mandy1

December 2005-We (hubby, me and 2 kids aged then 10 & 6) went for a holiday to Perth WA for a month. Had a whale of a time doing the beaches, wildlife parks, stayed at Hillarys, had bbq's etc visited Sydney wher ehubby did the Bridge walk whilst I firmly kept my feet on the ground and opted to viit an oddity known as a duck-billed platypus in the aquarium!..Jan 2006 land back at Birmingham,..Life back on arrival in the UK suddenly feels dreary and we begin to feel very unsettled. It just don't feel right, whats happened to us?

Jan 2006 - Life changing decision to go to Australia permenantly is made! How can we not try and give this family a chance of a life in the sunshine. We begin to mention our plans to the family & friends. I don't really think anyone took us seriously at this point.Nobody seems very enthusiastic for us.

After much paperwork and form filling applied for tra as hubby a plumber and the long journey for a visa begins.

TRA successful (whoopee) and so visa application begins- Start of much stress and worry the worse for me at least was the meds. However it all goes very well, even my Bp behaved itself (anyone familiar with 'whitecoat' syndrome will know what I mean) April 2007 the meds are done -We spend a few weeks with fingers crossed and in a mild state of hysteria waiting for that precious e-mail.

May 2007 VISA GRANTED-Oh my God what are we doing !!!!!!! Champagne is uncorked kids are in tears at having to leave their friends (have we not talked about this at all?) I ring my mum and she promptly cries and puts the phne down and then doesn't speak to me for a week! Still happy though its our life after all. Kids soon calm down and begin getting excited again. Mum not so great still crying and making us feel guilty!

Many anxious weeks are then spent getting the house ready for sale. We are now under offer and I am still having those 'what are we doing' thoughts at times and palpitations seem to be a normal part of my life now!!

I am going to regularly update this little blog and then when we eventually get to Perth I am going to read it back and think 'what on earth was I stressing about'

Well thats the plan
Bye for now we'll speak again soon
Mandy x