Home Is Where The Heart Is

If any of you come from a small town, you'll know what it's like to pop out for groceries and end up bumping into a handful of people you 'small talk' with. When I lived there I used to think this was annoying & a bit of a nuisance upon my busy day-  and now I actually miss seeing those familiar faces & all the awkward conversations with my friends mums. In Perth, we are merely strangers amongst thousands of other strangers, sure there's still plenty of friendly faces and polite hellos, but it just doesn't have that warmth and familiarity that home does.  

I miss waking up and seeing this;

(Mount Maunganui in all it's morning glory)

I miss feeling fresh, crisp New Zealand air hit my face on a cool autumn morning. I miss the lush green grass tickling my toes & guzzling down the crystal clear spring water. I miss climbing that glorious mountain and the astounding view from the tippy top. I miss the delectable produce and the thick juicy steaks, along with the ultimate of all Turkish kebabs right on our doorstep. (I am yet to eat a decent Turkish takeout in Australia). I miss catching up with friends who live 5 minutes away, and popping down to the pub for a beer on a sunny Sunday afternoon. But mostly, I just miss my family. 

Solely due to the fact that they are missing out on watching their grandchildren grow is enough to make me want to go home. I mean really, how is it fair for anyone to miss out on this;

That level of cuteness is out of control. I feel cruel for depriving anyone of this, but particularly their grandparents & Aunty and Uncles. 

After having all of my family staying for the last couple of months & watching them interact with Blake and Oscar, I came to realise that it isn't just them missing out on the kids- but we are missing out on them. Blake and Oscar are missing out on bonding with their relatives, and we are missing out on watching them bond. It's been really amazing to witness everyone forming different relationships with the kids, and just knowing it will be at least a few months before we get together again is devastating. By next time, it's likely Blake would have forgotten their faces and the bonding would have to start from scratch. Not to mention, Blake and Oscars first cousin is due to arrive in a few weeks time and we all want in on those family play dates!

It's definitely made us think about all the reasons we are here & whether they are still valid. Should money really be more important than having our children grow up around their families in our hometown? That's one answer we are really not sure of anymore. To say it is hard is an understatement: it's brutal. Sure, Skype helps, but Skype unfortunately doesn't have the ability to plop your grandchild on your knee to read them a story.... Yet. (Maybe they should consider doing some re programming?) 

So that's where we are at at the moment, feeling nostalgic for home and all the goodies that come with it. It certainly doesn't mean we are packing up our bags anytime soon, but it does mean that our time will come to head back one day. And that's enough to keep us going for now. After all- home will always be there right? 

Hope you're all enjoying your last day of the looooong weekend, and feeling sprightly about the week ahead.

Thought of the day "the amount of milky spew stains on our couch is revolting" 

Ciao, Gemma