Brisbane Roar Game

One of the items on Nathan's Brisbane Bucket List is to see the Brisbane Roar play, and maybe even get a jersey. So Andrew and I hatched a plan. We bought tickets and jerseys for the boys. The game we were going to just happened to be on the last day of school - it was going to be a great surprise. Then we saw the forecast - rain. And lots of it.

I figured if we had raincoats for our walk to the stadium, we'd be fine. Andrew then informed me that Suncorp is an open air stadium which meant even when we were inside we could get rained on, so we really needed those coats. And then, of course, in our excitement we forgot the raincoats at home so we had to buy ponchos that didn't even keep us that dry.

But it didn't matter at all once we stepped foot inside the stadium. Can you tell how excited Nathan was just to see the field?

And our seats! Andrew got us seats right in the middle, second row. The boys thought it was fantastic. I thought we could have been a little further back to see the game a little better, but what do I know? We were so lucky the rain stopped as soon as the game started because being so close to the field meant we weren't sheltered at all. It would have been pretty miserable to watching the game while being pelted in the face with rain.

The boys were given these signs to hold up during the game. Nathan was too busy watching and yelling out to the players but Caleb was all business. He asked me what each side said, then dutifully held the correct sign up throughout the game.

When the game was on, he had "Go Roar" facing out. As soon as they scored, it was "GOAL"! What a cutie.

The more goals they scored, the more Nathan got into the game. He got louder and louder and by the end he was jumping out of his seat. The noise bothered Caleb a little.

But eventually, he got into it, too.

Literally two minutes before the game ended, it started to rain again. At that point, it didn't matter. The game was over. After being on a bit of a losing streak, our team came out on top and won 6-1* against the Central Coast Mariners.

What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of Term 1.


*I thought it was funny that the one goal for the other team was actually an own-goal, so technically, the Brisbane Roar scored all the goals tonight.

Sweet Baby Hatchlings

I was telling my friends about our Brisbane bucket list when they asked me what I wanted to do before we left Brisbane. Up until that point, it hadn't occurred to me that our list was filled with things the boys wanted to do. I have been so focused on making this move easier for the boys and helping them get some kind of closure that I forgot about me.

My "Australia Bucket List" could be at least a hundred items long but I had to be realistic and narrow it down to things we could actually do over the next 100 days (a.k.a. while I'm very pregnant or caring for a newborn and recovering, and while the boys are still in school during the week). 

One of the things I wanted to do was to visit the Mon Repos Turtle Centre again. A couple years ago, we drove up and we got to see a mother loggerhead turtle lay her eggs. This time, I wanted to see turtle hatchlings come out of the nest. 

So after church on Sunday, we packed the boys into the car and made the 5 hour drive up to Bargara. It wasn't the most comfortable thing to be doing while 36-weeks pregnant but it had to be done. When we got there, we found out that we had signed up for the very last tour of this season. How incredibly lucky we didn't wait any later!

We didn't have to wait very long before they called us out to the beach. And because it was a Sunday night, our group was very small, probably not much more than 30 people, so we managed to get an excellent viewing spot. The boys sat right in front of the nest and watched as the baby turtles dug their way out of the sand.

Once all the little turtles had emerged from the nest, they lined us all up along a path between the nest and the ocean. The rangers came around with a couple hatchlings. We held out our hands and felt those tiny little claws scratching our palms as they frantically paddled their little flippers.

After everyone had their turn, the rangers asked for volunteers who had their own torches to make a tunnel of light. Luckily we brought one so Nathan got to be part of that. Unfortunately, it was a hand-crank one that we had left sitting around for the past year so he ended up having to crank it while he stood there in the tunnel. He did so well trying to keep the light where the turtles needed it. Nathan later told me he felt sorry for us (Andrew, Caleb and me) because we didn't get to be part of the tunnel but I'm glad he got the chance to do it.

Once the last of the little turtles made it into the ocean, we went back to the nest for the nest dig, which is when they dig up the nest to count how many successful hatchlings there were. As our ranger dug, he found a bunch more turtles who had yet to make their way out so he had to actually fill the nest back in to let the turtles do their thing (dig themselves out).

Most of our group wasn't interested in sticking around for the nest dig anyway so the ranger brought us all back to the centre. Nathan was interested in watching the nest dig so we decided to stick around. We waited awhile for them to find another nest for us to see but eventually, they called us back. By this time, our group had dwindled down to 8 people.

As we made our way back across the beach, I heard Caleb tell Andrew, "Daddy, I'm going to sleep soon. Can you carry me?" but he ended up walking all the way to the nest anyway. We found one more little turtle who was still making his way out of the nest and then it was time to dig into the hole.

Caleb worked industriously alongside the ranger, digging up his own hole. At first I thought he was just playing around, then I realized he was doing exactly what the ranger was doing. It was adorable to see him mimicking the ranger's actions - the scooping, the piling of sand. "I'm doing what he's doing," Caleb explained.

As the ranger was finishing up his count, the skies burst open and it started to pour. We made our way back to the centre as quickly as we could and the boys stayed pretty dry with their raincoats on but Andrew and I were drenched. It's a good thing we packed a set of clothes and towels for everyone - we changed, tucked the boys into their seats and drove another 5 hours home. It was a bit of a whirlwind trip but it was worth it.

100 Day Countdown

Today marks 100 days until we board a plane with a one-way ticket to Toronto.

It's hard to think about our time here coming to an end. I know we always have the option to come back and visit, and I haven't gone past the idea of re-evaluating our situation in 2-3 years time but the reality is that even if we visit or move back, it won't be exactly the same as it is right now.

So in the meantime, we'll be making the most of the time we have left here. The boys and I have come up with a Bucket List and we'll work through as much of it as we can. I have to admit I'm probably the one holding us all back, being 36 weeks pregnant now and moving slower than ever. And once Baby comes... well, we'll just keep pressing on.

This is our list so far but chances are, we'll keep adding to this list as the days count down.

Bookfest

Every six months, Lifeline holds a giant book sale where you can get books for a dollar, or children's books for 50 cents each. To me, that's a huge bargain. So every six months, I drag the boys along for a day's worth of rummaging through old, dusty books in search of books to add to our collection.

For the boys, it's almost like going to the library. They spend the entire day picking up books, reading them and, unlike at the library, tossing them back onto the piles.

We always manage to find a gem or two, like this book:

I almost bought this one for Andrew, but then I decided he probably didn't need a little book to remind him of something he already knows, even if it only cost 50 cents. Hah.

Last year, I spent my energy looking for educational books and old childhood favourites. What I wouldn't give to go back in time to my elementary school library to pick out all my favourite books to bring home; some are so hard to get now.

Anyway, this year, we discovered that Nathan's really into mystery/detective books so we grabbed a whole bunch of Hardy Boys and Encyclopedia Brown books for him.

My favourite finds this time around were Henny Penny and a Henry and Mudge book.

I can't imagine what rummaging through books with a newborn in tow will be like but if we're still here in June, you can bet I'll try my hardest to make it out to Bookfest again!

Ocean Love

The only reason I'm willing to leave this place is the promise that we'll be back again soon.

Beachcombing and Tide Pools

It's been a while since we've made the drive up to Alexandra Headlands but it's still one of our favourite places to hang out. The boys know it as the rocky beach because we always hang out in the rocky area between the two beaches.

I can't tell you anything about landforms and why there are so many huge slabs of rock in this area, but I can tell you that when the moon is full and the tide is low, it's like a treasure trove of beautiful tiny seashells and cool tide pools with the occasional hermit crab.

There's hardly ever anyone around in this area, it's almost like we have the place to ourselves. I love that the boys can be free to run ahead without us worrying too much, just as long as they stay a safe distance from the huge waves at the edge of the rocks. Usually, they run from pool to pool, wading and splashing about. This time, they found several tide pools just deep enough to lay down in to keep cool while basking in the mid-day sun. Talk about chilling out.

Eventually, the boys came back to the sand to build sand sculptures, inspired by a crocodile and turtle pair they saw on the Gold Coast a few days earlier.

Just as they were finishing up a race car, it began to spit. And then it came down harder. The weather is always so interesting here. It's usually bright and sunny, but the moment you see clouds, they roll in quickly and it rains. And not just some wimpy shower either. It comes down hard with droplets that feel like you're being pelted with pebbles.

By the time we got to the car, we were completely drenched but the rain had stopped and the sun came out. We decided to dry ourselves off and call it a day. Until next time...

G20 Public Holiday

Andrew's first day of freedom ended up coinciding with the G20 public holiday in Brisbane so while I feel like he was cheated a little because he probably would have gotten the day off anyway, he didn't care. He was free.

We took things slow and easy that day, kind of like this little guy.

Instead of joining the mass exodus out of Brisbane, we stayed in town. It was so quiet and safe with all the extra police milling about. And we managed to cross one thing off our mile-long to-do list: renew our Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary memberships!

It was nice to just leisurely wander around the park, letting the boys choose what they wanted to see.

Of course, the boys wanted to feed the kangaroos first. There were so many little kangaroos this time around and they were eager to eat.

Oh, Caleb. He loves petting animals so much. He gave this kanga a nice long neck rub, then discovered how soft his ears were!

The kanga must have liked it because she stood still for so long, soaking in the love. I even managed to get a picture with her and both the boys.

It slipped my mind that Andrew didn't have a membership last year so when we went to watch all the animal shows, he wasn't there. We missed the birds of prey show but he finally got to see the sheep herding show that the boys were so excited about.

Those dogs do such a good job keeping those sheep together, going where they need to go. I wonder how they do with rounding children up?

I know my boys would love to have a dog of their own. 

Four Years

Four years... I cannot believe it has come and gone. Just like that.

Andrew finished his very last day of med school today. After his final shift in critical care, he was done.

I still can't wrap my head around that enough to say anything meaningful, except that I'm proud that he's made it through. What a huge accomplishment! Especially since he had the added burden of having a family to care for while studying.

I am feeling a little down though. Med school was the whole reason we moved to Brisbane four years ago. And now it's over! This chapter in our life is coming to a close. Andrew’s finished school but it doesn’t really feel like we’re actually finished here yet.

Maybe it’s because Andrew didn’t have one last major exam to study for and write. Or maybe it’s because we didn’t have a big celebration that night - we had dinner at Andrew’s new favourite Indian restaurant and then went to watch his final basketball game for the term. Or maybe it’s because we still have no idea what’s going to happen next and where we’ll be next year.

But it doesn’t matter. Because whether or not it feels like he’s finished, he is.

And we’re going to take advantage of his time off before we step into “real life” and I never see him again because he’s working doctor hours.

Happy Halloween!

We took a really laid-back approach to Halloween this year. As in, we didn't actually decide to do anything Halloween-y until lunch time, at which point I just decided Caleb could grab a costume from our closet and Nathan could wear a cape if he even wanted to dress up at all.

Right after school, we went to Lone Pine for their Halloween festivities. The boys ran around in the garden for the first little while to stay in the shade and cool down a bit.

Nathan carved a styrofoam pumpkin. Caleb said he wanted to do one, too, but ended up running off to the jumping castle so I'll see if I can find one for cheap in the next couple days. I'll post their finished jack-o-lanterns up if we ever end up doing Caleb's.

After they finished playing, the sun was starting to set so we headed out for a bit of trick-or-treating.

Caleb finally "got it" this year. He ran up and down the driveways yelling "trick or treat", then "Thank you! Happy Halloween!" after he got his candy. It was cute. And when he tripped and dumped his bucket of candy, Nathan helped him pick them up without stealing any. Not that it's his nature to, but still. I love my boys.

The Art of the Lion King

When I learned that The Lion King was coming to Brisbane, I was beyond excited. And then I found out that Brisbane was lucky enough to have an accompanying exhibition, The Art of the Lion King, where we could get a behind the scenes look at the making of The Lion King.

It was recommended that we go see the exhibition before seeing the actual show so I scheduled it into our jam-packed day at South Bank, after the Instameet. The exhibition itself was a lot smaller than I expected (and hoped) for it to be, but it still immerses you into the world of this beautiful stage production.

The boys and I walked through, stopping to read the panels, and pausing to admire the costume sketches and set designs. There were a few original costumes on display and they were absolutely gorgeous to see up close.


For me, the best part of the exhibition was the documentaries. The boys sat quietly and watched but eventually, Caleb climbed into my lap and fell asleep. Nathan and I enjoyed the rest of the documentaries in that air conditioned room after a long morning of walking.

The first was Pride of The Lion King and it showed how the original animated film came together. We heard from the animators, voice actors and the composers and musicians behind the beautiful soundtrack.

The second documentary was Behind the Scenes, a half-hour look at how they took that Disney movie and turned it into the gorgeous theatre production that it is. Seeing the amount of work that went into developing the musical, creating the costumes and building the sets just blew me away. All these creative geniuses just poured their hearts into their work.

This exhibit was so inspiring because we got to see the process - how this amazing thing came together, bit by bit, piece by piece, with some creative genius and a lot of hard work. That was the most exciting part.

So despite not being inspired at the Instameet, I sure hope the boys, especially Nathan, got a little bit out of the documentaries and it broadens his dreams for his own future career.

Instameet at QAGOMA

The Instameet wasn't quite as inspiring as I had hoped for it to be. I had envisioned that our host, Zach Glassman, would say a word or two about his career as a travel photographer that would inspire Nathan to broaden his vision for his future career... but he didn't.

We literally just moved through the GOMA and Queensland Art Gallery as a big group, but by ourselves. Despite the initial disappointment, it was nice for the boys and I to wander around the GOMA again. It's been so long since our last visit, and we scored a trip to the restricted rooftop terrace so that was cool.

The boys looked down and spotted the gravel hill they built just moments before, while waiting for the Instameet to get started.

We broke off from the large group and wandered over to the kids section which is always so much fun. The current exhibit is all about patterns. Our favourite part was this colourful hall - it was like walking into a kaleidoscope. And the coolest part was the screens scattered throughout the hall that had a camera above them to record images of whatever was in front of it. It would take the image and make it part of a moving pattern!

We became part of the art and that was so exciting.

Afterwards, we wandered over to the art gallery and saw a few really interesting instalments. The columns made of magnetic tape were my favourite.

The boys were mesmerized by this piece:

But after a while, the boys and I started wandering aimlessly, wondering if anything else interesting was going to happen with the Instameet. Eventually, we got too bored and hungry so we just left. The real fun happened after lunch, when we went to see the Lion King Exhibition (more on that soon) and play in the water park.