YAFOLEY

Hi All, this is the first time to use this site so forgive us if we seem silly or ask questions that are pretty obvious... we are a married couple in early 30s living in Dublin, Ireland. We have been working since last January on preparing our Visa Application etc. My hubby is a bricklayer and passed the TRA etc so everything is gone in and now it's just a waiting game for us! We are planning (if we get the visa's to go to Western Australia, Perth). We would like to here from anyone who is in the early stages of waiting for their visa (we were adivsed 6 - 9 months) firstly does it actually take this long? as I know it has taken us 1 full year to get this far!
We have 3 small kiddes, 5,2 and 10 weeks so we are really excited and looking forward to the prospect of raising our kids in Oz, if not for the weather, but for a different lifestyle. Has anyone any advise at this stage or any comments to help us during our waiting... is this the worse time of it when you can't do anymore but just sit and wait and is it really worth all it says it is????
Yvonne & Alan