[johatts]

Saturday 12th July

Well, we have lived here now for 3 1/2 years. Christ, how time flies! We landed on wednesday 9th Feb 2005!!!
Today we said goodbye to my father in law Adrian and his wife Gloria . For some reason, I have no idea why , it is getting harder and harder to say goodbye to people when they go! I bawled when I said goodbye on the phone today (as I was working I couldnt go to the airport!). I think when you havent seen someone in a few years you notice their fragility and how they have changed.
Adrian still looks well but is still more fragile than he has been before. They have done a 22 day Aussie tour before they arrived in Brissie to see us. When they got here we were both sick with the flu which didnt help matters!!! LOL! We have done a few things with them this time and had a beautiful day out at Byron yesterday.
Last week as some of you will be aware my parents were awarded their CPV visa. The wait for this visa is horrendous but the feeling of relief when you get it, undescribable!!! Mum and Dad have waited almost 18 months for it and were caught up with the halt on VISAs in January of this year. Now once the house is sold they can buy a ticket and away they go.
We have been doing reno work to our house and have recently converted the garage to a study and had a double carport built. This has made our house our home now. its not just a house we bought , its a home we`ve made. Does that make sense??? I cant wait to show it off to my Mum and Dad. I hope that they like it and are proud of us in our life here.
Someone on a post the other day said to me "we have a no nonsense, no bull**** approach to life here and we have embraced Australia for what it is". I think thats why we settled so damn quick. We took on Australia at face value and head on. So they dont sell food we used to eat, well then so what - we ate something else!!!!. So we dont get twilight and it gets dark early - we turn a light on!! We haev got on with life!
We have had sad times here too. Since we have been here I have lost my Nanna (Dads Mum). That was the hardest time. I wanted to go back but what would I have gained by going home???? So I bit the bullet and stayed in Oz. Mark and I have also lost a close friend (one that was kind of responsible for us getting together!!). We have had horrible bouts of homesickness too but you know what people..........it hurts but you get on with life. You have to. We made the choice to come here. No-one made it for us!!!!

I love my life here, I love my house, I love the friends that I have made and for the first time in a long time i ADORE my work!!!! I see my husband more and we spend more time together, quality time as a couple. Thats gotta be worth it!!!

More later!