Who Knew?!

Who knew time could pass so quick even when it feels so slow sometimes?! It has been several weeks now since our belongings have arrived and yet we still have piles of things and boxes yet to have been sorted. Ugh. I did get out the thumb tacks though and hang pictures yesterday... and who knew you could feel so much more settled just because some things are hanging on a wall?
Who knew I would be the one who suggests we return our unused, brand new dishwasher in favour of washing dishes by hand. Go figure! And who knew you could miss Canadian Pampers Pull-ups so much? We have tried SO many different kinds, even the Pampers pull-ups here and nothing seems to be able to contain our Jon-boy's stream! Speaking of this, meaning laundry now, who knew the familiar tune from a washer, like the one we had back in Canada, would be so comforting.  Of course speaking of comfort brings up the notion of food...What about nibs??? Oh, how I miss my giant packs of nibs, and Swedish berries, OLD DUTCH KETCHUP CHIPS!! Oh, Oh and what about children's cough medicine that works AND can just be bought off the shelf rather than having the chemist (pharmacist) write a prescription for you to have it?
Who knew having 3 out of 4 sick kids could be so annoying... I think every one can imagine that one though! Still...

Jonathan wearing his cowboy boots

Who knew Jonathan would love cowboy boots so very much?  He'll wear those things till he has blisters... and sometimes the only thing he has on are those things. Haha. We are still taking horse lessons every Thursday and loving it.
On our last lesson Maileigh had made her way from the side of my hip to sitting in front of me and holding the reins. She also made a great effort to pat the horse and stroke it whilst we were slowly riding the horse around the arena. I don't have any pictures of the kids riding yet, but I will... soon. :)
Who knew that a raven was so creepy? And not just in how it looks but with it's raptor gurgles and dying cat screeches it makes... and who knew that cockatoos were so HUGE - with such a god-awful sound! You would think that a bird that big and beautiful would make a sound that could be considered musical, but alas, it is loud and obnoxious and just plain dreadful sounding! Who knew that magpies really do dive bomb people?! I am rethinking the getting our own bird thing.... however....
Who knew Wade would be open to getting a puppy so soon? And actually have nice things to say about her?
Yes, you read that right! We now have a 18 month old black lab. She is very well mannered and is training well. The kids have kept to their word and have been taking their day of "dog duty" with great diligence.

J.B (for Just Beautiful) is a very affectionate pup and is learning to trust all over again since it seems the family that decided to discard her at the vet surgery (veterinary's) didn't train her with love... but we are not making that same mistake. It is lovely to watch her explore her new world with such enthusiasm, even when it can be a bit painful; last night she met a echida on our walk down a back dirt road.

Who knew that venturing out into "the long grass" would be so uneventful? I certainly expected to have to fight off an old man (remember that is what the head of a kangaroo mob is called) or rescue the children from a fierce snake attacking us, but no the most we saw was a blind toad? It did seem as though it was blind since it didn't seem to have any eyes.

Notice the lack of eye(s).. could be a Cane Toad but not sure...

Speaking of toads... who knew that Cane Toads were so clumsy? We saw our first Cane toad last week and it was as though it was moving in slow motion. It would hop but land as though it were balancing on a thin log or something, wobbling and teetering; sometimes side to side or as though it had landed with too much on it's front legs and have to regain its balance. It was good for a laugh but since they are highly poisonous I was more than happy to find a stick I could use to help it 'hop' greater distances from where we were.
I have been asked many times how I like Australia, and I have always answered the same..."It feels like home." I say that because it really just feels natural living here. There are so many things I have always wished growing up and in so many ways they have come true. For example I always wanted to go back to the days when hanging your laundry was just how it was, and spending days at a beautiful beach was a regular thing.

Giving a wink

I always wished that we lived in a time when the stores were closed on Sundays and that was the day the whole family went for walks and spent time at the park. Having time to bake with the kids every week, and have picnics with friends in a beautiful field is a normal part of life. Being able to stand side by side with your husband doing the dishes together and  loving it. It sounds like something out of an old story book right? To me, this is a fairy tale come true. As the tears prick my eyes my heart swells with gratitude and pure happiness. I am so blessed to be where I am now and living the life I thought I could only experience by watching it on a video or reading it in some old story. This is my story, and while I sometimes struggle to see the best part of a not so great situation, when I do stand back  I can easily say "this is where I want to be. I am home."

August 23, 2011 - Can you tell she's sick?

Maileigh smiles as she tries to escape a good ticklin!

(Soon after this pic she threw a fit and ended up with having to take an early nap.)