Bailey Wiley

The words that come to mind when I think about motherhood are love, sacrifice, patience, fatigue, growth, purpose and reason. It is overwhelming but, at the same time, rewarding. Motherhood is a privilege and means the world to me.

In my daughters' lifetime, I hope they and their peers know who they are and where they came from. I hope they find contentment in themselves and compassion in how they move with others. I want them to be intuitive and to love deeply.

I vividly remember those early newborn days with my girls in Avondale. I'd throw on whatever I could find and surface from yet another sleepless night for fresh air. My girls and I would stroll past the water at Tony Segedin Esplanade Reserve; seeing the water always brings a sense of freedom and relief. Simple pleasures, fond memories.

I feel great pride when telling people our girls were born and raised in Avondale. This suburb will forever be the place they call home, with many beautiful family memories. Avondale has given us a house with affordable rent. We learned to parent here. We endured a pandemic here. Our girls took their first steps in Avondale. We've loved and lost here. Both Dallas and Tui's first word was "duck," now that's saying something!