Six and a half years later

It turns out that I didn't have to wait ten years for the changes.

Buzz - what a superb young man he is. He is a very mature 15 years old, and more a man than I've ever seen from a boy his age. He looks after his siblings with such maturity and he has turned into a good student and self-learner in so many areas.

Jessie is a kind and loving sister to her brothers. She is a good student, excellent dancer, and all-round beautiful person.

Woody has a natural giftedness and high intelligence, but prefers to spend time with his band of boys, alternating between onoine games and playdates when hours are spent on the trampoline.

And Rex. Oh, Rex. The little one who really enjoys being the little one. He's tiny, he's having the same slow start in school as his big brother Buzz, and he is quiet. But not at home - at home he is loud, silly and very loving.

I said that I suspected that in ten years, there would be different challenges. There are.

Mr de Elba (and Bullseye the dog) are no longer with us. Mr de Elba is having new adventures with a partner who I feel suits him much better than I ever did. Life is a funny thing. They are a perfect fit, and I am glad he's found a lovely soulmate.

And Givinya?

...is so happy! My work as a private speech pathologist has taken me into such a rewarding mid-career. This year I "made Partner" in my clinic and I work part-time with my speechie friends and a paediatrician in a happy little office that is a joy to work in. The "part-time", by the way, is not a stepping stone to full-time work. It is a happy spot on the path to Early Retirement, and the current time I spend happily pottering about my office is only topped by my blissful escapes away.These escapes are so enjoyable that I can't wait until the day I can see myself clear to putting a mattress, mozzie net and my new dog in the boot of my SUV and heading up the coast to sleep on the beachfronts between the Sunshine Coast and the tropical climate of Far North Queensland. Sunrises every day.

If this is what six and a half years looks like, I can't wait to see where I am at ten.