Moving on (to greener pastures, hopefully)

I told you things could turn on a dime. Just like that, last Friday afternoon, a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders when I was offered a job in Geelong. It’s a permanent, full-time position in the disability sector and you would not believe the relief I felt when I found out. My shoulders dropped several inches below my ears and I was finally able to exhale.

We celebrated in style. I opened a bottle of Veuve Clicquot I’ve had in storage for over ten years, bought a cheesecake and then we went out to dinner, where Sam and I practiced our selfie game.

Still, we all know, that as much fun as change can be, especially when instigated by ourselves, change is still hard. And there is still more uncertainty.

While I have to pass a range of security checks before I start my job, I have time to move house, but to be honest I am panicking a bit, seeing how many interested parties there are at each open for inspection.

Hopefully, having that job offer letter in my hand will improve my chances, but it’s only a conditional offer until I pass all those checks. I don’t have a start date and I don’t know how this will sit with the real estate agents. I applied for four houses today, only two of which I’ve seen, so I guess we’ll find out soon. What stresses me out is the possibility of having to commute to Geelong for work, if even for a short time. But my future employer has already suggested that I could work some days from their Ballarat office, so I guess it wouldn’t be all bad.

I’m excited about moving house, getting to know a new area and setting up our furniture in a new place. I am not excited about the packing and unpacking, but who ever is?

I took a long slow walk around my normal walking route yesterday, to burn into my memory the lovely countryside that surrounds us here and that we won’t get in Geelong. We’ve been so lucky to live where we do, which is half country, half bush, and another half suburbia. I will miss it.

On a positive note, we found a brand new school in one of the potential areas we will be moving to, as well as a new shopping centre, in addition to a large established shopping centre, a bit further away. One house we looked at, was walking distance away from the high school, which made both Sam and I very excited – it would be lovely for him to be so close to school and hopefully overcome many of his school-going objections. I mean we would literally be able to see the school from outside our front door.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I’ve been incredibly stressed since that Friday. So many headaches. Change is hard and I am and am not looking forward to it. New house, new job, new people, new school. How will I cope with full time work, how will Sam adjust to his new school, will Ben finally engage with the world post-school?

All I know is that the next month or two will be topsy-turvy and that I will manage it and I will cope. Once I have an income, I will get my broken wisdom tooth pulled out and do so many things that I’ve just not been able to afford.

Wish me luck.