Half a World Away

Wednesday, September 4, 2013
This morning as we waved goodbye to Grandma & Grandpa, I decided that I wasn't going to let my children move to another country and live there with their kids, it's just way too hard! Well, in some ways I wish I could decide that for them, but I know they are their own people and really I just want them to be loved and happy and fulfilled in their life, no matter where they live. But, for entirely selfish reasons, I never want them to move away. I want them to live close to me forever, surely that isn't too much to ask!

Joel's parents are heading to the airport to fly back to the USA after a quick two week visit with us. We live about as far away from Pennsylvania as you can get. Three flights and 30 plus hours of travelling, it is not an easy feat for them to visit. The last time they saw Ezra he was only four months old, now he is a hustling, bustling two year old. Ezra loved every minute of their visit, he constantly had someone to play with and he took full advantage of it. He bonded with them immediately, he had so much fun everyday and really thrived in their company. His vocabulary also expanded so much and I really feel as though he developed so much in their company. But now as he lays in bed asleep, he still doesn't understand that they aren't coming back tomorrow, he isn't going to find them in the downstairs bedroom when he runs in to check. I know he will be sad, and that he can't comprehend why they are gone or why they can't come back.

I can't even imagine how hard it is for them to say Goodbye. I know they are so thankful for the time they have had with us and the kids, but getting to know their grandchildren must make it even harder to be away. I wish we could make a trip over to visit, but with the house build and having to pay full price for Ezra's ticket too, I just don't see it being viable in the near future. I wish so bad that international travel was easier and cheaper!

For now, we will do what we can to keep their relationship and bond strong. I'm grateful for things like Skype and social media, it means they can still talk face to face to their Grandchildren, but still, it doesn't quite measure up to a real hug.


This picture says it all.

Do you have parents or grandparents or kids overseas? How do you deal with the distance?

Karen xx

{I have a brand new NEWSLETTER!! YAY click HERE to Subscribe}

19 comments on "Half a World Away"
  1. I can't even imagine how hard that must be. My parents live 8 hours away and I struggle with that sometimes. When my eldest was about 3 we left my parents house and drove home. On our return my daughter cried uncontrollably for hours as she thought we were just going for a drive but going back to Nanna and Grandad's. I will never forget her sad little face. On the upside the time they get to spend with their Grandies is very special indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I am so not looking forward to when they actually realise what is happening! And you are so right, the time that they do have is REAL quality time, so that is nice! x Karen

    ReplyDelete
  3. mum and dad lives about 5 hours by plane and M's parents live in the UK. I know how it feels :(

    ReplyDelete
  4. We live in Michigan, but my parents live in Hawaii. It's an 18-20 hour trip. It saddens me, especially with this new baby on the way...my mom will be here tomorrow and staying for a month, but it's definitely hard being so far away all the time...

    xo,
    Katie
    hellolittlebean.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just looking at that last picture made me tear up! Your children are lucky to have such interested and loving grandparents.
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. When we lived in Chile for two and half years, my mum visited us three times from Australia! She missed our daughter so much and she is the only grandparent. It was great that she could visit so often although it's a long, long flight and expensive. She's always supported us in whatever life we chose to live.



    Now, we are home though and it's so nice to be near family again. While my kids are little this is the best time to bond with those nearest and dearest.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh that would be so hard to have family so far away. The photograph shows just how thrilled your in-laws are to be with their grandchildren. My sister lived as an expat in Asia for 10 years. She had both her children over there - her daughter in Bangkok and her son 4 years later in Singapore. Travel costs, work commitments, commitments with my own children etc meant I mostly only saw her and the kids when they visited home but I did get one trip in to Singapore to visit which was great. My mum and dad visited her more frequently. They are now back in Australia - living in Sydney.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Karen, first of all I want to say what beautiful photographs of your children with their grandparents.Absolutely gorgeous. My partner's family is all in Sicily, where he is from. My son and I used to live over there so we were away from my family, he now he's settled here and we have a baby. His mum came out to visit when she was a month old. She cried so hard at the airport when it was time for her to leave it broke my heart. Our daughter is her only grandchild too. I know exactly what you mean about wanting to keep your children close to you forever!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I can't imagine how hard it must be to be so far away from your family. Having kids made me need my Mum so much more. No one is as interested in the kids day-to-day stuff as she is. Thank goodness for skype hey?

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can't imagine what it is like either. Both our parents live close by, not that they actually have the children all that often but we do see them regularly. My sister and brother live interstate though and that bites some serious balls

    ReplyDelete
  11. It must be so tough. I used to live overseas from my parents and I decided I had to come home because there was no way I could get married and have children so far away from them.
    But you're right - thank goodness for things like Skype. Where would we be without it? Especially for grandparents.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Why can't we just teleport to see them! Life would be so much easier!! xx

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh it will be so nice to have your Mum around, but I bet that it will be so hard for her to leave, esp bubba! x Karen

    ReplyDelete
  14. I know that picture is so full of emotion! That's what is great, is that they actually spend the money to come and visit them and have a relationship with their grandchildren!

    ReplyDelete
  15. When we lived in the USA I knew there was no way we could have kids there, I would just miss my Mum too much! It is so nice that they are so close, but hard on the in-laws :(

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ah it must be so nice to have them in the same country again!! 10 years is a long time!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I know it is selfish! But I see what the grandparents go through, and I'm not sure I could handle it! The airport goodbyes are so, so hard, especially when you don;t know when the next time you will see each other will be!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I know! There is a reason I live around the corner from my parents, an hour drive was too long haha. But I do wish Joel's folks could have the same opportunities to have that relationship with the kids! Skype is a godsend!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. It is really tough. My parents and sister + nephew are in Australia and I live in the UK. I have two kids of my own. My sister's child is their only cousin.

    ReplyDelete