Melvin Neely

I love you Melvin Neely! You will be greatly missed. I will take you with me wherever I go.

The Land of Oz

Well we made it to Oz!!!

After a very long flight and a layover in Fiji we made in to Sydney at last. Our packs weigh so much when you have to walk all over the city to find the right train and make sure you don't get lost on the way to your hostel but we survived the many ups and down of traveling so far across the world. We got to see the Opera House by ferry and then walk along the harbor ate some pasta and got some gelato to end the evening with a walk around the Opera House and some fun pics. Amazing! Traveling to Brisbane was not near as difficult as we were picked up and dropped off at our hostel... The Yellow Submarine!!!! Our room was YELLOW hahahahaha we had to get our VISA label so now we are officially legal! Woo Hoo! After a LONG night of hearing everyone in the place either talk, stomp, knock on doors and whatever else you can dream up we woke the next morning and had a nice breakfast at a cafe on the corner and headed off to the bus station to catch a 5 hour bus ride to Rainbow Beach where I am now writing to you all.

It's gorgeous here and the sunset on the beach was wonderful. We are two of 6 people to start this adventure together. Emma is from England, Micheal is from France and Kevin and Stephani are from Germany. The Germans had never been to the ocean before and were absolutely adorable as they quickly got unto their swiming suits and dispite the nip in the air they ran into the ocean and swam out to see. I of course was very nervous as I've been obsessed with the water and the many dangers that lerk in it but they returned safely to the beach right before dark and had the biggest grins on their faces. Tomorrow I think we will all venture out there when it's warm... I don't know how far I will venture as I'm chicken when it comes to BIG WATER and KILLER SHARKS but I think I will do my best.

As you can see from my pictures we got to stop at the entrance of Steve Irwins Zoo so I snapped a quick pic just incase that's my only encounter. Now I'm not one to like Zoo's but I think that zoo is one I'd like to visit. We shall see though.

We are here for the entire weekend and on my birthday no less! Yay! Danielle got me the coolest present EVER! It's a t-shirt that says Jesus is a Cheesehead and a picture of Jesus wearing a Green Bay Packers Cheese Head!!!!! I always knew! hahahahaha

It's been crazy to say the least and to top it off it's hard to be happy during all of this. My very dear friend Melvin Neely passed away the day we left on this year long adventure. Although I said goodbye to him it hurts that I could not be there for his family and the ones I love so deerly during this tough time. I am dedicating all my work here in Australia to Melvin as he so wanted to work for jsut a month on a station here and experience life in Australia. He told me he would watch over me and help guide me over the next year and I believe deep down that he is already with me on this new journey. I want to send out all my love to the Neely's during this time. I miss you, I love you and I wish more than anything that I could have been there as support for you. I love you Melvin thank you for teaching me what you could and opening your heart to me. I will carry you with me wherever I go.

Goodbyes to Texas... :(

First I had to say goodbye to my girls... we have been together for 13 years and have had many fun adventures and misadventures and troubles, tears, bruises and you name it. I owe these girls a lot. They are my family and I couldn't have gotten to where I am today without them. Beaker and Beth you two mean so much to me and it was so hard to say goodbye to you but you both know it's not forever because you two are forever in my life and in my heart and we will be together again one day soon ~ it will happen faster than you think. You take care of each other in my absence and I will be thinking of you daily. I love you both so much and will miss you deeply. We went to the Japanese Water Gardens and discovered nature and played with fish and Beaker even tried to be brave and touch one but that didn't last long hahahaha. But our greatest discovery of the day was...

Beth is not so sure but is pondering the subject...

Beaker is quite disgusted and unsure of the matter...

And I found the answer!!!!! Yes in fact they do... google it people!

Never a dull moment with the three of us around! Ladies we are a pair/triplet and no one quite gets us the way we get each other when we are together. Thank you for letting me be me and being my go to girls. I love you so much!

Then it was time to say goodbye to my boys... now let me tell you that is NOT an easy task! Those Neely boys mean the world to me and just capture my heart and have always had me wrapped around their finger. Luke was the hardest I was a blubbering idiot and just held onto him so tight and loved him with everything I had. Aidan and I had an approrite 4 year old goodbye...

A: How much do you love me?

R: As much as the sun...

A: And the moon?

R: Yep that too and the sky and the earth...

A: And the stars?

R: And the stars... I love you more than everything put together!

(at this point Aidan puts his hands behind his back to show that in hand motion... like this he says)

R: Yep!

A: Even more than my brother....?

hahahaha to this I tell him I love his brother just as equally :) too funny and so knew it was coming too.

I kissed his sweet head goodnight and he just melted off to sleep. Precious boy.

I went to dinner with the Neely/Morris clan. They were celebrating Gary and Betty's 40th Anniversay and they invited me to join them. I was very honored and glad I could break bread with them one last time. That family means so much to me. We had a wonderful time together and then went home and played wii and tried to prolong the goodbyes. I cried my eyes out... not sure how I had anything left to cry but Debbie sure was the hardest one to say goodbye to. She is my sister given to me by God himself. She may never know how much she means to me but I think she may have an idea. I will miss our talks and our random texts and crisis modes of helping each other out. We have been through a lot and I will carry our friendship with me wherever I go! I love you Debbie Neely!

Dail I'm gunna miss our rides together... even though you push me to my limit and kill me ten times over it was always a fun ride. You take care of my family now and yourself. You are the big brother I never had and I will miss our desk side talks. :)

Alas I said goodbye to my sister Robin and her family. They made it easy on me becasue we are the type of family to crack jokes through serious things so it was very laid back and hugs were exchanged and punchlines were dropped. Garet you take care of yourself and listen to Sommer she is looking out for your best interest. Robin be good to Jess and Jess be better to Robin :) Sarah be a good mommy and cherish every moment with Ashten Nicole and never take Sommer for granted she loves you so much and Sommer you take care of my baby girl and watch out for that family of mine they mean so much to me. You do to!

I love you guys so much and goodbyes are hard but this goodbye is not forever! Post cards and updates from Australia are soon to come but first Colorado and California with my Dad and my Logan. Just one more adventure before I leave the states. :)