Part I: 100th Birthday Celebrations, Mother's Day, and Bungy Jumping?
I hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day.
I had a brilliant weekend, so I am in excellent spirits.
Friday: we flew to Sydney for an overnight stay. While at the airport, I received the best surprise. My MIL knew how much I had been missing my mum and family, so she made arrangements to get them here for a long weekend. My mum tapped me on the shoulder, and I could have cried. I hugged her for what seemed like forever. I just saw my mum last month, but I was recovering from pneumonia. I do miss seeing her all the time. My brothers are on a half-term break, so they are leaving on Tuesday morning. I am happy about that because I did not want them missing school.
We were in Sydney to attend my grandmother-in-law's 100th birthday party. It was a special evening because she is 100 years old. It is a major milestone, and I am happy that we were able to celebrate it with her. She is a class act, and I love how close we have gotten over the years. I respect her a great deal, and I am honoured to have someone like her in my life.
Matt and I went out after our children were in bed. Admittedly, I was distracted. I felt comfortable sharing what has been bothering me. We talked about my recent concerns. Basically, he trusts me. He does not think I should isolate myself from my best friend or even my ex because of the existing feelings. He believes I would do well to trust myself and my own judgement. He was quick to point out that I am still holding on to my end of our arrangement and respecting our marriage, so obviously, I am capable. He has no issue with me having feelings for someone else as long as there continues to be no disrespectful or trust breaking conduct. He spelled out what constitutes disrespectful, trust breaking, and even marriage sacrificing. We did discuss boundaries. He let me take the lead and listened intently. Anything physical like PDA or any romantic exchanges will be limited to my marriage. Personally, I do not feel comfortable carrying on in certain manners. He said, "Whatever makes you comfortable, sweetheart. Never been one to tell you what to do. Not starting now either. " The flirty, non-sexual exchanges with my best friend are done. Regardless as to what he says, it comes off as disrespectful to me. Yes, he has been aware of it, but to someone looking in and not familiar with the dynamic between Brit and myself, it would look bad. (Why is his wife kissing someone else?) According to him, I am putting too much pressure on myself to be the perfect wife, and I just need to chill. That might be true, but I have to be mindful of how I conduct myself. The talk was productive, and I am sure more chats will be had in the future about why I felt like I was nothing but a candy coated cheater. Our date night was not the time. I was willing to discuss that, but my interest in discussing it further waned.
We left the lounge a little after 2. We were both hungry because dinner had worn off. We had Hungry Jacks (the American equivalent is Burger King). Matt thought it my unpretentiousness was ace. He said, "A woman who wears a dress that costs more than a mortgage while tucking into fast food is my kind of woman." That is how I roll.
We made it back to our suite around 3ish, and we were both exhausted, so we made love in the shower and went to bed.
Saturday: the whole family flew to Queenstown. I was feeling like a bad ass, so we went bungy jumping. 134 metres of liberation. Matt and I did the swing together. Nothing more sexy than straddling your man and swinging hundreds of metres above the ground with a reinforced rubber band holding you together.
It was exhilarating.
We had afternoon tea overlooking Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables as the backdrop. We took all of the little ones ice skating and to this indoor activity centre. The last stop was Amisfield for lunch Some of the adults chose to go wine tasting. The younger children enjoyed the fresh air and running around. We headed to the airport and jetted to Kerikeri. My little ones slept the whole flight. We checked in at our resort. Since one family is Anglican and one family is Catholic, we found a way to respect the beliefs of both families. We attended a Saturday evening Mass and rested until dinner.
After multiple courses and dessert, we were all ready to retire. We headed back to the resort and said our good-nights. Matt and I did our bath and bedtime routine with our two youngest children. I checked on our oldest, and she was getting ready for bed. We talked for awhile. It has been a pleasure to watch her blossom and come out of her shell.
Matt went to bed before me. My mum and I trekked down to the private beach and went for a midnight stroll. I love our heart to hearts. She told me she was proud of me and how much I had grown up. She admitted to worrying about me because she could see that I was hurting myself and those I loved. As a mother, she decided to let me make my mistakes and learn from them. We talked about my past, and she (finally) admitted what I always suspected. I cannot be mad at her for speaking her truth. I respect her for being honest and comfortable enough to tell me what was hard to hear. My mum and I have always been close, and I will always be happy to spend time with her. Never will I ever be too busy or too wrapped up in my world for her. Before we headed in, I stopped and hugged her. She asked what the hug was for? I responded, "I do not say it half as much as I should, but I love you." Best start to Mother's Day.
Today: my children surprised me with breakfast in bed. I started my morning with a delicious breakfast and cuddles with all three. Matt had our son give me an envelope when I got out of the shower. I opened it, and it was a spa day at Kauri Cliffs. All the men in the family wanted every mum to relax and not have to lift a finger.
We attended an Anglican service Sunday morning, and then, we were whisked away by helicopter. The Bay of Islands is truly stunning from the air. When we landed on the heliport, we were greeted with champagne and shown to our individual spa suites. We were all early for our treatments, so we had morning yoga and lounged in the sauna and Jacuzzi. In between treatments, we were treated to a three course lunch in a private garden. The treatments were a godsend. New Zealand Manuka honey is my new favourite. My skin is silky, and I am still in a state of euphoria. Outside of the treatments, I rarely get to spend time with Matt's sisters and the in-laws, but I had a very enjoyable morning/early afternoon with them. They are a diverse group of women, and I would like to think we bonded over the weekend.
We left the spa a little before 4, and we made it back to our resort before sunset. Our husbands and children (with the help of a few chefs) had spent the day creating a sumptuous dinner from the heavens. I must admit the meal was delicious. We started with fresh oysters and ceviche, spinach, arugula and macerated strawberry salads, and crayfish bisque. The main was Wagyu Filet Mignon topped with bianchetto and caramelised onions with sides of Potato Puree, Steamed Organic Carrots, and Grilled Asparagus. We had a dessert trio and our choice of Petit Fours. Each course was paired with an NZ wine. My favourite was the dessert wine. It perfectly completed the Pavlova I fell in love with. We capped the meal with blooming tea.
After dinner, we took our children to see Rio 2 and to the beach. I was presented with my gifts. I loved all of them. I appreciate the effort and thought more than anything, though.
Every day is Mother's Day for me because I am honoured to be a mum of three angels. They have no idea how much the inspire me to be better than the day before. I love being a mum. By far the greatest thing I have ever accomplished. No amount of net worth, degrees, holiday homes, money, or anything can compare to the love and pride I have in being a mother.