Born:  April 22, 1979 in Forbes, NSW

Married:  (date) to Annette 

Children: Sebastian, Emily, Danielle

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2025  – A Year of Milestones and Memories

As we wrap up another year, our family has so much to celebrate and reflect on. One of the biggest highlights was welcoming Matthew from the UK whose visit brought laughter and stories that reminded us of the joy of being together. He spent most of his time in Toowoomba, but spent his first week in Brisbane with us. It was great to have him in our home to reconnect and give our kids a chance to get some quality time with Uncle Matthew!

Faith played a special role this year, with Emily making her First Confession and First Holy Communion, a beautiful milestone for her spiritual journey. Luke also embarked on a memorable 10-day pilgrimage to Los Angeles, filled with inspiration and unique experiences of the Catholic Church in America. I really enjoyed being able to attend the LA RE Congress, and listen to speakers whose articles I have been reading for decades! I didn’t get to ‘In and Out Burger’ which locals assured me was the best, but I did enjoy some wonderful shrimp tacos near a historic Franciscan mission in southern California.

It was also a new chapter for us this year professionally, with Luke completing his first year as APRE—a role that came with a steep learning curve but plenty of growth and gratitude – and Annette closing a significant chapter as her firm transitioned to Findex. She was with the previous firm for 17 years before this merger, which marks the start of a new journey for her in her career.

Sports fans in the family cheered as Sebastian enjoyed a fantastic soccer season, showing skill and determination on the field. He played up a year level, and it took a few hits early in the season for him to adjust, but he had a great year and grew so much as a player and person in what was a tough year for his team. Emily progressed through to level 6 in Gymnastics, and demonstrates a real commitment to her development in this sport.

Danielle continues to shine at school, keeping everyone on their toes with her spirited personality—earning the nickname “Peppermint Pattie” from her Pappa for her sass and freckles! The other two do well too, and they all love to read, especially if they think it gets them out of helping around the house at home!

From milestones to memories, this year has been a tapestry of blessings, challenges, and growth. Here’s to carrying these moments into the new year with gratitude and hope!