Enjoying married life

I married Chris in 1999.  During our entire married life, we have only had 3 holidays on our own, without children.  This included our honeymoon, which began with Maddie in our room at 6:00 am on our first morning as man and wife, as she had discovered at the age of 7 how to find us in the resort, and left her older sister 'sleeping off' our wedding from the night before!

In fact, after being married only about 2.5 months we took all 3 girls overseas with us for about 2 months, to the USA, London and Paris.  While it was a great bonding experience for our mixed family, it was a learning experience.  But very much worth it.  Just never had any privacy.  Travelling with 3 girls and the two of us through all the cities we visited was a massive planning experience, but well worth it!

A few years later we managed to fit in a week in Cairns while my eldest daughter and Maddie flew to Melbourne to visit relatives.  That was a fresh break for us!

Then on our 7th wedding anniversary we flew to Fiji for a week and enjoyed the ability to do things as adults and not have to consider the children or family in every activity.  It was heaven.

We have now been married - approaching our 12th year in May, and for the first time, we are the only two here.   We are discovering that when we want to do something, we don't have to run it past the girls, or make arrangements.  We can just be us.  It felt funny at first.  But you know.  I think we are beginning to relax and enjoy it!

We are, after almost 12 years, being allowed to have a marriage that just includes us for a change.  It's not that we don't love all of our girls.  We sure do.  But they aren't living with us anymore. If there is a mess in the house - it is our mess.  If we don't want to cook, we don't have to.  It's kind of nice.  A bit more quiet - but relaxing, with a lot of humour that follows us around everyday!!

Oh, and girls --you are welcome anytime.  We love you and miss you, but we love us too!