Robyn Lorenz's memory board

Robyn Lorenz Fay Claringbold (Badrock) with 1 month old daughter Carolyn. Mum would have been 21 yrs and 10 months. The photo was taken on the land at 56 Thompsons Road, Bulleen. You can see the frame of the house in the background.

Robyn Lorenz Fay and Roy Claringbold with daughter Carolyn. THe home at 56 Thompson's Road is behind them in the process of being built. Dad built a lot of it, getting in contracters when necessary. Note: Mum and Carolyn in the same material outfits..homemade by mum

Robyn Lorenz Mum - Fay Claringbold - with 1 yr old Carolyn on the property at 56 Thompsons Road Bulleen. THe frame of the house is in the background. Mum made her dress and Carolyn's from the same material.

Robyn Lorenz Dad's first car.

Robyn Lorenz A happy baby Robyn. The knitted dress was made by mum.

Robyn Lorenz Dad's second car...a navy coloured Hillman

Robyn Lorenz I was born at Kew, Victoria, Australia on 14 March 1954 I was the second child of Fay and Roy Claringbold. My older sister was Carolyn...born 11 September 1951 Later Belinda was born in 1960

Robyn Lorenz Family Group . Dad holding Carolyn and mum hold Robyn outside the lounge windows of the Bulleen home. I don't know how but I know that mum's skirt was yellow with back strips. Perhaps she had it for many years and I remember it that way?!

Robyn Lorenz About 8 months old with sister, Carolyn. We were sitting on the front porch of our Bulleen home. Our matching rompers were made by mum.

Robyn Lorenz Summer 1954. I was about 9 months old. Carolyn and I were sitting on the lawn at the back of the house. There were vegetables growing behind us.

Robyn Lorenz This is my first birthday photo. Blue has always been the colour I love. Mum always said I was the most beautiful baby of her three kids...she even told the other kids this. Not really very diplomatic, was it?

Robyn Lorenz The family home at 56 Thompsons Road Bulleen. Mum and dad built it. Then Bulleen was considered a country area. The house was standing until 2020 when it was bulldozed to make way for a child care centre. Mum and dad had both died by then but would have been devistated to see the much loved home demolished.

Robyn Lorenz My first birthday. Mum made the cake. Every year for about 10 years our birthday photos were taken on the front porch of our Bulleen home. The cake was always placed on a chair and dad would take our photo.

Robyn Lorenz Beach Days. Dad always ran and then splashed straight into the water.

Robyn Lorenz As a little girl I loved my dolls....dolls and things to make and do with my hands were my favourite activities. This photo was taken at the front of the Bulleen home, 56 Thompsons Road

Robyn Lorenz Dad would make sure we had a inner tube to take to the beach. I don't know where he got it from, but they were big and we loved them

Robyn Lorenz The family home at Bulleen in 1956. THe Hillman is in the driveway which is not steep as it was later one. Once the main road was bitumened, then the very steep driveway came.

Robyn Lorenz Don't you think my bathers are the most modest ones you have seen? They are rather odd. Carolyn had the same type of bathers. Our buckets weren't like the hard plastic ones of today. They were a soft rubbery colourful bucket.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn and Carolyn with thier 'babies' The photo was taken in the front garden at Bulleen. Look at the level of the driveway. Many will remember the Bulleen house driveway being very steep. It was not always like that.....just a slight slope to the road. However, once Thompson's Road..then a dirt road, was bitumened, then they raised it up and the need came for us to have the very steep downward driveway.

Robyn Lorenz 1956 Robyn 2yrs, Carolyn 4 at St Kilda beach. Like most kids we would love to dig a hole big enough for us to fit in.

Robyn Lorenz Carolyn and Robyn at the beach. Probably St Kilda beach. We went there a lot. I guess it was free and something that us kids loved. Our matching dresses were sewn by mum.

Robyn Lorenz This was Carolyn's first day at school. Apparently I cried because she was going. Those who know busy Thompson's Road, Bulleen, can see how it was back in the 50's in this photo. Just a dirt road. You can also see the milk bottles out the front of the house ready for the milkman to come and leave fresh ones. He came on a horse and cart and I can remember well hearing the clip clop of the horses hooves early in the morning.

Robyn Lorenz This photo was taken about June 1956. Carolyn was wearing her winter tunic for St Bedes Primary School, North Balwyn. I also went to this school. The photo was taken outside the lounge room windows of the Bulleen home.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn 3 yrs old, Carolyn 5 yrs. We are standing on the front lawn at Bulleen. Carolyn's dress was pink and white and mine was white with blue dots on it. The car in the background was dad's Hillman. It was a dark blue colour.

Robyn Lorenz This was taken at a park somewhere....not sure where though. I am wearing my gold name jewellry.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn and Carolyn on the merry-go-round. I have no idea where this was. We are wearing matching hand knitted cardigans that mum made for us

Robyn Lorenz My 3rd birthday. Mum always loved this photo. My undies showing and all! As was usual, the photo was taken out on the front porch at our Bulleen home.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn 3 yr, Carolyn 5 1/2 yrs old. This was always a favourite photo of mum and dad's. It was enlarged a little and was put on the mantlepiece above the fire. I remember it being there for years..on the left-hand side. Carolyn's dress was red and white. My dress was white with blue dots on it. The smocking was also blue. I think dad saw this dress and bought it for me....so I have been told.

Robyn Lorenz My third birthday. It was usual to bring a chair out onto the front porch of the Bulleen home. Our home-made cake was put on it and the traditional photo was taken.

Robyn Lorenz This photo was taken out on the front porch of our Bulleen home. It was Carolyn's first communion day. Mum is with us. Notice we had hats on....it was the done thing in those days to wear a hat in church. The females had to but the men didn't

Robyn Lorenz Robyn 5yrs with straight hair! Apparently, I had been very sick with some special kind of pneumonia. The effect of this illness was that I came out of it with straight hair. I still loved my dolls and obviously wasn't prejudiced against black dolls. Belinda my sister didn't like black dolls at all...she would turf them across the room. In this photos it looks like each doll has a biscuit as well as one for me.

Robyn Lorenz Carolyn's first communion. This is the first photo I have with Grandma Claringbold. She was not at all religious so why she came with us to Carolyn's day I have no idea. Perhaps it was her Sunday to come over for lunch and it fell on the same day. Grandma was never a normal grandma...I didn't like her at all. She would give us 2 shillings (20 cents) each when she was over BUT we had to line up and give her a kiss to get it. Ugh. Often she didn't have her teeth in and I hated kissing her.

Robyn Lorenz Off to church. I think this was Belinda's baptism. Females had to wear hats in church, of course! I am holding mum's handbag and we are wearing our matching handknitted twin sets...made by mum

Robyn Lorenz At a park with Carolyn. I am 6 yrs old and Carolyn would have been 8 1/2 yrs old. My dress was pink and white.

Robyn Lorenz Here, I was sitting on the front porch nursing Belinda, my new sister. She was born 21 Apr 1960. Nappies are hanging on the clothes horse in the background. At 66yrs I still have that same wooden clothes horse!

Robyn Lorenz Dad with his three girls. Dad always said he wanted only girls. He never wanted any boys. He got his wish!

Robyn Lorenz My first communion day. The car, a Hillman...think it was a darkish blue, was parked at the front of the house on Thompson's Road.

Robyn Lorenz 7 years old. First Communion photo at St Bedes, North Balwyn. The local GP, Dr Flannigan took this colour photo and gave it to us. How exciting a 'colour' photo. Carolyn is in the background in the yellow cardigan

Robyn Lorenz My 7th Birthday party. In the background you can see the cubby house that dad was building for us. When finished it was painted red and had a black roof. We loved it and spent many hours playing in it.

Robyn Lorenz 7th Birthday photos. Again the chair and cake on the front porch of our Bulleen home. My dress was mauve.

Robyn Lorenz 8 yrs old in this photo. I attended St Bedes Primary School, North Balwyn

Robyn Lorenz Dad is holding Belinda. I think this was a picnic for my 8th birthday

Robyn Lorenz At day at the beach. Carolyn and Robyn

Robyn Lorenz Grade 4 at St Bedes School, North Balwyn. 57 children in one classroom.I am in the front row, 4th from the right with the whitish socks This was the average size of ONE class back then. We would all sit in one classroom and have one teacher.

Robyn Lorenz 8th Birthday

Robyn Lorenz Carolyn, Robyn ( 8 1/2 yrs) and Belinda Claringbold. This was taken at Christmas when there was a family gathering at my Aunty Pearl's house. Belinda was not well that night. My dress was made by mum...red and white stripe. Carolyn's was a bought dress with red and orange circles on white.

Robyn Lorenz I remember playing school with Belinda and Carolyn. In this photo Belinda and I are the students. Carolyn was being the teacher.

Robyn Lorenz Another beach day

Robyn Lorenz I had a bike. It was a second-hand one that dad found somewhere. I am in the back yard in the photo where the BBQ was built.

Robyn Lorenz Year 8 school photo. St Euphrasias, Abbotsford. 13 yrs old

Robyn Lorenz We three sisters. Belinda, Robyn and Carolyn in our front garden at Bulleen

Robyn Lorenz 9th Birthday photo taken on the front lawn at Bulleen. I had a party. We really dressed in our best dresses then. I don't know who the young girl with me in the photo is but she was a school friend.

Robyn Lorenz 10th Birthday party. I am sitting down in the middle. Belinda is the little girl standing beside me.

Robyn Lorenz Grade 5. St Euphrasias, Abbotsford. Good Shepherd Convent. I am second left, top row. I moved to this school in grade 5 because Carolyn had to go to a new school to start year 7. It was a long hours bus ride to Abbotsford. The bus stop was right outside our driveway which was good. Sometimes one of us kids would stand at the bus stop and look up Thompsons Road. When we saw the bus way up the top of the Road, we would call the other other kid(s) to hurry up as the bus was coming.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn and Belinda. My 10th birthday. Don't you just love the little party hats? THe car is the memory here. An aqua blue Austin. We went everywhere in it. No seatbelts in those days, no airconditioner and three kids in the back seat. Very different to today and what parents expect for their kids. We drove to Sydney in the car, we drove to Canberra also. Just a bit out from Canbera, the whole engine blew up. We were stranded. THe money it would cost to fix it was a real worry for mum and dad. I remember that a man who owned a high rise accommodation place, let us stay there for free or for very little money until the car was fixed.

Robyn Lorenz 11th Birthday party. Carolyn at very back, friend Kaylyn right of Carolyn, miss one, then Robyn nursing a tiny kitten. Belinda in the middle. Cousin Vicki Claringbold (1955-2016) squatting down in front row. I made the dress I was wearing. It was made out of a corduroy fabric...browny-red with yellow dots on it.

Robyn Lorenz Photo was taken at Mount Beauty swimming pool. We rented a house out at Mount Beauty for many years in a row. .....for a week or two over the summer school holidays.

Robyn Lorenz Neighbourhood friend, Jillian Lacquer and myself on a tricyle. I think this tricylce had been handed down to Belinda but we were having a bit of fun on it. Photo taken outside the lounge window of the Bulleen home.

Robyn Lorenz Going to the beach was a regular thing to do in summer. I remember clearly being in the car...3 girls in the back seat...the temperature would have been about 35+. It was so so hot in that car. Finding a parking spot was hard. When it was time to come home, then it was back into the flaming hot car...no air conditioner in the car then. Time at the beach was good but in the car is a very 'hot' memory.

Robyn Lorenz Mt Beauty holiday home. Must have been hot as dad has moved a mattress out on the front lawn. Belinda (5) is playing with her cut out paper dolls.

Robyn Lorenz Sitting with mum at the open fire in the lounge at Bulleen . Mum would have been 36 yrs old.

Robyn Lorenz The night of my 11th birthday. Looking at the gifts I got from the party. Think mum and dad gave me the dressing gown I was wearing. The photo was taken in the lounge room at Bulleen. You can see the wood tongs on the right side of the fire. This was when a real fire was lit in the fireplace...before the gas heater was installed.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn, Belinda and Carolyn in front of the TV. I remember we had to have a TV licence. It was paid yearly. The TV's back then would always break down.

Robyn Lorenz Many years in a row mum and dad would rent out a bungalow at Mt Beauty. We took Kaylyn (my best friend/neighbour) with us one year. Mum (35yrs) is lying on the bunk bed with from left to right. ..Kaylyn, Belinda, Robyn and Carolyn.

Robyn Lorenz Beach day. Robyn and Belinda

Robyn Lorenz Another beach photo. Love the beach hat! 11 yrs old. Around my neck was a religious medal.

Robyn Lorenz 12 years old. I think this photo was taken before a school event.

Robyn Lorenz Sitting on the front lawn of the Mt Beauty house we rented. Left to right: Kaylyn, Robyn, Mum, Belinda, Carolyn

Robyn Lorenz A day at the snow. This would have been at Mt Beauty while we were on holidays. This is why we were in shorts and not warm clothes.

Robyn Lorenz 12 Birthday with Kaylyn Montgomery. Mum and dad were taking us out to dinner for my birthday. I can't remember where, unfortunately. How is the pose we took for the photo? LOL My dress was yellow organza. My baby photo is on the mantle piece.

Robyn Lorenz 12th Birthday. Yes, I alway loved my sweet treats! Mum with Robyn

Robyn Lorenz The annual school ball. My class had to dress as japanese women. We had a routine to perform. The dressing gown was dad's and it was panty hose on my head! Photo was taken at home before we left.

Robyn Lorenz We were dressed for the annual school ball....St Euphrasias. I think now that Carolyn and myself were dressed like three old ladies! We probably thought we looked OK though! The clothes were from the Op shop. Dad worked there some nights for extra money as a cleaner. He would bring home garments and shoes and we would have to choose from them.

Robyn Lorenz A holiday in Adelaide. We drove over. Belinda, Robyn and Dad.

Robyn Lorenz The Claringbold family. This photo was a professional photo taken in Adelaide while we were on holiday. I made the dress I was wearing.

Robyn Lorenz Carolyn, Robyn and Belinda. We were boarding for about a 1 or 2 at the Abbotsford Convent (where we went to schooll). Dad had had surgery and needed to get away on a break. The nuns suggested we girls board at the convent for the short time and mum and dad could have a break. I carried on so much...you don't love us...how could you leave us there. etc etc. BUT HOW much I LOVED being down there. The convent was attached to our school...so it was breakfast with the nuns, then over to the school, back for lunch and dinner. They had a farm there and we watched this little calf being born. The cardigans Carolyn and I were wearing were knitted by us. Mine was mauve...Carolyns lime green!

Robyn Lorenz Robyn feeding an emu on our Adelaide holiday

Robyn Lorenz At a christening of a cousin. Left to Right: Carolyn with the baby cousin, Robyn (Belinda in front) mum and dad. Notice the hats again....All females had to wear a hat in church then.

Robyn Lorenz The Claringbold girls with Pop. ...Thomas James Badrock. He was our grandfather (84 in this photo) and mum's dad. He was too old to be a 'normal' grandfather . Dad would pick him up one Sunday every month. He would sit in a chair in the corner...watch the football which all of us hated and smoke his pipe. He treated both his wives badly. His sons didn't have time for him but his daughters always looked after him.

Robyn Lorenz Year 9 at St Euphrasias, Good Shepherd Convent. I am second row from top, third from the left. I was very introverted at school. Spent my time in the music room...morning break, afternoon break and lunchtime. Had one or two friends and stayed away from the rest. I was also one of the 'good girls' and was teased because of it. I wasn't interested in boys, parties, pop groups etc. Just a boring Robyn, I suppose!

Robyn Lorenz The Claringbold girls at Fairy Park, Anaiki, Geelong. Robyn 14. I also took my kids there during their childhood.

Robyn Lorenz Adelaide on holiday. At a lookout...Left to right: Robyn, Belinda and Carolyn

Robyn Lorenz Graduation Dance at the end of the year. The nuns enlisted the local boys school to partner us. I was partnered with Dennis someone. I made my dress.. Dad bought me the corsage .We had to learn how to do some ball dance steps although I had been learning Ballroom dancing with Carolyn at a dance place every Tuesday night.

Robyn Lorenz The Claringbold family on holiday at Tawoomba.

Robyn Lorenz

Robyn Lorenz 16th Birthday. I had a surprise birthday party.

Robyn Lorenz Photo taken outside the Bulleen home. The Vietnam war was going on and I was writing to two soldiers. Dad took a few photos of me to send to them. The faithful aqua blue Austin is parked under the carport.

Robyn Lorenz This was another photo taken for me to send to the Aussie soldiers in the Vietnam war. We were in Albury on a holiday at the time

Robyn Lorenz 16th surprise birthday party. Dad pretended he was taking me to a classical concert. We we just a little way out in the car when he said he had left the tickets at home. We had to go back and I ran in to get the tickets...Then this photo was taken.

Robyn Lorenz Graduation dance. This dress was a satin sheen in soft aqua self stripes. I bought it and loved it.

Robyn Lorenz At at guest house in Marysville. I was playing the piano for some of the little kids. Mostly well-known songs and they were singing along

Robyn Lorenz A studio photo of Robyn, Belinda and Carolyn Claringbold. My dress was a velour type material in deep acqua, Belinda was in pink , Carolyn was in yellow. I can't remember why mum wanted this photos taken. But it turned out nice.

Robyn Lorenz The whole family and Carolyn's then boyfriend, Bruce. Taken at Mt Beauty

Robyn Lorenz Sitting out the back of our Bullen home. I loved this cardigan I knitted. It was a fuzzy wool in acqua.

Robyn Lorenz First date with Ian Atwill....Luna Park

Robyn Lorenz Another holiday at Mt Beauty. This time Ian came up with us and also Carolyn's boyfriend.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn 17, Carolyn 19, Belinda 11, mum 41, dad 44. Photo was taken out the back of the Bulleen home by Carolyn's boyfriend

Robyn Lorenz 17 years. I was sitting outside in the sun at the back of the Bulleen house. I was studying my music notes for a theory exam.

Robyn Lorenz Mt Beauty with Ian Atwill. Don't we look like two little children?

Robyn Lorenz At home at Bulleen with Ian Atwill. He was wearing his suit...don't know why? It was one of the early visits after we met.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn and Ian. This photo was taken at Ian's sister's first husband's mother's house. Work that out!! I made my dress and it was a wool material and it was hard to get the collar right. However, it was on this night that I seriously thought of calling off the friendship with Ian.....why....he had coffee smelling breath and it turned my stomach. I hate coffee...LOL

Robyn Lorenz A day at the beach with Ian Atwill. I was 17, Ian was about to turn 21 yrs. We look like little kids.....we were, I guess!

Robyn Lorenz Ready for the Masonic Lodge Ball with Ian Atwill. THe buffet in the background was still in the house when it was sold in 2018. Wallpaper was also the same.

Robyn Lorenz Recoverin from a heel spur operation. It had been operated on locally but was not successful. So I had to to to Ballarat St John of God hospital for a second surgery

Robyn Lorenz Masonic Lodge Ball.

Robyn Lorenz First boyfriend, Ian Atwill...later to be my first husband. I met him at Hawthorn Town Hall dance. He could ballroom dance and so could I. He needed a partner for his dad's Masonic Lodge Ball. I was it! I loved this yellow dress bought for the occasion.

Robyn Lorenz My first date with Ian Atwill. Yes, the whol family and us went to Luna Park. To impress, I went on the big dipper with Ian and was scared stiff. I have never been on a ride like that since.

Robyn Lorenz Lovely engagement cake that mum made and iced for us

Robyn Lorenz At the end of the evening. Think they were singing Auld Lang Syne. Mum is in the doorway behind us, dad to her right, then Belinda. The other people were aunts/uncles, cousins etc .Yes, we were two young people. Back then it was normal to think about marriage from 18yr to 21..especially for girls. Boys also were expected to be married by 25. Now, it would seem ridiculous. At 18yrs kids are still at school then go to uni. I just wanted to stay at home, teach piano and have babies. That was my dream for my life.

Robyn Lorenz Ian making a speech at our engagement party. I was 18 he was 22....So young then and by today's standards. The dress I made myself

Robyn Lorenz 18th Birthday with Ian Atwill. Photo on the mantlepiece is of Caroly and Tony at their engagement party

Robyn Lorenz Cutting our engagement cake.

Robyn Lorenz Looking at the engagement gifts we received. The ironing board against the wall, towels against the wall also, orange double bed blankets were a few of the items. Back then, it was great to get things for the home together. We were not living together - until we were married - nothing happened until we were married!!! It was the way things were for many young people...although not all.

Robyn Lorenz Our first home. It was a small home. The outside cladding was a pale green. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, lounge, kitchen but I loved it. Having it before we were married meant we could give it a fresh coat of paint at weekends. No, we didn't live in it before we were married.

Robyn Lorenz Our first home. 22 Barrina Street, South Blackburn. It was bought about 4 months before we were married. It cost $14,750. Both of us had saved since we started work and so we had the deposit and then got a mortgage. This was very good for a 18 and 22yr old....even then!!! The windows on the corner belonged to the kitchen/table area; the front windows were the lounge room.

Robyn Lorenz The back view of our first home. The bit of the house like a box at the back was original. It contained the laundry, toilet and briquette heater. I had to make the fire in it every morning so we could have hot water. The next set of windows was a 3rd bedroom...then came the bathroom with the two smaller window....the end windows were in the room we used for our first baby, David.

Robyn Lorenz The lounge of our home in Blackburn South. I have very few photos of the interior of the home. We lived there for five years. Our first child, David was bought home to this house in 1975

Robyn Lorenz The lounge of our Blackburn Sth home. A few weeks after we came home from our honeymoon at Warburton (Victoria) we had a thankyou get-to-gether for our parents and the bridal party. In the photo is Belinda, dad and the groomsman, Barry Johnson. In the mirror reflection is Ian (glasses) talking to bestman, Gerard Fay. Also I am on the left side of the image. I like seeing the old black original clunky phone. Good memories!

Robyn Lorenz Bridal Waltz. The reception was at Palm Court, Blackburn. It is not longer there now. Mum and dad are behind us...mum with the mauve skirt.

Robyn Lorenz For our photos after the wedding we went down to the Abbotsford convent - where I went to school....Sister Thomas and Sister Madeleine were there to greet us.

Robyn Lorenz Bridesmaids were my girlfriends, Anne Drew, left and Kaylyn Montgomery, right. Gerard Fay, left and Barry Johnson right

Robyn Lorenz Robyn...the bride...19yrs 1 month

Robyn Lorenz Leaving the wedding reception. Of course, I had made my outfit and had also knitted Ian's jumper

Robyn Lorenz After the ceremony. Left to right: George and Zieta Atwill, Ian and Robyn, Fay and Roy Claringbold

Robyn Lorenz Getting into the wedding car

Robyn Lorenz I was 19yrs and 1 month old; Ian was 24 1/2 yrs old. Wedding dress was one that my sister-in-law, Lynn wore to her wedding. It was lovely and I couldn't see why I should spend so much money on another one. The veil was also Lynn's but the headpiece I chose.

Robyn Lorenz Wedding day. I loved the train on this dress.

Robyn Lorenz Leaving the Bulleen home with dad for the church

Robyn Lorenz The repainted kitchen of our first home in Blackburn South. Blue walls and yellow cupboards. When we bought it, the oven was horrible. My lovely in-laws bought us a new oven seen in this phto.

Robyn Lorenz Carolyn, pregnant with Teena, Mum, Belinda, Dad, Robyn.

Robyn Lorenz Family photo taken perhaps at the Cuckoo Restuarant.

Robyn Lorenz Inside the kitchen area of our first home, 22 Barrina St Soth Blackburn. There was a celebration of some kind...I am think perhaps mum and dad's 25th Wedding Anniversary. Isn't the wallpaper lovely? I loved it then and put it up myself. Also I made the curtains and my dress. Note my hand is bandaged. I had surgery to remove a small nodule on the inside of my hand which annoyed me when playing the piano.

Robyn Lorenz The first photo we have of David Atwill. This photo was taken outside mum/dad's house. We called in to show them our new son after we left the adoption/baby home. David was 6 weeks old. After trying for a baby as soon as we were married, we were told 6 months later that Ian was totally infertile. ..no children from him to come...I was 19yrs old. I found this very very hard - to see my life ahead with no babies/children was very depressing. We decided to adopt. I was still only 19 and had to wait until I was 21 yrs. I was 21 in March '75, applied for a baby, was accepted in October and told the wait was 2 years at least. "Don't get any baby clothes, don't get anything yet". So we didn't. BUT on Dec 30th that year, I received a phone call at 1pm saying their was a baby boy waiting for us to collect at 11am the following day! This was David. We were overjoyed. Then we had to go to KMart and get baby things. The neighbours came in and began cleaning out the spare room. Thinking back it was quite exciting!

Robyn Lorenz Baby David with his paternal grandparents - Zeita and George Atwill. The photos was taken in the lounge of the Blackburn South home

Robyn Lorenz David's christening...We had picked out for him the name David Ian. His birth mother had named him David Anthony. It was just co-incidence that we had both chosen the name David. David's godmother was my sister Belinda. In this photo I look like I need a good sleep...was probably awake all night with David...he did not sleep through the night until he was 1 years old....waking every hour!

Robyn Lorenz David 10 weeks old. After a bath on the kitchen table at Blackburn Sth home. The christening cake is in the background.

Robyn Lorenz David 8 months old...Robyn 22 yrs in the Blackburn Sth home lounge room

Robyn Lorenz David's baptism.

Robyn Lorenz Robyn 21yr with David, 9 weeks

Robyn Lorenz David at 6 months with Ian and Robyn - 22 yrs old. Photo was taken in the Blackburn South home lounge room. How I loved this little boy. I always felt that it wasn't important for me to have my own baby, but more to love a baby and bring them up. David fulfilled this desire in me.

Robyn Lorenz My mum with David on his first birthday. Taken in the lounge room of the Blackburn South home. Mum would have been 46 yrs old

Robyn Lorenz David's first birthday evening. Robyn 22yrs. We were sitting on the piano seat in the lounge of Blackburn South home

Robyn Lorenz Left to right: Carolyn, Robyn, mum, Belinda. We were at Carolyn's house for a family BBQ

Robyn Lorenz David 20months and Robyn 24 yrs Note the organ in the background. On the opposite was was my piano.

Robyn Lorenz 2013 Mum and Dad in the lounge at Bulleen. This was how they spent a lot of their time. Mum would read a book, dad would have a paper. Dad died in 2014. Mum died in 2018