Farewell Melbourne...its been a pleasure...

 

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Can you believe it? Our last week in Melbourne is here already!

 The last 18 months have flown by so very quickly, from when we first began to dream that this sea change for us could be possible to working out how we were going to move our family out of the home we had lived in for 11 years, and relocate to a completely different area of which we knew absolutely nothing about, to now again be packing up our things for the very last time.  It feels a bit surreal knowing we are going to our 'final home' where I intend with the grace of God to spend the next 30 plus years.  It is my birthday this week and I cannot think of a better way to spend it this year other than picking up the keys to our new home and walking through the door with the knowledge that we are 'finally home'...

Of course there is a touch of nostalgia leaving my home town of Melbourne.  Its where I was born, its where my parents, grandparents, mother-in-law and brother are buried.  Its where I have grown up in joyous & happy times, as well as darker times spent in the deepest of grief. Its where I became a mother for the first time and raised my family. Melbourne has been a special part of me my whole life.

           

 I grew up in Melbourne through the 60's,70's & 80's.  The 90's bought to  me the wonderful gift of motherhood as I started my family and spent the next 10 years focussed on babies, toddlerdom, kindy & the joys and tears of primary school. The 2000's saw my children enter high school and we said goodbye to some very special people and bought our first home, something I never thought I would  have as ten years prior to this my husband was medically discharged from the Australian Army and was declared 'unfit for work'. This was the grim reality we faced along with my mother and sister  also struggling with their own nightmares of going through chemotherapy at the same time. As my husband fell into deeper depression caused by not being able to support his family, we struggled on one salary as we put the children through primary school.  By the time they had reached high school, life had begun to turn around as Bill began the slow journey back to work. It was at this time I made a plan to set aside all of Bill's salary as we were used to not having it by then and began my goal of saving up for our house deposit.  Within a few years along with what we had saved as a deposit and the first home owner's grant we proudly took ownership of our home in Watsonia.

One thing I have learnt in my life is that 10 years makes a huge difference and whatever is going on in your life right now, do not despair if its not where you want to be, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep reaching for your dreams with what it is you really want to do because one day when you look back, you will realise that you are in a very different place from where you began.

When I look back at growing up in Melbourne I remember a far simpler city to the one it has become. I do feel older saying this but its true...the Melbourne of 20 years ago suited me better, the road were less chaotic, the drivers more patient. In those days I lived near the airport, you could actually just drive down Mickelham Road  and visit the airport for an afternoon or evening of social gathering, this was before it became an large international airport where the freeways have all connected up and now to park there too long will have you paying more than $50 an hour.  I do miss the quieter roads, which is one of the reasons I am looking forward to where I am heading...

So farewell my dear Melbourne it really has been my pleasure to have spent the first 5 decades of my life with you, but where I am going will suit me much better living life at a slower pace. I will still visit often to see friends and family and will venture in to the city and enjoy once again the bustling of the city centre, sitting in the beautiful arcades having a cuppa, visiting our Melly or catching up for a film or lunch with Matt once he is back at Uni, those visits will of course be very special.

But for now, this is it, one more week in Altona with lots of packing still to do then up early on Saturday to meet the removal truck. This time next week I will be sitting in the comfort of my new loungeroom with our Coonara heater which I have always wanted warming up our new lounge area while I unpack my belongings for the very last time...

 I'll leave you with a little bit of Melbourne from Bill's photo collection...

 

Phoebes getting ready to come along with us...