Of Swings -n- Things

Last Christmas the plan was to spend a week with Tia and the cousins in Perth. But one thing led to another and the fifteen days prior to the holiday turned into a bit of a mad rush to determine the next chapter of our lives. Thankfully things worked out - and quickly - so that there were no dark clouds hanging over us for the long term. But one thing was affected... the plans to head to Australia were put on hold, allowing time for re-grouping and visa applying. Now, months later, we were, indeed, ready to head "down under" one more time. 

The trip had a bit of a bitter sweet feel to it since it was the return to the same place that we'd been to with Scott and Rebecca three years prior. So with the excitement of showing the Brownies around we also had that "ooohhhh" feeling that we're missing Scott and Rebecca so much. Still the memories were good and so we can't really complain. 

The girls, however, barely remembered things. For them some things held on (the kangaroos, for example) but much was relived as if it was the very first time. So they climbed the playground houses as if it was the first time, they visited the same places as if it was the first time, and it was great!  And the swings... well, with swings it doesn't even matter if it's the first time or not as long as they feel like they're about to touch the sky. :-) But there were also some things where it really was the first time. First time to Margaret River, for example. First time seeing wild kangaroos. First time going through a life-sized maze (and out the other side). Australia was great once more. Or perhaps it was great still.