LINZI

Fantastic update on everything thats happened since you arrived wish i could write like that with such detail
Good luck with the Citizenship

Sally Simpson

wannabees

woop!! enjoy your time together, yes, - one day he.l reurn! My son (21)isnt coming with us due to his career but - one day ..... how long is it since you saw him?? xx

daunted

thanks guys it is almost 3 years since i last held him in my arms which is just far too bloody long! Money and passports was always the issue - not letting that happen again thats for sure

sonlymewalter

lovely jubbly, no matter how old they are they're still our *kid*

Give him a big kiss and hug him tight and sod it if he's embarrased mate

wannabees

i agree completely, 3 yrs of hugs to catch up on! have a wonderful time with your family, lots of love xx:

daunted

Well...well...well what a 3 weeks we have had! My S & J (his partner) are now safely back in the UK after and emotionally charged 3 weeks. Some big changes ahead so figured it was possibly time for a proper update.
When the flights were booked for this trip it seemed like such a long time to wait but finally our time came to go meet them from Perth International Airport. I had booked the whole 3 weeks off work (longest time I have had off work since we arrived) so was doubly excited.
We did what we always do, and arrived at the airport much earlier than we needed to be there but I just wanted to be there and get the whole reunion thing started if you know what I mean
From the moment they arrived and my youngest grabbed S in a headlock and dropped him to the floor it felt like nothing had changed and we had never been apart. Not sure what everyone else must have thought of seeing a newly arrived passenger being dropped to the floor but it is the way 'my boys' behave when together - eternally 8 years old both of them!I won't bore you with a day by day account but it was beyond fantastic having them here and all my children together.
The biggest and best piece of news is that they have decided to make the move out her too Many of you have followed my trials and tribulations with having a child in another country, and thank you for listening to the endless rants. This forum is great for many things but by far, for me, the best part is feeling like I have so many friends whom understand what it is like to be apart from those you love so much.
S already has his PR visa and is applying to the WA police, a job he does voluntary in the UK, and a job he is so devoted to and good at. He can apply from the UK but will have to make a real quick visit in the near future to complete the selection tests. I am confident they will snap him up. They need to apply for a defacto visa for his partner, J, but hopefully that will also be processed quickly and within the next 12 months they will both be here.
As well as so much excitement I feel very nervous for them both. Having been there, done it you appreciate how daunting (where else do you think my username came from lol) and scary the whole process is. They will be coming without any proceeds from house sales but S will at least have a job to come to which so many of us, myself included, didn't have. I have already started gathering furniture etc to help them get started and hope to have everything to furnish a rental for when they arrive. It will all be a bit mix matched but it will be theirs and will help take the pressure off whilst they find their feet. They have the unenviable task of telling friends and family at sometime soon. The only advice i gave on that was to tell them all sooner rather than later - that is my only regret, not telling my mum earlier and giving her more time to get used to the idea. Leaving it late resulted disaterously and whilst gradually improving, my relationship with my mum is still very fragile. S has become even more important in my mums life since we left, being the only one still there, and she is going to take it hard BUT I think that she won't be surprised and I hope that having seen how good a move it has been for us that she will be supportive. J has the task of telling her family and I really feel for her. S is after all coming TOO his family whilst she will be leaving hers behind. I did speak with her about it and she seems as prepared emotionally as anyone can hope to be.
I guess it's going to be a long stressful time for them but they have really taken their time and considered every option open to them. It's a decision they have taken based on what is best for them, which is what I have only ever wanted them to do, whether that be here or in UK.
Despite knowing they will soon be back it was even harder saying goodbye at the airport this time round! Maybe the first time they visited we were still caught up in the novelty of it all and hadn't been apart for too long but this time around I honestly felt like my stomach had been pulled out. Horrid, horrid feeling!
R & M are obviously over the moon at the idea of having their brother a couple of hours away, instead of the other side of the world. M especially will benefit from having his brother here. I have been worried about him over the last 12 months with the lack of male influence in the family. With R being a couple of months from getting her P plates S&J will no doubt be getting lots of visits when I 'just don't understand' my teenage children
Well that's about it for now - getting all emotional just writing it all down. If the rest of you are even half as happy as I am right now than we have all done good

sonlymewalter

A lot of migrants worry about children settling down in a new country and sometimes we forget there are also older *kids* left back in the previous home country That's just as big a worry especially if you think you'll not see them live in your new country and it can be years between visits.....

Great to hear you had a lovely time and also that he's thinking of moving over here. Finally getting your family together

Been there done that so know what it feels like mate, tis great news

scotgirl1

Thanks for that. I move there in a few weeks from uk and am petrified, but you have given me the courage to just dive right in. Many thanks.

daunted

You are most welcome It's no easy ride, in fact it's damned hard work but if you want it bad enough you will make it work. Good luck with the move

nurseval

Thank you moneypenny for showing me this link..

Hi Mandy

reading your thread has been very informative... I do have a question in regards to this single parent allowance thing.. My children have not seen their father since they were babies; there would be no way I can give information of where he is etc... any adivce?

Oh and would love to see the spreadsheet, all the information I can get would be great... I did a thread as was worried about being a single parent and making the move..

daunted

Hi Nurseval - nice to meet you

This thread really has been my therapy over the past 31/2 years and still makes me cry at times

In so far as providing absent parent information I have to be perfectly honest and say I dont know for sure but I have had nothing but good/helpful experiences of the CSA/centrelink over here. Have you not had to get permission from their father to bring them to Australia? I'm taking a wild guess that you could make some sort of statuatory declaration BUT that is like I say only a wild guess - I was lucky in so far as my ex was supportive of my decision to move. http://www.csa.gov.au/ this is the CSA website that may be able to shine some light on it - email them and see what they have to say. Or try centrelink @ http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne...s/pg_index.htm I'm sorry I can't be of more help but I would rather give you no information than wrong information
The spreadsheet is a little out of date now but i was only thinking yesterday that perhaps I would get the info together again. What would you like me to include??

Hey and good luck with the whole move - it is without a doubt the hardest thing that I have ever done, I work harder here than i have ever worked in my life BUT I'm hoping my Kids and Grandkids will get the benefit

nurseval

No that is fantastic information thank you hun; have to admit when I was shown the link I read the first page not realising it was over 3hrs hehe.. well done to you sweetie

iamthecreaturefromuranus

They must have been bloody busy to fit that lot into three hours.

nurseval

lol

Love your username by the way hehe