Two years ago on this day (the 26th of January) Six members of the Blackwood family packed up belongings and moved half way around the world.

The BIG Adventure. That's what everyone said it would be. An adventure? Maybe, but the longer I am here, the less it seems like an Adventure, and more and more...it's just...my life.

Here are a few of my journal excerpts from our first few weeks here.

2006
January 28,
We landed and we all got off the aeroplane (as the Australians call it) We waited in line forever to go through security, then we went to the baggage claim. We each got a cart full and halled all 6 of them with out luggage. We manoeuvred to the airport doors. As we made out ways toward the doors, I realized that our long journey was over, and we had made it. All 6 of us and our 30 suitcases.
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When we walked out the doors, we found a group of people from the Australian RP churches standing together holding signs that said Blackwoods and Fishers. We received a very warm welcome. Everyone was sooooo nice to us! It was really great to see Mr. and Mrs. McEwen and Josh, Sarah, and Eleni.

Janurary 29
The birds that I heard were so unusual, but made some really neat sounds. It was nice to hear, but it reminded me that I am not in Indiana anymore.
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after lunch Mr. McEwen drove us four kids to the beach, and we got to see a beautiful view of it from a far off, and then we walked down to the beach and felt the sand between our toes.

Janurary 31
Then we four kids walked down to the park. It was a nice walk, but the park was kinda boring, we mostly just sat around the pond, and scared all of the ducks into the pond. After about 15 minuteswe headed home... The walk was sorta scary, because most Australians don't use turn signals, so there were several times when we had to stop suddenly so as not to walk in of speeding cars [that was probably only because we didn't know how roundabouts worked.]

February 4,
we three younger kids and mom got ready to go to the beach for the first time. ...I was the first Blackwood from our family to set foot in Australian water.

February 5
Dad did a childrens sermon. He talked about shoes. He was naming differnet kinds of shoes, but they have different names for all the ones that he named such as: flip-flops (thongs) mud boots (gum boots), dress shoes (formal wear), water shoes (sand shoes), and tennis shoes (sport shoes or something like that [runners])

February 6
We moved Charity to our room and Benjamin to Charitys room

February 11
I think that we are finally starting to feel like this is our home. It isn't a vacation anymore. This is real, this is our life.