It's been a funny year. The start of 2013 seemed to go really quickly. In October 2012, my husband Ryan and I flew to Australia for my Dad's 60th birthday. While we were there Ryan had an interview with the Brisbane branch of the firm that he works with in the UK. I had been made redundant for the 3rd time in September 2012 and we had decided that enough was enough and we needed a change. So that was the start of it.
Now, a year on, we are living in Australia with my parents in a small suburb outside of Brisbane and I am 24 weeks pregnant with our first baby. What a difference a year makes!
It seemed to all happen really quickly after we finally got the go ahead on Ryan's transfer to the Brisbane office in March. We were trying desperately to work it around our best friends' wedding at the end of July for which I was the Chief Bridesmaid and Ryan the best man. But everyone eventually agreed that Ryan could start in the Brisbane office at the beginning of August. Saying our goodbyes was hard, especially with the wedding so close to when we were leaving, but it was made easier by the fact that we would be greeted by my parents when we finally got the the 'other side'.
We've been here for over 3 months now and it's not been as plain sailing as we'd have hoped. For me anyway... Ryan is pretty relaxed in most situations and has a very level head. Me, not so much. Ryan started his new job almost as soon as we got here so he's had that to focus on. I haven't been able to get much work, being almost 3 months pregnant when we got here and only getting bigger, no one really wants to employ a pregnant woman! So I've been temping on and off and worrying about our money situation in my spare time ;)
It's been tricky trying to learn to live with other people again as well. We bought our own house 6 years ago so have learnt our own routines and ways of living and found our own style etc etc. It's been tough trying to undo some of that even when everyone is being as accommodating as they can. And I know that Mum and Dad have struggled with that too. But we're getting there now. Now we just have to wait for the baby to add a whole other dynamic to the mix!
Learning to live without my friends around me has also been really difficult. With my parents living on the other side of the world, I really relied on my friends for support back in the UK. I wouldn't say I have loads of friends but the friends I do have, I keep very close to me. So this has been hard. It's also been difficult making new friends in a new country especially as I don't have a regular job.
But I'm also grateful for the things that moving to Australia has given us. For starters, I'm grateful that Ryan is so much more relaxed here (so far). I'm almost nervous to think that it will continue because back in the UK he was completely overworked. I hope that it stays this way and he can continue to shine doing what he does... I'm grateful for being able to rebuild my relationship with my parents, especially my Mum who has had it tough from me sometimes, I know that now... I'm grateful that money doesn't seem to be as much of an issue here and that we are saving by living with Mum and Dad. Had we been in the UK I'm not sure how we'd have coped once I stopped working... I'm grateful that we've been given an opportunity to live in a different part of the world and experience a different way of life. We've never travelled so this is our chance!
What I'm most grateful for at the moment is our baby. Her kicks that I feel so often every day remind me that I will never be alone again, however lonely I'm feeling at any point in time. I will always have her to focus on and I'm having a great time planning out her nursery and buying her little dresses! I desperately want to find my creativity again and I think she is the catalyst to do that. I have already bought her cot and painted it up, started crocheting a blanket, ordered a mobile pattern that I found on Etsy, made a picture for her wall and decided to design her cot furnishings! I can't wait to meet her in March and begin doing the most important job of my life.
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