6 days until departure

Hard to describe the mix of emotion at this time.  So excited, insides filled with that giddy feeling of knowing we are about to be launched into another world, lots of adventure, lots of unknown.  So anxious as well, feel ok about big travel like this for myself, but never did it with 3 young ones along, looking to me for all of the answers.  Already Jack is wanting to negotiate at every turn: "Mom, I won't go to NZ if I have to wear uniforms to school, if I can't play lax, if I can't go to camp..."  I have to keep reminding myself that the 14 yo brain isn't always the best at naming emotions, hence they come out in all of these other ways.

Today I will start to pack in earnest.  The duffle bags are laid out, clothes are washed and bikes are ready to be disassembled.  All other details have come together nicely so we have plane tickets, visas, a car to drive, and a house to inhabit on the other end.  Oh, and I have a job!!  Other than that, life will unfold!

If this departure was not enough, in the past week other big exciting news!!  AW and I got engaged!!  A big step for both of us, but after almost 4 years of being together, it felt right.  Timing maybe not perfect, but wonderful to seal our commitment for now and will save the party for later.
He and I and the younger brood (WIll, Bruce and Maggie) all went to Family Camp at Norwester this past weekend and had a blast.  One of the best family camps I can recall in the past 12 years.  Truly a magical place.  We got to share it this year with many old camp friends who are also parents, including my sister and Deb Armstrong.  For me being able to share the time with Cathy Helliwell and Christa is always the highlight!  

So off to pack, hope it will all fit, hoping we can leave more behind!

a few pics from Camp: inside Long house, the Very polite club with Cathy the president, and a view from the lodge looking out on the San Juans.

Here is a bit of Alaska.  Hubbard Glacier in the background.  We got to cruise up close and personal, hearing thundering chunks of ice fall.  This was all after the ocean fishing, the bountiful catch (see fish hanging below) and seasickness I encountered.  Rest of our time was spent fishing on the Situk River, glorious days in the sunshine catching silver salmon!
Really great time with the boys and Grandpa Buddy!

A pre departure warm up trip

Sitting waiting in Anchorage airport for dad to arrive. Then we will travel to Yakutat to meet my boys and fish for a few days, the tradition continues!  A nice way to spend time with Bud in his element!  Eager to see those boys who have been with their dad for past two weeks on Alsek River.
Oh to be them indeed!  Still working out kinks of this blogging....

counting down....

So I finally got my confirmation yesterday from the medical council of NZ that they feel I am fit to practice as a physician!!!  woohoo!  Next step is applying for the work and student Visas and then we are all a go! counting down, making piles of stuff that will go into duffles....

(sunset over the San Juan Islands, for practice loading pics on this blog)

testing, testing 1, 2, 3

So it is a month before we are set to leave this country for a land far away, a dream come true, and despite all of my own personal hangups about starting and maintaining a blog, I have promised to give it a try. Picking a title, who is my audience, what do I include, who really cares? Maybe there are a few out there who will read this.... To date, there is a job confirmed, tickets bought, baggage compiled, many lists of things yet to do, confirmation from NZ medical council to obtain and some visas we will need to enter the country that still need to be arranged. Small details! Not sure the kids are really conscious of where NZ acutally is on a map-"somewhere near Australia" they tell me. Better than nothing. Suffice to say, it is a long time dream about to come true, and that is pretty exciting! Wanting to live abroad with the kids, to expose them to worlds outside of our own, to see places and people that are the same and different, to look up into the night sky and see different constellations, and to learn more about ourselves and each other. The thrill I had years back when embarking on such an adventure is building daily-the tweeky feeling in my stomach of all the unknowns, trusting all the details will fall into place once we board the airplane, believing I have made the right decision despite the doubts that constantly appear. Only difference is that now I have three other two-leggeds in tow, and they all look to me for the way. Ha! If only they knew of my anxiety! But luckily it all feels good and right and so here we go. Testing, testing, Blogspot!