Wednesday 8th May 2024
After my divorce September 1992, I had a couple of acquaintances, nothing serious then I fell into a relationship with a man, which went absolutely nowhere. I later found out the man I had been seeing for months was married!
That relationship just tipped me over the edge!
What with money worries, another bad relationship, I hit rock bottom. I really struggled with my mental health, so much so that I felt I had no where to turn, my head got the better of me…I really didn’t want to be in this world. The only way I could see to put things right was to get out of this world.
It took months, could have been years for me to get back on track. I struggle so hard to keep going, trying to cover up my troubled life from my girls, my parents and my work colleagues.
I decided to take a college course in the evenings to study counselling. I thought maybe it would give me a much better insight and education into depression. I studied for two years and enjoyed the course immensely. Learning so much about strategies and myself.
I had also made the decision to make my life less complicated.
It was now just me and my girls, I didn’t need a man in my life!
I told myself i would never have another relationship again!
How wrong was I!
In 2001, I think I had been on my own with my two girls for around 8 years. Me and my mum was having a quiet drink in our local pub, when Mr G’s cousin approached me in the toilets, just dropping the odd hint, that Mr G was interested in getting to know me.
Instantly my barriers went up!
No not interested sorry!
A few days later when visiting a friend, Mr G came up in conversation, my friend knew Mr G and confirmed that he was divorced with twin boys.
I did questioned the divorce, I thought he was still married.
My friend said, “ No he is definitely divorced, he has custody of his twin boys, they only live down the road”
I was a little surprised…Did I have a slight glimmer of interest?
It was a few weeks later, on the 1st September 2001, that I was in the local pub. On this occasion we actually spoke to one another, and at the end of the evening we chatted for hours over a cup of coffee…I hate coffee! I was just being polite!
Phone numbers exchanged, we went our separate ways.
I was on holiday in Wales with my parents and my two daughters for a few days, when my phone rang. It was Mr G!
My daughters questioning who was on the phone, they ran around shouting “ Mum’s got a boyfriend” giggling girls jumping up and down.
Mr G asked if we could meet up the following weekend, I agreed.
After meeting a couple of times, we both made it clear that we didn’t want a serious relationship, but we did enjoy each others company.
We had some cracking night out, and a few months later it became apparent that we both had feelings for one another, we became inseparable.
We met parents.
We took the children away to the Lake District for a weekend break, really just to see if everyone got along.
I think it was around 12 months later Mr G proposed.
That’s when Three became Six!
It was certainly a busy household, but we did our best to create a happy family unit from 2 faulty marriages.
We did have ups and downs, we also had lots of laughs and lots of little adventures.
In 2004 came the wedding
Then came the selling of houses to buy a bigger house
My oldest daughter had her own little flat now, her elusive father had come back on the scene now she had left school!
2005 We moved to a bigger house, giving us all much more room and personal space
There was now 5 of us, with the twin boys now at college and my youngest daughter whom was training to be a dental nurse
My oldest daughter by this time had moved to Bournemouth to live with her boyfriend, that was tough letting my first born go.
Our family changed over the next few years, one of the twins moved out, so we now became 4.
Then my oldest daughter whom had moved to Bournemouth became pregnant. That was another exiting chapter, becoming grandparents for the first time.
Harry our first grandchild.
Lots of things changed within our family as the children became young adults, engagements, weddings, births.
Not all plain sailing, we have had plenty of difficult times to navigate, which I do tend to dwell on sometimes,
When our two faulty families came together, it was a complex and emotional journey for everyone involved. We have explored many challenges and triumphs of blending our two families together.
Now ever growing we have 7 Grandchildren
We are not the perfect family…What family is!
We are a little disjointed but a family!