Hey,

This week has been a rollercoster.

In short, i recieved the crappy news that my last pap test has come back with an abnormality.
Fantastic.

I have another appointment with my gynocologist next week, so hopefully it will be something easily 'fixable', or it may have been a bad reading.

Either way- i am hopping and praying that i do not have to go through what i did last time. Not to mention think about what another round of treatment wil do to my chances of having children.

eehhh!

Heres hoping!

Keya. x

Hey there,

Thought id share with you the note I found stuck to the T.V upon my arrival home from work today.

Men- whadda' ya gunna do? Haha.

Love, Keya. x

Hi all,

Hope your week is going fantastically, and all you Aussie's celebrated AUSTRALIA DAY in double pluggers, bucket hats and by the water!

In honour of  good old Australia day- I wanted to let you in on some of the funnier things people on my facebook have come up with in response to a 'you know your Australian when...' status! Haha!

You know your Australian when-

You think stubbies can be drank or worn.
You believe the 'i' in 'Australia' is optional.
You can perfectly translate the sentence 'Shazza, Dazza and Kazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Maccas'.
You think 'Wooloomooloo' is a perfectly reasonable name for a town.
You think it makes total sense that a one dollar coin is twice the size of a two dolar coin.
You think youve been ripped off if theres no beetroot on your hamburger.
Your biggest family argument was over a game of backyard cricket.
You know how to abbreviate every word in the english dictionary- and they usually all end in 'o'. Arvo, servo, garbo, smoko, righto, speedo- just to name a few.
You understand completley when people say 'no wucking furries.'
When you think something is good you say 'tops', but if theres a 'bloody' before it, you know you really mean it.
You know that the barbeque is the biggest political arena. &
You understand that there is actually a place called 'woop woop' located in Australia, it just happens that its very far from where you are, and in the middle of nowhere.

But on a serious note- feeling completely lucky and priveliged to be living in such an amazing country, surrounded by beautiful land and people!

Hope everyone had an amazing Australia day!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!

Love, Keya. x

Hey there,

A few months ago a friend of mine seperated from her partner. Okay, it happens.

They have a one year old daughter.

Things have gone haywire. Its not an uncommon story, really.

All of a sudden her ex-partner thinks it is no longer necissary to help her out with money, the home or their child because 'she was the one who wanted him gone.' Now, i am sorry- but this makes me extremely feisty.

Obviously there was good reason for her to end the relationship and i am a firm believer in the idea that a stable, happy, single parent home is much more beneficial to a childs life than an unhappily married home is. But, whats more than appauling is the fact that people are looking down on her and generally acting terribly towards her for ending this relationship because she has a child.

Newsflash people- a child is not a set of handcuffs!


I know that there may be some 'generational differences' on this matter, but really, any man (or woman- i know that does happen too!) who thinks it unnecissary to have a part in his own childs life out of spite does not get my pity vote. Anyone can be a 'father', but it takes alot more to be a 'dad'. This, my dear people, just does not cut the mustard in my books!

While i do think, in an ideal setting, both parents should be around and that the decision to have a child with someone should not be made lightly because of this, sometimes things just dont work out. Its sad, and i know that in most cases, people wish they could feel differently. But the reality is sometimes we make bad decisions and sometimes we change our minds. I do not think having a child means you should just throw your self respect out the door and 'deal with it' if you are unhappy or being mistreated in a relationship.

So- in other words- all the power to you, you strong single mama's who have respected yourself and your children enough to leave an unhealthy relaionship. I truley believe that in the long run, your children and YOU will thank you for it. This is the advice I am giving to my friend right now, and I know its easier said than done. But- shes a mum. In my books, that reason overrides every other reason.

Love, Keya. x

Hi guys,

Hoping your weekends are going well!

I have had a super busy weekend so far! A friends Hens night (which was sufficently CRASHED by the bucks night boys in the middle of a little 'show'! Haha! Was alot of fun and Steff, the maid of honour had a great night planned for bride-to-be Sami. Cocktail bar, chocolate truffles and penis straws included! ;)

Sami & Matt have been together as long as I can remember, through highschool and through long distance, family issues and everything else in between. It's great to be able to celebrate something like that!

Bride and Groom to be!


Then, I had a friends birthday party. There were a few college friends there and its needless to say we got back to the little inter-college fued that usually happens when people from opposing colleges get together. What ended was a hilarious night full of drinking games, music, dancing and singing- with a few shots, a few bottles of wine and ALOT of cake.

The smokes aren't mine, by the way. High-five to the non-smokers!

Kane went on a hunting trip last night, so he should be home any minute with a blow-by-blow of what he caught, when he caught it & how he caught it- which I will respond with 'Thats so sad!'. Then im hoping for a big counter lunch somwhere to cure my little headache before work tonight!

Love, Keya. x

Hi all,

This morning i decided i would 'clean out' my study (ahem.)

There I found a box full of photos of college. Like these:

Yes- I am swigging out of a bottle of $ 5 champers.
Yes- I am wearing a cape and a beanie.
Yes- we got covered in paint that sometimes didnt come off for days, sang obscene rugby chants and shamelessley thought we were better than every other college because we were louder, drunker and had our own pub bus.
And;
YES- most of my days were spent sitting in hallways drinking whatever alcohol was left over from the night before, out of a plastic tub, with a communal jug, with a goon box on my head.

What of it!?

It was FUN! And im kinda sad that that part of my life is over.

I know its probably horrible to say that. I have a great boyfriend, family and friends who keep me thouroughly entertained- but, I dunno.

I guess my life is just movin' right along. Like a goddamn steamtrain! 

Everything is moving f.a.s.t- and I think days where I can sit around and watch 'Kill Bill' marathons, go to class for an hour, then hang out for a cup of noodles and a beer (and feel like it had been a productive day, because i'd actually gone to class) are no longer in existance.

Thats ok. I chose where I am now, and I dont regret it.

I like to be able to work to have enough money to afford to buy proper food, and new clothes and not make the dreaded 'hey ma, can you loan me  fifty bucks?' call.

I like to be closer to Kane.

I guess we all go through this stage when we are confronted with something life- changing.
The thought of having kids right now does scare me. I didnt plan for this to happen. I didnt plan to be sick enough to have to make this call right now- but I was, and I am.
Thats the truth of the matter- and no matter how many trips I make down memory lane I know that ive been handed this card and I have to play with it.

I'll make the best of it.

Hopefully I wont completley tank and fail- but im willing to give it a damn good try.

Have any of you had to make similar decision? My head is swimming.

Love, Keya. x

Hi all,

So- i thought today i would 'introduce' you to a few important people in my life. The ones who make my world go round'!

Firstly,
Meet Kane!
My boyriend of 6 years. Loves to fish, hunt, ride bulls, play football and all the other hyper-masculine things you could think of. He is the epitomy of 'blokes bloke'. He's as stubborn as me (and thats an achievement!) and can find the most innapropriate times to crack the most innapropriate jokes, without fail.

Secondly,
Meet my mum, Nicole.
This woman is possibly the most IMPULSIVE person on the planet. Wants to cut her hair? That same day it will go from being down to her bum and blonde to above her shoulders and dark brown. However- she is a rutheless organiser when she wants to be and god help you if you a) get in the road, or b) try and change her mind. If you want something done quickly- you go to her. She is honest to a tee, shoots from the hip and I love her for it. She is a beautiful person and i am lucky to be her daughter. I hope i am half the mother one day that she is to me.

Thirdly,

Meet my dad, Fred.

This man is hands down the hardest working man i have ever known. He works the longest hours, in the hardest conditions and loves his family so fiercely you can feel it in every word he says. He has the dryest sense of humor (one that we share), has a high set of expectations and is driven by morals and ethics. He and my mum have been together since he was 17 & my mum 14- over half of their lives!

Once again, i am so proud to be his daughter and hope that one day i can show my kids the kind of love and support he has always shown me.

Finally,

Meet the bestfriends! Jess & Meg. 

These girls have been through a whole lot with me. They have held my hand, held me up, cried & laughed with me. If ever i need anything i know that they will be there. Meg (right) is probably the most trustworthy, loyal, kind and dependable person i know. Honestly beautiful and strong in every sense of the words. Jess (left) is funny, quick witted and has the same kind of impulsive shopping habit that i do. She knows just what to do and say if i have some kind of 'life crisis' and 'yell-cry' at her down the phone in the middle of the night.

So- there are many, many other people that i havn't mentioned yet- my friends Jess Norris, Jess Maiden, my brother (who you already 'met' on a post before hand, my college crew, my cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents etc etc- they are all so important- but, you will meet them as this little blog gets bigger and better, i assume! :)

I would love to hear who makes YOUR world go around, and why they are so important.

Hoping you all are having an amazing, productive day!

Love, Keya. x

Hi Everyone,

So- I think im getting the hang of this 'making a blog' deal. Hopefully i'll only get better and this blog will be beautiful oneday!

Any way, the photo above- thats me and my fourth month old nephew Rylan. He is my brothers first child and my first nephew! That little bundle up there is a little boy who has had a pretty dramatic enterance into the world, and just so happens to share my brothers dimples and slate blue eyes. He is beautiful, and like a picture of his daddy at the same age.

 I'll tell you all his story and let you in on how his mighty enterance into the world wasnt as peachy as it may appear in the above photo and God love him- he wasnt aware of a single bit of it. Here we go!

Flash back to January, 2011. I had just moved out of college and into a little three bedroom home with Kane. It was hot. My cars air con wasnt working and i was driving home from UNI. Now, my parents are usually sticklers for the ‘dont be on the phone while driving rule’- so when a call from my mum heralded a ‘pull over, this is important.’- i immediatley knew something big was about to hit the decks of the Byrne family.

My brother was 17. He was in a relationship with a woman four years older than him, and lets face it- the family wasnt thrilled. There were fights, there were family meetings, an there were silent dinners around the table over this badboy. Oh yeah, it was one of those things that everybody had an oppinion on. ME being the front-runner of these oppinions, and hey, some of them im not proud of- and yet some of them, i still believe to this day.

My brother is one of those guys, he has been one since as far back as i can remember. Hes passionate and caring, and commited. His relationship with Kayla encompassed all of those things- so when the news came that they were expecting- i cant say i was shocked. Neither was anyone, really- as i look back on it. Angry, upset, dissapointed- yes, but shocked, no.

Now- our family is one of those close knit, huge, rowdy families that some people wish they had. I know that. Im proud of that. BUT like all, we have our flaws. Collectivley- we have huge egos, highly regard others oppinions of us, and are severely highly strung. Combine these qualities with the news of a teenage pregnancy among our ranks- disaster.

Long story short- my brother moved to Kaylas hometown to be nearer to her family. There were huge domestics and people didnt know how to act. We were caught between voicing our worries about the situation, blaming, and heartache that he was gone- that he had left, mainly due to our reaction to this news.

If i could do-over this time, i probably would. I dont think my oppinion of the time would change, my views that he was too young still hold true, although now i see that all the fighting came no nearer to a solution. This little baby was born, anyway.

And now i see- this little boy is evidence that something bright can come out of any situation. His presence calms a household that was, and still is, at times, a little tense and resentful- echoing the hurtfull words that were thrown from one to another. He has the power to reconcille a situation that turned ugly, and he has done that- without even knowing it.

I know he is here for a reason, and all the other stuff- my worries about my brothers age, his finances, his abilities- i know that they are just that- worries, and that they are all a small part of what this little boy will become. God put him here &chose my brother to be his father for a reason- and so help me, i dont have a clue what that reason is- but i know one day i will.

Some things change your life.

Some things give you greater perspective.

Some things are wrapped in a blue blanket and handed to a world who unknowingly needed his presence.

And that, dear people, is how i came to be holding that sleeping bundle in those photos. Mhm, i know. A different story to what the photos portray, isnt it.

Ill leave you with a few more photos of him to goo and ga over. :)

Love, Keya. x

Rylan Sean Byrne

My Brother, Eathen, Dad & Nephew

Just call me the baby whisperer...

Well, hi there!

I know right now im talking to myself- but thats ok! Hopefully someday soon someone is going to stumble upon this little blog of mine and actually be interested in my story, well- thats the plan anyway.

So, I guess ill start with my story. Its not very long and for the most of it, i have been a lucky, privelleged, middle class girl in a rural town. Im one of those 'lucky' ones, parents are still married (shock!), I never went without, I was school Captain, head of the student council, DUX, and all those other over achieving things you think will help you out in real life, that really dont.

Anyway, I had it good. I had a steady boyfriend right through highschool and although we seemed from different sides of the tracks and every one fobbed us off as a phase, we are still going strong six years later. Introducing my boyfriend Kane. Ta-da! Well, around two years after I met Kane, I was pretty well settled, I had gotten into a great University, accepted into the college I had hoped for, and had recieved the scholarship id worked so hard to gain. Then I went for a pap test.

Here, my life turned a little upside down, and it was this day that changed the course of my life, so it seems. The day after id had this routine test, I recieved a call from my doctor. The news wasnt exactly bad, but never the less, it wasnt good. My tests had shown 'abnormal cells' across a large part of my cervical walls (gross, I know). Another test should reveal more comprehensive results, so she said.

Ok- regroup. It mightn't be that bad.

It was. Cancerous.

Argh! What!?

I stared at my gynocologist in disbelief. I was 18 years old. I was about to start Uni. I had my bags packed and everything- this does not fit into my plans at all!

Test after test, a couple of operations, a few different courses of treatment, a lot of antibiotics and stitches, oh man- were there stitches. However, here I sit, two years later and in what seems to be complete remission. Tests keep coming back mercifully clear of abnormalities and I am blessed.

However, there is just one spanner thrown into my works.

Children.

A subject i'd never really given any thought to before I thought about not being able to have them. I always assumed i would have children. I came from a big, tight knit family and it was just assumed that i would finish my education, get married and bring a few little people into the world.

My life had other plans. My body was weakened from treatment- it needed to happen soon said my doctor.

Alas- here i am. Contemplating this desicion.

Eeeek! Thats enough for one night- i hope your all as legitimatley confused as i am.

Love, Keya. x