Good Times

Ever find yourself in fits of laughter, from thinking about a funny situation you've been in? You know those memories that you replay over and over cause they're just sooo frikkin hilarious... =)
Well, I did that last night.

I was thinking about the wackiest, funniest, most beautiful person I know...Jess! Yep, we all know her and we all love her.

I was sitting in bed early this morning (about 2:30 onwards) just cracking up laughing about all the crazy moments I've shared with my big sis. Haha, there's been some *interesting* moments hey Jess! (nudge nudge, wink wink)
As I type this I'm laughing all over again...I can just see it all replaying in my mind. The countless scares you've unleashed upon me (and you wonder why I'm so jumpy!!), the bed making mishap on my first visit to Armi, that infamous bonding that happened between you, Kate and myself...so unexpected how our friendship was taken to a whole other level that night! Oh...Macy Gray impersonations (and the "there's people trying to sleep guys, keep it down" that followed. Haha! Good times. OH!! Those stupid friggin pelicans at Melbourne Zoo on our first trip together. They were out to kill, I swear they were. The documentary we made that day and the absolute shame we felt watching it later and just realising how dopey we are together. Remember the time we all went up to Coffs together and Sandie, Kris and Az went out while we stayed at home and made our own (spew-worthy) 'mocktails' ....and video taped the making of that too. Or what about the time we were in the tiered learning space in yr 12 and you didn't think I'd slide down the steps on the back of the table....proved you wrong ;-) (and smashed myself while I was at it). [hmm, I see a pattern developing here...I seem to hurt myself more when I'm in your presence Miss Jessica!]
Or the countless sleep-overs and the endless conversations. It's been good sharing my bed with you Jess...we never got the spooning stage though did we. Hmm. haha
Oh, one of my favourite memories was one some of the girls got together at your old place in umm, I don't know where, and we got all dressed up in our bedsheet couture and took all them photos. *sigh* that was such a fun day. I felt like a bit of a goose at the start, wearing a sheet, lol, but the shots turned out so beautiful. [reminds me...did you ever find them again?]
Or what about the mini road trip to Newy with Katie...and yet another video made! Ohhh...hahaha....sleeping in the back of that car! I seriously thought that was the end of our friendship hey! haha. Kate and I are sooo stubborn. Gosh, you were in the middle of all that! How did you not smash us both in the head Jess?!
You know what else I love....going on rides with you. You make me feel so strong and brave when you do your "oh crap I'm so nervous and scared but this is fun" giggle. =) How good was it being the oldest [by far] on the ride at Keilor this year! So glad I was tall enough hey. It was a close call.
And the time I WON the wrestling match at Aunty Jan's. Ohhh yeah. Bella...champion of the "uneven and awkward mattresses wrestle".
I love that I can be an absolute nutter with you and it all feels perfectly normal. =D

There's so so many more memories I haven't even touched on, but be sure that there are even more yet to be made.

Love you Jess =)

Aww, one of my fave pics from Melly 06.

Can't wait for the next trip Jess.....

a Peter Pan kind of day...

Been an interesting last few days.

Friday night saw me step riiight out of the comfort zone and infront of a microphone telling a group of high schoolers a bit of my story. It was a little strange to open myself up and be completely vulnerable to them but refreshing all the same. From the responses so far I think it's really going to be used to help us relate with each other on a new and deeper level.

Sitting here Friday afternoon typing out my story brought me to tears yet again. I seem to forget all to easily just how amazing my God is and how precious life is. So it was a timely reminder to use what time I do have and appreciate even the littlest of things.

Which is precisely what happened today. Charlie and I headed across the road into the paddock so he could take some photos. It's so cute. He's 10 years old and he now has his own flickr account. I love that he's got that creative side to him. His imagination is crazy. I often hear him playing in his room for hours making up the most intense stories with his lego men and warrior action figures. He's a good kid.

So anyway, while Charlie was off exploring and shooting every second thing he saw it gave me a chance to actually enjoy my surroundings in a new way. It's only the paddock across the road but today it was my playground. I love when I get so awestruck by nature that I feel like a child again. Everything seemed so magical and mysterious.
I lay in the long grass and just got lost in thought. And it felt sooo good to have that again. To hear only what my thoughts were, not being phased by the rest of the world around me. It was great. And when it seemed it couldn't get any better I spotted the tiniest of lady beetles right infront of my eyes and watched her dance along the tall wispy strands of grass as if it were her stage and the soft rustlings of the leaves underneath were her melody.
She was beautiful.
I enjoyed being a little girl in awe of her world if only for a moment.

Sometimes I wonder what I was like as a little girl. I don't remember myself. I remember certain aspects of my childhood but not the little things that now seem so amazing and precious. I don't remember being in awe of my world. Being amazed by the wonders around me. Flowers, stars, dandelions, butterflies, raindrops. Maybe that's why they fascinate me now. Maybe they always have and I just don't remember. Maybe. Maybe not.
Either way I like that I can get lost in wonder about them now. It's nice to be able to have that child-like wonder every now and then. Not take life too seriously. To literally stop and smell the roses and watch a caterpillar do his funny walk along a branch.

Maybe that's why I love kids so much. Their innocence and wonderment of the world. How everything has the potential to be magical and take them to another place far beyond what adults seem to comprehend. I love watching kids play. Their complete abandonment of what everyone else is doing...they just go all out and do their thing.
Haha. I know some of you who are reading this are doing your usual "man she's clucky again" =P but it's not even about that. It's so much more.
I'm just learning again. I think sometimes I'm catching up on things I missed out on as a little girl. Or being reminded of the lessons I once learnt but have since forgotten.

And it's good.

"Seek the wisdom of the ages, but look at the world through the eyes of a child" - Ron Wild

He was on to something you know,

Bella xx

for Sunday

Today Russ and I were over in the paddock taking photos with the intention of getting a heap of shots to make a collage of us kids for mum for Mother's Day this Sunday.

After we'd finished and Russ was long gone back inside I played around with other shots of the long wispy grass and carpet of leaves.
Just as I was climbing over the wire of the fence I thought 'I just have to get photos of that' as I noticed the twirls and curls of rusted wire and the barely-there fence posts. It's so rustic and organic looking - mum's exact style she has in mind for the look of our house after we finish renovations.

So...a quick trip into Harvey Norman to get the shots printed and an even quicker dash into big dub for some frames and I have half of mum's pressie sorted.

trying to tell me something...?