Hi, My name is Heidi, I am 48 years old and have a D28 [I won't post a photo, cause it tags her face to her FB page!], B10 and B9 year old. I live in Tasmania, Australia and love where I live. I used to live in KC, USA where I met Rebecca Adkins Goulart. I've been a single mum on two separate seasons of life, not planned. Got married to the boys’ father thinking it would be a lifetime.
However, I now live in a an open community with people who choose to live here by their own choosing from all walks of life. We have regular meals, working bees, community gatherings. In our community, everyone knows everyone which is wonderful and caring. I affectionally call it "The Greek Family!" I also say that it has afforded many people more opportunities than in a big city like Sydney. If you want to check it out a bit more and even come visit for some respite, we can do that here!! https://www.poatinacommunity.com.au (This is the ministry that is associated with Poatina - www.fusion.org.au)
1. What do we do as a family, hmm? I often say to people who have visited here in Poatina, what don't we do? I home-school my two boys and there are 4 other home-schooling families in the community. We have a Friday home-schooling day that other families from outside the village come up and join in activities together. With the range of skills and talents that we are blessed to have amongst not only our home-schooling parents, but adults around. My kids get to learn piano, bass guitar, practice to be a band, glass blowing, Football and gym to name a few. I am a trained Design and Technology teacher (Hence the picture of my boys built their own go carts for Christmas as a project with me), thus I trade skills with other parents to teach their kids and therefore we are not out of pocket for extracurricular activities. E.g. - I trade bass for bases! AKA, My youngest son gets professional bass lesson for trading me making gluten and grain free pizza bases for the other parent teaching my children bass and band. Ministry is always going on here from Hospitality to strangers and/or visitors alike, to helping hand of making meals for those who are sick or need a break for a week. I am also on the Community Life Team organising monthly gatherings from Boards games nights to Bush dances to Short Film festivals.
2. What is one thing you've been a part of this past year that helped someone else? See above! However, I have also done a spot of casual teaching (Substitute teaching for the USA reader!) Where helping year 11 students that are on the ASD scale to know how to budget and cook healthy meals. I also have been a part of what we call FATA - Faith and the Arts. Where Christians Artists can come learn a new skill over 7 days, teach one and / or combine their faith with their art. I was the one responsible for meeting special dietary needs for 80 Adults and Children for Morning, Afternoon and Supper Snacks. This was my third year running doing this.
3. And my favourite...where do you want to be in five years! I want to be living in a Tiny house in Poatina, so that I can live more and do less house chores!! I want to be able to take my boys on mission trips around the world to show them they are fortunate and for them to gain perspective on life. You can read it in books, but living and seeing it is invaluable. [Funny story, we lived in KC, USA, but never went to NYC. However, my youngest (he was 6mths when we left USA) now has a fascination to go there and an awe about the place!] I want to be living life well, spirit, body and soul. Material things mean nothing, if you don't have your health and wellbeing.