Ok while we wait and wait for the visa we need to get moving on selling the house. Even though we haven't finished decorating or finishing the shower room things need to get going. Tracey has arranged for a few estate agents to come round at the end of the week so its all systems go. Upstairs is done and just needs to be kept tidy (some  hope) while its finishing touches downstairs to be done. I think we will feel a lot happier once teh house is on the market as this will be the last stumbling block. No sale, no go. Because of the medicals we have to enter Australia before November. Seems a long way off at the moment but I'm sure time will soon pass.

 Had an email this morning from Australia. A case officer has been assigned to us to check through our visa application. The only extra thing that she has asked is for us to sign a form which is like a mission statement of how we should behave while in Australia. Luckily is for over 18s only or we would have to get Jack and Sophie to lie about the way they behave.  

 The next step is that the lodged visa will be forwarded onto 'The Big Boss' to decide whether we will be granted a visa or not.  

 Yesterday (13th November) we all set off to Sheffield for our medicals. We took 2 cars to get us all there leaving Gainsborough at 09.30. We arrived in Sheffield with a good half hour to spare before the booked x-rays at 11.00 in Claremont Hospital, Sandygate Road. Unfortunately the directions that we downloaded from the internet were in a word incorrect.  We arrived late but the staff were brilliant and put up with being invaded by the tribe. We left there later than planned so had to put back any food intake until after the medicals which were in the Duke Medical Centre a mere 13 minutes away again according to our internet directions. It took us around about an hour but again the staff were fabby and got us through quicker than I would have imaged and we were in McDonalds by 4.30.

 Sophie was unable/unwilling to produce a urine sample but big sister Sarah did manage to get her to produce a very small dribble. Tracey took the 'sample' back to Dukes and showed them, using her children nurse skills, how to test a dribble using a syringe and needle.

 We then sat in traffic for hours to get out of Sheffield arriving home about 19.00. After a drink and food break I set off with Sarah and Steven to take them back home to Corby and arrived back in Gainsborough just before midnight.

 It was a long day for everyone and the young ones were really good. Methinks a trip to Toys 'r' us has been earned by them all.

 All the x-rays were normal as were all the performed checks. The only thing we are waiting on are the blood tests which should take a week to ten days to come back from the lab.

 

 Oh and if we ever see Sheffield again it'll be too soon.

 

 We had a letter this morning from the ANMC in Australia. Tracey opened it expecting to see that they have received the assessment as we hadn't had one. Her face lit up when it actually said that not only had they recieved it but have confirmed that she had indeed passed it. So what next? Once the children have gone to bed we will double check our visa application on lodge it online. We already have the medicals booked next month so the only thing left to organise for the visa are the police checks.

 Yesterday 26th Aug) we had a day out in Hartsholme Park where a week before we meet the campers in cold wet weather. What a difference a week makes. Niamh was on good form and has now recovered from her infection. Jack and Sophie both managed to stay dry despite the fact we visited the lakes.

 It was such a shame that we didn't have this weather last weekend for the meet. I may have well camped with Jack and Sophie.

  I have added a few pictures of our day out.

 A meet was organised via the PIA website on Sunday 19th August at the Gamekeeper near Lincoln. Of course it being August the weather was going to be fab so some decided to camp at a nearby site to make a weekend of it. We would have camped if Joe wasn't so young and as it turned out it wasn't such a bad thing.

 

 We visited the campsite on the Saturday and put faces to names. The August weather turned into March as it started to rain getting heavier and heavier. Niamh was unusually whingy and was getting more and more upset as the day went on so Tracey took her home with Sophie and Joe. Jack and myself followed later but not after Jack had made himself at home in Mark and Leanne's tent and had had his dinner.

 

 On the Sunday we all went to the gamekeeper and met up with everyone else. Niamh was more and more unsettled and really wasn't right. We found it hard to talk to people as she wanted our full attention. Tracey again took her home along with Niamh to allow me to mingle. However, Jack and Sophie put a stop to that by getting very wet and cold. I had to take them home to dry them off and warm them up. Its this kind of weather that makes Australia even more appealing.

 I did pop back to the campsite on the Monday morning and said farewell to those hardy lot that had stayed the whole weekend despite the weather.

 

 Although the weekend was hard work what with the weather and children it wasn't a complete waste of time as we did get to speak to some people. It would have been nice to catch up with those I played golf with earlier in the year but it wasn't to be. Niamh we found out on Monday had a bad throat infection. Had we had known we would have probably not have gone to the meet at all. Any way she is taking her medicine and is well on the way to recovery. 

 Received an email today from Flinders Hospital. It stated that they were still interested in Tracey working there and also confirmed that as she was now registered with the NBSA she didn't have to be skill assessed with the ANMC.  Arrival next April now seems back on track. 

 Well the postman just came and the letter was there. Its now official. Tracey is registered to work in OZ.

 

 On 1st April 2007 we made a decission to look at a new life for us and our family in Australia. This was based on many factors but the main one was to offer our children what we believe, a better future. It was personally a very hard decission as I have two other children in England. Sarah and Steven who live with their mother and half sister, Sophie, in Corby, Northants. We have open minds regarding the move. It may be a temporary move although once there we may decide to stay put.

 Having made the decission we wasted no time in starting to investigate where in Oz would be best for us. As Tracey wouldn't cope in the warmer regions the short list came down to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Perth we felt was isolated and very expensive. Sydney also seemed expensive and plus we didn't want to live in a big city. For this reason Melbourne was also dismissed. That left Adelaide or at least the suburbs as first choice.

 Now we knew where we were heading we needed to find out more. We joined 'Poms In Adelaide' http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/ a very friendly and helpful site. From there we found Adelaide Bound http://www.adelaidebound.com/. A great website full of links and info created by Lisa, one of the PIA members.

 Tracey got to work getting work refs and her work training references so she could register with the Nursing Board of South Australia. We waited what seemed ages for all this bumph to come back. When we finally received it we posted it on to the NBSA (18th June).

 

  Just under a month later we got a letter back from the NBSA. The letter stated that Tracey was eligible for registration and they wanted more info and money. All that they asked for was sent back on the 16th July. It appears though, after consulting a fellow nurse who already has their visa, this will cover the skill assesment. So once Tracey is registered we can apply for the visa.

 

 So this is where we are now. Playing the waiting game. Everyday we are checking the credit card balance online to see if the money asked for has come out. 

 

 The wait continues.