Jeremy telling me we are officially leaving: I was at our home in Kingwood, Texas watching the painters touch-up paint from the new granite installation earlier that week and I got a phone call from Jeremy. He was in New York interviewing for a position at UNSW. Quite simply said, he got the job! He told me that they wanted him there by May and the wheels just started turning as to what we had to do to make that happen. We spent the next five weeks working our tails off and working with the immigration lawyer, Aristotle, to become legal in Australia. The officials argued our marriage license, as we only have the one document in Texas, that was fun.
Putting the house on the market: Jeremy told me we were moving on a Friday, our house was staged and ready to go on the market at 2pm the next Wednesday. The agent who sold our home to us put us back on the market 8 months later. Jeremy and I worked tiredly the entire weekend and even had to call in my father to watch Harper for me so I could get all of the finishing touches complete. You cannot imagine how hard it is to cleanout, stage and put your house up on the market with an 8 month old! But the payoff was worth it in my mind as our realtor and others said it showed like a model home.
movers loading up our container
Selling off our things: Jeremy and I went through our large and very full home and had to make the tough, and sometimes easy, decision as to what goes with and what we would need to sell. I went onto two Kingwood “sell your stuff” websites and as I listed items they sold. Items that we didn’t sell we gave away. It was nice to be able to purge ourselves of things so we could start anew in Australia. It was also very sad to see things we loved leave with someone new. Australia has very strict laws about what can and cannot come with you and all of our wicker and untreated wood could not come with us. I thought there was going to be a riot over a wicker storage basket that we got at Target. Who knew?!
Saying “see you later” to friends:
-Joe: It was such a treat for Jeremy and I to have you meet Harper and see us off. Thank you again for teaching Harper how to “cough.”
-Johnell and Russ: Y’all were so wonderful to have us at your home. Meeting Ashton and spending time with the divine Miss M was just the cherry! The steaks you made still make me hungry when I think about them.
-Kelie: Lunch was great in Austin, but having you come out and spend time with us in Houston before we left was amazing. Thank you for coming all the way out and for helping me with the house.
-Uncle Neal: Thank you for coming down even if you didn’t get to go camping. The photos of Harper and you playing the guitar are going to be treasured forever! We expect you to come to Aussie land soon.
-Ron and Sirenda: Oh what a treat to see you both! I hope you didn’t look too “Clampet” driving back to Arizona in Jeremy’s truck. It was so nice that Ron was able to see little Harp before we left and it was great to hang out as a family.
-Aunt Sue: If you hadn’t come to the rescue I would have probably lost all of my hair that Friday before we left! Thank you for taking Harper and for giving us one last squeeze before our departure.
-BigDaddy and Granbobbie: It was so hard to watch you drive away, but I am so glad that you were able to come down and see us. Dinner was perfect, the talks were wonderful, and we love you both so much.
-Mum and Dad: Love you, couldn’t have done it without you. The two nights we spent at your home before we left were some of our favorites. The food, fun and conversation were great. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
-Jennifer, Keith and Scarlett: Oh Ms. Jen, thanks for “rallying” me J, Keith, thank you for your help, and Miss Scarlet thank you for being so gosh darn cute!
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