World as Muse: Hot Dang, I Love it Here

We have exactly one week and 2 days left in this paradise. And then on to another paradise: Bali, for our final month. It's a hard life.

Time, and our perception of it does funny things when we go away for a long stretch. We've been here just four and a half months. Is that even a long stretch? That's a semester. A winter (if we're lucky). A bit longer than you wait to tell people you're pregnant. It's nada in the grand scheme of a life. Yet it feels like we've been here for much, much longer. And in that time, we've lived a very rich life.

And....cue: faint piano music playing the intro to "Seasons of Love" from Rent. This'll be way more fun if you watch this while you read

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_ZOlH71YgA

When we first arrived, there was a frenzy of activity. We got settled in two weeks flat. In that time, we found a place to live, signed up for all kinds of activities for ourselves and the kids, met some friends, found a babysitter, bought whatever we needed for the house, and got Big J into daycare. We then sat back and lived here. We fell into routines. We became regulars at cafes and figured out which grocery store has the cheapest milk. We celebrated 3 of our birthdays and took up new hobbies. In between it all, we travelled - to Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay, and Adelaide. And when we came back here (to Noosa, to this house), we felt we were coming home. Dude. Is that the guy from Law and Order? Holy #$! it's TOTALLY him. It's Ed Greene! Singing! Man. I miss Lenny. Why'd they have to kill him off?

Only once have I felt slightly homesick, and it happened at the half way point. It was a feeling that waxed and waned over a period of about a week. It also happened to coincide with our friends going back home to Denmark, and with us understanding that we would be losing a social network. I have definitely missed people while we've been here, and absolutely look forward to seeing friends and family upon our return. But I have also felt very present, and that this is home and life is here and now.

Now that our days here are numbered, time seems to be flying by. A new frenzy has ensued as we sell off all that we bought, tie up loose ends with the house, and begin to do things "one last time". It's bittersweet, that's for sure. I think we could all stay a bit longer. But I think this is perhaps the best way to leave a place -- wanting just a little bit more.

It has been an absolute privilege to have this experience.

Below are many snapshots of our Aussie life....

P.S. It's OK that you just listened to that song 4 more times. Just so you know, you'll be singing it all day. You're welcome.

No, we did not take our children on a motorcycle ride. This was after a date during which we rented a scooter (something we always loved to do while travelling pre-kids) and took a gorgeous ride down the coast for a couple hours. We had our babysitter bring them outside to watch us approach the house from down the street. Big J went nuts over it.

Another N. and M. date, where we took a Stand Up Paddle lesson and then paddled through the Noosa canals. Awesome.

Little J, on the ferry around Sydney Harbour.

She's growing up...(this is an earlier shot)

Our friends Mette and Bryan, and their kids Thomas, Daniel and Jonathan were fantastic hosts. They invited us over for this feast when our original plans got rained out.

Big J. did lots of scootering while here in Oz. He has a whole repertoire of tricks now too.

Big. J, sharing cupcakes with his classmates on his birthday. We also had a party with our friends Bryan, Mette and their kids.

Waiting at the bus stop. We didn't have a car while we were here, so we took buses everywhere. They were super convenient and easy...we just wheeled our stroller on and went.

We tried to find parks and playgrounds whenever we could. This was at Bondi Beach in Sydney.

Not the best pic, but eating on our balcony was a daily event the first month or so...

Sunday Brunch at the Surf Club was a favourite...

Always fun times at the beach

After brunch fishing with our Danish friends.

Happy Hour at Bistro C on the beach. $5 cocktails=fun times.

Big J. in his weekly Jump Bunch class. He learned so many great skills!

Our travelling house. I don't know what we would have done without this thing.

Or the Ergo...love carrying Little J. in it. Hiking in Mary Cairncross park.

Rainbow Lorikeets. These guys are everywhere here, and we would see them flying through the sky often. Only once did I ever see them this close up--when two landed on the railing of our balcony. Gorgeous.