Jerseygirl

Kath I agree with what the others have said. Go back now before your boys are older because later they may wish to stay in Australia...then you are kinda stuck. I know...I speak from experience. ;

Mummy in the foothills

I'll agree with the others Kath. Go back before the boys get any older.
I waited and then had to wait for my second son to finish high school, so waited 20 years in total. Dd is only 9 (nearly 10) and is settling fine.
Happily my older boys came with us, they actually arrived in UK before us.

And Trotty, how good is it to see you back on here, I too have my that the drops work and your eye is fine.

Rosie Lee

I gotta agree with everyone else. Go now, if you don't it will get harder to do so later, and your more likely to feel regret that you didn't go sooner, (as so many others on here seem to do). It sounds like you have a good support system waiting for you, so now is the time. As for the children, 8 is perfect! I moved with a variety of ages from 2 to 14 and the 8 year old fared the best, the 11 and 14 year old not so much!

old.sparkles

Hi Kath,

I don't know all the situation, but do you have permission to remove the boys from Australia?

trottytrue

Kath_143.......speaking from my heart and having gone through a similar situation, don't hesitate go back now before it's too late, I waited for the "right time" and believe me it never comes, if you stay you just may end up staying forever and regretting not going. You only get one life do it now, your sons are a good age they will settle in fine. If you stay it could be that both boys will eventually find lives for themselves far away from were you live and you will be alone.
Your parents are getting old and if they become ill you may not be able to go home to see them.
Pack your bags and go now.........I so wish I had done it, now it's too late.....

cheers

What do you mean? I thought you still planned on going?

Cheers

trottytrue

Cheers...Unfortunately I dont think it will be possible my OH is no longer healthy enough to move back and I would feel guilty if we went home and he died and our children didnt get to see him. So sad how things work out. Thats why I say go when you can dont leave it too late. I am alright but it just isnt what I wanted I just dont dwell on it I get on with life and make the best of it. Many people are worse off than me. At least for the time being I have my health if not my eyesight but I hope that comes back soon. Still as blind as a bat.....

Jerseygirl

I am very sorry to read that...but you seem to have a great attitude and I am sure that will get you through this difficult time.

All the very best to you and Mr TT.

lf1

Totty, sorry to hear about your eye. I hope that the drops will help. Best wishes.

Kath_143

Thanks to all of you who gave such constructive advice. A big decision, a scary one. The father isn't around sadly, so nothing stopping me from taking them out of the country. I have just built a house as well, timing sucks. I think a holiday next year and some investigation whilst there should be the first step. Great website. The world is not such a big place after all!

J.JsOH

Fish, at $450 each to renounce US citizenship in August 2014 we apparently got a bargain. I just read in the Federal Register that renouncing fee is to increase to $2,350 from Sept 6th, 2014.
Other fees are changing too. You can read it all in here. https://www.federalregister.gov/arti...assies-and#t-2

Fish n Chips 56

Wow John, you did do well, thats an amazing price increase, it makes me wonder why the increase is 5 fold, I suppose they can charge what they want, they dont have to justify anything. Huhhhhh...

Lestergirl

Hello Everyone, can not believe it has been such a long time since I was here. brief catch up, moved back to the UK August 2011, having left my 3 children behind they were 20 and twins 19.. was back in the UK for 2 and half years and loved it. I got to spend time with my mum who passed away aged 90 last year. I loved being home after 17 years in the USA.. anyway my children missed me, I missed them, so I made the painful decision for me to go back to NH in Dec last year.. was never happy but got a nice job and was staying with friends. But like so many, hardly saw my children, now 23 and 22, So came back to UK on June 5th for a couple of months to decide.. and have decided I want to be here, so will be going back to USA next week to pack up my stuff again!!
I hope every one of my old expats friends are all ok.. I have missed you all.
Trotty I will see you when I am back...I promise!
Will try and do some reading and catching up again..

cheers

Bravo!
That a gurl!

Where will you go in the UK? Do you have a house there?

Cheers

between two worlds

Lestergirl! How great to see you back! Thank you so much for the catch-up.

I think your story is so interesting and so illustrative of the issues we expats face. First you came because of missing home and wanting to be with your Mum--and how wonderful that you did manage to spend time with her. But missing the kids too much, and they you....maybe it was just that they were a bit too young at that time to leave them?

So interesting that things have now shifted, the kids started going their own way (which though painful does mean we have done our job right!!) ...and here you are back again for a visit to decide.

It makes so much sense that you spent time here again while deciding. Everything changes! Your feelings then were different from your feelings now. You and the kids are different now.

Much here for us all to learn from.....

SO exciting that you have decided, you know you want to be here, and are going to pack up your USA stuff so as to make it happen.

Good luck with it all, and keep us posted!

(And I have never met trotty in person but when you see her, give her a hug from me.)