music for mia

Mick rung Josh whilst we were still in Adelaide to find out when

he would be back in Tennant Creek. He informed Josh about

the 'Music for Mia' that had been organised. Josh was in the

city at the time and told me he found himself going all rubbery

in the middle of Rundle Mall. When he returned to Tennant

Creek he began to realise that what Mick and colleagues from

school had organised was a rather grand affair.

Josh was kept in the dark about a lot of the evening, but what

he saw when he and the girls attended was amazing. The

Music for Mia event was a community effort with numerous

businesses making very generous donations of goods for a

raffle and a major auction. Along with this there were

numerous musical items for the night, from the school,

community and some artists dropping in on their way through

town.Mia was given her very own boomerang, which is a very

special gesture to make.

I had Josh film the night so that Mia and I could watch it. I

couldn't believe what amazing people we had become friends

with in such a short time. They were so caring and knowing we

would need a lot of help in the future organised this for us. We

had nothing at home in the way of nursery items as we weren't

sure what was going to be the outcome of her birth.

The students at the high school expressed their kind sentiments in the

schoolyard and classrooms, they made donations to Josh and Mick, they

also made a dolls house to auction off throughout the night. The childcare

centre made t-shirts for Josh with "Music for my baby" written on it, the

girls had "Music for my sister" on theirs and Mia had a grow suit with

"Music for me" on it!

I of course messaged Mick to show my appreciation and keep him and

Mon updated on Mia's progress. I had to request a song since I couldn't

be there! Let's say I am an Abba fan and was always asking Mick to play

Abba in his gigs- this time I thought it appropriate to have Mamma Mia

sung. Even though not a fan himself he learnt the song. Josh rang me

that night when Mick was about to start playing so Mia and I could hear it

liveI sat next to her cot holding the phone for us both to hear, I of course

was overcome with emotion.

We thank Mick in particular for coordinating this event. Working

alongside Mick were numerous staff from the high school and we thank

them. Beyond the school, people also. The entire community knew about

Mia and the ordeal at birth and what a fighter she was they did so much

to support my family. Whilst in Tennant we received skin names from the

Warramungu people, and as a Tennant Creek baby, I feel she is a real

daughter of the town.

When Josh and I moved to Tennant Creek from Tasmania,

we read and heard that it had a heart of gold - a reference

to its mining heritage and now a metaphor for the

townspeople themselves having hearts of gold. We sensed

that from the very beginning and now we have seen it with

our own eyes and treasure it deeply - even more than one

would treasure gold.