“I got the job! We are going to Zambia!” my husband announced excitedly, bounding across a close friend’s kitchen.

It was always the plan to live abroad at some point, we always wanted to but for some reason these words were still a shock. Maybe it was because I was 7 months pregnant, maybe because of previous  job offers which could not support our family, maybe because we had been talking about it for so long? Don’t get me wrong I was excited but also very daunted…. how were we going to finish the house refurbishment, let it out, have our 3rd child, re-home a cat and two fish, pack up and move our young family to Zambia in four short months?

Well we are very almost there. In fact my husband is!

Nesting hormones and a looming move is not something I would recommend anyone mix together, clearing out was therapeutic but having your house turned upside down is unsettling. Things didn’t get any calmer when I gave birth a 3rd beautiful boy in May! Juggling two very active preschoolers and breastfeeding a baby would have been interesting enough, without the mission of moving to Zambia.

The older two seem excited about going to Zambia but its hard to know how much they understand. I was asked “does Santa know where Africa is?”. Packing up with them around was also eventful, boxes would be added too (“mummy we need to take this (half eaten apple) cause I will miss it”), boxes would be emptied (“mummy it’s a fire engine”), bubble wrap wasn’t used for wrapping up but instead as a form of entertainment, there was no point wrapping anything in it after the fun of jumping on it!

Most of our belonging are now stored, except the few we are planning to take; these are presently cluttering up my parents’ house where the boys and I have taken up temporary residence.

The cat (much to my dad’s disdain) is now also living with my parents. A few interesting weeks of tussles with the resident cat and both seem to have found a mutual agreement; to ignore each other. The fish are at my parents too but will be moving to  the in-laws, before my dad kills me!

The house is finished and let out. After lots of hard work and help from the family, we are moving away from both. It looks amazing, I almost didn’t want to leave.

Even the vine which has been growing up a temporary structure for the last two years, now has a fence to call home.

My husband left for Zambia a couple of weeks ago. We decided  the boys and I will follow for a few reasons; baby could then have his 16 week jabs, my sister’s wedding and to give my husband time to settle into his job and sort out some of the practicalities such as car, cot, school places and source of nappies. His departure ended up being very sudden, after weeks of visa issues, he got the call saying it was all sorted and he could he fly the next day? So 24 hours later, after a panic of buying a bag, getting hair cut, filling out tax forms, and losing his bank cards we said goodbye, for a month or so.

To say the last few months have been stressful is a bit of an understatement but I’m sure it will be worth it! I can’t wait for my boys to have the life changing experience our adventure will give them. The pictures and stories my husband is sending home are adding to the excitement.