My "Mum"

33 years ago, my dad was transferred to London for his job. We moved to England for 2 years and lived in a really lovely town south of London called Oxshot. My mom was 27 years old at the time, I was 5 and Timmy was almost 1. It was the first time my mom had ever travelled outside the US and so far away from home. I'm sure it was stressful for her, but at least for me, I remember the years in England as two of the happiest from my childhood.

Being in England today brings back a flurry of wonderful memories. In fact, I'm surprised at how much I remember. The children's school uniforms haven't changed much. They are so adorable -- the girls in paisley dresses and hats with ribbons and the boys with jackets and short ties. I remember wearing my black "rubbers" (sneakers) to gym as well as the standard uniform. There are certain wonderful smells in England that I remember. There's something about the thick gardens with a concoction that I just can't put anywhere else. Perhaps it's a combination of the laurel, roses, and holly -- but I love breathing it in when I walk past the gardens on my way to work. Even the smells of food seem so familiar to me. While a cheeseburger is a cheeseburger, something about smelling them here reminds me of my 7th birthday party at the Homestead Restaurant with my British friends where we all had burgers and milkshakes to celebrate the little American's birthday. I remember my best friends' name was Clover Williams. I wanted to name Ellie or Caleigh "Clover" but Patrick nixed the idea. I still love the name. Maybe if there is a fourth... Probably not.

It's especially moving to be in England with my children who are the same ages as I was when I arrived (close to age 6) and when I left (close to age 8). I love seeing England through their eyes and wonder if what is exciting to them was exciting to me.

What I long for the most is the ability to talk to my mom. I want to call her and tell her about our wonderful trip to Tom & Rita's farm. I want to tell her that Rita is still a great cook and as warm and loving as always. My mom would want to know exactly what was on the menu! I want to tell her that Ellie practically jumped into Rita's arms at the train station and they instantly fell in love. She would love the fact that Tom bought Declan a spitfire airplane and told him stories of WW2 when German bombers crowded the air above England. She would also love to know that Rita took out her old spinning wheel and showed Caleigh and Ellie how to use it. She would also love to know that Caleigh fed the horses, Ellie held a baby chick, that they have a Jack Russell dog named "Mack" (Declan's nickname) and their next door neighbors have about 5 dogs!

In fact, I know if she were still alive, I would have found a way for her to come to London with us for at least part of the time to share this experience with us. It would be a chance for all of us to relive such a happy part of our family life. But I guess it wasn't meant to be. Instead, we're living our own happy times together, cherishing the moment and realizing how important it is to have one another. This is the wonderful legacy my mom has left us.