Where can I buy magic little red shoes?

Change is good! Yes! Definitely! But change can bring on some challenging to do's given the short time we have to get things organised.
Sometimes I wished I had Dorothy's* magic little red shoes: then I'd click my heels and we'd be in Muscat. Just like that...

There is a list of to do's in Belgium, but also a list of things to get sorted out in Oman. Meanwhile we have made a lot of decisions, like renting our house instead of selling, selling our car(s) or maybe taking one of them with us in the shipping container,...
There are things within our control, and these things we absolutely have no influence on, which is frustrating for a controlfreak like me ;-).
Good news, no, fantastic news as we found the best solution ever for our loving pets Grappa (golden retriever) and Louis (cat). They are both moving to different neighbours, but are at a mere walking distance of eachother. They will both be provided with the attention they need and be welcomed in nice families. Check!
I must admit some to do's bring a certain amount of stress, like the schools our children will (not) be attending in Muscat. There seem to be several international schools, but all with waiting lists and they can give no certainty for an admission as early as January. As it's Max's first year in primary school and he has to learn a new language too and we find it very important he doesn't miss anything here or in Oman. 
Looking for a renter for our Belgian home will be challenging too as it's such short notice and moving in the winter isn't high on a Belgian's priority list...
Oh well, only time will tell how this will all evolve, all with one goal: a few years of sun, new friends, new culture,... and sewing! ;-) I just bought a heavy duty Singer, for rainy days..., no for too hot days! Maybe I'm naive thinking I'll have time for this, but hey, we love making the most of every minute so we'll find the time, right?

*Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz

How it all began...

When you're a child, the thing you dream of the most is the future...

One day, the future you dreamt of becomes more than a reality:

I wished to get a degree, after many years I did :-)

I wished to find someone just right for me, I took a bumpy track but finally met him.

I wished us a cozy house where we could raise a family, check!

Then came our loving offspring: two sons and our cherry on top of the cake, a daughter!

Fulfilling jobs, both ours...

Dog and cat, to fill the garden.

Everything just right. We're 35. Then comes this big question: is this it? We who are looking for stability, find it and then still want to change something, for the fun of it, for the excitement. 

Moving abroad was something I experienced as a child. My parents moved to Portugal when I was 5 years old. I lived there during my whole primary school and still think of the times as bliss. It's true, maybe I've idealised this period of my life, but honestly, who wouldn't think it paradise to live in a mostly sunny country with friendly people, live in a beautiful house by the seaside, meet loads of people, go to an international school, go horsebackriding in the woods/on the beach (alone),... in short: having the time of my life.

Moving back to Belgium at the time, I was 12, was not easy. I adapted soon, learnt to write Flemish, made new friends, but kept dreaming of Portugal.

It was a gift my parents gave me, unknowing it would forever be in my heart, or have such an influence on my being flexible and independent.

One of my fantasies was being able to experience this again as a parent and being able to let our children experience life abroad, each as an individual. Hopefully giving them each a priceless gift of culture, love for another country, an open mindedness for meeting other people and learning to be flexible and independent too.

Completely unexpecting this adventure would ever cross our paths, the opportunity arose to move to Muscat, Oman, for a period of at least two years for Wim's (my other half :-)) job. As we literally have nothing to lose, we both jumped on the opportunity. 

Last Thursday we found out the job was his. Now it's a week later as we speak and if all goes according to plan, Wim will fly over on January 3rd 2014. The children and I will follow as soon as we have a house, the furniture has arrived and we have a school for the boys.

We are both still working and have just informed family and friends, who are all surprised and mostly happy for us.