A special day

Jenny Weaver, our lovely ex-babysitter is no more....she recently got engaged and moved away to go to school and today was her wedding day; she is now Jenny Bjerke!

I had the complete honor of taking photos of her getting ready (which you can soon see a sneak peak of over on my photography blog). Then our whole family came back for the wedding itself. She was radiant, and beautiful as ever. She is such a special young lady, so giving and genuine with a love of people and especially children. Our children love her and miss her now that she is no longer here. We miss her too and need to find a new babysitter!

I had bought the girls their first ever matching dresses yesterday and they looked adorable. Bryttain was so excited to get to dance in her pretty dress and see Jenny in her princess dress. We even managed to get a friend to take a family photo of us, which we were in dire need of as the last photo we had of the five of us was before Asia was even six months old.

Reflections

As I reflect back on my recent trip, I know that it was a good thing. I keep going, going, going at all times and it provided a much needed break, much more needed than I think I fully realized.

The first couple of days, with the early start and the traveling and being worried about my children and missing them, was a little hard - but it was a bump I had to get over. Once I had arrived and could use the wonders of modern technology and actually see AND talk to them thanks to video chats on Skype, my mind and heart were at peace and I could get on with the show. To see their smiling little faces and have them SO excited to see me and tell me about the fun things they were doing with daddy, to not have them upset and begging me to come home was strangely freeing.

What surprised me the most, I think, was how much I missed James. The last few days especially, I just could not stop thinking about him...it was good! I had expected to miss my children, but being back in London brought back so many memories of our early days together. Then I would see couples everywhere and feel the pang of separation. I was excited to see him again and felt like a giddy schoolgirl. We were meant to be together, he completes me and still, after twelve and a half years of marriage, not only is the deep familiar love there, but he still makes my heart go pitter-patter and gives me butterflies.

It was good to be reminded of that and not just take it for granted.

People always say how important it is for moms to take care of themselves and to make the time, but I just do not find that it is possible the majority of the time. It is not our reality. Yet somehow, for everyone's sake I think I do need to make it a new goal.