Hello dear friends!
I've finally arrived back home
after two wonderful months with
my family in France!
It all seems like a dream now,
but I enjoyed every moment,
sharing and being part of
but I enjoyed every moment,
sharing and being part of
my family's everyday life
in a lovely village in France
(pictured above).
The goodbyes at Charles de Gaulle
were sad beyond belief.....
I'm sure some of you who have
children and grandchildren
who live overseas
who live overseas
will understand this dreadful emotion...
We all clung to each other,
until eventually my final call came
and very bravely I gave
my final hugs and kisses
and very bravely I gave
my final hugs and kisses
and walked through to the customs area -
I turned and waved and for
the last time I saw those little faces,
that I love so much......
(darling Jessie - now 6 months old)
Just to make things worse
I was frisked by a very efficious
french customs lady....
With tears streaming down my cheeks
I made the long walk to E44
and on to the plane.....
which carried me home via Tokyo.
30 hours later I was landing
in New Zealand....
I'm so glad I'm involved with blogging,
I'm grateful for the many friends
I've made here and I look forward to
catching up with you all very soon!
I can't wait to see
what you've all been up to!
THANK YOU!!!! VICKI
your wonderful parcel was waiting
for me when I got home -
it's beautiful and I'll post photos
next time!
YOU really cheered me up! xx
Be kind to one another
love and hugs
Shane xxx
Welcome home Shane, it must be a bittersweet return. Hope you are able to share more of your adventures in France with us when you are able. My daughter has the travel bug and I'm hoping she doesn't choose to move too far away from home one day! She has recently been on holiday to Malaysia and has now booked her tickets to New Zealand for November! She is going to stay with friends in the SI - she has kept in touch with all the little friends she had when we lived there (she was kindy age!) by faithfully writing letters and she flys up to Auckland for a few days and over to the Coromandel to see family before returning home for her 18TH.
ReplyDeleteI have a busy month ahead with 2 markets for my little cake stand business which I have called 'Tiers for Tea'. It is attracting a lot of attention from others who are running catering and cake businesses because it appears I am the first with this kind of business in my region. I have a facebook page, a logo and waiting for my son to design my website. He has just finished a website for a House and Garden shop that you would love! Lots of French style wares and fresh flowers. I had such fun browsing the pictures and suggesting the best ones!
Hope you are settling back into life at home and I'm sure you will keep yourself busy with all your creative projects. Looking forward to your next post.
I can imagine how difficult your departure must have been :(
ReplyDeleteHopefully you have lots of wonderful memories that will last forever. What an incredible experience you must have had!
Welcome back!
leslie
Dearest Shane,
ReplyDeleteWelcome back home! Yes, I do know that feeling of saying goodbye. Never easy and once I read that saying goodbye is like a little part of you dies... Very true! That's how it feels.
Coming back home from family visits I need more time as I grow older, for adjusting emotionally. But we get there!
So glad you enjoyed the entire family and now with instant video contact, exchange of photos, we still kind of keep up with them.
Take your time to adjust and I love seeing you back home safe.
Love to you,
Mariette
My nephew got home via Shanghai from his 6 months in New Zealand. Back to The Netherlands. Will be a great experience for him and his study.
It's wonderful you are back home safely dear Shane after your lovely French holiday.
ReplyDeleteYour Goodbyes brought tears to me eyes. Always so hard....
Now we can look forward to all your beautiful photos of your family.
God Bless you. xxxx
Welcome back, Shane. I was just checking in on your last week -- for some reason I didn't think your trip was 2 months long. I was thinking a few weeks, so I wondered what you were up to. What a long and lovely trip. Gosh! I can just imagine how absolutely wonderful and relaxing it was. So glad that you were able to spend so much quality time with your family. I know it was hard for you to leave. Wishing you all the best as you settle back in at home. Take care! Tammy
ReplyDeleteWelcome home dear Shane,
ReplyDeleteOh sweet I so know what you are talking about,--as my daughter and grandkids also lives -not as far away, as yours, but anyway long enough away that I do not see then often!! I know about the tears and goodbyes- But we alwayes have the happy hours in our hearts to remember.
Can`t wait to see what news you will show us.
Hugs,Dorthe
Oh yes, know exactly how it feels having done it for almost 50 years back and forth to England! It was harder when the children were small - I could see the tears in my parents eyes - and of course I always cried buckets having to leave my mum. Fortunately she came here often too so we didn't go more than a year without seeing one another.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy your time in France was wonderful, it is always an amazing place to stay, especially when family are there. Paris is so fabulous - but another big city - getting away to the countryside and villages is even better - that's where the true French lifestyle remains, often little changed from decades ago. I've seen it in the one where my family live in the Languedoc - almost like time has stood still and the old ways are still the way of daily life. I love that!
So dear Shane, glad you're safely home and in a beautiful country too - looking forward to hear more on your trip once you've rested. Your memories will be precious until the next trip!!
Hugs - Mary (recently back from Africa!!)
Welcome home Shane! I certainly have missed your posts but knew you were having a most joyful holiday in France with your family. I know all too well how it is to have loved ones so far away,and everytime I have to say good bye in CDG airport it gets harder as many of the family we leave behind are getting much older. You now have lots of photos and beautiful memories to get you thru having to leave your family behind. I'd love to see more of your photos and hope you'll share.
ReplyDeleteA bientot!
I know exactly what you mean Shane! It is so difficult to say goodbye, especially with children and little ones. Now, when I might like to return to the UK, after 10 years, my kids don't want to, so here we'll stay.
ReplyDeleteShane I do sympathise. With a daughter in Canada and a son in Australia, I miss them more than I can say.
ReplyDeleteBut I'm glad you had such a lovely time.
Wowww Shane two month's in France......welcome home darling...always good to be with familly...love Ria...xxx....
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Shane ❤, I only live 4 hours away from Claire and I know what you leave behind..enjoy your moments back home and we will catch up with you soon..
ReplyDeleteXox
Dagmar
Bless you sweet Shane, oh my friend, I feel your tender pain of leaving those precious babies in France. That Jessie is just too sweet.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking of emailing you just over the weekend. I thought, surely she is home by now. LOL
Hang on to every single memory and I know you made many while you were there.
We are here for you and we cannot wait to hear all about it.
Love you, Rhonda
Welcome home Shane and so glad that you had a wonderful time away with your family.
ReplyDeleteMust have been so hard saying goodbye and sometime I wish it was not so far away. Loved seeing the sweet photos of your darling grand-daughters.
Look forward to hearing more of your trip and maybe seeing some photos.
Happy Wednesday
Hugs
Carolyn
Home again, home again... Leaving isn't easy at the best of times but such a distance makes it doubly hard.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading of your time there, and now look forward to hearing about what you are up to now you are home again.
Welcome back!
Sweet Shane, what a wonderful two months you have had. I am so happy for you and for your family and those little granddaughters will always remember this summer and the things you did together.
ReplyDeleteWith the internet and applications such as Skype you will be able to be part of their lives until you can return.
Big hugs,
Genie
Bentornata a casa! Lì sarà pieno inverno, qui tanto sole e caldo. Un abbraccio forte forte.
ReplyDeleteDear Shane,
ReplyDeleteI was moved to read this sweet post of yours. I can imagine the emotions you have been through on leaving your beautiful family behind in France. If there's anything I can do from my corner of France to lighten your spirits I would be delighted. The world is such a very big place when separated from your dearest ones. Thank goodness for internet.
Stephanie
Welcome back Shane. It must be very hard for you to sey goodbey. 2 months it must have been great spendng that tme with your family in the normal daily routine. Reading your goodbey make me realize how blessed i am with children and grandchildren living just around the corner.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend
Hugs and love
Yvonne
Lovely to see you home safe again after all your fabulous adventures! I was thinking that it was about time you arrived home, but I can imagine the tears and terrible time at the airport when you had to say final goodbyes.
ReplyDeleteNeve was born while you were away, and we came up to visit, she is the cutest of babies!
Traci and I are coming up for the Fair in Sept, hope to catch up with you then! xx
Ahhh, I feel for you, Shane :-(
ReplyDeleteFor many years it was difficult for my parents in Eastern Europe to see their English grandchildren, their only grandchildren. Occasional holidays together in other countries, but that's another story :-)
Treasure your memories, x.
Oh my such a long trip...
ReplyDeleteI am so happy you got to spend that lovely time with your family...
each day is a gift
Enjoy * Enjoy
oxo
Welcome home! I can only imagine how difficult it is to leave those wonderful grandbabies so far away.
ReplyDeleteWell, now I am crying after reading this post. I can imagine that tearful goodbye and clinging to one another for just one more second of closeness. The photo of those 2 sweet girls going off to school is precious.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the security at the airport was trying to cheer you up !?!?!
Deb