What a Difference a Decade Makes

Ten years ago today I was packing.  Not packing heat, just suitcases.  We were headed down under for a once in a lifetime trip to Australia and New Zealand.  We would be leaving the morning of January 19th, 2001.

Ten years later, my heart is aching for the city of Brisbane--where I spent two glorious days on my own while Genius Golfer worked at the Morinda Brisbane office.  Camera in hand, I headed into the city.  The beautiful Brisbane Botanical Gardens is edged by the Brisbane river on two sides...surely now underwater there.  As most of the city is:

So sad.  It is such a pretty city, full of lovely, funny, helpful people.  In my scrapbook/journal of our trip I have comments over and over again of the kindness of these strangers as I explored their home turf.

They are in my heart and prayers as they deal with this natural disaster.