Monday, July 8, 2013

Holiday highlights

So the kids came home from holidays this weekend, and oh my goodness, I was thrilled to see them.

Of course, we're regularly separated from each other - such is the reality of divorce - but this was the first time they've spent the entire school holidays away from me.

But now their Dad lives in Darwin, and we live in country Queensland, it made sense for them to spend more time with him in the Northern Territory, making the most of the expensive airfares Dad paid for, and seeing as much of the part of Australia he calls home now as possible.

And the kids had a ball.

They even flew there on their own - supervised by a Qantas employee each way - and I was so proud of the way they handled that. How they are growing up!

But while Chase and Harmonie were fishing, looking for crocodiles, and swimming underneath waterfalls, I was missing them terribly!

Before I became a mother, I never imagined just how much a person could miss their children. Clearly, I knew I'd love them and miss them when they weren't around, but I wasn't aware just how intense that invisible bond would be; that physical yearning to be with them when we were apart. Even though there is a lot to be said for 'me' time, not to mention sleeping in, there is always that feeling that something is missing when I am separated from those two small humans I helped to create.

(I can only imagine how hard it was for my own parents when I took off and gallivanted around the world without a care when I was younger.)

And so, as the countdown began for me to drive back to Brisbane to pick the kids up and bring them home, I felt myself getting ridiculously excited.

Remember that photo of the late Princess Diana rushing to meet her then young son William with her arms open wide and a huge smile on her face when they were reunited after an absence? That's how I felt. It was all I could do not to throw myself into their arms.

Instead, I tried to act cool and we remarked on all the changes we noticed about each other.

I swore they were both taller, and they both noticed I'd coloured my hair and had new glasses.

The three-hour drive home flew by as we chatted about their adventures and what I'd been up to while they had been away.

They had gone camping at the beautiful Litchfield National Park, and went swimming with freshwater crocs and huge barramundi. Lucy our chihauhua-pomeranian puppy had her stitches out. They went swimming at a wave pool. Hannah the prodigal cat had been found in Brisbane and brought home safely.

Unfortunately, the next morning meant back to school, but they seemed content enough to go back.

I missed our usual school holiday activities but I'm really glad the kids had a wonderful holiday just the same.

Readers, what do you do during the holidays?

Darwin-bound (Lucy stayed home ...)

Bye-bye for now

While the kids were away, Hannah cat came back to stay 


Ms_MotorbikeNut said...

As you know our daughter A is from divorced parents as well, (her dad and mum).

We are lucky in a way that the court ruled that all school holidays have to be split 50/50

Meaning last year we had A for the first half of the school holidays and her mum had her for the 2nd half and this year we have her for the 2nd half while her mum has her for the first half, and visa verse for all the years there after

The only time this is different is at Christmas when last year we had her for from 5pm the day school broke up till 26th January 2013 where her mum had her at 2013 and this year it will be her mum's turn to have her all of Christmas.

Also the parent A is not with the court has said A has to phone that parent on a Tuesday and Thursday at 6pm to chat to them.

As for what we do during the school holidays well according to A she doesn't get any freedom at her mums so when she is with us we let her have sleep overs at our place and at her friends places, let her chat on the phone to her friends.

Typically we let A be a normal teenager we show her that it doesn't mean you have to go out all the time to places that cost a bomb or even to the movies to have a good time. A understands good times can just be had by hanging with friends and family while saving to go away for holidays every 2nd year and that she can take a friend with her.

At the moment we are all saving to take A on cruise with a friend or 2 when she turns 18yrs old.As a birthday present which is another 5 years away which will just fly by.

When A is with her mum we tend to get stuck into all the jobs we don't do when she is around that way we get to spend more time with her and her friends if she wants us to.

(((( Hugs )))) XXXX Kisses XXXX

Not Quite Nigella said...

Aww I can imagine how much you missed them! What did you end up doing while they were away? Anything fun or exciting? :D

Char said...

My kids are way older than yours and yet I can still relate to the invisible umbilical cord that attaches us. My youngest is house-sitting with his girlfriend and I've missed him (but strangely not his dirty washing). Next year my eldest will be moving to Melbourne for a couple of years. I'm not looking forward to that at all - although I am looking forward to quite a few trips down there.

Unknown said...

I just had a week without my kids and I loved every minute. Didn't miss them one bit. Maybe a week isn't long enough?