This week we are selling our home in England.  It was a really bittersweet moment seeing it up on the real estate website this morning in all it’s glory.  To us it was so much more than just a house, it was our home.  The very first home that Mr D and I bought and lived in together.  It was the very first building block to the foundation of our family. It was where both Master J and Miss H were born.  It seems so long ago now but it was where so many memories are locked away.  Looking at all the photos online this morning brought them all flooding back, and I can almost hear the voices and conversations of precious friends and family as they’ve come and gone, in and out of that little house.  It feels very sad to be selling up, but on the flip side we’ve made Australia our new home now and we have to look forward in order to really move forward.  Beside we have our very own Aussie bub now in Miss L.
This is how it appears on the web at the moment.  If anyone is interested in buying it -let me know :))))))) (but you have to love it as much as we did).  You can view it HERE
When we first bought the house it was a total wreck and Mr D and I re-decorated every inch of it bit by bit.  Well actually it was mostly Mr D!  He is such an annoying perfectionist that he wouldn’t let me anywhere near a paint brush, and when I did attempt to do a bit of painting he would hover over me like a dragonfly until I handed over the brush!!  We did have a great agreement though: I would choose all the colours and the decor and he would do all the DIY!!!! Who can argue with that?? (one day I’ll tell you my secret – or maybe it’s being a crap painter??)
It wasn’t all plain sailing though, we did have several DIY disasters along the way.  I remember the day when Mr D decided to re-tile the kitchen.  He pulled all the appliances out of the kitchen including the fridge and washing machine and left them unconnected in the middle of the dining room so he could work.  The only problem was that he was off to the USA on a business trip early the next morning, and by the afternoon he was no where near finished!!!!!!  “You can’t just leave me for a week with a tiny baby and no fridge or washing machine!!!” I wailed, freaking out – mid meltdown!!!  (I had visions of having to move in with my mum for a few days for the second time since Master J was born).  Luckily he managed to finish it all on time – at about 6am the following morning, just an hour before his taxi arrived to take him to the airport!!!  What an awesome hubby!!

The garden was another HUGE project we he tackled!  Mr D took it very seriously and even put string across the lawn to make sure it was all completely level.  He was very precious about his grass (and got teased mercilessly but all his mates) but it did look absolutely fantastic when it was all finished.  My job was to choose and buy the flowers, which I loved. The whole project was a slightly stressful at times as I’m sure you can image that English weather and ALL THAT MUD was a nightmare!!!)  I have just showed Master J these pictures and he doesn’t remember them at all.  It seems so strange that such a huge part of our lives will be pretty much non existent in the kids lives.

This was taken during the last summer before we left for Australia
Miss H’s very first bedroom
Mmmmmmm maybe I did used to do a bit of baking!!!! (All out of a packet though – look how far I’ve come).

The day we had to pack up and leave happened so quickly that we didn’t really have a chance to reflect or say goodbye properly.  The removal men invaded like a swarm of ants and anything and everything in sight was boxed, packaged and packed up before you could say your name backwards.  They were so thorough that when we unpacked a few months later the bin that had been in Pete’s office was still full of crumpled up papers!!!  It was a bitterly cold February day and Nanny Soph (the kids nanny) brought them back to the house before the big van left so that they could see it and say goodbye to our home.  Miss H sleep through the whole thing and Master J and I had a little cry.  I don’t think he actually understood what was happening and just cried because I did!!  After that we went to live with Granny and Grandpa for a month before the big trip to Aus.

When we first arrived in Sydney, not knowing a single person, I really wasn’t sure how long we would last and keeping our home in England was like having a bit of a safely blanket.  I had no idea how far we would come in two years and how much we would change and grow as a family. I smile fondly when I think about the old me and how different my life was not so long ago. Somedays I miss her, but on the whole I couldn’t be happier here (Just wish my family would move too – hint, hint).

The age old saying the your home is where your heart is couldn’t be truer for us.

Have you ever had a big house or country move before?  How did you cope?

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| 14 Comments

14 comments on “The next chapter in our lives………Selling our home in England”

  4. I am glad you’re here, too! I know how hard it is to move countries – I’ve done it 3 times now. To Indonesia once and Brazil twice. It’s such an emotional thing to go through, so big pats on the back to you for being so tough. I just love the backyard of your English house – I want to run out there and play! I’m sure your buyers will love it to bits. Good luck with everything 🙂 Katie

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  5. Your house is England is so lovely! It is sad to sell but glad to hear you have settled in here nicely. I am on the Gold Coast and there is nothing like that gorgeous little house here, i wish!

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  6. I know how difficult it is to move around the world away from everyone – but you have settled in here so well now !!!
    What a beautiful home – if I was in England I would have bought it and loved it just as much as you did !
    Have a wonderful week !
    Me

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  7. Wow what a gorgeous home you left and that backyard, made with love. I bet it’s hard to think that it’s no longer yours 🙁 But once you have funds in hand you can set about buying your dream home/property and create another house with all the love you so obviously put in to each and everything you do. xx

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  9. What a sad day that was for us – we all miss the De Beers desperately!! I’ve finally created a profile so I can actually comment on your blogs Robs – so expect a whole lot more from me now 🙂 I LOVE reading your blogs – every single one 🙂 They really keep us in touch with what is happening in your lives. Lots of love and miss you as always xx

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  10. Wow, what a beautiful house Mrs D and amazing memories. Homes are special to me too. They hold part of our soul, and all those conversations and memories. I loved the backyard. I hope u are really happy in yr new home, Kim (sorry this is a bit late, it’s been a frantic week), kim

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  11. I completely agree with Kerry, Robs. You are so missed but reading your blogs is such a fantastic way of hearing your news and sharing in your new life. Your huge courage is so admirable is encourages me personally to take that brave step to move where new opportunities lie.xxx

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