Happy 10th Birthday to Isaac!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
May 21, 2011 - Isaac's Birthday Wish
When Isaac found out that we were going to be in Australia for his birthday, his wish was to pet a kangaroo for his birthday. Uh, no problem? As it turns out, it was possible, so on our first weekend here, we hopped on a train to go to Healesville Animal Sanctuary. A tram, train, and bus ride later, we were there. It was a beautiful drive through wine country. We plan to go back while we're here, next time in a rental car when we can take our time and enjoy the beautiful countryside.
We participated in the Magic Moments program where we got to go inside an exhibit and feed and pet the animals. We chose the kangaroos of course, next time we want to do the koalas, which we didn't get to see at all this trip. :(
Unfortunately, I forgot my good camera at home on the kitchen counter. Of all days to forget it! I was so upset with myself. I had to make due with our ailing point and shoot camera.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
May 18, 2011
The boys sitting in front our building. Our living room window is on the top floor to their right. A few more photos from our day here.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
How did we get here?
My friend Heidi asked me how we ended up in Oz, and when I started to reply I realized it was a good place to start blogging about Australia.
So 5.5 weeks ago on April 7th the boys and I were going about a very routine Thursday morning. We were sitting at the kitchen table doing school and Jeremiah i(stant) m(essage)'d me and asked if I'd be interested in going to Australia. The convo went like this:
Jeremiah Johnson: I don't know that they'd move a family but Tendril needs someone to move to Australia for 3 months
Jeremiah Johnson: may 16th
Jeremiah Johnson: want me to volunteer and see if they'll send us all
Jeremiah Johnson: ?
Shanelle Johnson: um, yes
Shanelle Johnson: absolutely
He went on to say that he had no expectations that they would really send all of us and that I should put it out of my mind, so I did. No really, I did. It was too overwhelming to think about it only for it to not pan out. Until the moment Jeremiah im'd me, I didn't even know until then that his company had anything to do with Australia at all. As it turned out, his company had a new contract here with Origin Energy and were looking for some people to go for 3 months to get things off the ground.
Five hours later, this was the im I received that made me all shaky and nearly hyperventilate:
Jeremiah Johnson: get your passport ready
Shanelle Johnson: seriously?!
Jeremiah Johnson: they want us to fly out Apr 29 to May 7th just us to visit and make sure we are really willing to do it
Jeremiah Johnson: that would mean leaving the kids in the US
Jeremiah Johnson: then we'd have to return on May 16th for the 3 month stay
Jeremiah Johnson: so we can work out the week-long part but we need to get passports ordered tomorrow for anyone that doesn't have them
Shanelle Johnson: right, ok
And that was that. We were going to Australia. Tendril wanted Jeremiah and I to go for a week to make sure we wanted to make the commitment to come for 3 months with the family, make housing arrangements, and for J to meet the team he'd be working with.
Everything happened at incredible speed after that. And far beyond our ability to control it, everything fell into place with such ease it was obvious we were meant to do this. Our friends who had kept our dog Zoe while we'd gone to the midwest were willing to keep her for the duration. Our neighbor Jen was at the end of her lease at her house and was looking for a place to move into. We initially assumed we'd need to sell the chickens and let the snake go, but we ended up reconnecting with some old friends, the Horns, who live on a farm and were willing to let the chickens board there while we were gone and our friends the Mackeys were willing to keep the snake for us. Almost without trying, we had accommodations for all the animals and someone to stay in our house while we were away.
When J first mentioned us going over first for a week, I wondered how that could possibly work out. A year ago, it was a big deal for us to leave the boys for the first time for 2 nights to have a get-away. 10 days is a long time! A few calls to IL told me that Aaron and Judy had no travel plans and my mom had a light work week and all would be thrilled to have the boys while we went.
So 15 days after the im's above, we were leaving our house for 4 months and heading to IL. Of course we came and loved the city. J and I were terribly spoiled by completely uneventful travels, so we were a little put out when our very first flight with the boys out of the regional airport to get to Ohare was cancelled and our flights all had to be changed to the next day. It worked out fine though, and we've arrived safe and sound in Melbourne. The boys traveled amazingly well and I didn't even have to get out many of the activity books that I'd bought for entertainment. We're getting settled into our place and are currently working on getting home internet set up and getting the fridge and cupboards stocked.
More to come.....
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