Well folks, I'm back in the blog-o-sphere! I totally neglected my old blog and decided to start this new one that will include just our year here in Brisbane. That way it'll be easier to print and keep. I had a lot of people ask me to keep a blog so they could follow our adventures, but already I'm feeling this will be much more of an outlet for me than for any readers. It's a pretty crazy feeling being in a place where you suddenly realize you don't know one single person on the entire continent...it's daunting and overwhelming even for a self-proclaimed extrovert like myself. I enjoy meeting new people but not having one connection was quite a lonely feeling. I noticed myself being very clingy to Lex and the kids. Perhaps that's why today is so especially difficult, but more on that later.
Our trip over was quite the experience. As I hugged my parents goodbye and saw my mom's eyes glistening with tears I realized just how far it was we were going. I wanted so much to reassure them that we were going to be fine and that I would bring their grandkids home to them safely, a little taller, maybe more well-rounded, hopefully a little stronger and more hopefully just a little better. "I got this guys, I can do this."--then I had to literally turn and run for the security gates so they and my kids wouldn't see the waterworks. I pulled it together and did some cheerleading kicks before we left their line of vision so they could see that yes, I really was excited beyond belief. What a flight.
My kids were troopers, really. We tried to keep them awake in LA so they would sleep for a long time on the long flight to Sydney.
Naturally we had a huge delay in LA so my poor kiddos were nodding off on the tile floor at the gate. We finally got on our plane (2 levels...we were downstairs in the "non fancy section" as Syd called it.) Like an answer to my prayers my kids slept for almost 9 hours of the 15 hour flight. It was great. Once they woke up there were plenty of movies to watch. There's nothing like a full 15 hour flight to chase away the fears of landing in a foreign country.
By the time we touched down we all just wanted to get off! We had to go through customs with all 20 bags...interesting and painful!
Then we boarded our short flight to Brisbane. Once we got to Brisbane...bring on the weird. Cars on the wrong side of the road, steering wheels on the wrong side of the car, and yes they speak English...or DO THEY? So many different things. Our extremely expensive hotel room was perhaps the biggest dive I've ever stayed in (seriously). It was $180 a night and wow...just no words. But when you are that jet lagged...any form of a bed looks pretty darn good. We couldn't keep anyone awake past 5pm including ourselves so by 5:30 we were all snoring away. At 2:30am Oaks sat up and said, "Hmmm, where I am? Is this still Australia?"--not a drop of fatigue in her voice. It's so hard to sleep with someone stepping on your head and she just went from bed to bed lifting people's eyelids (why do kids do that? It never gets old) and asking all kinds of questions about breakfast in the darkness and when we might hold a koala bear. So by 3am we were all pretty much raring to go! Nice. We found a grocery store and learned very quickly that Australia is...CRAZY EXPENSIVE! We did find some Dr. Pepper in the "international aisle" and realized that the selection of cereal is grim here. Everything is measured in kilos when it comes to weight. That makes my head hurt trying to figure out if I really want to pay $7 a pound for chicken!!!! And that was the sale price! Man, stuff is expensive here. We were all excited when we saw gas for $1.50--until Lex pointed out that it is sold by the liter. So that's about $6 a gallon-- hence the biking scene.
Yep, I'm a cycler now folks. I know you're chuckling just picturing it. I have Oaks in the bike trailer and we pretty much go everywhere on 2 wheels. Everyone kinda does. We did buy a car and when I get brave enough to try again (tried once, pulled over after running through a round a bout and losing feeling in my hands from gripping the steering wheel too hard. Also, every time I tried to use my blinker my windshield wipers would go off and my lights would turn on...and well, everything is on the other side!!! It's hard, ok? I will make another go of it this weekend. Deep breaths. I hate driving anyway and now I have to use every ounce of my brain to make it work...literally it hurts your head trying to think it through.) Anyway, the bike paths are pretty amazing and the roads are pretty much built for cyclists. We live right on the Brisbane River so it's just gorgeous to ride up and down. When I asked if we could swim in the river, the people laughed and said, "I wouldn't...unless you're comfortable swimming with sharks!" Ok-- let's make fun of the American that has no understanding of sharks that DON'T live in the ocean. What the heck? Anyway, it's gorgeous and so green. It's winter season and hanging around 68-70 degrees--but since we're in Celsius here...20 degrees ish-- so it feels pretty good in a jacket.
We biked to the kids school yesterday and picked up uniforms, met the principal and teachers and saw the grounds. The campus is 162 years old. It is amazing. Tons of grass and trees and space. I really liked the feel of the school. Principal was awesome, teachers were great and happy and seemed liked they really loved to teach. It was a good feeling. The uniforms...well, let's just say they leave a lot to be desired. Park looks like a boy scout from about 20 years ago and Syd...well, maybe a little girl just coming out of her "Secret Garden". The casual outfit "sport day" on Tues and Thurs is better, it's just a polo shirt but poor Parker is having to get his skin used to the feel of some other fabric besides "basketball shorts and pants". It's a true test for him. He is trying so hard to be comfortable and stay positive. I can't even tell you proud I am of him and his efforts here.
Today we biked up to the school and started the day. I always cry on the first day of school, but this time...wow it was ripping me apart. I had to fight every single nerve in my body that was telling me to just put everyone back on their bikes and take them home and do the home school thing for this year. Leaving them at that school not knowing a single kid and being half a year behind the other students (school here starts in January) and sending a lunch with them to eat at "morning tea and afternoon tea" (seriously...I asked when they eat lunch and was told "either at morning tea or afternoon tea, they can eat a little at each. Whatever they are more used to." Well, friend, they're not "used to" tea at either time so I'll just let them feel it out!-- there really isn't a thing called "lunch" here). Anyway, I knew I couldn't let my kids see me scared or nervous. When we had family prayer this morning, it took all I had to keep my voice steady and my tears back. Park told me he thought he was going to throw up. "Nerves?" I asked. "Yep, but I'm good," he said. I can't keep the tears back even as I'm typing this. You should've seen them. March into their classrooms, shake hands with their teachers and go and find their seats while the class was singing the Australian national anthem. When I hugged them goodbye I had to tell myself--"Release him, Jess. He is brave and will be amazing here. Let go of her; she is stronger than you're giving her credit for." I told them I loved them and that no matter what, they were not alone. The Holy Ghost is a constant friend and I felt so glad they would have Him there too. I walked back to my bike and sobbed. Seriously crazy American woman rolling down the hill on her bike with her carrier (or princess carriage as Oaklee calls it)-- with tears streaming into my hair blowing behind me with the wind. It was so painful, honestly, I was so dang proud of them. And now I'm just watching the clock til I can go get them and squeeze them and tell them they never have to go back...oh wait, shoot-- I mean, tell them how it's going to get easier and easier and hopefully hear how wonderful it was today. And how "tea" was just lover-ly and how they learned their letters A to Zet (is that how they spell it...that's how they say it). I'm praying so hard for them. Just to be themselves and to feel my love from down the hill by the river and most of all to know they are being watched over by Heavenly Father. They have accomplished a lot of great things in their lives, but I don't think I've ever been prouder of them as I was when I saw them take a deep breath and walk into those classrooms, smile and wave at their "mates" and take a seat at their desk. I'm so proud right now and I want to run and get them out of there at the same time. Being a parent is crazy.
I'll have to update you all and let you know how the first day went. Their teachers were so cute, I'm sure it'll be great. Lex's job is good so far. He bikes to work everyday too and with food prices as high as they are...well, he's already slimming down between the bike and the chewing on tree bark to save up for the ridiculous price of school uniforms. How can they charge that much for those wide brimmed hats? and flouncy blouses? He is facing the "language barrier" too in the OR. Those poor patients. :) I think he is liking it though. He has been given a lot of independence. Which is great. And he has already been called as a Gospel Doctrine teacher...yah that's fast. But we knew it would be like that. We arrived on Thursday, we lost a day, but by the time we woke up Sunday morning (finally in our rental house) I told Lex, "I just wanna go to church." We were all so jet lagged still but I just really needed to connect somehow on this continent. How blessed we are to have the Gospel that is the same everywhere. We followed our GPS and it took us to the Brisbane temple. Feeling frustrated we tried the coordinates again and once again to the temple. Then we realized there were tons of cars parked there and in the underground parking garage. Well, that's because they meet in the visitor's center. There's an actual chapel and rooms in there for meeting. It felt so good to just introduce myself and hug people and say, "Yes we just moved here...2 days ago...are we friends? Yes? Phew.. Ok good, I have a billion questions...what is 350 degrees on my Celcius oven, do you take nappies or wear them, why was my flat iron smoking this morning and is now dead, how do you know if it's going to rain...I have clothes I need to dry on the line???? Help!!!" Well, maybe I wasn't that ridiculous but it felt just like that. The members here are awesome and so helpful. It's definitely the closest thing to home we have here. Just fyi--I did try to use a converter plug on my straightener...but alas it was only suited for 110 voltage and it fried. And yes, I have to line dry all my clothes. Most people don't have dryers here. We spoke with another American family in the ward and laughed when they said, "Just realize there are not nearly as many people in this country as in America so everything is smaller scale and we think of it as "stuck in the 80s" or 20 years behind America. They have a lot of the stuff the US does but just smaller scale and technology-wise--slower speeds." That's about right. As I was hanging my wash on the line I was thinking "The pioneers called and they want their chores back!" There's my garment tops and bottoms just hanging down from the clothes pins and swaying in the breeze...weird.
Anyway, this post is going on forever and to be honest, it only touches on about 1/3 of all that's happened in our first 12 days here. I haven't even mentioned how fabulous fish and chips are, how different and not so fabulous pizza is and so many other things...but I'm rambling! I need this outlet though. This year is going to go by too fast for me to learn all the lessons I need to learn here and make all the changes I want to make in myself. I'm hoping this blog will be a way for me to keep learning and changing even when I get back as I reflect on my year. My own little Eat, Pray, Love...I suppose. :) As wonderful as these first 12 days have been...I miss you, I miss familiar-- but new is very exciting albeit an extremely steep learning curve.
Well, we couldn't hold off any longer! Aussies think we're crazy because it's winter here and just 70-80 degrees...freezing for them...and why go to the beach when it's freezing!? But we just couldn't hold off any longer. Last Weds. the kids and Lex had the day off for the Ekka holiday. It's basically like the state fair. We opted out of going since it sounded like something we could see in the states and headed for the Gold Coast instead. It's about an hour drive to a decent beach, even though we live on the coast, strange. But anyway, we stopped and picked up and AFL ball (Australian Rules Football) since Park is now on the school team he wanted some practice punching the ball (you're not allowed to throw it; it's passed with an underhand punch, like an underhand volleyball serve) and kicking and catching. It's shaped similarly to our football but not as narrow. Anyway, we grabbed the ball and some day old pizza and headed out. We stopped at Surfer's Paradise. It's a strip of beach similar to Waikiki in Hawaii, very touristy, with lots of restaurants and shops and tents set up selling souvenirs etc. We didn't shop around though. We just picked a spot (we pretty much had our pick, because we were the only ones crazy enough to go to the beach in the winter). It was such a blast. The girls played in the surf, found millions of shells (oh shells, how many bags must you fill?) and built sand castles. Park had a go at boogie boarding and they all stayed in the water until the lifeguards were going off duty and came to let us know they were no longer on "watch" so we..."might want to get the little mates on out of the watah" :) (I'm trying so hard to type the accent; it's just not the same without the lilt). We are all anxiously waiting another trip to the beach. I got to hold down the towels...and read! Ahhh, the life! I pretty much just kept looking at my 3 beautiful kids and my cute husband saying to myself..."Do I really live here?" It was gorgeous! Something I really love about my kids is that they are adventurous. They are all really willing to try pretty much anything. I give Lex a lot of credit for that. He encourages our kids to try hard things and doesn't really let them give up until they've "beaten it". I love that my kids will always try new foods, hard hikes, risky climbs etc. It's impressive to me. And of course, I never cease to be amazed at the new tactics of teasing Parker is willing to try on his sisters-- and yah he doesn't give up on that either. An hour drive to the beach can become a long trip!!!! I'll be honest I had a couple moments where I hoped he'd decide surfing was the life for him and just hull up there on the beach under some dock, grow some dreads, where shark tooth jewelry and come home a couple times a year for holiday! I tried to talk it up to him a bit; the pure pleasure of freedom and sandy toes. But alas, he loves us--can't imagine being without his favorite little tease targets! And truly--those 2 girls would miss him more than they miss root beer, marshmallows and lemonade combined. He's pretty much prince of their world, albeit the prince of tease and annoyance! Of course...I'd wither away without him keeping me on my toes. I love that sigh invoking, make me crazy, lecture producing kid! Heaven help all the 10 year old boys survive in this world and heaven please send even more help to their mums!!!! 
That weekend we visited a botanical garden in a place called Mt. Coot-tha. It was incredible. We love botanical gardens and it was awesome to see one Aussie style. It was huge. I know we only saw a bit. They had a children's trail with a hide-n-seek game and the place was hopping with these huge lizards (nothing you'd see in Albquerque, home of many lizards). We originally thought they were iguanas (about the same look) but it turns out they are called water dragons. They were everywhere. I sneaked up behind one and touched it before it skittered off. After the gardens, we drove to the top of the mountain at the peak where they've made a look out over the city. It was gorgeous. We ate dinner up there at a fun cafe and once again, I just kept thinking, "Do I really live here?" Our time is going so fast!
