So, it’s just a week away till I head down to Melbourne to catch my flight to the UK.  I will have a day with my son and daughter in law before I leave.  I’m so excited I can’t even begin to find the words to write.. but I am also so nervous.  This is the culmination of a lifetime’s dreaming.  This is the reality of all those wishes, prayers and dreams.  If it doesn’t live up to my expectations, what is there left?

But I know it will.  We haven’t planned a huge amount as we both feel that if we plan it we may not have the freedom to go where the wind takes us.  We have a vague plan of how we will hit the ground  running, but nothing too definite expect for celebrating St Patrick’s Day in Dublin with my dear friend and her husband from Sweden.

However, before we get to Ireland, we have a few planned, jampacked days ahead of us.  Catching up with my niece and sightseeing in London upon arrival.  Next day, down to Bath, Windsor Castle, Stonehenge etc.  Third day… wait for it……. A DAY TRIP TO PARIS… Fourth day, up to Glasgow then onto Edinburgh, then on the fifth day, finally heading over to Ireland where it gets to the pretty much unplanned part.

We’ve had brilliant news too.  My cousin who lives in the USA now, was going to come over the day before we left Ireland and we’d get to catch up for only a day.  Now she’s getting there 3 or 4 days earlier so we actually have some decent catch up time and she will celebrate her 50th birthday with us.  Oh Ireland, I hope you’re ready lol.  I’m not saying we’re loud when we’re all together BUT…  the population of Ireland may wish to invest in ear plugs.. We do talk a lot lol.  Just issuing the warning now.

So, I have to start to pack.. I’ve been putting it off because I didn’t want to start to panic too soon.  I could pack the day before and still be ready but if I packed too soon, I’d start to really get anxious about it all, so this time, procrastination pays off.  I have this week to get through yet, with another 2 days at TAFE.  My anxiety levels are already through the roof with everything that is going on around me but I know once I get on that plane, it will all melt away.

I love Australia.. always have and always will. It is my home, no ifs, buts or maybes. But I’ve always known that Ireland is my spiritual home.  The place where my heart will finally be complete.  My beautiful grandmother may never have got back there but now her 3 granddaughters will finally see that land she always told us about and bring a part of her home with us.  The land she made us yearn for.  The jewel of my heart.

It’s finally happening. Years and years of yearning, wishing, dreaming and I’m finally going home.. Ireland here we come.  Éire jewel mo chroí

Amanna Shona romhainn… Livvy 🙂

PS.. If you don’t hear from me in the next week, rest assured, I’ll just be in a corner somewhere having a bit of an anxious moment lol.