Family

I spent the latter teenage and majority of my twenties in countries away from my family. This was really hard. I am a very family-oriented person and not being able to speak to them whenever I want physically hurt. I missed everything-from laughing with Nagyi (my maternal grandmother) to sharing morning espressos with my Dad..but it had to be done. The bottom line of it was I needed a job. Or two. So I had to go. Different countries, different places..
And then it got easier, as the years went by I tried really hard to concentrate on where I was and forging new links around me. When I met Mr D I finally felt the seeds of a new little family unit were being sown. Being away, though still heart-wrenching at times (I wanted to share so much with them face to face!) became a little bit more bearable.
Then Tiny D was born and the desire to be with these amazing people and roots to my-and Tiny D's-past grew even more. We talked about moving to Hungary (Mr D feels as at home there as I do,it's a beauty to behold). However, making a living is the crux of it all, so until we felt we could do that there the plan was on the back burner..so we made do with visits. That ended too soon!
After a series of events, my sister (the Middle One-there are three of us) moved to the UK as well. We're about 5 hours drive from each other, which is amazing. Reenie and her husband had their first little baby earlier this year (my beautiful godson-Tiny B) so it's extra-nice for the two cousins to spend time together every couple of months, as opposed to once a year etc. I love having them nearby.
THEN my mum moved here-literally into the same town as me. So unexpected! This has been great, you absolutely never ever get over being away from your mum, the person who has known you since the very first moment. Regardless of misunderstandings and arguments (being far too similar doesn't help!), you still turn to your mum when you need a shoulder. To cry on, to laugh on, to share on.
So after weeks of being 'too busy', I bit the bullet, accepted the invitation and went across to mum's last night for dinner with Mr & Tiny D. It was great. We had great talks, lots of laughs (Mr D is very silly) and as we were leaving Tiny D burst into those floods of can't-breathe-I'm-crying-so-much tears at the thought of leaving Nanny. We all just melted. At the end of the day, being so close after years of distance can be hard to get used to again, but the essence of it all, the underlying bond, the love, is always there. You will rarely find anything to replace this. And I am so happy Tiny D has already realised this for her little tear-stained self.