The Summer holiday is always an unusual time for us as a family. While the children and I get a long, six-week break from school, Larry invariably works most of it, sometimes managing to get a week off to spend some quality time with us at home or to enable us to go away as a family.
This year, he was only able to get the first few days of our school holiday off, so we finished school one day, threw some clothes into our holdalls, packed up the trailer tent and went away the next day, which was quite chaotic and stressful to organise, but was a great start to our Summer.
Since then, the children and I have had several days out here and there, getting out in the fresh air as much as possible without spending a fortune we don't have. We have taken advantage of a few 'kids go free' days and have done lots of walking and meeting up with friends we don't get to see during term-time.
Without the usual term-time stress of collecting the children from school, taking them respectively to ballet and karate as well as doing my own out-of-school work, we've had so much more time to chill out and spend quality time together.
After some funny conversations and laughing so much together that we had to dry our eyes, Larry and I were reflecting last night on how life changes; how nowadays we are so busy rushing around going to work, doing housework, taking the children where they need to go, that we rarely get time to enjoy each other's company like that. Life takes over.
That said, we are happy. We love seeing the children enjoying and succeeding at their own activities. We value those times when we all get to spend time together chatting, often about why there should be another Star Wars film and what it should be called, or the difference between Japanese Animé and Manga, but for us it is important. The children grow up so quickly; we will never get this time back. Those conversations, however unusual, are time when we are together as a family.
Those very rare moments, though, when Larry and I have time to have fun together, without worrying about getting somewhere on time or about a job that has to be done, are special. With the hustle and bustle of day-to-day busy family life, it is easy to forget to make time for ourselves, but this is important too.
We are not just mum and dad; nor are we just husband and wife. We are best friends, who have known each other for over 24 years, who have been through so much together, yet have always been there for each other. We make each other laugh until tears roll down our faces. Our conversations are open and completely relaxed because we can be ourselves, comfortable in the knowledge that whatever we say is okay, because we know each other so well and accept each other for who we are. People frequently tell how me lucky I am, maybe thinking I don't know or don't appreciate it. I do. I feel very lucky to have met my soul mate in this world. I can't image life without him.
Have a great day everyone. Enjoy life :)
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