A change in the wind

Today we found out that the people who came with a ridiculous offer to buy our house have accepted our counter-offer.  Its still way under what we would like to get, and we will return to Queensland with absolutely nothing to show for being down here.  We've lost... ooh I'd hate to think about the figure, but its definitely over $50,000.  My sister told me today that "it was a very expensive lesson to learn".  Lesson?  I'm not sure what she meant really.  Let us look at what we have done down here.....

My gorgeous nanna got to meet my family (well except for The Baby) before she died in 2010.  I got to see her and laugh at her sense of humour before she died.  She was so funny!  Kept on saying that she wanted to get up and run out of there, not seeming to notice the fact that she had had a stroke and couldn't move half of her body - she was a stubborn one!  Before that I hadn't seen her in 20 years.  So because we came down here, I got the privilege of seeing her again.

I had two beautiful births.  Not a home birth, but the next best thing.  Independent birth centre births.  With lovely midwives.  Had I stayed in Queensland, I'm pretty sure I would have had a 3rd and 4th c-section instead of the chance for a supportive (and successful!) VBA2C.

I got to experience a 24 hour kmart.  Seriously - its one of my most favourite things down here.  Especially the time when we were buzzing my hair and the damn thing broke half way through.....and the freaks there late at night are well worth the trip.

I met lots of beautiful people, and as previously mentioned, have fantastic friends down here.

I've learnt that my dad will always be just the way he is, even if he's not the father I want him to be.  And that its ok.  I can't force him to be anything more than what he is, but I can change my attitude towards it.  I'm at peace with our relationship, quite a difference from the 21 year old who rang him, drunk as anything and called him the "c" word and told him he was "the worst father in the world".  Coming down here has changed my perspective on our relationship.  I would never have had that chance if we stayed in Queensland.

We appreciate our family more.  I now appreciate my in-laws, they may not say all the right things, or do all the right things, but I know they love my family.  And I appreciate that more than ever now after not having that in our life for 2 years.

I've learnt to appreciate Queensland weather.  Enough said.

So all in all, my sister may see it as an expensive "lesson" but I see it as a life changing event.  How I see myself and others has changed - for the better.

And I think that is pretty priceless.