You read that right. I’ve got a new job!

Ok, so you might wonder, what is my old job? I am a Web Analyst (I always think it’s funny that the word anal is in my job title), and I look after one very important internal Drupal based intranet for 30,000 employees. I adore the team I’m on and my boss and I are pretty much inseparable when it comes to work. She’s my ying, I’m her yang. Bread and butter. Salt and pepper. You get the idea. So I’m going to miss her like crazy.

Why would I leave said job you might ask?

For a long long long time, ever since I took said job, I have been wanting staff. (People to learn from, to motivate and grow with, to support and encourage. I also want to branch out and see other parts of our organization.) Not from a corporate position (like where I am now) but more ministerial, more granular as they say in our lingo.

The time has come. I’m nervous, excited, stoked, scared, joyful, overwhelmed, and looking forward to what the future has to hold. I feel like a new kid on the first day of school knowing a handful of people.

Some people have already told me that I have a big role to fill and a big job ahead of me. Some people have told me that they are looking to me for the experience and knowledge that I will bring. I guess that makes me feel wanted. The peeps back in my old stomping ground tell me that there will be big shoes to fill when I leave. So does big shoes equal, big job ahead of me?

I’m hoping so.

Have you ever left the comfort of your job to branch out and try something new? Have you followed your dreams to the point of scaredom? Do you wonder what your professional future holds?

I’m getting excited about Christmas! Not unlike Robin at Farewell Stranger, I’m one of those people who frowns on seeing Christmas post December 1st. I shake my head at the decorations that go up more than a month in advance and the commercialism that surrounds us way before it’s needed.

But something is different this year. Maybe it’s because I’m on maternity leave and I just want to celebrate something. Maybe it’s because it’s my wee babe’s first Christmas. Or maybe it’s because we’ve come all the way to the other side of the world to my hubby’s native land to see just what it’s like over here at Christmas time. Whatever it is, I’m digging it this year.

Last year we didn’t even put up a tree. I think the tweenager was a little disappointed but I was hugely pregnant and I just couldn’t fathom taking down a tree right after giving birth. This year we aren’t going to have a tree either although, I would really like to get a little decorative tree with lights that we could put on a table to admire through the holiday evenings. It has to sit on a table to get far enough away from the destructive reaches of the wee babe.

I am thrilled that we actually have REAL mistletoe hanging in our hallway. I don’t think I’ve ever seen real mistletoe! And my hubby and I take advantage of it whenever we can.

I understand that December 6th is a special day in Switzerland. I hope that my hubby is going to do something traditional on this day for the tweenager and the wee babe (hint hint hubby).

There are decorations throughout the streets of our town and the neighbouring towns. There are craft markets happening everywhere. The sweet smell of cinnamon and nutmeg linger in the air. We will be visiting Santa on top of Rochers de Naye AND he will be arriving in Vevey by helicopter on the 21st.

There’s so much to see and do here and it’s all within walking distance which makes it really cool to check out without having to plan a whole day around things.

I’m not really a big Christmas baker but I was thinking of doing up a few oldies but goodies to get us even more in the holiday mood and remind me a little bit of back home (cheese sticks sans orange cheese, ginger bread men and maybe some shortbread).

I’ve heard some Christmas music in the malls and I’m really looking forward to hearing some Swiss Christmas carols (do they call them that?) that I’m not familiar with. I have yet to turn on the Christmas iTunes but it’s not far away I assure you.

Me thinks me and the tweenager should do up some Christmas crafts that we could normally hang on a tree and decorate the apartment with them to make things a little more festive at home.

I’m a little sad that I don’t get to make hand-made Christmas cards this year since all my craft supplies are back in Canada but we’re going to try it electronically this year and we’re going to have a little fun with it! I hope our family and friends enjoy it. I’ll post it up on the blog when we release it.

What’s in store for us on Christmas eve and Christmas day? I’m not really sure yet but I’m sure that we will be spending it with family. It’s been 7/8 years since my hubby has been home for Christmas and I’m positive that he’s going to want to spend it traditionally with his family.

What I’m the MOST excited for is seeing a real Christmas tree decorated with REAL candles! Every year the hubby turns up his nose at our twinkling lights strung around the tree, and reminisces about holidays past where there has been real candles on the tree. I always admonish him about the dangers of fire on an evergreen but he ensures me, it is fine. This is the year, my friends, that I get to see this in action – and I can wait!

Regardless, I’m really looking forward to the memories that we make this holiday season with friends and family and new Swiss traditions that we hopefully can take a little bit back to Canada with us (maybe not the the candles in the tree though ).

And then once we’re back in Canada we get to do it all over again with my family! Two Christmas’s is not too shabby!

What traditions are you looking forward to this year?

As I write this we are sitting on a BC Ferry. The 11 o’clock to be precise. Get this: lady luck is for sure smiling on us as we made it to the ferry terminal at 10:48am thinking there would be no way we would make the 11am on long weekend and we ended up being the 2nd to last car on. No way! I don’t think I’ve EVER had as good as luck as that.

Interesting story though. More than one person told us it would be in our best interest to get reservations for today. Nutso for not doing it. My mother (yeah mom, I’ve got to gloat) even said that we would probably be facing a 5 hour wait. We were thinking 2 hours max. And we were ready for that to save the $17.50. Hey, we’re stingy and have a whole month of costs to budget for. Including stickers to paint the Thule with. More on that later. Oh yeah, and we bet a dinner in St. John’s when we are reunited again. Guess who won! Woot Woot!!

So, let me backtrack. We woke up at 6:30am, showered and started the 3 or 4 loads of left over laundry that we needed to do. I lost track after doing about 17 loads yesterday. When you’re leaving for 6 months, evidentally, there are a lot of things to wash!!

Anyway, we met up with the new tenant and then my parents came over for one last farewell. And luckily, my mom stuck around and looked after the baby while we ran around packing up all our last minute stuff.

It’s definitely tight in the Subaru (which will affectionately be called the Sube from here on out.)

We’ve started the odometer at 0 to clock our trip and of course, the secondary odometer at 0 when we filled up the gas. The hubby will be watching our fuel consumption like a hawk. Let’s hope all the research on tire pressure and wind resistance has paid off to shave off even a sliver of our $900+ gas bill.

Pulling out of the driveway was really surreal. it’s one of those things I’ve been dreaming about for a while. Saying good bye to the house, yard, car… I was really happy to have my mom there to be waving at us. Made it much more loving somehow.

We’re en route to my cousin’s home in Richmond. I think we’re actually going to get there early. Who knew!!

Tomorrow our destination is Vernon. We’ve heard that there has been a mud slide near Chiliwack/Hope so we might gain sometime if there is a detour. We shall see.

Until tomorrow!

EXPENSES:

Gas: $45.97 @ 1.249/litre
Ferry: $85.00
Food: Sangies made @ home
Extras: going to look for a sticker now
Weather: Overcast but warm
Things we’ve forgotten: nothing that we know of yet (good sign)
Luck meter: 100%
Stress level: tipping the scales @ 90% around 10am and now down to a lower 15%

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs lately. A lot. and I’m not sure this is a good thing because I think it’s been hindering me to actually blog.

Something is dwelling inside me that feels a bit like: I’m not as funny as her, I’m not as good a writer as her, I’m not as interesting, blah blah blah…It’s all in my head.

I have to look inside and see why I wanted to blog. What was my purpose? I want to blog about me, my family, my experiences. And I blog for me. Not for anyone else.

So, I want to blog about things that I want to remember.

I know something I want to remember.

I want to remember how incredibly excited I am right now. How fortunate I feel. I’m screaming on the inside with the biggest smile on my face. Waa hoo! Is all I want to yell.

We’ve got one month until we leave and then no ties. Well, there’s still a few ties, but I kinda feel like a kid again. Setting out on a BIG grandiose adventure. Not sure what’s waiting for me. Knowing there will be a few challenging times I’m sure, but the exploring and adventure will outweigh all of that.

Being outside. Camping. Taking photos. The unknown. Figuring it out as we go. Meeting new people. Making new friends. Learning new things. Watching my tweenager experience it all. Growing. Sharing it all with my Swiss mister. Being present.

I’m so excited I can barely contain myself. Seriously.

And I’ve got nothing to worry about as far as blogging goes. I’m going to have plenty to write about in one short month. Plenty baby. It’s going to be:

AWESOME!!!

I find that I only blog about our multi-country preparations when I’m feeling overwhelmed. Is that a good thing? Therapy much?

I think I turn to my blog to help me sort my thoughts. Get everything in order and then move forward. Onward and upward.

As the time looms closer (a little over a month now), I’m finding so many mixed emotions.

Overwhelmed by all the things we need to get done before we leave.

Nervous about the exchange of the keys for the people we have moving in temporarily.

Excited by the trip of a life time.

Afraid of the unknown. Not knowing how my wee babe is going to grow and what stages she is going to go through when while we’re away.

Protective of my tweenager to make sure all her needs and emotions are met.

Happy and lucky to be able to give our children such an amazing experience.

Anxious about the well being of our tenants.

Freeing once we’re on the road. I can’t wait to feel this feeling to it’s fullest. Granted it will probably take me a couple of days to feel this in it’s entirety – to let go of my lists and responsibilities and know that I’ve taken care of it all – but won’t that feel amazing…

Over and above everything, this is really challenging my “controlling” nature. Not being able to get a grip on everything I’m feeling, is leaving me to feel a bit distorted. Actually, a lot distorted.

I’m finding that I just want to keep doing fun things around here while the weather is getting better and better. Let’s go to Sidney Spit for the day. How about camping next weekend with my best friend and her family? And who can say no to BBQ’s a plenty.

But after yesterday, I think I’m going to have to bid these events adieu until 2012. My hubby and I went through our house yesterday, making yet another list to decide on what we need to pack up. We need to do this because of the people we have moving into the house. And after we did that (it’s a loooooong list), we itemized it to figure out what can be done now, and what needs to wait until the weekend before and what waits until the day before. We have a lot of things that need to wait until the weekend before. A LOT.

And that’s just packing up the house! Then there’s packing of our suitcases. 4 people (one infant) and three seasons. Figuring out the logistics of who’s going to water the garden, how do we do the exchanging of the keys, fixing a few things around the house, packing the camping gear, packing the car, cleaning the house from top to bottom, making sure I have enough clothes for the wee babe for the size she will be in the season it will be…

Phewf! Head is spinning again. Take it one day at a time. You can do this.

Start making a dent in what needs to get done and you’ll feel like you’re getting somewhere. Give your tweenager hugs and reassurances that everything is going to be ok. Include her in the preparations so it feels like we’re moving forward. Make lists, check things off. Check lots of things off so it feels like you’re on top of it all.

It’s all going to get done before we leave. It will. There’s no doubt about that.

Onward and upward.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Ok, so it’s not exactly Christmas but we’re getting ready for the trip of a lifetime and if that’s not a Christmasy feeling I don’t know what is.

Across Canada. Wow, we’re really going to do this with a wee babe. I sat down today with a colleague and his wife to talk about their trip across Canada with their little man. It really got me in the mood. It really got me jazzed and it really got me adding to my already lengthy lists!

We talked about stopping every two hours, a backseat kit with toys and books, babybands, wipes that sanitize, pumping, camping, hoteling, skycotts, etc…

Then the other part of the trip: our voyage to Switzerland and Europe. There’s so much stuff to think about. Wills, life insurance, medical insurance, car insurance, RESP’s, mail, gardening, the tweenager’s schooling, accommodation, toys, clothing for 3 seasons, packing up a house, getting tenants, passports, visas, everything and then some. I was a up and coming project manager at my work. If I’m not an expert project manager at the end of all of this I don’t know what other experience I would need. Wowsers, talk about a lot of balls in the air.

But man oh man am I stoked. I’m pumped. Things are getting done, and every day I’m one day closer to a dream I had – crossing my country. I’m one day closer to a remarkable experience for my tweenager – living abroad for 6 months, and one day closer to my Swiss mister’s trip home.

I count my blessings. We are lucky and maybe a little bit crazy. My hubby and I work like a well oiled machine. Him taking care of everything Swiss. Me taking care of everything Canadian. Us tying up the loose ends we might not have thought about. Bouncing ideas off of each other. Working to a budget. A time line. We are an amazing team getting it all done and we are even throwing a going away BBQ before we leave.

I can feel it. We’re getting so close.