Oh has it ever been a while!  I have several half written posts that have languished.  It would be easy for me to just put it in the category of home sickness but that’s only part of the story.  I have been home sick for sure but even more I have reached that point in any of our big moves where I begin questioning exactly how Lawson talked me into this!  It usually happens about a year and a half in and sure enough it has happened again starting late last year.  I am in many ways an unlikely candidate for the expat life.  Sure we have talked about doing this for forever and I love to travel but the thing I love the most is home and nesting – that is what has always been my thing.  Somewhere near the end of 2018 as we were facing our third move of house in Brisbane, I began really missing home and questioning this whole thing.  But, where is home?  Home is most certainly 2108 Brookhill Rd even though I no longer own it.  Home is Seagrove Beach and our house there which is now leased for the next year and home is the United States.  It is true that you will find out just how American you are (or wherever your place of birth is) when you become an expat.   But, home is also where my little unit resides and Australia feels very much like home in some pretty important ways now as well!  Even though I am ready for a home to call my own again, I am equally as intent on pushing through this homesickness and doubt and enjoying this adventure and somehow finding my way back to blogging about it!

On to today’s short post.  This day of April 1 is significant in our family’s life due to an event that we can only wish was an April Fools joke and not real…the flash fire of 2017.  Yep, only a short while before we got on the plane to head Down Under.  I won’t bore you with the details but the fire, the burns almost derailed this whole adventure.  Although time has softened the memory, Eve’s screams of terror as she watched and the weeks of pain remain just at the edge of consciousness.  It is nothing short of a miracle that skin grafts weren’t necessary and that this adventure began at all.  I still have a very nice reminder of this day on my right arm just below the elbow.  My freckles are slowly returning though and the healing continues two years on.  I marked today with a visit to one of my favorite places in Brisbane – Jurlique Wintergarden!  Jurlique is one of our favorite Australian brands because of the purity of their products.  If you ever have the opportunity to use their products (they are sold in the US) or to have one of their facials do yourself a favor and do it!  Today I celebrated the fact that my face has healed from the fire with a visit there.  I am grateful for my healing.!  I am also grateful for life’s small pleasures in the form of healthy products.   For all the things I miss from back home, and there are many,  there are amazing Australian products that have enhanced our life tremendously..  Jurlique happens to be one.

 


Maybe this short post will jump start our blogging and I will actually finish that post about our most recent house move.  As always, we thank you for following along and we have so appreciated the notes checking in on us!  You can always follow along on our Instagram account as we keep that updated regularly.  We hope this first day of April finds you having a beautiful day with not a single April Fools Day surprise in sight!