"Home is where the heart is"

Over the past 12 months the word "Home" has been used interchangeably and in several different contexts. When we first moved to Australia and people would ask where we are from or where our "home" is, we initially would reply "the states". After several sarcastic responses of "No, really?? We know that, where in the states?" We would then reply with "Well, Jason's "hometown" is Sterling, IL and mine is Cincinnati, OH. But we came from Lexington, KY where we had our first "home" together. We soon shortened the answer to just Lexington, KY. My friend, Casey, asked me right before we left for our annual leave if when we get off the plane in the states if it feels like we are in a different country and my response to her was "It feels like HOME."

Over the past 3 weeks we traveled to all of the places we have called "Home." We flew into Chicago and stayed in Jason's "hometown" in Sterling, IL for 5 days where we visited with his entire family and the friends he grew up with. We were then picked up by my parents and drove to Austin, MN, the place that growing up we always referred to as "Going Home to MN" the town that my parents grew up in and where I was born. After spending 6 days visiting with my extended family, consisting of almost all of my aunts and uncles, cousins and both sets of grandparents we then began our decent to Cincinnati, OH. In my "hometown" we visited with my parents, brother, sister, high school friends, college friends and family friends and neighbors. We visited our friends "new home" in Columbus for dinner. We took a day trip to Lexington, KY and drove past our "first home" reminiscing of all the fun memories we had in that house. While in Lexington, Jason golfed/ drank with his old work buddies as I spent the day with my old work friends. That evening we spent time with our Georgetown friends, that have always felt like family to Jason. Since Lexington was the first place that we lived without any family around, we were very quick to fill the void with our friends and work families.

As the trip came to an end we starting talking about coming back "home", this time surprisingly we were referring to Australia. As the plane landed in Gladstone and on the drive to our "home", we began looking forward to seeing our friends and talking about plans for the weekend and getting together to catch up on the past three weeks. Living abroad, we are all so far from our "homes" so we have all quickly learned to rely on one another to fill the void of being away from family and friends.

I have always loved the quote "Home is where the heart is" and in the past there was only one place that came to mind when I heard it, the town that I grew up in. But now, I have realized a completely new meaning, "Home" will always be wherever Jason and I are together (and Bucky Boo) but with everywhere we go we will hold a special place in our hearts for all of those that mean so much to us and have made the places we live feel like "Home".

On the road again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Rocks/ 9 Mile Beach

 

 

Happy 4 Year Anniversary To Us!

 

Uher Family Down Under

The past two weeks we have had a wonderful time with the Uher Family Down Under! The first weekend we spent the evenings introducing our family to our great friends that we have met here in Gladstone, and we spent the days in the sun of course! :) One day we "hired" aka rented a pontoon boat and spent the day at Lake Awoonga. When we first arrived the lake was absolutely beautiful and blue but since all the rain we received with the hurricane and continued rain the lake has been all turned up and yucky brown. The view of the mountains in the background on the lake a still just as beautiful!

 

We also visited the beautiful beaches nearby, Agnes Water, 1770, Springs Beach, and Tannum.

 

 

 

 

Every Wednesday of the month Gladstone offers a Curtis Island Coffee cruise throughout the harbor and goes by the three projects that are going on. We were very happy that our family was able to see the GLNG project Jason works on..seeing as that is why we are here in the first place! He works in the tanks, where after the liquification occurs the liquid will be stored.

 

Jason waved to us as we went by!

 

A couple days we spent at the "neighborhood" pool which should have a max capacity of 2!

 

This past weekend we spent at Hamilton Island in the Whitsundays!! It was absolutely beautiful and such a fun island! The whole island was a resort and had so much to offer to do! We enjoyed the beautiful beaches, snorkeling, hobbie cats, paddle boards, kayaking, fishing, swim up bar, restaurants, wildlife park, cuddled koalas, fed kangas, petted dingos, and drinking that led to chicken fights (The guitar played Eye of the Tiger as our theme song, sadley- Nicole and Brian won!)

 

Our Hotel

Marina at Hamilton Island

Ferry we took from Airlie beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had such a great time and I am so thankful for my parents to make this trip possible!! So happy to have shared part of our Adventure Down Under with the Uhers!