Farewell Mamoune

This has been a sad week for the family, with the loss of matriarch Mamoune (Charlotte Frilet (nee Julliand). 

Gui flew out on Thursday to be with the family. 

Some of my fond memories of this woman was at our wedding, where she stood up proudly and sang old songs from her region, and encouraged everyone to join in. 

She read the scriptures for the ceremony.  

I loved that she was strong in her faith, which is something special, especially since none of the people I know in the family had interest in faith. One our first few trips, we were able to attend church with her. The priest that married us was the family priest for decades. 

She organised the arrangements with the church. 

I don't know a lot about her past but from the little I gathered, she was born after the war, when her siblings were much older and had become nuns in a convent (and had passed on many years now).

Mamoune, when I first met her was living in their apartment near the Marseille Train Station. She lived by herself, worked everyday at the Station, directing people to places and was always busy. When we went to visit her at the apartment, we got to see all the history in her home, the photos, the furniture, her late husband's work tools. So beautiful that she kept it all.

When her children grew up, she had lived in Cuers with her late husband, and we have visited Cuers on every trip we made to France with the children. She eventually moved to the city (where most of her grown children have since settled, but maintained her independence).

I'm thinking now, pained about the harshness of life, where age takes so much of our strength, and sense of control and joy.

But we focus now on Hope, and Gratefulness for the work Charlotte has done, to raise her children, each one, wonderful and raising children and grandchildren on their own.

She would have been proud.

She would have.

Farewell Mamoune,... 

Mme Charlotte FRILET
née JULLIAND
est rentrée à la Maison du Père, le lundi 18 février 2019
à l'âge de 94 ans.
Jacqueline, Anne-Marie, Jean-François et Bernard,
ses enfants, Françoise
et leurs conjoints
Ses 9 petits-enfants
et leurs conjoints
Ses 20 arrière-petits-enfants
Les familles FRILET, JULLIAND, BECERRA, VOLA, DERACHE, DENEUBOURG
Ses amis de l'Hospitalité 
de Lourdes, de SOS Voyageurs, de la Paroisse Saint-Pierre - Saint-Paul
vous invitent à venir vous unir 
à leur prière lors des obsèques célébrées en l'église Saint-Pierre - Saint-Paul
samedi 23 février 2019, 
à 10h.
Service Catholique des Funérailles
04.91.95.18.18

photo essay

August 2012: The boy and the princessa

Tuifiti is now a happy, ulavale boy, who according to Plunket nurse is very 'inquisite, ae a faasamoa, e ova le kalepe mea o le kama.
He can repeat some words now, Mama, Papa, Maeeeba(Maeva), uh oh etc.
Lately, he has been a bit clingy and running to us for big bear cuddles. When he's in our bed he moves around looking for my face and then tries to lay on me, his cheek against mine.
As cute as that sounds, it is Not.
Not when a chunky head slams into your face and tries to adjust your face so her can lie down nicely.
Not. Cute.
He is still at Uptown and enjoying it there, but we are now looking at moving him back to to the West to a daycare near home.
On Sunday, we had a great family toonai with Lani's kids, Uncle and Aunty (Myatts) and the Andersons from Samoa. Good times.
Nani Jacqui is coming next month - yay! ...this is also ideal because I will be in the Solomons for work for 9 days. So MM is very much looking forward to seeing her Nani, and so is Gui.
Gui has a stress fracture from his marathon run training as is not competing in the next marathon.
The last weekend, i have been busy looking online for homes. we are keen to buy our next home here, its just a really competitive market here so its a challenge but we're up to it.
k,
manuia le aso

Untitled

 

Wrap up 2011 bring on 2012

So, since I last updated, I had just graduated wth the Masters and we were all celebrating.

Well...much more has happened since then,...I ended my uni contract with their Accomm team in Dec
Gui contnued to do well in his role at IS, enough to get him an offer to manage IS in Auckland
Then ..Tuifiti started to crawl heaps more, stand (holding onto stuff) and truly make his presence known in this house. He is here to say, he mumbled as he pulls Maeva's hand yet again.
Maeva on the other hand continues to be a non stop talking, singing, dancing force in the house. She is smart, chatty, helpful, friendly, imaginative, creative (like me..haha) but also has attitude when she gets tired, or when she doesnt get her way.
Dramatic is the word that comes to mind.
ANyhow...in December, we travelled to the South Island to spend Christmas with SJ, Lin and the kids. We absolutely loved it there!
While the rest of NZ rained, we had glorious sunny hot days.
Highlight was being godparents to our godchild VIJ, what a blessing!!
Then we drove to Queenstown for 2 days, loved it,...back to Haast then onto Franz Josef.
But before Franz, we stopped at Fox Glacier where Maeva and Gui walked to the Glacier while baby and I did a small walk and waited because the conditions were a bit windy.
From Franz we were off to CHC and home we came.

Loved South Island and spending time with my niece and nephews.

Then New Years on the Peterson's verandah with plenty of vodka punch.

Mega and Tau are coming for a few nights before going back to Oman.

And lastly, I forgot to mention, I also go a job with my Uni, and will be in AUcklan.

so right now, it is busy uncertain times as we have to look for a house to rent or buy, rent out our house here, look for good school for MM and daycare.
lots of worry about but for now, lemm just say I am lookng forward to an eventful 2012, with lots of success, change, anxiety, new environments, new verything but we are determine and prepared for anything.
Bring. It. On. (:

Manuia le Tausaga Fou

Graduation (: