We've made it down under.

Rosslyn bay.  Our apartment is across the bay, about 1/3 from the left border.

Whew!  Deep breath!
When we last posted, it was regarding going away/Christmas parties.  So much has happened since then, it will be a challenge to condense my writing.  So I think I'll just hit the highlights, and save some of the stories for another time.
Long story short - we packed up our house of 10 years, said goodbye to our family and friends, and left cold wintry Texas.  And now, less than one week later, I'm sitting in shorts and a t-shirt, on our patio at our apartment in Australia, looking out at the palm trees and water of the Coral Sea.  In the summer.  In Tricia's words, "It's surreal."

View from our patio.  The beach starts just past the trees.

I know the first question you might be having.  What's it like there?  Okay, I'll indulge you.  I mean, really I'd like to write a long story about how hard it was to pack up our house, how sad it was saying goodbye to family and friends, how we got all of our possessions to the other side of the world, etc.  But, no, that's not why you are reading this.  You want to know what Australia's like, don't you?
So here it is... It's not that different!
Not what you expected?  Well, I know we've only been here a few days, and I'm no expert on Australia yet, but it really is very familiar.
In fact, occasionally we are lulled into thinking we're in the states.  That is, until something major smacks us in the face.  We wake in the morning, make coffee, the kids are up watching the Disney channel, eat a little cereal with milk, no problem.  Need to go to the grocery store, so we walk out to the car, and walk to the left side to find no steering wheel.  Ah!  Australia!
Start the car, pull out, drive up to the stop sign, start to turn on the left blinker and the windshield wipers come on.  Ah!  Australia!  Shopping in the grocery store, buying tortilla chips, cheese, avocados, apricots (in December!), ground beef, and what's this?  Kangaroo meat!  Ah!  Australia!
But this place is great!
The people are so very welcoming and friendly!
The weather is beautiful!  Rain a little yesterday, sun today, ocean breezes.
The community feels very clean and safe!
The apartment is comfortable and fits our family well, and the location couldn't be better!
My only negative so far?  In my tennis shoes at the grocery store today, I felt like my feet were overdressed.  Gotta find my flip-flops!
Next post, maybe we'll discuss the plane ride(s). 
-Peter

The boats at Keppel Bay Marina, this morning.