Hey ho...what an adventure! I don't know where to start in writing about the last 2+ months. It has been a rollercoaster ride, that's for sure. At the highest points, I felt connected to the land and sea around me, old friends and family. I delighted in the joy my children and I felt when exploring the area and in simple pleasures. At the lowest points, I walked a dark line. I cried, I yelled and I almost broke. One day I walked into a health food store looking for some soap, but instead, something made me ask for something to help with stress. It turns out that the lady I was talking to was a naturopath and she made me a special tonic that has helped unbelievably.
There was so much to do and deal with. Deciding on what area to settle in, a house, a car, which phone company, where to buy furniture, food, insurance, etc. Interviewing for the school. Dealing with hassles regarding the car I bought and the A/C that didn't work. Dealing with the phone company when the phone line didn't get put in when it was supposed to. Taking care of 3 children. Catching up with some of the people we hadn't seen for years. Health issues, family dramas and so much more.
I would have liked to have the internet earlier to connect with the life I'd left behind. But I guess not having it forced us to adapt mentally much faster to our new life. I found support in new (and old) friends instead of relying on friends in the USA.
Things now are settling down. We are all very happy with this area. To say Sami loves her school would be an understatement. It is the right fit for her right now. She is thriving. She loves the rhythm, the people, the environment. She was in a class play last week that performed for parents and the school. She was beaming the whole time. She's learning to play the recorder, to speak Indonesian, all kinds of crafts. She's really enjoying reading and math now too. In some ways, I'm a little sad that she didn't react like this when we were unschooling, but really, I'm so happy to see her loving this. She is so content and has mellowed within herself. She has lots of friends, has had playdates and sleepovers and been to birthday parties. Her teacher is lovely. Sami decided that she wanted to learn tennis so she's been taking lessons one afternoon per week and loves that too. She has really bonded to the females in my family. It's a beautiful thing.
AJ is enjoying all the different bugs and birds and lizards and crabs around here. He goes to preschool 3 days a week at the same school (www.casuarinaschool.com) and enjoys it. I go to a playgroup with both boys at the school one morning a week which is just lovely.
This place feels like home to me. It is soothing to my soul. I love looking out at the water and the lush green hills. The people are friendly, the birds are singing and chattering, the frogs croak, the weather is exciting and it feels so good to be here.
Cary will be here next week. I hope he loves it here as much as I do.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Last post from USA
I woke up at 4am again. I slept well, but hope I can get a bit more sleep before the big trip. I was lying awake thinking of the journey this has been and will be. Specifically about our 'stuff'.
I had felt good about the decision to load a pallet with our stuff. Then we decided not to even do that, but to just sea-mail a few boxes through the post office. I spent a LOT of time downsizing even further, weighing boxes, figuring out exactly how much it was going to cost through the PO. I sold off a lot more of the things I had wanted to take originally. And it felt ok. At the last yard sale I sold a lot of the books I had wanted to take. I was ok with that because it felt like the small box that I had finally downsized to, had given a clear indication of where my focus for future growth lay. Through sorting through my books, I was able to see the path of what is important for me to do in my life. It was an interesting experience. And I felt good about it.
A similar experience with sorting through more of the toys and things I had wanted to take. I had felt really ok with selling off some of the really neat toys the kids had. I kept thinking "this would be too heavy / they don't play with this very much". Again, it allowed us all to focus on the toys they do play with so I can keep this in mind when we do settle again. I will be more mindful of what I buy instead of just buying something because it's made of wood, or I think it's neat.
But just now, I was lying awake thinking of some of the books and toys and other household things I would have kept if I had stuck to our plan of taking the pallet load. I was feeling a bit pissed off at myself for not being firm in that decision. But I think that there has been so much going on, in a relatively short time, that this has been like a band-aid that was pulled off quickly - it just hit me what has happened and I had a shock for a moment when I wish the band-aid was still there, but after the sting wears off, I'll realise that I feel much better.
If I had not been back-n-forth, I would have missed the valuable lesson in where to focus my growth and what toys are important to my children. I probably would have started accumulating 'stuff' when we get settled again instead of being more mindful of what we get and how we spend our time and money. It's also a lesson in Trust. If those books and toys and things are meant to be in my life, they will reappear. It's a lesson in trusting myself, that I made the right decisions. It's a lesson in Gratitude for the things I do still have. And it's a lesson in Living Simply so that we can Simply Live.
I'm grateful for the lessons. I do wish I could have had those lessons in a less stressful way but perhaps they wouldn't have been so effective.
I've had to say goodbye / farewell to some very dear friends over the past couple of days. A couple of times I've wondered if we are really doing the right thing, do I really want to leave these wonderful people? I have been so blessed with my friends! At least with the internet, it makes it much easier to keep in touch. Thank you dear friends for your love and friendship and support and laughs and tears and lessons.
This time in 24 hours, we will be sitting on a plane over the Pacific Ocean. This time in 48 hours, we'll be playing on a beach in Australia. It's all good!
I had felt good about the decision to load a pallet with our stuff. Then we decided not to even do that, but to just sea-mail a few boxes through the post office. I spent a LOT of time downsizing even further, weighing boxes, figuring out exactly how much it was going to cost through the PO. I sold off a lot more of the things I had wanted to take originally. And it felt ok. At the last yard sale I sold a lot of the books I had wanted to take. I was ok with that because it felt like the small box that I had finally downsized to, had given a clear indication of where my focus for future growth lay. Through sorting through my books, I was able to see the path of what is important for me to do in my life. It was an interesting experience. And I felt good about it.
A similar experience with sorting through more of the toys and things I had wanted to take. I had felt really ok with selling off some of the really neat toys the kids had. I kept thinking "this would be too heavy / they don't play with this very much". Again, it allowed us all to focus on the toys they do play with so I can keep this in mind when we do settle again. I will be more mindful of what I buy instead of just buying something because it's made of wood, or I think it's neat.
But just now, I was lying awake thinking of some of the books and toys and other household things I would have kept if I had stuck to our plan of taking the pallet load. I was feeling a bit pissed off at myself for not being firm in that decision. But I think that there has been so much going on, in a relatively short time, that this has been like a band-aid that was pulled off quickly - it just hit me what has happened and I had a shock for a moment when I wish the band-aid was still there, but after the sting wears off, I'll realise that I feel much better.
If I had not been back-n-forth, I would have missed the valuable lesson in where to focus my growth and what toys are important to my children. I probably would have started accumulating 'stuff' when we get settled again instead of being more mindful of what we get and how we spend our time and money. It's also a lesson in Trust. If those books and toys and things are meant to be in my life, they will reappear. It's a lesson in trusting myself, that I made the right decisions. It's a lesson in Gratitude for the things I do still have. And it's a lesson in Living Simply so that we can Simply Live.
I'm grateful for the lessons. I do wish I could have had those lessons in a less stressful way but perhaps they wouldn't have been so effective.
I've had to say goodbye / farewell to some very dear friends over the past couple of days. A couple of times I've wondered if we are really doing the right thing, do I really want to leave these wonderful people? I have been so blessed with my friends! At least with the internet, it makes it much easier to keep in touch. Thank you dear friends for your love and friendship and support and laughs and tears and lessons.
This time in 24 hours, we will be sitting on a plane over the Pacific Ocean. This time in 48 hours, we'll be playing on a beach in Australia. It's all good!
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Cary's IN!!!
We just got word today that Cary's Australian Immigration Visa is approved!!!!!
I am so thrilled to have this news before we leave in TWO DAYS time! Ack! What am I doing playing around on the computer? Too much to do still...gotta go... just had to share the good news!
I am so thrilled to have this news before we leave in TWO DAYS time! Ack! What am I doing playing around on the computer? Too much to do still...gotta go... just had to share the good news!
Monday, September 04, 2006
We're off to see the Wizard...
..or something like that. I do feel a bit like Dorothy only my tornado has had me spinning for weeks. My 'house' - my kids and some of our stuff - will soon be dropped into the land of Oz where we will follow the yellow brick road on a life-changing adventure. I already feel myself changing in ways I cannot yet put into words. I do wish that the other part of my home - my husband - was coming with us. A part of me is a bit nervous about what lies ahead. Another part is wonderfully excited about all of the possibilities and chances to reconnect with family, friends and the land I love. There is another part that knows and accepts this journey on a much deeper level as something I do need to do without Cary. This first part that is, until he is able to join us. It's a chance to get back in touch with myself and stand firm in my courage and creativity. Not that Cary has ever tried to make me a part of him; he's always appreciated that I was an individual. I feel that I have given up parts of myself along the way, which is actually not fair to him or I or the children.
We are now down to 9 days left in the USA. Any regrets? Well I do wish I'd seen more of the beautiful and interesting places here, such as the Grand Canyon and Zion, and taken a drive up the west coast. But I am very grateful for all of the interesting places we did go - Florida, Mexico, different parts of California, Utah, Sedona and the drive across country when we moved here from Maryland. I'm content. When Nicholas is a bit older, we'll come back and do those other things.
We are now down to 9 days left in the USA. Any regrets? Well I do wish I'd seen more of the beautiful and interesting places here, such as the Grand Canyon and Zion, and taken a drive up the west coast. But I am very grateful for all of the interesting places we did go - Florida, Mexico, different parts of California, Utah, Sedona and the drive across country when we moved here from Maryland. I'm content. When Nicholas is a bit older, we'll come back and do those other things.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Stuffin Stuff
Trying to organise the stuff we were going to take had me so stressed! Trying to figure out what goes, what gets sold or donated, how much will fit on the load, dealing with a ton of paperwork for that, packing boxes so they were full but not too heavy....it was all too much. The stuff was ruling my life. I hated that feeling. We are ready to go to the next level and just sea mail boxes of photos and sentimental things and leave everything else behind. Once we made that decision, I felt so much more relaxed. I sat down with AJ and we played cards - I don't remember the last time we have done that. It felt so good to reconnect with him after being so busy dealing with the physical stuff - our material possessions - that was just draining me.
Sami and AJ both had their hair cut a few days ago. AJ wanted his short so it could be spiked up on top. It looked great the first day but I don't have any gel so now it looks flat, but he still likes it. Sami does not like brushing her hair a lot and it was getting very knotty especially with being at the pool so much this summer. She also does not like doing anything with it except for maybe wearing a headband. She has been saying for a while that she wants it cut really short. Funny - when I was young, I always wanted long hair but my Mum insisted it be kept short because when she was young, she had been made to have long hair and always wanted it short. I had imagined that I would have a daughter who would want to have long hair and would love to let me braid it and do fun things with it. Nope. But I do have a daughter who knows her own mind and is free to follow through on most things, but definately her own hair choice. So my sweet Sami now has a very short, slightly layered bob cut that looks great on her. And she is happy about that.
Sami and AJ both had their hair cut a few days ago. AJ wanted his short so it could be spiked up on top. It looked great the first day but I don't have any gel so now it looks flat, but he still likes it. Sami does not like brushing her hair a lot and it was getting very knotty especially with being at the pool so much this summer. She also does not like doing anything with it except for maybe wearing a headband. She has been saying for a while that she wants it cut really short. Funny - when I was young, I always wanted long hair but my Mum insisted it be kept short because when she was young, she had been made to have long hair and always wanted it short. I had imagined that I would have a daughter who would want to have long hair and would love to let me braid it and do fun things with it. Nope. But I do have a daughter who knows her own mind and is free to follow through on most things, but definately her own hair choice. So my sweet Sami now has a very short, slightly layered bob cut that looks great on her. And she is happy about that.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Jigsaw
I feel like I'm in the middle of a living jigsaw puzzle. As the preparations for this move come together, the picture looks clearer. The edges are mostly in place and now we are filling in the middle.
We had a yard sale on Saturday which went very well. We sold so much stuff. And it was so easy. I felt a little sentimental when selling a couple of the kids things, but it was really ok. It didn't even bother me to sell the kayaks as I know we'll be getting more. We've booked our load into the freight company and have some paperwork to complete for that as well as finalising what we're taking. I've got some of our luggage packed that we'll be taking with us. We'll be having one more big yard sale on the Saturday before we leave.
I'm getting very tempted to take very little with us. Reducing the obscene amount of stuff we had has been so liberating! How much do we really need? How much stuff does it take to make our house a home? Or is it even the stuff at all? What if we were in a beautiful area with lots of nature to explore? Would we need all that stuff?
I think back to my own childhood. I remember some board games we had that we would play during cold and/or rainy weather. I remember a few of the toys I had. We didn't have tons of stuff. We had a swing set, a pool and miles and miles of bush, a creek, a lake and each other. They were truly the best "stuff" of my childhood.
We had a yard sale on Saturday which went very well. We sold so much stuff. And it was so easy. I felt a little sentimental when selling a couple of the kids things, but it was really ok. It didn't even bother me to sell the kayaks as I know we'll be getting more. We've booked our load into the freight company and have some paperwork to complete for that as well as finalising what we're taking. I've got some of our luggage packed that we'll be taking with us. We'll be having one more big yard sale on the Saturday before we leave.
I'm getting very tempted to take very little with us. Reducing the obscene amount of stuff we had has been so liberating! How much do we really need? How much stuff does it take to make our house a home? Or is it even the stuff at all? What if we were in a beautiful area with lots of nature to explore? Would we need all that stuff?
I think back to my own childhood. I remember some board games we had that we would play during cold and/or rainy weather. I remember a few of the toys I had. We didn't have tons of stuff. We had a swing set, a pool and miles and miles of bush, a creek, a lake and each other. They were truly the best "stuff" of my childhood.
Friday, August 25, 2006
In the quiet moments..
I have been keeping so busy. I need to be busy right now as there is so much to do. It also helps me to only think about what needs to be done.
But then the quiet moments just before sleep come. Last night I was feeling grief over some of the things we are selling. Some of the kids things. We're taking as much as we can, and their attitude towards releasing things has been amazing. But we just cannot take some of the things that they have really enjoyed due to size or other reasons. I wonder if those things mean more to me as I see the potential for future enjoyment, as well as knowing how much they have liked certain things in the past, whereas they live more for now.
Also in those quiet moments, I do a wing check. I feel like I / we are taking a running leap off a mountain top. Some parts of our plan are as close to specific as we can get without actually being there - such as the area we want to live. My brother is giving us a car which is very nice of him and helps take care of that detail. I have a pretty good idea of what the kids and I will be doing. How will it all be different, and how will it still be the same. How will we change? Will it all be good? What will be compromised as I shake the stagnant compalcency from this life?
My wings are good, I'm ready to fly!
But then the quiet moments just before sleep come. Last night I was feeling grief over some of the things we are selling. Some of the kids things. We're taking as much as we can, and their attitude towards releasing things has been amazing. But we just cannot take some of the things that they have really enjoyed due to size or other reasons. I wonder if those things mean more to me as I see the potential for future enjoyment, as well as knowing how much they have liked certain things in the past, whereas they live more for now.
Also in those quiet moments, I do a wing check. I feel like I / we are taking a running leap off a mountain top. Some parts of our plan are as close to specific as we can get without actually being there - such as the area we want to live. My brother is giving us a car which is very nice of him and helps take care of that detail. I have a pretty good idea of what the kids and I will be doing. How will it all be different, and how will it still be the same. How will we change? Will it all be good? What will be compromised as I shake the stagnant compalcency from this life?
My wings are good, I'm ready to fly!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
21 days and counting!
We finally made a decision to freight 100 cubic feet of our stuff over to Australia. To calculate this, we have a 4'x4' square on the floor and a mark on the wall at 6' high. We are packing boxes and stacking them densly in this area. When we are finished and satisfied with the things we have chosen to send, we need to do an inventory, seal the boxes and deliver them to a warehouse in Las Vegas. There they will put them on a pallet and freight them by sea to Oz and then deliver them to our door. It feels good to have made this decision and now we can work on selling everything else. I have advertised some of our stuff and am already getting a good response. It's actually been easy to let go of these things. I'm happy with the decision and the amount of stuff we will be taking. It will be nice to have some familiar things around us, as well as new things.
I'm really amazed at how easily Sami and AJ are giving up things. Sami told AJ "they have toys in Australia too". Their attitude towards this makes it all so much easier.
We've got a big yard sale planned for this coming Saturday. In between packing, sorting, planning and keeping 3 children and 1 big kid entertained, life sure is busy at the moment. I'm so excited! I do admit to brief periods of questioning this whole process, such as last weekend when Scooby left our home permanently. Cary took him back to the rescue group where we had gotten him from. They wanted to be the one to find him a new home. It was very sad, but it was necessary. His energy was adding to the chaos in our house which I needed to minimise. That night, I couldn't sleep, thinking about him, worrying if he was ok. I got up and sat in the living room. I picked up a magazine and read for a while. When I went back to bed, I had a very clear dream that Scooby had been placed with a family as a companion for a 7 year old boy who was an only child. In my dream I saw them playing together and I saw Scooby sleeping on the boys bed. I remember many of the details of the childs room. I haven't been remembering any dreams lately and this felt like an angelic message that Scooby was ok. In my mind, I thanked Scooby for the love and lessons he'd brought us in the 8 months that we had him. Later that day, my wise friend Cat reminded me that people and animals play a part in our lives for exactly the length of time that they are meant to. She's so right. I have made some good friends here and good memories. I'm ready to close the chapter and start anew. I know some friends will stay in touch and others will move on to touch others. And that's all ok and good.
I'm really amazed at how easily Sami and AJ are giving up things. Sami told AJ "they have toys in Australia too". Their attitude towards this makes it all so much easier.
We've got a big yard sale planned for this coming Saturday. In between packing, sorting, planning and keeping 3 children and 1 big kid entertained, life sure is busy at the moment. I'm so excited! I do admit to brief periods of questioning this whole process, such as last weekend when Scooby left our home permanently. Cary took him back to the rescue group where we had gotten him from. They wanted to be the one to find him a new home. It was very sad, but it was necessary. His energy was adding to the chaos in our house which I needed to minimise. That night, I couldn't sleep, thinking about him, worrying if he was ok. I got up and sat in the living room. I picked up a magazine and read for a while. When I went back to bed, I had a very clear dream that Scooby had been placed with a family as a companion for a 7 year old boy who was an only child. In my dream I saw them playing together and I saw Scooby sleeping on the boys bed. I remember many of the details of the childs room. I haven't been remembering any dreams lately and this felt like an angelic message that Scooby was ok. In my mind, I thanked Scooby for the love and lessons he'd brought us in the 8 months that we had him. Later that day, my wise friend Cat reminded me that people and animals play a part in our lives for exactly the length of time that they are meant to. She's so right. I have made some good friends here and good memories. I'm ready to close the chapter and start anew. I know some friends will stay in touch and others will move on to touch others. And that's all ok and good.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Chapter closing
I've done it - I've booked tickets for the children and I to go back to Australia in 4 weeks. It's time. I am so ready. I feel very calm at the moment. My attachment to the physical stuff here reduces every day. Slipping out of this skin was uncomfortable at first, but now it feels like it's sliding off effortlessly.
We still have moving quotes coming in but I'm ready to sell it all and just sea mail over the photos and sentimental things.
I don't think I'll be blogging much for a while. I want to focus on what needs to be done and enjoy this last month here. I want to spend less time on the computer and more time being goofy with my children.
Namaste
We still have moving quotes coming in but I'm ready to sell it all and just sea mail over the photos and sentimental things.
I don't think I'll be blogging much for a while. I want to focus on what needs to be done and enjoy this last month here. I want to spend less time on the computer and more time being goofy with my children.
Namaste
Monday, August 14, 2006
Releasing
There is a little girl inside of my heart, skipping around in a spring meadow singing "I'm going home!".
Then there's moments of disbelief and concern about how it's going to feel after being gone for 12.5 years. And concern for Cary and the kids and how they will adjust. Actually, I feel the kids will be fine.
How American have I become? I've gotten used to conveniences like all of the shops available so close, gas half the price it is in Australia, ordering books and supplies online whenever we want them. I've become quite a consumer - is that what I'm teaching my kids? I think they are pretty thrifty as they enjoy going to yard sales and thrift stores, but they also want to get something every single time we go to those places.
I've been thinking about what I want to take to Australia when we go. Our first moving quote came in much higher than we'd imagined. I need to cross some things off the list, but how much?
The snake symbol has been coming to me again lately. I feel like I am about to shed this American skin, and with it a lot of the physical stuff I've accumulated since I've been here. When I do this, I will be able to go forth, with a fresh new skin - a much wiser one, ready for a new beginning.
When I came to this realisation, I felt an actual relaxation in my etheric body and felt my guides high-fiving each other saying "yay, she finally got the point!".
I have been attached to some of my books, but you know what, they have books in Australia too! And everything else we need - it will be provided. Trust.
This whole process - it's so exciting, a little scary, but then I go back to exciting. I am tending to get a little overwhelmed at times thinking of all that needs to be done while also tending to the needs of everyone else in the house.
Deep breath. Do what I can. Trust it will all get done.
The only constant in life is change. Remember that suffering comes not from change itself, but from resistance to that change. Flow with it. It's all good.
Then there's moments of disbelief and concern about how it's going to feel after being gone for 12.5 years. And concern for Cary and the kids and how they will adjust. Actually, I feel the kids will be fine.
How American have I become? I've gotten used to conveniences like all of the shops available so close, gas half the price it is in Australia, ordering books and supplies online whenever we want them. I've become quite a consumer - is that what I'm teaching my kids? I think they are pretty thrifty as they enjoy going to yard sales and thrift stores, but they also want to get something every single time we go to those places.
I've been thinking about what I want to take to Australia when we go. Our first moving quote came in much higher than we'd imagined. I need to cross some things off the list, but how much?
The snake symbol has been coming to me again lately. I feel like I am about to shed this American skin, and with it a lot of the physical stuff I've accumulated since I've been here. When I do this, I will be able to go forth, with a fresh new skin - a much wiser one, ready for a new beginning.
When I came to this realisation, I felt an actual relaxation in my etheric body and felt my guides high-fiving each other saying "yay, she finally got the point!".
I have been attached to some of my books, but you know what, they have books in Australia too! And everything else we need - it will be provided. Trust.
This whole process - it's so exciting, a little scary, but then I go back to exciting. I am tending to get a little overwhelmed at times thinking of all that needs to be done while also tending to the needs of everyone else in the house.
Deep breath. Do what I can. Trust it will all get done.
The only constant in life is change. Remember that suffering comes not from change itself, but from resistance to that change. Flow with it. It's all good.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Blue Butterfly
That was the name of a movie we watched a couple of days ago. Highly recommended! Great family film. The DVD had an option to choose a G-rated version (no swear words). It is the story of a 10 year old terminally ill boy who wants to go the the South American rainforest to catch a particular blue butterfly.
----
Cary came up with a new nickname for Nicholas - "Nuke" (noo-k). It kind of stemmed from Nicolai / Nicky Noo Noo. With the high amount of energy he has and the trail of toys etc he creates, it fits him really well.
----
Cary came up with a new nickname for Nicholas - "Nuke" (noo-k). It kind of stemmed from Nicolai / Nicky Noo Noo. With the high amount of energy he has and the trail of toys etc he creates, it fits him really well.
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
No more soy
I went back to the naturopath today. She said my lungs and liver were looking a lot better, but my adrenals were still not where they should be although there was a slight improvement. She checked me for a soy allergy and it came out positive. All of Sami's organs tested high meaning that they were stressed, same with AJ but not quite so high. It turns out they have the soy allergy also. She wants us to stop taking all forms of soy and to go on some homeopathic meds to get rid of the overgrowth of candida we all have in our systems. She also wants us all to go through a thorough allergy testing to see if there is anything else we need to avoid. That's going to make it hard being a vegan. So I'll see how I feel introducing a little dairy back into my diet. It wouldn't be very often. We can have rice or almond milk instead of the soy milk we were drinking. I can make my own ice cream or there is a rice version available at the health food stores. I don't know if there is a non-soy, non-dairy cheese available, I'll have to look, not that I do much cheese.
Did I mention recently that I'm very excited about going back to Australia?~!!!!!
Did I mention recently that I'm very excited about going back to Australia?~!!!!!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
It's coming together....
We have Nico's Australian passport back already. That only took one week from when Cary took it to LA. The embassy in Washington that's handling Cary's Immigration visa should have everything they need now. I've made appointments to have moving companies come to our house to give us quotes on moving our stuff to Australia. And I'm sosooo excited!!!!! It hit me this morning "I'm going home!!".
I am grateful for the home-base that this has been here, and for all of the adventures we've had and friends we've made. But deep in my heart, it's not where I want to be forever. I am grateful that I've been able to spend so much time with my children and I'm grateful to my husband for the lifestyle we've had. I am hoping that he will be able to relax a lot more in Oz, that he will find enough things to keep him entertained and interested. I know my family will make him feel very welcome and I'm sure it won't take him long to get to know a lot of the locals. I hope he grows to love Australia even a tenth of what I do. He's worked so hard for so long, he needs to enjoy some of the good life!
I have tried to 'bloom where I'm planted' and I've been happy here. But now...
I'm going home! I'm going home! I'm going home!
I am grateful for the home-base that this has been here, and for all of the adventures we've had and friends we've made. But deep in my heart, it's not where I want to be forever. I am grateful that I've been able to spend so much time with my children and I'm grateful to my husband for the lifestyle we've had. I am hoping that he will be able to relax a lot more in Oz, that he will find enough things to keep him entertained and interested. I know my family will make him feel very welcome and I'm sure it won't take him long to get to know a lot of the locals. I hope he grows to love Australia even a tenth of what I do. He's worked so hard for so long, he needs to enjoy some of the good life!
I have tried to 'bloom where I'm planted' and I've been happy here. But now...
I'm going home! I'm going home! I'm going home!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Mr. Walker
Our little Mr. Walker aka Nicolai Noo Noo is proving to have a very independent spirit! He insists on walking around the grocery store with us now - he will not sit in the shopping trolley for very long at all. He likes to help by bringing me things he thinks we should buy. He prefers to walk all on his own too - he does not want to hold anyone's hand.
Last week, he got a couple of little wooden toy cars out of the car basket and was pushing them back and forth on a low table making engine noises. It amazes me that some children do that! AJ did it, Sami did not. Nico likes to imitate noises. He will pick up a telephone and say something that sounds very much like "hello". He babbles a lot as if he's trying to say so much. And noise..wow, you wouldn't believe the volume that comes out of him in his attempt to keep up with Sami and AJ.
He's in the process of switching from two naps a day to one, so that's interesting.
---
When I woke up this morning, I felt tired. I was excited because I didn't feel reallllllly tired like I usually do. Recently I went to a naturopath who said my adrenals were exhausted, my liver was full and my lungs had residue tobacco in them. For a week I've been taking homeopathic supplements to work on those three things and I think that maybe they're starting to kick in. I'm going back on Monday for a follow-up and she is going to check Sami and AJ at the same time (for free!) to see if they have any imbalances. When Cary had his medical recently, he was told that he was in great shape. But I would like him to go to this naturopath to have a deeper look and make sure he gets to his 50th birthday in December, as fit and healthy as possible.
I am so excited about going to Australia!!!
Last week, he got a couple of little wooden toy cars out of the car basket and was pushing them back and forth on a low table making engine noises. It amazes me that some children do that! AJ did it, Sami did not. Nico likes to imitate noises. He will pick up a telephone and say something that sounds very much like "hello". He babbles a lot as if he's trying to say so much. And noise..wow, you wouldn't believe the volume that comes out of him in his attempt to keep up with Sami and AJ.
He's in the process of switching from two naps a day to one, so that's interesting.
---
When I woke up this morning, I felt tired. I was excited because I didn't feel reallllllly tired like I usually do. Recently I went to a naturopath who said my adrenals were exhausted, my liver was full and my lungs had residue tobacco in them. For a week I've been taking homeopathic supplements to work on those three things and I think that maybe they're starting to kick in. I'm going back on Monday for a follow-up and she is going to check Sami and AJ at the same time (for free!) to see if they have any imbalances. When Cary had his medical recently, he was told that he was in great shape. But I would like him to go to this naturopath to have a deeper look and make sure he gets to his 50th birthday in December, as fit and healthy as possible.
I am so excited about going to Australia!!!
Monday, July 31, 2006
Summer Fun
We've been going to the local public pool a lot this summer. I don't know why we haven't done that in previous years. Anyway, it is so refreshing to go there. Not just because it's well over 100 degrees most days and the water feels wonderful. But because it's never crowded and that makes it so much nicer than going to one of the public pools over the hill in Henderson.
The local pool has a main pool which looks like a square, 25m in length. It's divided in half with half open for free play and half divided into lanes for lap swimming. Most days we go, I like to do some laps. When we first started going, my shoulders would be starting to ache about lap 6 but after another lap, it's like they got into the groove and it feels like I'm just flowing along, part of the water. I like to do at least 20 laps. Sami sometimes swims alongside me. She's taught herself a lot of new tricks this year as well as swimming freestyle strokes. Sometimes she and I will both get a kickboard and just kick up and down the lap lanes. She's strong and I have to work to keep up with her! I think I have more strength in my upper body from lugging children around for so long so I'm much faster in the water when I can use my arms.
The pool center also has a large wading pool for kids 7 and under. AJ and Nicholas like to hang out in there. Nicholas gets himself out, walks off to get some toys and gets back into the pool by himself. He's getting very independent! AJ just got brave enough to stick his head under the water and open his eyes. He used to panic when his face would get wet. He has a big crush on one of the lifeguards there. Her name is April and she is so nice to him and all the kids. The last time we were at the pool, both Sami and AJ learned how to do cannonballs. Once they started, there was no stopping them! AJ still likes to wear a lifejacket when he's in the main pool and doing the cannonballs and he's getting very confident.
The other pool they have is a diving pool and it's 12'6" deep. They have two diving boards, one is about 5' off the water, the other's about 18' off the water (guessing). In my life, I've often watched diving on the tv and been fascinated. But I've never dived off a board before. It looked so different from diving off the edge of a pool. I've been watching all the people dive off the two boards at the local pool. Some of them are very young children - fearless little people and very inspiring. I thought "if they can do it, so can I!" I watched and waited until there were not many people in line and walked up to the lower board. Cary and the kids were watching and Cary said my very first dive off that had hardly any splash - just like an olympian. Urged on by that comment, I put too much thought into my second dive and totally blotched it. Then I went to the big board. As I started climbing the ladder, I could feel the adrenalin starting to pump. I got to the top and walked half way out and turned to look back at Cary and the kids who looked so far down. For a split second, I almost turned around but decided to conquer my fear and walk straight into it, or off it in this case. I got to the edge and jumped feet first into the water. It was so exciting! I'll work up to doing something more graceful, but this was a start and I was pleased. I've never enjoyed heights and don't think I could ever jump out of an airplane and have no desire to want to try that. When I got out of the water, I said to Cary "now it's your turn!" He also does not like heights and he jumped off the high board with about as much grace as I had done.
We are about half way through the worst part of the heat. July and August are so very hot here. But our visits to the local pool as a family as well as getting together with our friends and just hanging out at home reading books and playing and watching movies, are making these hot and lazy days of summer very enjoyable.
The local pool has a main pool which looks like a square, 25m in length. It's divided in half with half open for free play and half divided into lanes for lap swimming. Most days we go, I like to do some laps. When we first started going, my shoulders would be starting to ache about lap 6 but after another lap, it's like they got into the groove and it feels like I'm just flowing along, part of the water. I like to do at least 20 laps. Sami sometimes swims alongside me. She's taught herself a lot of new tricks this year as well as swimming freestyle strokes. Sometimes she and I will both get a kickboard and just kick up and down the lap lanes. She's strong and I have to work to keep up with her! I think I have more strength in my upper body from lugging children around for so long so I'm much faster in the water when I can use my arms.
The pool center also has a large wading pool for kids 7 and under. AJ and Nicholas like to hang out in there. Nicholas gets himself out, walks off to get some toys and gets back into the pool by himself. He's getting very independent! AJ just got brave enough to stick his head under the water and open his eyes. He used to panic when his face would get wet. He has a big crush on one of the lifeguards there. Her name is April and she is so nice to him and all the kids. The last time we were at the pool, both Sami and AJ learned how to do cannonballs. Once they started, there was no stopping them! AJ still likes to wear a lifejacket when he's in the main pool and doing the cannonballs and he's getting very confident.
The other pool they have is a diving pool and it's 12'6" deep. They have two diving boards, one is about 5' off the water, the other's about 18' off the water (guessing). In my life, I've often watched diving on the tv and been fascinated. But I've never dived off a board before. It looked so different from diving off the edge of a pool. I've been watching all the people dive off the two boards at the local pool. Some of them are very young children - fearless little people and very inspiring. I thought "if they can do it, so can I!" I watched and waited until there were not many people in line and walked up to the lower board. Cary and the kids were watching and Cary said my very first dive off that had hardly any splash - just like an olympian. Urged on by that comment, I put too much thought into my second dive and totally blotched it. Then I went to the big board. As I started climbing the ladder, I could feel the adrenalin starting to pump. I got to the top and walked half way out and turned to look back at Cary and the kids who looked so far down. For a split second, I almost turned around but decided to conquer my fear and walk straight into it, or off it in this case. I got to the edge and jumped feet first into the water. It was so exciting! I'll work up to doing something more graceful, but this was a start and I was pleased. I've never enjoyed heights and don't think I could ever jump out of an airplane and have no desire to want to try that. When I got out of the water, I said to Cary "now it's your turn!" He also does not like heights and he jumped off the high board with about as much grace as I had done.
We are about half way through the worst part of the heat. July and August are so very hot here. But our visits to the local pool as a family as well as getting together with our friends and just hanging out at home reading books and playing and watching movies, are making these hot and lazy days of summer very enjoyable.
Saturday, July 29, 2006
The next step
Cary flew to Los Angeles yesterday to go to the Australian Embassy to submit a passport application for Nicholas. The first passport app. has to be submitted in person. We had to arrange an interview time and I was told to allow half an hour though it usually only takes 15 minutes. I wasn't sure how long it would take Cary to get from the airport to the embassy so I allowed a little extra time in case of traffic. He got there about 45 minutes early and there was no-one else waiting. He asked if he could get it done early but was told "oh no, we have other appointments". Cary looked around the empty waiting room and thought "really, who, the invisible man?" He saw the lady who was going to do the interview buzzing busily in the background and she eventually agreed to do the interview a few minutes early. He stood on the other side of 2" thick bullet-proof glass and gave her the application. She looked it over, went to take a couple of photocopies (she wouldn't accept the ones that I had included even though there was nothing wrong with them!) took the money and that was it. Cary said it took less than 5 minutes!
I'm glad he didn't fly over just for that or we'd have been pretty peeved. After the embassy, he went to an "approved" doctor (there are 4 in LA and none in Vegas) and had his medical done for his Australian Immigration Visa. He said it was in a very very bad part of town. He was the only white person there and he was wishing he wasn't carrying the laptop with him. The process took about 2 hours, but it's done now and he's home safely.
That should be everything we need to do to get him into Australia. The next step is just to wait until they decide to process the application. Unless they're too busy buzzing back and forth interviewing invisible people.
I'm glad he didn't fly over just for that or we'd have been pretty peeved. After the embassy, he went to an "approved" doctor (there are 4 in LA and none in Vegas) and had his medical done for his Australian Immigration Visa. He said it was in a very very bad part of town. He was the only white person there and he was wishing he wasn't carrying the laptop with him. The process took about 2 hours, but it's done now and he's home safely.
That should be everything we need to do to get him into Australia. The next step is just to wait until they decide to process the application. Unless they're too busy buzzing back and forth interviewing invisible people.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Sunday 23rd July
As a note to my previous entry, normally, I wouldn't encourage my kids to enter an eating contest, but after I saw the small servings they were dishing up for AJ's age group, I ok'd his entry. The prize that he won was a coupon for a free blizzard ice cream from Dairy Queen. He cashed that in today, ate a few bites and put the rest in the freezer. He always knows when he's had enough of any kind of food.
My computer is running very slowly at the moment which is annoying!
'Whale Rider' was another great movie we watched again recently. Sami was right into it, though AJ couldn't stay interested.
I've been thinking about my journey as a mother. When Sami was born, my world revolved around her. I did not disturb her nap times and I spent many hours on the floor with her, reading and playing. With AJ, I still would not disturb his naps but I had less time for both kids to entertain them as much as I had previously. Now with Nicholas, he just fits in around whatever else we are doing.
People often ask me if we are going to have any more children. I'm open to another one, but I'm also perfectly ok if that doesn't happen. I think I'm ready to move on to a new phase.
My computer is running very slowly at the moment which is annoying!
'Whale Rider' was another great movie we watched again recently. Sami was right into it, though AJ couldn't stay interested.
I've been thinking about my journey as a mother. When Sami was born, my world revolved around her. I did not disturb her nap times and I spent many hours on the floor with her, reading and playing. With AJ, I still would not disturb his naps but I had less time for both kids to entertain them as much as I had previously. Now with Nicholas, he just fits in around whatever else we are doing.
People often ask me if we are going to have any more children. I'm open to another one, but I'm also perfectly ok if that doesn't happen. I think I'm ready to move on to a new phase.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
I scream you scream we all scream for ice cream
We all went up to the local public pool again today. They were giving away free ice cream and had an ice cream eating contest. AJ LOVES ice cream. He was in heaven. He decided to enter the 5 and under division, and he won! Ok, there was only one other kid in that section, but he was still thrilled.
Friday, July 21, 2006
Bits n Pieces
Several days ago, the ants came marching back into our house - just 24 hours after Cary and I were commenting on how we hadn't seen any ants for a while. I had rediscovered my 'Clean House, Clean Planet' book and looked up natural remedies for ants. The first one, liquid soap and water, didn't seem very effective. The second one was pepermint oil and water in a spray bottle &/or peppermint oil on a cotton ball wiped along the ant track. AJ wanted to help so he chose the spray bottle and I wiped with the cotton ball. I noticed that the ants just went around where I wiped. AJ was doing a fine job with the spray bottle. The ants were only in the office this time so when AJ was finished, we closed the door. We took two small paper cups with some honey in them and put them outside the office window to help draw the ants out. I didn't need to go back into the office until the next morning. I was greeted with a very pleasant peppermint fragrance (so much nicer than nasty chemicals!) and zero ants!
I got my hair cut a few days ago. Just trimmed and shaped a bit. I do want it to grow long again. I imagine myself as an older lady with a long silver braid down my back. In the winter I shall wear overalls and a purple shirt. In summer I'll wear yoga pants and a funky shirt my grandkids have painted for me.
Nicholas is walking all over the place. I love catching the tender moments when Sami or AJ hold his hand while walking up the hallway or sooth him if he falls.
I think if I put a red pointed hat on Nicholas, he would look like a garden gnome (without a beard). He's just so cute and chunky.
I feel really tired at the moment so I'm rambling. I really should get to bed. Hey Ros - "good night, God Bless, sweet dreams and don't forget to say your prayers"! (The last thing my sister and I said to each other many days that we shared a room as kids.)
I got my hair cut a few days ago. Just trimmed and shaped a bit. I do want it to grow long again. I imagine myself as an older lady with a long silver braid down my back. In the winter I shall wear overalls and a purple shirt. In summer I'll wear yoga pants and a funky shirt my grandkids have painted for me.
Nicholas is walking all over the place. I love catching the tender moments when Sami or AJ hold his hand while walking up the hallway or sooth him if he falls.
I think if I put a red pointed hat on Nicholas, he would look like a garden gnome (without a beard). He's just so cute and chunky.
I feel really tired at the moment so I'm rambling. I really should get to bed. Hey Ros - "good night, God Bless, sweet dreams and don't forget to say your prayers"! (The last thing my sister and I said to each other many days that we shared a room as kids.)
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Movies n stuff
Cary and I watched a good movie a few days ago called "Last Holiday". Queen Latifah plays a working class gal who is told that she has 3 weeks left to live. So she decides to live fully for the time she has left.
The kids and I recently enjoyed "An Angel for May" about a boy that goes back in time and helps a girl named May. I won't give too much away, it was just a nice story.
We all really enjoyed "Delivering Milo". It's about a soul that doesn't want to be born but he gets a short while to come to earth and check things out. Very good.
I know there were some others but that's all I can think of for now. I like movies with a message and preferably some laughs too. I can't stand violent movies.
Last week I took the kids to see a storyteller at a local rec center. He was very good and incorporated some little eyeball finger puppets into the some of the stories. They were so cute so I ordered some which got here really quickly. They were at www.peeperspuppet.com . They have been providing a lot of fun around here as we try out different ways to dress them up with hair and hats etc.
The kids and I recently enjoyed "An Angel for May" about a boy that goes back in time and helps a girl named May. I won't give too much away, it was just a nice story.
We all really enjoyed "Delivering Milo". It's about a soul that doesn't want to be born but he gets a short while to come to earth and check things out. Very good.
I know there were some others but that's all I can think of for now. I like movies with a message and preferably some laughs too. I can't stand violent movies.
Last week I took the kids to see a storyteller at a local rec center. He was very good and incorporated some little eyeball finger puppets into the some of the stories. They were so cute so I ordered some which got here really quickly. They were at www.peeperspuppet.com . They have been providing a lot of fun around here as we try out different ways to dress them up with hair and hats etc.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)