The countdown till we leave New Zealand is sadly on. We will fly out on 7 August, but as that time draws closer we are enjoying a close coming together with the people that have meant so much to us in our lives here.
This past week, being the last week of term 2 here in New Zealand, has been one of final tap classes, shared lunch farewells, touching cards and messages.
My neighbour of some years – who has children of a similar age – who are like cousins to my children – wrote some tear jerking words in a card, which accompanied a photo book of memories she’d made…
‘Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance,
they make the latitudes and longitudes.‘
So, this week I am loving the way people have opened up to us with touching messages and good wishes.
I am loving the friendships we’ve been blessed to have in our years living here – and know that they will bring us back to New Zealand – as much as the country itself.
I feel comfort in knowing this adventure we are about to embark upon needs only be just that – as we will still have a wonderful home and extended family of dear friends in New Zealand. We shall go to Santa Barbara with open hearts, with full intention to enjoy a year there – beyond that… we shall see. We have no way of anticipating, but are in a fortunate position to be able to keep our home here in New Zealand and have it looked after by a good friend.
I will miss the warm hearted, open, friendly and non-superficial people of this country. New Zealanders really see people from inside out – not the other way round. I have always felt relaxed, at ease and ‘myself’ here. I can walk out the house without a scrap of make-up, bare-footed, and pop into the supermarket, without anyone blinking an eye. That’s really how it is – at least it has been in my little corner of New Zealand! I love that about New Zealand.
Love the coffee here too! I’m sure we’ll find plenty of good cafes in Santa Barbara (Dan and I have already scouted out a few online and are ensuring we invest in a coffee machine ASAP on arrival!).
And in the midst of winter, here in our little corner of New Zealand, I love that there are beautiful cafes by the sea – literally on the beach(Maranui, Lyall Bay, forever in my heart!) – that serve up the most scrumptious food and drinks (with the most wonderful, genuine service too!).
This weekend we are travelling up to Auckland for our final visa interview at the US Consulate, but besides that, we are visiting some very wonderful friends that we’ve know for a number of years – whom we first ‘met’ through the Internet and this blog – and then became friends when they moved to New Zealand, from the UK, and lived in Wellington for a few years. They now live up at beautiful Snells Beach, close to Warkworth to the north of Auckland. We are so, so looking forward to spending a couple of nights with them.
Hope you’ve had something to love this week? I am so enjoying having my three daughters all at home with me. This is a time for coming together, being close, revelling in each other’s company ahead of the adventure ahead.
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I’m joining in with my friend of many years, Meghan of ‘Exploring Beauty with MNMs’ on her weekly ‘Things I’m Loving’ linky. Click on over to find out what Meghan and others have been loving this week:
