Merry Christmas!

A little fun with PicMonkey's Christmas image-maker :-)

Merry Christmas!  We had the world's longest Christmas Eve by beginning our travels from Australia to the US on Christmas Eve morning in Australia, and arriving around noon on Christmas Eve in the US.  I was definitely on the lookout for Santa out of my airplane window :-)  Hopefully our jetlag isn't too bad and we don't sleep Christmas Day away!  Although I'm sure that won't happen... at least not until presents are opened and Christmas breakfast is enjoyed!

We hope everyone has a wonderful day celebrating with friends and family!  Happy Holidays! 


 

Goodbye Australia!

 "You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place. Like you'll not only miss the people  and places you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you'll never be exactly this way ever again."

--Azar Nafisi



The Gladstone Port from Auckland Lookout Point

Well, somehow the day is here already.  Today is the day that David and I leave this place that has been our home for the last year and a half, and return to Houston (with some stops on the way to visit our families for Christmas and New Years). 

As I expected, I have very mixed emotions about this day.  I wish I could be more excited about a trip home for the holidays... but the sadness of leaving this place (and knowing I likely won't ever return) is overshadowing that for now.  I guess you could say I'm having a bit of a hard time letting go...

I have a lot more I want to document about our last two days in Gladstone and the roller coaster of emotions it has been, but I will have to revisit that after we return and get settled a bit.  So for now,
I just want to say thank you, Gladstone for letting me call you home and for bringing such amazing people and experiences into my life. 

Goodbye, Gladstone!  Goodbye, Australia!

Beautiful Aussie skies!

One last sunset over Canoe Point

 

Going Away Party



Like I've mentioned before, we have been lucky enough to make some amazing friends during our time here.  It did take a while for me to make these connections, but once I finally did, I felt like the friendships developed quickly.  These people quickly became friends that we really do consider family.  When you live abroad, being able to share the whole expat experience is something that instantly bonds you with others.  You just automatically have so much in common- your frustrations, your joys, your husband's crazy schedule, etc.  You just "get" each other right off the bat.  Not to mention that everyone is so far away from family and friends, that you come to rely on and support each other a lot more than you might in other situations.  Because of this shared experience, I know that these are friends that I will stay in touch with for many years to come. 

Last Saturday, some of these friends had a little going away party for David and I.  It was so great to have everyone together.  I mostly just pretended that it wasn't a going away party, so I wouldn't get overly emotional.  We had such a great time that night just hanging out, drinking, and we even played Taboo later in the night, which was a blast. 

All the girls - Me, Nicole, Alexa & Sawyer, Jackie, Katie, Ann

Jackie surprised us with these adorable framed subway art photos with each of our last names and words that remind us of our time in Australia.  Thanks, Jackie!

The couples: Nick & Katie, David & Me, Tim & Alexa, Jason & Jackie, Chris & Ann, Brad & Nicole

Truly, if it wasn't for this group, I would be ready to leave Gladstone in a second.  These friends have been such a support and blessing.  I will miss them so very much.  And I'm holding out hope that a few years down the line we will all end up in the same place for another work assignment for our husbands.  One can hope, right?! 

Last Day Of Work

Last Friday was my last day of work.  As anticipated, it was a tough day emotionally.  But I guess I feel fortunate to have found a place to work that makes leaving difficult. 

A little background about where I worked... I was a special education teacher in the US.  So when we came over here, I started to research schools in the area to see what my options were.  I started out substituting or "relief teaching" as they call it at two schools.  One was a "regular school" where I worked in the special education unit when they called me in.  The other was a dedicated "special school"- strictly for students with severe needs.  At first I had a hard time wrapping my head around this, because in the US, completely separating students with special needs would never fly.  But I managed to put my opinions around that issue aside, and I really did end up enjoying working at the school, so I was thrilled when they offered me a contract.  I was contracted for three days a week, with the other two days as "call in days" where they would have me come in if someone called in sick, etc.  More often than not, I ended up being there 4-5 days a week.  It was a pretty sweet schedule, and nice to have some flexibility on those two non-contracted days.  Pretty sure I will be totally spoiled/ruined when I go back to the US and have to look for a full time job :-) 

 

 

In the US, I worked with students with mild to moderate disabilities (think- learning disabilities, ADD, autism, dyslexia, behavior issues, etc.).  In this job, the entire school had children with moderate to severe disabilities.  On top of that I was placed in the classroom with the students who were the most severely disabled (think- wheel chairs, non-verbal, feeding, toileting, medications, etc.).  I was SO intimidated at first.  It terrified me to be working with such high risk and high needs students, but it didn't take long for me to end up absolutely loving it.  Sure it wasn't the most glamorous job... especially dealing with feeding, toileting, and lots of lifting... but I really did come to love those kids.  And now I actually will consider looking into working with this population once I start looking for jobs again in the US. 

On top of working with some amazing students at this school, the staff was very welcoming and supportive.  It was a really great environment to work in.  Sure, there was some dysfunction and disorganization- but I think all schools have their fair share of that.  Another thing I loved about this job, is that I got to work in the same classroom with a friend that I had made here- Katie.  She started working at the school in August, and I loved working so closely with a friend. 

At any rate, Friday was the last day of school for everyone since the school years here run on a calendar year.  The Christmas break is their long summer break.  Since it was everyone's last day for the year, I was hoping to kind of fly under the radar.  Wrong.  Every Friday morning, the school gathers for a parade (what we call an assembly).  This morning after the usual National Anthem, classroom presentations, announcements, birthdays, etc., my friend Katie and another teacher I worked with brought me up in front of everyone for the students I worked with to present me with a scrapbook they had made for me.  I was sure I would make it through the day without tears... but once I saw this, it was insta-tears.  No I hadn't been at this school for long, but it was long enough for the school and students to make a real impression on me.  The students are just incredible... and have so much love to give, and gosh are they resilient... and I will miss them so very much. 

 

Field trip to the Botanic Gardens

 

Not to get all doom and gloom, but you know what's a strange feeling?  To know with 99.9% certainty that when you say goodbye to someone that that is the last time you will ever see them.  And unfortunately, this was in the back of my head this day as I said goodbye to the staff and students.  Sure, I guess you never know what will happen.  But in all seriousness, there is a very slim chance that I will have the opportunity to return here.  Which made leaving that day even harder.  BUT, I am so very grateful to have had this opportunity.  These students will always be in my heart, and they have made a big impact on me.

Aussie Photo Shoot

... Just in case you weren't already sick of photos of David and I after my Anniversary post yesterday :-) ...

We have been lucky enough to make some amazing friends here in Gladstone.  Granted, it took several months for me to make these connections (which makes me even sadder that we are leaving sooner than expected), but either way, I am so glad to have these friends.  One of these friends, Katie, is an extremely talented photographer.  She and I also worked together at the same school here, which was a blast- but that's a story for another day/post. 

I had really wanted to get some photos of David and I (that weren't of the extended arm selfy genre) to help us remember our time here in Australia.  When Katie offered to do the job, I was thrilled!  We met up at the Tondoon Botanic Gardens in Gladstone for a little photo shoot before heading to our going away party last Saturday evening (also a post for another day). 

I had told Katie that I only had one request.  And that request was that we get some shots with Eucalyptus trees (gum trees) in the background.  I love these beautiful trees, and for me they are the ultimate iconic Australian tree- they're everywhere here.  So I am SO happy that she got these amazing shots!  Now if only we could have caught a koala up in one of the trees and some kangaroos hopping by in the background.  I think I might have died...

 

Here are some of my other faves...

 

 

 

 

 

Can we just pause for a moment and note how crazy long my hair is?!  Who let that happen?! I think I've worn it down ten or less times in the past year, so I was even surprised.  Don't worry, I have an appointment to chop it off on Dec. 29!

 

I am so thankful to have these photos.  Katie did a great job, as expected.  Man, my friends are talented :-)

 

Three Years

Three years ago (December 18, 2010), I got to marry this guy.

Happy 3rd Anniversary to my wonderful husband!  I can't believe it has been three years already- it has truly flown by!  While each year has been full of love and adventures, I do have to say that this past year has been my favorite yet.  We spent our entire third year of marriage living in Australia, working very hard (mostly you), and traveling more than some people get to in a lifetime.  I feel like during our third year of marriage, we learned to depend and rely on each other more than ever.  And because of that, we became a team that I am really proud of.  Thank you for another amazing year, David!  I can't wait to see what (and where) year four brings us! 

 

 

 

And in case you just happened to want to see more wedding photos :-) ...



http://animoto.com/play/0xgeJ3o0XSpfaz1RaQsmTw

In Paradise...

 

For the next five days, David and I will be living up our last week in Australia (and celebrating our third Anniversary) in the Whitsunday Islands.  If we have to leave Australia, then we will go out with a bang!  Great Barrier Reef, sailing, Whitehaven Beach.... HERE WE COME!