In the Eye of the Storm – Moving Home

You know that point in a hurricane (cyclone for those of you down South), when you hit the eye of the storm and it all goes quiet? Where the winds are on either side of you swirling all around and you are just breathing in the moment and surviving knowing the winds are coming soon and that you just have to survive the rest of it? Right now that’s my life.
We moved from Sydney last week. It was an insane whirlwind of planning movers, packing, repacking, goodbye parties, last visits to places and people, random errands and a quick trip as a break in the midst of it all. Then there was the flight back to the States, the few days break in LA to try to recover a bit with two kids 5 1/2 and almost 2 from some nasty jet lag. It was pretty much madness defined. The rush, the hurry, the sense of constant chaos and the winds of change whirling all around us.
And now I sit here. And it’s quiet. Really quiet. (Well minus the shrieks of two stir crazy kids who won’t stop fighting because they can’t go outside in 20 degree F weather, and the constant drone of the TV and kids programming.) We are in the eye of the storm. Visits haven’t started yet because we are all still exhausted. We are waiting to hear from my husband’s job where we go next. Will we live in Chicago? Will we live in Portland? Will they pull some other random rabbit out of the hat at the last minute some where else entirely? When will we leave? Will we even see the place we may live before we say yes?
We are in limbo. We know there are a thousand things to do and plan and deal with. School enrolment, daycare, cars to purchase, cell phone plans, housing to look for, friends to make, the job hunt for me, visits to family and friends, and of course the holidays. But all of that is just out there right now on the other side of the storm wall. Right now we are sitting in the eye of the storm waiting. With the questions of family and friends swirling around us. What’s next? When do we know? Where are we going? How long? Are you happy? Are you sad? Do you miss us? All of that. It’s there it’s just a wave waiting to crash down on us. For now it’s quiet.
This journey is different than I expected yet so weirdly the same as well to our transition to Sydney. This weird sense of being slightly outside the timeline of both places in which you exist. Being almost more of a watcher than a doer. It’s a bit surreal, and lonely and weird. I know the moments of calm won’t last, this sense of overwhelming suspense, frustration and worry will stop as we dive back into the storm to deal with what comes next once we know. That soon it will be chaos and madness as we try to deal with all the things on the laundry list above. So today I’m gonna try to find the sunshine in the eye of the storm and prepare for whatever’s next.
More articles from Amber:
Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? Having Babies on Two Continents
Living Life Abroad – Peter Panning Life
101 Things to do in Sydney – Parks & Playgrounds edition
The Great Ocean Road and Kids…Why I Hate Car Trips…
Taking Candy from Strangers – Why Buying a Used Car Seat is a Bad Idea
Moving – The Other 4 Letter Word, and Tips for Surviving it
We Were in a Car Accident. What Now?? (Car Seat Safety/Tips Post)