Back in Substack land
We moved across the country and survived!
Thank you for joining me at Life With Mars, and welcome to my new subscribers, I am so glad you have found us! I know you signed up and I have been AWOL, but there was a good reason!
I have been absent while we made our move from near the top of the North Island to half way down the South Island of New Zealand. A life changing move such as this will never be easy for a family, and having a child with Autism has added a different layer of difficulty.
Mars has surprised us with his transition. There have been transitions we thought he would take in his stride but has struggled, and transitions we thought would be challenging that he has handled with ease. Kids never stop surprising you!
I have welcomed being back in the area that my husband and I grew up in, and just want to wrap all my favourite places in a hug and say “I have missed you”. My ability to explore, reminisce and immerse myself in the beauty of these places is travelling at a snails place but I am making small steps.
In the time since we left til we settled into our new home we have experienced a full spectrum of emotions.
Settling our oldest child into a new school with her fears of making friends and the comparisons one naturally makes with their old school environment. It has been a joy though to watch how she has adapted and transitioned so easily.
Being part of a new community. This has been a highlight, a small town giving a wonderful welcome to us all. Everyone we have met is so friendly, plus we have discovered authentic Morrocan donuts which are outrageously, dangerously delicious and well worth a gluten hit for me.
Mars has been enveloped into a huge hug at a local kindergarten, determined to help us as we transition him into school next year. He is loving all the new resources and it is beautiful watching him join in with other children.
Organising all the paperwork for schooling and also our allocated funding transfer has been quite the headache and I am still working on it.
Last but not least, experiencing our extended family step up and help us. This was the driving force behind our move. We just couldn’t keep travelling a road that felt like 2 steps back 1 step forward, alone anymore. Feeling so grateful to be home and surrounded by their love and care.
I am looking forward to getting back into my weekly rhythm of writing and sharing. Here are a few of my joys since I returned back to Canterbury after 13.5 years as an Aucklander.
I am so, so happy to hear all these positives along with your move!! May it all continue to blossom for you and your family. And, I'm thrilled that you are back here, too!