Originally Posted by Lord Pom Percy

The shipping companies must love ping pong poms.

Originally Posted by woodyinoz

Libby

How has your eldest managed with the changes in schools??

I do feel sorry for you having to leave your Mum on a sour note, although I am pleased to hear that she is recovering from the shock. Do you think that she will be out to visit soon?

Did you have any other close family members in the UK?

Originally Posted by LIBBY

Hi Woodyinoz

He has started this new school and I think I was more worried than he was. I think that after 5 weeks off and having no one to play with, there was a part of him that was pleased to going. Now after 3 weeks at school you would think he had been there for months.
He has had an award after his first week and his teacher said it was for settling in so well, being a hard worker and he is a pleasure to have in her classroom.....thats my boy!!

About my Mum, we will get to a comfortable place soon I hope where we can talk again freely. Its my Birthday tomorrow and that will be a good test as to where we are in the relationship....whether she rings me or not and how will I handle it if she doesnt.

I have a really close Auntie, (Mums sister). My Dad phones me weekly (not with Mum, split up) and he says he will be out in the next couple of years, but as for Mum coming out, when hell freezes over me thinks!!

LibbyX

Originally Posted by woodyinoz

Do you think that you would have stayed in the UK if you had siblings?

Does your Mum and Dad have new partners?

Sorry for all the questions, just the one thing that I regret the most is the fact that my Mum split from her long term partner the month we came out here. She has now been living on her own for 3 years and I think that she must be so lonely. I also miss my nieces and nephews.

Originally Posted by LIBBY

Hi,

For any one who remembers me, we returned to the UK after feeling very homesick only after a few days in Adelaide and sticking it out for 9 months to return to England just before Christmas.

We got back to normal life in Derbyshire, and at first it was great, if not a little cold, with family being there for us and actually they did have the kids for us so we could do some Christmas shopping, as we had nothing so all was good.

Anyway, Christmas came and went and so did the family support that I thought would be better having gone and come back. I got so much emotional blackmail off my Mum and MIL in Oz saying things would be so different if we came back and when you are a few thousand miles away its horrible having your Mum crying everytime you speak to her and the guilt is terrible so you start thinking their way. I would not mind that if they were grandparent who were alway there but once a month because they feel that they should have them, and that is both sets.

Anyway to cut a long story short, we returned but things got to the same point where my Kids only saw their grandparents a couple of times (they only lived 10 mins away) in the 6 months we were there (although my mates were amazing.) We were thinking why the hell did we come back, we did not give it long enough, we should have never given in to the emotional blackmail and thats why we are now back in Australia and it was a great feeling to be back here. We did not go back to Adelaide and thought we would give the Gold Coast a go and so glad we have. Its such a different place and in my opinion a better one for us.

My Mum did fall out with me and stopped all comunication with us when we told her we were returning, which is fair enough, she said she could not cope with saying goodbye again and did not want to speak or see us before we left which was really hard, and I went through the crying, numbness, and then anger that she could be like this to us because everyone else was so supportive to us. Anyway, now we are here we have been in contact and things are better between us as I can see no point in holding a grudge this far apart. She explained that now we are here she can cope with it and do text every couple of weeks and I ring her, although it will be a while before I can totally forget how she treated us. (but fully understand why).

I suppose what I am trying to say to anyone returning, do it because its what you want to do, not because you have been bullied in to it. You will regret it as soon as you have passed customs at Heathrow, like we did. Christmas made us channel our thoughts in to the Kids and there well being and being happy, but deep down we (hubby and me) were thinking the same thing, when can we get back to OZ. We did give the family a chance to change and become good grandparents - what we thought would be acceptable for my kids and would have cancelled our Australian life for them, but that did not happen.

Cor blimey I do go on a bit dont I.

Therapy, wow, I do feel better.

LibbyX

Originally Posted by mysnix

Libby I am soo pleased your Mum phoned . it must have made your day!!

Have a wonderful Birthday!!!!

Nikki
xx

Originally Posted by brackley

libby, very brave thing to do. been through the blackmail and guilt when i was a lot younger and lived in oz. returned to uk, now, after 15 years am going to nz. cant wait. glad to see you are setteling on the gold coast.

Originally Posted by Tbag

Hi Libby,
I was so touched by your post............... my best friend from UK was disowned by her family when she married her Aus hubby and moved. 15 years later they have finally made peace and have a better relationship but it took a long time.
I live with the guilt all the time that my parents don't get the time with us I wish they could with not only myself but my brother too living in the USA. But they have always said as long as we are happy then they are, but god its still so hard sometimes after many years living here.
All in all I think that our relationship is stronger because we truly value the time we now spend on visits, perhaps it would not be this way if we were around the corner.
I hope you find all the happiness you and your family deserve in your new life......
Best wishes Tbag

Originally Posted by LIBBY

Hi Tbag,

Families eh!! At least yours seem to be supportive and do want the best for you even if it is a few more miles further apart than they would like.

Wierd isnt it, I feel a lot closer to my Dad as he rings every Sunday, yet in UK
we could go weeks with seeing or speaking to each other.

LibbyX

Originally Posted by Pants

Hello sweet Birthday Girl

Happy Birthday babe...check your emails.!!!

I am sooooooooooooo happy that your mum rang, reading that brought tears to my eyes. What a lovely start to your day....

Lots of love hun - hope J has spoilt you...!!

Big hugs
P xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx