I've been trying to start writing this blog for about half an hour, writing, rewriting and then rethinking how I wanted to start it, but foremost I think what I'm trying to convey is as one adventure ends another begins, we have no regrets and we're now looking forward to our next adventure.
We decided quite a long time ago that we wanted to move back to Aberdeenshire this summer, and during that time my emotions about the place have swayed from one end to the other, at times I have hated it but for the majority of the last 9 months I have loved it, mostly due to making some lovely friends. If it wasn't for the Kindergarten mums at school and the mums in the British Expat Group who I would bump into at swimming classes, gymnastics classes, coffee mornings and playgroups I honestly think we would have given up after the first 6 months.
The first 6 months were horrendous, from arriving with a newborn baby, the school term ending and the girls having no chance to get to make any friends for 3 months, living in a small apartment for 2 months that was infested with ants, the struggle to find a house to rent, a never-ending summer of over 40 degree heat not to mention the countless times the air conditioning broke, issues with the first school we sent Fearne too and Henry getting badly sunburnt.....the list is endless, it honestly felt like one long running saga after another. Interspersed with all these disasters we did however have lots of family visiting who helped enormously to cheer us up. I can laugh about it all now, but at the time it was soul destroying!
Fearne has blossomed this year, moving here last year she was incredibly shy, nervous and anxious about everything, she had come from preschool and was thrown straight into school unable to read or write. We couldn't have asked for a better school or teacher for her, she has come on in leaps and bounds and for that I am eternally grateful to them for their caring and nurturing environment. My only regret about leaving is that we have to take Fearne from her school.
Martha has loved school too this year and made some lovely friends, but she is unbelievably excited about moving back to Scotland. So much so, she felt the need to come and wake me 6.15 yesterday morning to tell me she dreamt that we were going back to Scotland today....I asked her if it was a good dream or a bad dream," it was a very good dream......but we're not really going back today are we?" ......and with that she disappeared back out the room! The funny thing is though, she remembers all her friends and talks about them all endlessly, probably because we saw everyone at christmas,and she vividly remembers some things we've done with them like camping....but she doesn't remember our house....yet she does remember the trampoline in the garden. It'll be interesting to see what she does really remember as she was only 2 and a half when we came here and she'll be 4 next month.
Henry is just Henry, my cheeky, tantrum throwing, boisterous typical little boy who likes nothing better than eating anything he can get his hands on....chalk, stale bread that he has removed from the bin, dirt and sand just to name a few! He loves being outside so for him Aberdeenshire is going to be perfect. Being able to spend all day outdoors digging in the garden, even if its raining, or walking to the garden centre for a hot chocolate, going for a bike ride or a walk around the gardens at Crathes.....he is going to love it!
So, we have just under 4 weeks till the packers come in and box up our life here ready to ship it all back to Aberdeen and and 4 and a half weeks till we fly home. In that time we have both girls early birthday parties a diamond jubilee evening party, a weekend trip to San Antonio, a few coffee mornings with the kindergarten mums and then the girls have a list of things they want to do before we go which includes a Chuck E Cheese afternoon, lunch at the Rainforest Cafe, Splash-pad lots of times, Cupcakes at Ooh La La, drive through Starbucks for milkshakes and Smoothies, Sky high Sports for a trampling morning and Monkey Joes Inflatables......not to mention playdates and pool parties! Fearne also has a 3 day camp at a Ceramics Cafe already booked.......so here was me thinking 4 weeks with 3 children and no school was going to drag but in fact I'm clearly going to have to rush to fit everything in!
So, as this adventure comes to an end and we try and cram as much in as possible here, my head and heart is starting to get very excited about being back in Banchory, we already have possible wigwam camping trips planned with friends, Chris is excited about a mountain biking trip with the boys and I am starting to think about the reality of actually getting our wedding venue booked, choosing a dress with friends, and planning what we really want our day to be like.
So with that I think I'll finish for now, I imagine the next post I write will be once we're back in Scotland waiting for all our stuff to arrive!
Freya xx
At the splash pad this morning
Fearne's Graduation from Kindergarten
