Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

More soon, but meanwhile, we just said goodbye to my most loyal readers who were here in London with a great adventure to Scotland in between. I know they're tuned into the blog because they even read the lemonade stand and Olympic village posts during their travels north from our flat.

My very own Big Brother and his adorable family were here until yesterday morning. Big Sister, who had been characteristically quiet during most of their stay and almost silent the morning they left, burst into messy, noisy tears on the sidewalk as their car rolled away. She cried more than her mother, which is saying a lot. Even Biggest Brother was weepy by the time we got inside. It is never easy to say goodbye if you're in my gene pool. The cousins love each other so much and we're grateful for the time spent together in London. Even when it goes much faster than we'd like. These are days I hope they'll remember when they are teenagers, adults, and parents themselves. And I really, really hope they'll be back in Europe together someday.

It has become cliche to say so, but with our company comes sunny skies. So it is no surprise that as the smalls and I were attempting to leave the flat today (for them to busk -- the summer's top request!) a downpour ensued.

You may have heard this, but we've just decided against an opportunity to continue further east to an assignment in Asia, and instead are turning our attention Stateside after the children finish the upcoming school year. So, sometime in late summer (after school ends in late July) 2013, we'll expect to be turning our ship - literally and figuratively - towards home. If you want to visit, by all means get out your calendar (and piggy bank) because we're open and eager for company for another 12 months. After that, we'll be looking for help unpacking boxes and organizing another kitchen and countless closets.

Fall and back to school will always feel like the new year to me. Change is in the air. I think that's another reason the Mister and I embraced a fall wedding. I can almost hear the sounds of a page turning, a beginning of a new chapter. And not just because we got back to school haircuts, new shoes, and had a school uniform fashion show in our flat last night. My baby starts school next week. That's a whole 'nother post.

To all of our summer company, we bid a fond adieu with big hopes that you'll be back soon and often. And we send many, many thanks for making this a summer not just to remember, but to treasure.