16 August 2012

Thankful Thursday

And so much to be thankful for but lets just say OPPORTUNITY!!

The opportunity to learn, travel, explore.  The past two weeks have been busy for all of us here at the kebeni  household.  Firstly the kids went away to Melbourne with their dad.  They stayed with their big sisters and spent time with extended family and from what I can gather, had a jolly good time of it!  I am thankful that cheap airlines and sales meant that I could send the three of them away for this time.  Their dad hadn't been back to Melbourne since moving here over three years ago so it was special for him and his family I think.

When they got back I got to go and play in Melbourne by myself.  I am so thankful for the short time I had to spend with a couple of friends down Gippsland way.  I really feel loved, energised and refreshed after this time.  Just being with friends who know me and accept me as I am is enough to keep me going for another short while.

I also had time to just focus on myself.  I could do/eat/go when/where/how I wanted for five whole days.  Most of this time was spent either in the genealogy centre or state library researching family history.  This was productive as I found out some things I didn't know and confirmed some things I weren't sure about.  It has renewed my passion for history too!

Sadly not all family history is like the tv show though.  Mostly it is like running in a maze of high brick walls LOL  Also, it is not always happy news you find.  My latest findings have been very sad (and I will update my family history blog very soon for anyone following) and I am grateful that times have changed and that us women folk are treated differently to our ancestor's times.

I visited the Immigration Museum this trip and highly recommend it to anyone.  It really made me pause and reflect on just how tough these migrants did it back in the mid 1800's.  I complained about my move to Tassie being hard but coming across the oceans for weeks in a small, dark, squalid space with strangers and not speaking the language?  WOW!

We do live a privileged life and for that I am thankful.



Above is how all four of my ancestors would have come out to Australia.  
Below is how I stayed in Melbourne on my last night.







2 comments:

VigorishWelkin said...

http://goo.gl/9f7jN

Kim-Marie Williams said...

Who wouldn't be thankful for a lovely bedroom, knowing you don't need to make it in the morning?! x