All things to all people

A scrapbook layout caught my eye the other day where the scrapper had listed all her roles in life. I thought this was a great idea to remind myself of where I am in my life and where I have been.
My most important role is of course a mother to these two little monkeys;

I didn't realise quite how empty my life really was until I had my sons, now my life is so busy and full of meaning, real meaning, not just getting through a days work to earn money to spend kinda meaning. I wish things had worked out earlier on the baby front so I could have more children and more energy to keep up with them!

I was first a daughter to Pat and George Palmer my parents who divorced when I was two.

Mum, Dad and little me, 1967.

I didn't see my Dad from age 4 and only contacted him after I had Western when I needed to know more about my "real" family. He turned out to be dying of cancer and only had six months to live so it was lucky I contacted him when I did. My family suddenly got extended when I found out I was half sister to these two:

This is Rhys and Daniel, now both grown up and I think one has children. I have never met them and they knew nothing of me and my sister Gail until just before  George died.  A bit of a shock to them and part of the reason I didn't attend the funeral. I also have another half sister called Rebecca by George.

I am the big sister in this family:  Mum, my step father Tom, my full sister Gail, my half brother and sister Lance and Rachel:

I am the tallest kid standing beside Mum. We are at my step grandparents farm house where we went for Sunday afternoon tea regularly with other family members.

I'm a cousin to what seems like several thousand people but in reality only 10 on my mothers side, unknown on my fathers side, and heaps from my step fathers family. (I was adopted by Tom and grew up with all his family around us so have to consider them as family despite what Tom did to me)
I'm a granddaughter to the following, now listen carefully cause it gets complicated:

My paternal grandmother (never met) with my dad George. 

 

My maternal grandparents Edna and Douglas with their three daughters, Ivy, Patrica, (mum), Joan and Judy. Mum is the tallest of the smaller three girls. There was also a son but he committed suicide in his thirties leaving 3 children.

My Granny was married 4 times and in 2 long term relationships. I remember her last husband as my Uncle Bill and he was around for most of my childhood. My grandfather Douglas remarried and had two more boys who came to visit from Aussie sometimes. We called his wife Nana 3 or Nana Joy.
Then there were my step grandparents Thomas and Elsie, Thomas died when I was 8 and Nana remarried outliving him as well. I have no surviving grandparents at all and probably just as well cause who could keep all this straight in your head! I was closest to Granny and we had lots of visits together and wrote and rang regularly for years before cancer got her.

Then all my siblings full and half started having children and I became an auntie, something that trained me well for parenthood. I loved having my mainly nephews to stay. (There were 7 boys before the first girl of 4 came along!).

These are just the nephews and one son taken at xmas time. We try to get a group photo of the kids but there are so many now they don't all fit on the couch! And there are more outtakes than good photos!

I'm also an Auntie to heaps of kids from Neil's family most of who are grown up and kids of their own, so I guess that also makes me a great auntie or second auntie or auntie by marriage who knows what the term is?

I'm a wife and friend to Neil, the man of my life for 30 years now! (I'm also the spender of his wages, washer of his clothes, cooker of his meals and general pain in the butt!...but he loves me anyway!)

Being Neil's partner, wife and friend has been a big part of my life, we have been through many trials and tribulations but are now at our happy place, a family in our own home living comfortably in a small town among family.

I'm a teacher not only to my children but some of these guys as well....

Lucas, now at school

Simona future make up artist

Just a few of the hundreds of kids I played alongside at Playcentre!

I'm a best friend to Ree:

Ree and me on my wedding day, I have been her bridesmaid twice so it was only fair she was my surprise bridesmaid and photographer!

I'm also a friend to several Playcentre women including:

Andie

 

Liz

 

Denise

There are many many more Playcentre friends but I don't have photos and they don't have facebook photos to steal! LOL.
I'm an old school friend of Leanne and was also a bridemaid for her;

How does she look younger everytime I see her!

I've been an employee of David and Jenny Hedley;

Celebrating 100 years of retail as Hedleys Bookshop and three generation family business.

and a work mate of these people:

Christine Rufford, Christine Lister and Dave

Dave Crockford with Lindsay and Jane Watts.

Just a few of the many people I worked with at Hedleys and Dick Smith Electronics. I never took my camera to work so don't have many photos of the people I spent 8 hours a day with for 17 years! I wasn't a scrapbooker back then!!

Looking back over this list I realise I have missed out the inlaws of which there are many and they deserve their own post or posts. Neils family is a very diverse and big family and I love being a part of them I'm pleased my boys get to also be a part of his family and in the absence of living grandparents they have very special aunties and uncles who spoil them rotten. But for now I can hear my bed calling and so off I go to the land of nod.