The last twelve months have been a bit of a rollercoaster ride:

• My wife had a baby – Zander James Brown.
• I completed my Graduate Diploma of Education – Secondary.
• I was offered a job in Malaysia.
• My wife was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
• I turned down the job in Malaysia.
• I was offered a job at Kelvin Grove State College and accepted it.
• I was offered a job at Unisys over the holidays (fantastic since I don’t get holiday pay).
• My wife found a new house for us in the city closer to the hospital and Kelvin Grove.

The best thing that happened this year was definitely Zander closely followed by graduating. The worst thing was Sheree being diagnosed with cancer. I was really scary when we knew it was cancer but didn’t know what type of cancer it was or if it was even treatable. When we finally found out it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma we were actually relieved because Hodgkin’s lymphoma has an 80%+ cure rate which is much better than some of the alternatives.

Sheree has been having chemotherapy for almost two months now and the side effects haven’t been that bad. The worst side effects have actually been from another drug she is given after the chemotherapy which makes her bones ache.

I’m going to try to post more frequently this year but we’ll see what happens.

Easter Zander

Dad & Zander

Mum, Dad & Zander

]]> http://www.adinobro.com/2009/03/30/zander-james-brown/feed/ 4 http://www.adinobro.com/2008/12/24/100-things/ http://www.adinobro.com/2008/12/24/100-things/#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:37:13 +0000 admin http://www.adinobro.com/?p=123 This is a meme that is going around and it looks interesting. A lot of it is very American but that’s life. I first read it at Empty Thoughts.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii (Visited Vanuatu & Malaysia which are closer to Australia but similar)

5. Watched a meteor shower (Tried to 3 times but failed)

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language (Mandarin)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby (almost)

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit

98. Owned a mobile phone

99. Been stung by a bee

100. Read an entire book in one day

Here are the highlights from the last couple of months.

June

• Language Calls went bankrupt and couldn’t pay anyone. I had some money invested with Language Calls so I lost a fair bit of money.
• We shipped 12 boxes of stuff back to Australia.
• Lots of cleaning, tying up loose ends etc.
• Got accepted into the QUT Graduate Diploma of Education Course.
• Lots of going away parties.

July

• Stopped of in Thailand for 10 days to see my parents and also have a little bit of relaxation before going back to work and university.
• Had a look at some of the international schools and talked to some of the teachers that worked there.
• Arrived back in Australia just after midnight on the 9th of July.
• O Week started on the 14th.
• Sheree’s Dad helped us find a nice car.
• Classes started on the 21st. (I have university on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday)
• Sheree got a 6 month contract.
• I got a 5 week part contract with Cook which starts on the 6th of August.
• We moved into our new apartment on the 26th of July (Ashely and Caleb helped)

So in less than 7 days we both got work, got a car and a place to live. Sheree’s parents have really blessed and helped us since we got back. I don’t know what we would have done without them.