then so is Mass. Great reverance is attained and much discernment goes into the whole week.
Brid had an awesome time, in Childrens' ministry and she was involved with a girls' share group for the first time. she 'LOVed' it and they called themselves St Joan Of Arc- they visited the Chapel every day to put flowers in front of the alter. The best thing about this little group, is that all of them will be ready to move to the nextlevel all together- so they will be able to support and grow together.
Our family has been nourished, supported and encouraged by this beautiful loving community for over 5 years now.
We will go again, God willing next year. Each year, you give yourself to god that little bit more, and he blesses you abundantly.

It was a great homeschool camp

Last week Brid and I drove to Fitzroy Falls for the September camp. It was a great week, filled with many blessings.
To begin with we celebrated some wonderful Feast days. The Archangels, Our Guardian Angels, St Therese of Liseux, to name just a few.
back to the beginning- We didn't think we would make it on time, as Brid was on a go slow, and wasn't ready when we planned to go--is she in homeschool mode-yes!
We were given a caravan for the week, but quickly changed to a room, attached to the 2nd Auditorium. Meaning, a hot shower and facilities without going out in the cold. YES. And the second night, we had a sleep over at a friends' room- thanks Kathleen.
The weather-
It was cold, but it warmed up, and at least it was dry.
Mass started the camp. We had Fr Bernard Murphy as our spiritual director, and he was great. He really enjoyed his role.
Every day we had Mass at 7.30am, and Holy hour at 3.30pm, consisting of Benediction and the Rosary. It was very peaceful hour.
We had young boy make his First holy Communion- he was very excited, but very reverent. It was a very special day.
The parents were asked to keep there children with them for Chapel times, which was a very wise idea. It really made it a much more reverent time for us all.
So our Souls were fed, now the meals. they were healthy and nutritiously made. There was so much food, I have been on a diet all week. We were constantly being fed.
Next the Theme of the week was Little House on the prairie and The Bush boys.
The girls made cushions or dolls depending on there age. the 7-9 year olds had a Tea party, which the older girls really wanted to join in on. They were adorable sitting politely and drinking and eating correctly. gorgeous.
Brid was in the older girls group, so she made quilt cushions and rag mats.
The boys learnt bush skills and to top it all off, they slept out on the oval. It really kept the boys occupied all week.
The teens visited a local nursing home, learnt Shakespeare and performed it, and had wonderful talks. Scott gave them a talk on Pro-life Australia and they learnt some home truths on the Internet, ipods and mobile phones.Very encouraging talks.
The adults also had wonderful spiritual talks and practical help on different areas of homeschooling.
Brid loved her daily spiritual talk on the Saints. They were explained the process to Sainthood.
And......
Of course there was the necessary bookshop. Very hard to resist it, it certainly was very successful this time around.
All round we had a great week, tiring, but enjoyable.
We didn't hear the news all week. We were in a bubble.
But the best part of the week was coming home to find Dermot waiting for us, to share a cuppa and talk about our weeks apart.
Dermot surprised me on the first night of camp, by giving me a pillow he asked Brid to give to me. It was a heart shaped pillow basically saying how much his life was empty unless I was in it. So needless to say, I had tears in my eyes that night as we were settling off to sleep.