Day...What day is it again?

We got up insanely early and drove through traffic like I’ve never seen before to get us to the airport in time to make our 9:45 flight.  I really thought 9:45 would be late enough that we wouldn’t be putting anyone out—they could just drop us at the airport before work.  Hahaha little did I know what Melbourne traffic in the morning was like!  It took 2 hours to get to the airport and I am sure glad I wasn’t driving!  Since our group is so…substantially sized, it took 3 cars to take us in.  I’m amazed every day by how accommodating and generous my family here is!  All of my cousins and Aunt and Uncle are just so willing to help out and they're so patient with us.  It's really incredible.

What better way to express my gratitude then to include this lovely picture?!  Sorry Cath, I've already used the only other one I have of you!  Gotta fix that! :)

Since I’m on the subject, I’d like to take a minute and tell you all about my cousin, Cathy.  She’s been so excited for us to come that she has gone above and beyond in all areas to make sure that our every need is met.  You should see the tower of toilet paper she’s amassed with the help of my other cousins and Aunt and Uncle!  She actually purchased 20 pillows so we would each have two.  She set up two bunk beds in one room and a camper in the back yard so everyone would have a bed to sleep on.  She purchased more silverware to make sure there was enough for everyone.  She’s got enough oatmeal in her pantry to feed us all breakfast every day for the whole 2 months that we’re here.  It’s absolutely phenomenal!  That’s not even talking about how they’ve driven us everywhere, let us use their cars and fed our entire army the whole time we’ve been here!  Talk about feeling loved!  She’s made sure we feel like royalty.  I don't know if she's following this blog or not, but hopefully I've adequately expressed our gratitude in person that this will be redundant--if not perhaps this will convey our extreme thanks.

The kids loved that they got to walk on the tarmac and up the stairs to board the plane.

L was a bit excited to be on a plane again.

Ever wonder what 10 people's luggage looks like?  Well wonder no more!

So after she, her husband, her son, my Aunt and Uncle all drove us to the airport, we were left to our own devices.  We landed in Hobart, Tasmania around 11:00 and rented two cars.  For anyone wanting to know, it’s about three times less expensive to rent two cars than one vehicle that seats more than 8.  Crazy but true.  We started out towards our rental house, but I let é navigate so we ended up on 7 mile beach instead.  A fortuitous mistake as we all needed a minute to adjust to our new surroundings.  The beach was AMAZING!  Since it’s winter there was hardly anyone out, just a few crazies like this guy.  It wasn’t even that cold to us, a bit chilly—like spring time before it starts getting really warm.  We’d been warned about how freezing it was going to be yet most of us took off our jackets and sweaters after we started walking. 

The kids were having the time of their lives finding sea shells.  It never ceases to amaze me how many times 8 children can say, “Mama LOOK!” in a one minute span.  That said, the shells were pretty incredible.  The neatest find though was a clam.  X was over the moon about finding it.  Once settled in the cabin we ran water all through it to show him how it closes all by itself—then we pried it open and coaxed him into eating it.  What a riot!  He literally gagged it down then threw it right back up.  He said it tasted like the beach.  Maybe next time we’ll put it on a cracker.  Or in soup.  

We got the kids all settled then went on our first shopping excursion.  What would normally cost $75 for a week’s worth of groceries cost twice that and we may have to go back for more but this week especially is an experiment.  I’m amazed that they have just about everything we do—it’s just packaged a bit differently and usually called something else.  Like Jelly is actually Jell-O, ground beef—ground anything, is mince.  Things like that.  We still feel like we’re mocking them when we use their words for things but we’re hoping if we keep it up, by the end of our holiday, it’ll be second nature and we’ll sound funny when we get home.  Because, you know, it’s just boring to be normal! J

I’ve got to say a word about planning here quick before I close.  Every minute I spent on the computer researching, exploring, studying and floundering around was worth it’s weight in gold!  I mean, down to the suggestion, ‘stop on a beach or park somewhere to get your bearings’, we have followed exactly what I planned.  There are contingencies for tantrums, illness, weather—every hiccup I could think of.  Now when things happen, it’s like it was meant to happen because I’m prepared!  Ten days in and I’m entirely relaxed about the next 8 weeks because things are going exactly how they should.

This vacation is working out to be the once in a life time, amazing adventure that I’ve hoped and dreamed it would be.