Finally: the Bianca post

Bianca asked:

How was your homecoming? Were the kids beside themselves to see you? Did you bring them loads of divine goodies? I bet Jonah is already calling for you at night?

A few days before I came home, I started calling myself 'homecoming queen' on Twitter. I was all about the homecoming. I was so over America and travelling and being away from my family. All I wanted was for it to be finished and and to be home.

I arrived home to an entire bedroom makeover, a painted kitchen and a slightly re-done bathroom - all Scott's handiwork. Clean floors, organised cupboards and incense burning. It was heavenly. The children were asleep, so it was all about me and Scott.

That night, Jonah woke up as he usually does, and came through to our bed. He hesitated in the doorway, probably confused about who exactly it was in the bed next to dad. I smiled at him, he took a long look at me, threw his arm around me and fell fast asleep.

The next morning, James and Hannah woke up. I heard Hannah tell James in a theatrical whisper that "mommy's home!". They both came to the bed with big grins on their faces and hugged me. It was perfection.

The day was spent in a blur of jet lag. When the children came home from school, we unpacked my luggage. Hannah is now the proud owner of a pair of High School Musical pajamas from Macy's in Durham, NC, and a princess dress from the Disney Store in Chicago. James has a cheapie digital camera from Walgreens in Urbana, Ill. and a Bakugan T-shirt from Target in Durham, NC. Jonah has a pair of blue camo pants from somewhere in Illinois (I forget), which he's dubbed his 'cool pants' and a Ben Ten kite from Target in Durham. The list of gifts is fairly endless, but those were the bigger ones I bought.

And is Jonah calling for me at night again? Yes, oh yes. Probably by night 3 he'd made the switch back to calling for mommy. Which sucks in a way, because I'm no longer getting enough sleep, but kind of wonderful too. It's good to be called 'mommy' again. As much as I enjoyed being my own person, I also relish being the mommy.

Comments

[Laura]

Cameron would wrestle James for a Bakugan t-shirt :)

LOL and isnt it lovely how quickly life returns to normal :O)

[BiancaW]

You see, I TOLD you, ages ago on MommyWorks that it was going to be tough going while you were away, BUT, that you would all recover once you got back. Well done to ALL of you for surviving it and, I bet you are all the better for the trip - on so many levels.

I am so glad to hear all is well.

Thanks for replying to my questions. :-)

[Scott]

You didn't just survive the trip, Neen, you kicked @ss! You are too modest- you went through a real challenge, and came out the other side wonderfully, filling me with pride, and all along you managed to keep the children reassured. You are not an 'adequate' mother, or a 'bad' mother, you are perfect for them, and I love you for being the kind of woman strong enough to undertake such a huge task and manage it so well on all fronts. xxx

[Gill]

Ah it must have been SO good coming home to such a warm-fuzzy welcome! I think it's brilliant that you did this and that you all coped so well.

[Melany]

:) It is tough and amazingly wonderful to be THE one in a young child's life.

[Cath]

been ugly crying at my desk at this. X love love love X

[Julia]

Where are you? Hope all is well.
xx