I can’t believe that I am at the end of week 3 here in the country. It seems like we have been here forever and then other times, didn’t we *just* move in? We are well and truly in the ‘honeymoon’ phase of our relationship with the house, the village, the area. It’s all rainbows and lolly pops {most of the time}. I love my chats with Daisy in the car from one place to another and her running commentary on what she was can see out her window. “Cow!” “Horse!” “Goat!”. Really, there were goats. I questioned her too. Beats the hell out of Parramatta Rd I have to say. She said to me on the way to school yesterday how she used to look at Cement mixer trucks with Dad at her old school, but now she just sees Cows. And according to her, that’s much better. I love seeing everything her eyes – the trees holding hands are the pines that are planted close together that divide some of the paddocks, the bees in the flowers, the grass and the fairy garden, the space. It is all so new to her. I must admit, most of the time walking from one room to the next in this beautiful home that I feel like a 3 year old too. That same excitement and the newness of it all. Man, we are a lucky family. Don’t doubt for one second that I don’t know that. I do. Very much.
The kids have been great. And are settling in better than I thought. They are used to the house. The space. Their rooms. Daisy has been sleeping better than she has in her entire life. I really think it has something to do with the fact that we are all on the same level – that Mum and Dad are just there if she needs us. Harper has been great too – crawling and discovering and getting her chubby little hands into everything. They LOVE being outside. They LOVE having their own space in the living room for just ‘their stuff’ where they can make a mess and play – really play with their things. It’s amazing what space can do for your mind. I will admit that a few bad habits have formed – I know that I have been over compensating for all this change with letting Daisy have too many things – a little treat the shops, a little something because she has been patient while I look at couches, her attitude of wanting it ALL, ALL the time is something {that while is VERY 3 yr old} is something we have to work on. And soon. And we will get there…in a little while.
Rob is adjusting to his work/life down here. At this stage he has been travelling to Sydney twice a week for work – when he does go up he is gone for over 12 hours and that’s a long day. he is still trying to work out the best times to leave – and get home – so far a later leave in the morning has been the most successful, but has even tried a train trip too. The days when he is home are fabulous. Knowing he is 20 metres away from me if I need him {even if I don’t see him for hours} is so comforting. I never knew that it would make such a difference to me – knowing he is there. Getting Daisy to understand that she can’t visit him every 20 mins or so has been more of a challenge. But the days when he has been home and come in for lunch and we have all sat around the table together for 15 mins or so? Perfection. Honestly, it is the sweet life.
We have met some of our neighbours and their kids and they really, honestly seem like lovely, genuine people. Their kids and kind and funny and I just feel like we will fit in. It’s relaxed and normal. And while you don’t want to jump in bed with the first people that you meet, I just have a weird feeling that we are at the start of a relationship with people – families – who are going to be a part of our lives. The other afternoon Grace, one of the kids from down the back, popped over the back fence to have a play with Daisy before dinner. I looked out of my gorgeous kitchen window as I prepped dinner for the kids {using some veggies out of the neighbours garden nonetheless} and I just felt so…happy. Content? Maybe. But just filled to the brim with happiness. And gratitude.
I, myself have never felt more relaxed, and at the same time, more challenged than I do right now. I feel lighter. I feel at home. Finally. Like I That I am loving the most. Each day brings me new challenges though. Putting myself out there with new people. Introducing myself. Doing things for the kids like going to baby book reading sessions which involved singing nursery rhymes with strangers for god’s sake! I have never really done this stuff, but I am making sure we do as much as we can because who knows where my new best friend is going to be?! I am a confident, outgoing person, but it’s still been hard to be open all the time. I do miss my Mum though, even though I would have seen her once a week, and I have seen her plenty of times since we have been here, I miss the popping in to friends, or Grandma’s places. It’s just finding new things, that will take time. And if there is one thing we have, it’s time.
So. There’s a bit of a ‘proper’ update. The real nitty gritty of things round here. I feel a rhythm slowly forming. Patterns of what weeks look like. Feel like. What weekends look like. Feel like. What entertaining feels like. It’s getting there…slowly…slowly. And I have to say having all of YOU there at the end of my laptop has sure as hell been comforting. So thank YOU.
A GREAT update! I’m so happy for you, Beth! x
Sounds pretty damned good to me! xx
See, you ARE home now.
Sounds great 🙂
Sounds to me like you’re IN your comfort zone, albeit a new one, not out of it at all. And that is brilliant!
Sounds fabulous. Before you know it you’ll be ‘popping in’ to your friends’ places there too. I can’t imagine, after meeting you here in Sydney, that you’ll have any trouble at all making some more great friends there.
Enjoy!
xxx
sounds great. it really does sound like you are home
You can hear how happy you are in your tone of writing, so thrilled that its been a good transition so far!
An absolutely fascinating post, Beth. You had me shuddering at Parramatta Rd, I must say. I am so intrigued. Now I’ll have to fossick around in your older posts for the back story. What an enormous change for you all.
Children are so adaptable and Rob has his new job to concentrate on so I imagine you are shouldering the heaviest burden. All power to you, Lovely! J x
An absolutely fascinating post, Beth. You had me shuddering at Parramatta Rd, I must say. I am so intrigued. Now I’ll have to fossick around in your older posts for the back story. What an enormous change for you all.
Children are so adaptable and Rob has his new job to concentrate on so I imagine you are shouldering the heaviest burden. All power to you, Lovely! J x
An absolutely fascinating post, Beth. You had me shuddering at Parramatta Rd, I must say. I am so intrigued. Now I’ll have to fossick around in your older posts for the back story. What an enormous change for you all.
Children are so adaptable and Rob has his new job to concentrate on so I imagine you are shouldering the heaviest burden. All power to you, Lovely! J x
All sounds good! I’m so pleased! xx.
You are doing so great. It’s a bit awkward zinging from one change to another, but soon ‘change’ will be ‘routine’ and you’ll feel settled within yourself. It’s all there for the plucking, my friend.
It’s such a privilege to share this experience with you, Beth. x