we're here

We've been in Mackay for just over a week now. We feel winter is warm!

Almost there

Lots of packing.
Got a "new car". Actually a 1992 model. Nathan detailed it today so that it is clean and shiny for me and the boys.
He gets to drive a work ute up so we can take whatever will fit on the back and in the boot of the Mazda!
Still bits and pieces of our stuff all over the house, wanting to pack up the ute Sunday afternoon so that we're all ready to go Monday morning, arriving Mackay on Tuesday afternoon. Nathan starts work Wednesday morning.
We've applied to rent a furnished house 2 blocks from the beach. We should hear back Wednesday (because of the long weekend), and hope to move in on Saturday. Staying in a nice apartment until then on the Pioneer River, thanks to Nath's work :)
On the family front, Ryan is 3 months old, Daniel's vocabulary is starting to grow (yellow duck, mummy play, please, just to name a few).
Next update from Mackay.

We come, we go.

We're off to Mackay, about 12hrs drive north of Brisbane. Weather is similar to Brisbane, but more humid.

After 3 weeks of job-hunting, Nathan got his first call back on Tuesday morning. He had an interview 2 hours later, and we got a call back Wednesday to say the job was his! God is good. Nathan is getting great pay considering it's been a while since he's engineered, they are paying removal costs, and giving us an accommodation allowance. Mining is one of Mackay's industries, which apparently drives up rental prices. Nathan will be doing Quality Assurance work as Project Engineer on a road project. The company he is employed with is looking to expand quickly, which means there is room for promotion soon. We will be in Mackay for 6 months, after which there will be openings at Townsville or Brisbane.

It's been a whirlwind few days! Originally they told us they wanted Nathan to start in Mackay on Monday 7th! Thankfully that was wrong info. He starts work Monday in Brisbane, and then we'll head up the next weekend. Not sure of any logistics just yet. Trying to finalise quite a few things in Brisbane, and do some shopping in the 'big city'. We're sorting through the homewares we left in my parent's shed for 3 years. Some things didn't cope well with storage, and our tastes have changed a little too.

We've spent some time applying with Centrelink for government family payments, and we've received generous backpay so we have money to buy what we need. Nathan is out buying work clothes, safety boots, and getting new glasses. We've been offered a car which would need a little bit of work (1994 model), but would save us another big expense right now.

We've been catching up with family and some friends, but time seems to have almost run out :( I feel a little robbed of family time since we are going again after a month, but it is better than nothing, and we will at least be in the same state.