In my first blog post, I described this journey as a roller coaster experience. I can now say that the roller coast continues to roll! We have had some highs and some lows; often a few of each in one day. We have had so many discouraging, and so very many encouraging moments. It is just like every day life, but exaggerated on both ends. As I posted our adventures on Facebook, I always felt a little funny about the one-sided appearance of it all. Yes, we are having amazing adventures and "highs" that come with that, but we are also experiencing new and old stresses, exhaustion, new and old worries, and discomfort, discomfort, discomfort. (One example of the discomfort is the fact that I feel like a TERRIBLE driver. It's crazy how much of our driving habits are automatic. Every time I get behind the right-sided wheel, I have to concentrate so hard on what I am doing. Although, I think I can say that I have nearly mastered the traffic circle - going clockwise.) I think one lesson we can learn from this year is to let go with our hands in the air (like we just don't care - haha), and not take the ride so seriously all the time. Enjoy the highs, acknowledge the lows, but don't get stuck in either spot - that's the goal.
Things I am loving about Australia so far....
- Australia is so self-sufficient. It seems that if you tried even just a little bit, you could buy everything locally made in-country. So cool.
- Weather / growing season / sun / heat / outdoor lifestyle. Even the school "hallways" are just outdoor spaces. Josiah's place for his backpack at school is on a bench outdoors (I guess they are not worried about creepy critters crawling in), he has to walk outside to go anywhere other than his classroom, and he eats lunch outside too.
- Beaches.
- Orange dirt.
- Plants and vegetation (the smell of eucalyptus).
- Dairy products. Yum.
- Fresh produce. Yum.
- Tim Tam's. Yum yum yum.
- Our sweet neighbour Deirdre's lamb roast and pavlova. Yum yum yum yum!
- Kookaburras laughing.
- Kangaroos hopping.
- The people!
Things that you can pray for (if you do that sort of thing)....
- Adjusting - Kevin to work, Jo to school, the rest of us to homeschooling, and all of us to all of the changes we have and will experience. Some of us are finding it harder than others, and it tends to come out in interesting ways for kids.
- Friends - that we meet some :), and that we find some good social interaction for our two big kids (Calla is starting Drama Club and Rylan is starting Archery Club next week so far).
Here are some photos that we took with our other camera. I will try not to repeat too many that we posted on Facebook.
Our jailbirds....
